Food & Drink

Along the coast around Cabo Corrientes and Tomatlán, the cuisine revolves around the sea. Pescado zarandeado is a whole fish grilled with a spicy marinade of chili and seasonings. It's one of the region's best-known dishes, usually cooked over charcoal and eaten with the fingers.

Tehuamixtle, a small fishing village in Cabo Corrientes, is known for its rock oysters. They come fresh from the Pacific and are usually served raw with lime. Further inland, at the Cajón de Peña reservoir between Talpa and Mascota, the togololo is considered a delicacy, a small freshwater clam found almost nowhere else.

In Tomatlán, many dishes are seasoned with the local chilpete salsa, made from a small, fiery chili variety that has been grown in the region for generations. It pairs well with the mild queso panela, a fresh, unaged cheese from the coastal region. It goes just as well with spicy salsas as with grilled fish.

In the Sierra, by contrast, heartier fare dominates, with meat, beans, and corn tortillas, the kind served at the festivals of the Pueblos Mágicos. There, Raicilla is traditionally drunk alongside the meal, in small sips. It's not an aperitif but a fixed part of the meal itself.

Anyone winding down the day on the beach at Yelapa in Cabo Corrientes will still find the coconut pies typical of the bay, sold right there on the sand. A sip of coastal Raicilla alongside brings things full circle: the same coast, the same agave, the same salty taste in both fruit and drink.