A Halloween Cheese Plate and a CDMX/Oaxaca Travel Guide

I spent the past 10 days eating the best food of my life and it might all be downhill from here.

A thought provoking pain au chocolate from Boulenc in Oaxaca

Hello congregants!

Today I bring you a Halloween Cheese Plate and a hearty list of recommendations for Oaxaca and Mexico City, where I‘ve spent the last 10 days eating the best food of my life. It was my second time visiting both cities, and my return was inspired by the area’s mind-blowing pastries. My partner worships laminated dough and was in desperate need for a vacation, so I designed the whole trip around croissants. The bakeries did not disappoint, but each time we bit into a shatteringly flaky, golden brown pastry, we had to grapple with the reality that it’s only here because of colonization.

The French technique arrived after the Spanish ravaged the land, enslaved their people, and ruined their water supply, in addition to other countless atrocities. To focus entirely on this dark history is to ignore the beauty of resistance and the many ancient customs and recipes that survived the Spanish conquests. At the same time, appreciating this place means educating yourself about the whole picture, including the parts that make you uncomfortable. All of that history is folded into their culture, layered like butter into dough. It’s a lot of thought-processing to come out of a croissant, but the truth is food is political. From the sourcing of flour to the cow whose milk makes the butter and every hand that touches each ingredient along the way; it all has an impact.

There’s more to say here, but I’m getting off the soapbox for now. Below I‘ve included a recipe for a Halloween Cheese Plate as well as a travel guide featuring highlights from my trip, should you find yourself booking a getaway. I hope the rest of October treats you well!

Cheesus bless!

🖤 Erika