Market Day

Yesterday our destination was Mexico City's Jamaica Market.  We took the Metrobus and the subway to get there.  The market is located just up the steps from the subway station.

The large market at first seems like any Mexican market building with stalls selling a wide variety  of food, clothing, and household goods, certainly a colorful and interesting place.

The butchers' stalls, however, might not be for the squeamish.

Every part of the butchered animal is used.

"Mole paste"

Just add broth and heat and you have sauce.

This particular "mole" contains pine nuts.

A plethora of piñatas

But if you have read my past entries about this market, you know that what makes Jamaica Market so special is the vast number of flowers for sale.  There are a total of 1500 flower vendors here.

Now that Day of the Dead is over, not a single marigold was to be seen.  However, the poinsettia plants are already making their appearance.

Before we left the market we stopped at one of the food stands for a snack.  Earlier on this trip I had tried out "Carnitas Paty", a very popular place known for its "tacos de carnitas" (braised, chopped pork) and its "tepache" (a beverage made from slightly fermented pineapple rinds).  

Annette is an adventurous traveler and was eager to try both.  However we both ordered "maciza", the cuts of pork from the loin, legs and shoulders (the parts of the pig that we "gringos" normally eat) rather than tongue, stomach, snout or other pieces of the piggy.

Annette really enjoyed her marketplace snack.

Before we left we had a chance to meet Paty, the proprietor of "Carnitas Paty".

(photo taken by Annette)