Campeche gastronomy is characterized by its long coastline, and the region is known for its variety of seafood dishes. There is a strong Mayan influence on Campeche cuisine, with influences also coming from Spain and the Caribbean. The cuisine is distinguishable by the use of two ingredients. The first ingredient is sour orange, and this is used to marinate meat. The other ingredient is achiote, which gives the Campeche cuisine its distinctive orange color.
Campeche seafood and fish
Cazón (dogfish) is extremely popular across Campeche. The most famous Campeche dish is pan de cazón. This dish involves the stacking of tortillas with shredded Cazón and re-fried in between each layer. The dish is covered in a tomato sauce flavored with habanero chili. The habanero chili also plays an important role in Campeche gastronomy and will be found across many dishes.
The love of cazón in Campeche does not stop there, one can also try Empanada de cazón, a pastry filled with shredded dogfish. Papadzules is another example, which is shredded dogfish with corn tortillas and hard-cooked eggs served in a pumpkin seed sauce. With the long coastline, there are many more seafood and fish dishes one can eat in Campeche. Camarones al coco is another example. This is jumbo shrimp covered in a coconut batter which is then deep fried. Pampano en verde is another Campeche cuisine, this is a fish dish in a sauce of green chilies and flavored tomatillos.
Not from the sea
However, Campeche cuisine is not solely fish and seafood. One example is Brazo de la Reina, which is a large tamal stuffed with chopped hard-cooked eggs, ground melon seeds, and the leaves of the Chaya plant. The name of this tamale translates as the ‘arm of the queen’.
Other examples include the Cochinita pibil. The term pibil means food cooked in an underground oven. This is a pre-Hispanic cooking technique, and the term pibil originates from the Mayan language. Furthermore, popular throughout the Yutucan peninsula, Sopa de lima is a lime soup that contains tomatoes, onions, finely shredded chicken, and fried tortilla bits in chicken broth.
Something sweet
For something sweet, one should try Postre de Chicozapote, a dessert made from the chicozapote fruit. Chewing gum was originally made from this fruit. In Campeche, one can also try sweets covered in syrup of papaya, ciricote, redcurrant, nance, and tamarind.
Hence, one of the best reasons to visit Campeche is the food. There is everything, for all tastes, from spicy to sweet. So was this blog delicious and inspiring for your next trip to Campeche? Which dish would you like to try first?
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