Three days filled with flavor, tradition, and knowledge were experienced at the fourth Encounter of Traditional Cooks of Oaxaca, organized by Celia Florián, President of the Association of Traditional Cooks and Adriana Aguilar Escobar, Secretary of Municipal Tourism Promotion.

From April 23 to 25, the Plaza de la Danza hosted the gastronomic showcase of 50 traditional cooks from the 8 regions of the state, who proudly presented the ceremonial dishes typical of their places of origin, delighting all attendees with flavor and history.

Among the 150 dishes prepared by the cooks, various types of tamales stood out. There were mixe bean, chicken, mole, white bean with shrimp, and many more delights. One of the crowd favorites was the bean tamale, wrapped in milpa leaf, which María Morales Ortiz prepares by cooking the corn with ash and recounts that it is a dish that in Santa Ana del Valle, Oaxaca, is made as a gift to the bride's parents when asking for her hand.

Of course, tlayudas were a must. Martha Rivera, representative of the Central Valleys, served them with speed and mastery with her asiento, bean paste, quesillo, good tasajo, guacamole, and her salsa. Another great favorite of the public was the barbacoa taco from the heroic city of Tlaxiaco, prepared by cook Zoila Esther Palacio Osorio, and the cochinita roasted in Chiltepec style by Rosario Cruz Cobos. Accompanying these delights with a tejate with tepache or one of their fresh waters was pure happiness.

During the three days of the encounter, there were performances by musical and dance companies from the state, who enlivened the walk through each stand with rhythms and color. Additionally, there was a rich academic program featuring various specialists, chefs, and researchers who addressed relevant topics about the gastronomic heritage.

Among some of the presentations, traditional cook Abigail Mendoza presented her book Zapotec Identity, Margarita Carrillo also presented her new work on Mexican vegetarian cuisine exploring typical recipes from across the country, and Alejandro Campos, from Hacienda la Luz, spoke about the history of Wolter chocolates, the Mexican chocolate with the most distinctions and international awards (currently counting 60).

It was three days of learning from dish to dish and from conversation to conversation about respect for food and all the history behind each one. Without a doubt, it is an encounter that cares for and appreciates the gastronomic legacy of #OaxacaDeMilSabores that you must mark on your calendar for its next edition.

Follow the conversation of the event with the HG #AOaxacaVoy and #CocinerasTradicionales, and stay tuned for the cooking class we prepared with cook Thalia Barrios, from Levadura de Olla and La Cocina de Humo, and chef Mau Eggleton! Don't miss its premiere on Tuesday, May 17 at 1 pm on Facebook.