(Pescados y Mariscos)
In Mexican coastal towns, fish, shellfish, and other treasures of the sea are abundant, especially during the cooler months of the year. This works out great for the end of winter—the start of the Lenten season, when the largely Catholic country switches to eating fish on Fridays. But having to eat fish on Fridays in Mexico is more of a treat than a penance.
The pescadores (fishermen) push their boats out in the early morning and return as the sun sets, their nets heavy with the fruits of their labor. Seafood stalls and restaurants line the streets along the coast, waiting for those water creatures to be hauled in from the sea. Even inland, fresh seafood is plentiful, since fishmongers drive the seafood inside large Styrofoam coolers loaded in the back of run-down pickup trucks and wagons.
Nothing beats pulling up at a Mexican seafood stand (the stand itself made from an old boat that’s been turned upside down into a makeshift counter). I didn’t always know the name in English of some of the shellfish, but the nice vendors would crack open the wet shells and show me the meaty flesh inside.
When it’s fresh and raw, white fish, shrimp, octopus, or even lobster can be turned into Ceviche, all “cooked” in the lime juice generously squeezed over their tender bits. Topping it up with some hot sauce, diners scoop all that goodness onto a tostada. It’s fun to watch everyone try to get the whole mess into their mouths without dripping juices down their chins and before the tostada falls apart.
Because of its geographic location, Mexico is blessed with miles and miles of coastline. The Baja Peninsula, one of the longest peninsulas in the world, created the mild waters of the Gulf of California, while still benefiting from the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. It’s perfect for gathering shrimp, fishing out lobsters, and digging clams from their sandy hiding places when the tide goes out.
It’s no wonder that the people in the coastal towns are so relaxed and happy. They gather the seafood, plentiful in the nearby waters, and the happy fish eventually make their way onto your plate and into your even happier belly.