Andrew Keenan-Bolger

Andrew Keenan-Bolger Instagram – Something to taco ‘bout 🌮 Today in San Miguel de Allende, it was all about food, starting the morning with my favorite Mexican pastry, a concha from Cumpanio (@cumpaniomx). Our appetite for discovery then led us to the trendy neighborhood of Guadalupe, dubbed the Brooklyn of San Miguel. Unlike the centro historico, a UNESCO World Heritage site where building aesthetics are preserved, Guadalupe thrives with artistic freedom, with the artist residents turning many of their homes into a canvas for murals. We also suspect this might be the gayborhood, based on the number of same-sex couples we saw making their way to brunch.
One of my favorite ways to learn about a town is through its food, so whenever I can take a cooking class from a local, I seize the opportunity. Fortunately, Pura Vida Kitchen (@puravidakitchen) was able to accommodate us, and we were shocked to learn that our chef, Alicia, was originally from Brooklyn Heights. She had followed a boyfriend to SMA twenty years ago and has since made it her home. Chef Alicia was incredibly entertaining, hilarious, and knowledgeable as she guided us through the basics of Mexican salsas and introduced us to new ingredients like huitlacoche (Mexican corn fungus) and xoconostle (prickly pear). She was also so kind as to take us to a nearby grocery store to stock up on dried chili peppers and tortillas for her tasty chicken tinga tacos. She even gifted us with some raw brown sugar cones and dried hibiscus flowers, which are hard to find in the States, so we could make her mouthwatering margaritas. Don’t worry, we declared everything! As we were checking out at the grocery store, Scott whispered to me, ‘I think this is my favorite thing we’ve done.’ And I couldn’t agree more. If you make the trip down here, booking a class with Alicia is a must. Plus, she sent us off with her e-cookbook so we can bring these dishes back to Brooklyn. | Posted on 21/Feb/2024 02:15:47