Sobre la comida... Y la gripa

Hello, people of the internet!  Sorry again for the delay -- I meant to write a food-post this weekend, but ended up stuck in bed with a box of tissues and lots of water!  I don't know if I had/have a nasty version of a cold, some kind of virus, or the flu, but it is not fun.  However, thanks to lots of rest, water, and some "antigripal" meds (anti-cold), I'm definitely feeling better.

What marked the turning point in my down-time this weekend was actually my delicious comida (lunch) on Sunday.  After skipping church because I barely had the energy to stand up, I did not think that any kind of food would be appealing.  When I learned that lunch was rice with a fried egg and fried bananas, I was even more skeptical.  Fortunately, I decided to go with the flow and try the meal... And oh. my. gosh.  It was so good!!  Here's the moment when I wish I was a bit more of a typical exchange student and took pictures of my food... But alas, I find that ideology a bit strange, so no pics for you.  GoogleImágenes to the rescue!  (image from here)

I don't know what it is, but combining these three flavors was the best idea anyone has had in a while.  (To my friends back home: yeah, I'll probably be attempting to recreate this for you.)  And you, too, can enjoy this tasty dish!  Just cook some rice, add in some finely chopped potatoes, fry an egg, and then lightly fry sliced bananas in vegetable oil.  Ugh, SO GOOD.

Lest you think this is the only food I have enjoyed so far, let me list my top five actual Mexican dishes (trust me, I could go on for hours -- the food here is spectacular!).  In no particular order, I present:

1. Café.  I know, I know, everywhere supposedly has the world's best coffee.  But Veracruzana coffee is pretty amazing!  Best part: it comes with EVERY meal :D
2. Panbajo.  This might seem weird to you Americans: it's basically a bun sliced in half and filled with beans (and a bit of mayo).  It's a typical dinner item, and is really quite delicious and satisfying!
3. Gorditos.  Another dinner favorite: little fat tortillas spread with spicy salsa and topped with a bit of cheese and beans.  It's kind of like an open-face sandwich, only smaller and probably way more tasty.
4. Crema de zanahorias.  ¡Con tocino!  Okay, second favorite soup so far!  This is "carrot soup," and it reminds me of our American potato soup, except that it's orange and more savory.  The best part?  Huge pieces of bacon!  Because why not take something awesome to the next level by adding bacon?!
5. Champignones en chipotle.  I'm not entirely sure how to make this, but I need to learn! These mushrooms are served in a slightly spicy sauce, and are perfect alongside chicken and rice, or really any dish.  Heck, they can make a meal of themselves!
6. Sopa de lentijas.  This is my favorite soup this far!  Full of lentils egg, bacon, and fried bananas, every bite is a moutful of new flavor combinations.  And none of them are bad ideas!  I don't know what it is about plátanos, but they really do fit into everything.
7. Hot chocolate.  When it got really cold last week, my host-mom made us a big pot of warm, creamy, frothy hot chocolate.  I know what you're imagining.  Trust me, this was ten times more magical!  It was the perfect end-note on a freezing day, and the next morning it set the tone off to a cheery start.
8. Tamales - especially de piña.  To clarify: you can have almost any kind of tamale. I have yet to try many, but am looking forward to sampling more soon!  But the pineapple tamales I enjoyed about a week ago were my favorite so far!  They were sweet, but too sweet -- a marvelous complement to your lunch, and equally gratifying as dessert.  Here's to more tamales!!
9. Calabaza con arroz y queso.  Another simple meal, but putting sauteed squash with Mexican rice, and then crumbling a bit of cheese over it... Mmmmm.  Absolutely delicious.
10. Spicy pork.  Yeah, probably not what the locals call it.  Sadly, I either forgot to ask or forgot to write down the answer -- either way, I enjoyed these thinly sliced pork fillets about two weeks ago, but their spicy amazingness has stuck with me.  Hopefully I will have them again soon, and can ask for the name of the dish!

Okay, maybe that's my top ten... Whoops!  Like I said, there is no shortage of awesome food here.

What authentic Mexican food do you like?  Did you think of something that didn't show up in my list?  Please comment and let me know what I should be eating while I'm here! :)

*Disclaimer: most of the time I eat with my host family.  But I'm building a list of foods to try when I do eat out, so feel free to suggest entire meals, snacks, drinks... whatever comes to mind!