Every city would be blessed to have an array of great locals' spots like Mexico City's cantinas. The venues run the gamut in style and clientele, attracting all kinds of customers. Some are century-old gems, giving visitors a peek into the city's long culinary history. And the food, ranging from free drinking snacks to house specialties worth seeking out, goes well beyond bar bites you might find elsewhere.
When Gabriella Gonzalez Martinez was a teenager, she would grab chamoy-flavored candy from the tiendita, a corner store up the street from her high school in a Los Angeles suburb. She still felt the pull of its sour-spicy-sweet tang as an adult living in Portland, Ore. Now a pastry chef, she treats the classic Mexican condiment as an invitation to play in the kitchen.
Sole meunière is a classic French recipe that translates to "miller's wife," referencing the process of flouring the fish before frying it in butter. This dish requires carefully sourced Dover sole which, when prepared correctly, delivers a delicate and nuanced flavor.
Jerk seasoning carries generations of cultural significance, embodying the history, legacy, and enduring spirit of people who experienced colonialism in Jamaica.
General Tso's chicken is a Chinese-American dish not commonly eaten in China; it was first produced in Taiwan by Hunanese chef Peng Chang-kuei to suit the tastes of an American admiral.
Recipes from the '60s were experimental, with Miss Fluffy's Rice Cookbook showcasing uniquely whimsical dishes that challenged traditional cooking norms, like gelatin-based rice desserts.
