Of Red Seeds, Tiny Flowers, and Other Wonders of Mexican Cuisine
By Alex Ruelas
Spice. Chili. When you think about Mexican food, those are probably the first two words that come to mind. Mexican gastronomy has become world-famous for its unmistakable flavors and astounding diversity. Yet, to really know Mexico’s cuisine, one needs to go beyond the surface. It takes a deeper look to understand its roots, to know its colors, and to explore the exciting possibilities of this ever-evolving spicy and hot tradition.
A brief history of spice
Once upon a time, Mexican food was not spicy. In fact, in pre-Columbian America, there weren’t many spices around. It was when the Spaniards arrived on the continent that a new cuisine was born. This mestizo gastronomy combined native herbs and local foodstuffs with the spices brought from the Old World.
“Peppers, cinnamon, cloves, garlic. These ingredients arrived on ships coming from Europe. Then, they fused with native elements to create what we know today as Mexican food”, says Chef Xavier Pérez Stone, winner of Iron Chef Canada 2014 and owner of Axiote, a cutting-edge Mexican in Playa del Carmen.
Chef Xavier Pérez Stone.
He runs an experimental kitchen. Here, new dishes are conceived through a creative process that goes iteratively through trial and error – with many tastings, analyses, and even drawings in between – until it arrives at what he calls “the final coincidence”, a dish ready to be served. “We are not a traditional Mexican restaurant. We take our national gastronomy and attempt to deliver a new flavor every time”.
At the heart of this process are spices. Currently, he and his team are playing with a rather unforeseen ingredient – rosita de cacao. When collected and dried, the flower of the cocoa tree – known by pre-Columbians as cacahuaxochitl – delivers a sweet savor with hints of vanilla, anisette, and rum. “If you’re thinking of chocolate, don’t,” says the chef. “Rosita is featured in many dishes, especially in Oaxaca. Here at the restaurant, we use it the same in cebiches, moles, and desserts''.
But how does he come up with these refreshing combinations? One way is to revisit the past. “I recently found, in an 18th-century recipe book, that ginger was widely used in convents,” he relates. “You wouldn’t expect that particular spice to be so present in Mexican food, but it once was."
The other is to put together a mental catalog, an imaginary library of flavors that he hopes anyone that tries authentic Mexican food will take home. With tastes rooted in our brains by experiences and emotions, it is easy to start creating something new.
Lobster with mole and axiote.
The land of chile
There are over 50 different kinds of chili in Mexico. Chile, or capsicum if you want to get scientific, is the quintessential ingredient of Mexican cuisine. “Chili is a pre-Hispanic foodstuff. Our ancestors consumed loads of it, and we can find it in huge varieties today,” says Chef Xavier Pérez.
Not only are there many kinds of chili, but they can also undergo different treatments that make their range even broader. Chilies can be toasted, dried, aged, smoked, pickled, or eaten fresh, and will change their name and their use accordingly. “Take Poblano chili, for example –says the chef as he straightens his eyeglasses–. This endemic species is consumed practically everywhere in Mexico. However, we don’t always know it as Poblano. We can have it stuffed (with cheese or ground meat), as rajas (sliced and cooked with cream), or in nogada – a special September dish tied to Independence Day.”
The sheer variety can be intimidating. However, keep in mind that most Mexicans do not know it by heart either. As Chef Xavier Pérez puts it, “We identify chilies with a specific dish or preparation. We think we know how they taste, how they look, but it’s funny how much they can change without us realizing it’s actually the same chile.”
Chili is one of the foundations of Mexican cuisine. Nevertheless, you must know that not all chilies are hot. Nor is all Mexican food. In fact, not all Mexican food is spicy, either! “More than chili or spice, our food represents a territory and an identity.” Chef Pérez Stone is now on a quest to show how authentic Mexican flavors can evolve and take us, at the same time, to the roots of tradition and on an exciting culinary adventure.
Axiote
When looking for the name of his first restaurant, Chef Xavier Pérez stumbled upon axiote. Intensely colored and strikingly flavorsome, this red recado – a kind of spicy paste – summed up what he wanted for his new eatery. “It’s, at the same time, playful, vibrant, and inextricably linked to the local culture.”
But what is it exactly? It starts with the annatto tree. First, its conical, lentil-sized seeds are stored and aged – sometimes for up to a year. Once they have turned an earthy dark red, they are ground, soaked, and mixed with sour orange, pepper, clove, and garlic to turn it into a rich recado. If you have ever had tacos al pastor or cochinita pibil, then you have tasted the magic of axiote.
“Axiote is a common word in the Yucatán Peninsula,” recites Chef Pérez Stone. “Every local knows what it is. Yet its taste is so powerful that we can have fun with it and use it in a bunch of new ways.”
Cerdo Pelón.
While it is named after a cherished traditional food, his restaurant strives to produce novelty. That is why you will find axiote where you would not typically look for it, from a lobster with mole to dry noodles with octopus and longaniza, or even mezcal cocktails. “We want you to find new flavors. Some people say, ‘Your mole is delicious, but it’s not like the ones I had tried before.’ Well, exactly!”
At the end of the day, Chef Perez Stone is out to give his dinner guests an experience they can remember with joy and bring into their daily lives. “We want to make simple and honest food,” he states. “Not simple to prepare, but to understand. We aim for everyone to have an enjoyable moment and start working on their own mental catalog of flavors. To take that home and bring it to their kitchens.”
Mexican cuisine is vast. Spices, chilies, and many other ingredients make it wonderfully intricate. So how to get familiar with its nuances and subtleties? In short, open yourself up to new experiences. “I would advise travelers that come to Mexico to free themselves of preconceptions,” replies Chef Pérez Stone. “You can find Mexican restaurants in every country, but it’s only here that you will get its authentic flavors and ingredients. From a modest taco joint to fine dining restaurants, be willing to explore. It’s the traditions and love we put in food that will make your journey special.”
When you visit Axiote, these are the dishes you can’t miss:
Shrimp cebiche with coconut, lime, and avocado. Fun fact: This crowd-pleaser has been on the menu since the restaurant opened. Every time Chef Xavier Pérez has tried to remove it, he gets people demanding he puts it back on.
Lobster with mole and axiote. Lobster tail cooked in a wood-fired oven and served with a side of Poblano chilli, red onion, achiote, tomato, and corn.
Cerdo pelón. Confitted pork meat pressed and wrapped in hoja santa. Covered in black mole and served with a side of flame-cooked banana purée.
Axiote’s opening hours: Daily, from 12:00 pm until 12:00 am.
