From the stove to diner: Dishes from the state of Puebla

The delicious dishes of the state of Puebla are a reflection of its history of fusion, creativity and living culture in the kitchen.

I like to discover the smells, flavors and textures of the various dishes that are made in the state of Puebla, whether in a market or in a simple restaurant. Sitting at the table, for me, is the beginning of a journey that takes me to the farmers: the people who sow and harvest each ingredient in the dishes—defined by the agricultural cycles of the region—and that they come to the markets to then later be acquired by chefs with extensive knowledge and hardworking hands, who hand over each dish of unique flavors for the enjoyment of the diners… 

1 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

The state of Puebla, with its 217 municipalities, is located in the central Mexican plateau. It preserves vestiges of pre-Hispanic cultures: Olmeca, Mixteca, Tolteca and Mexica, cultures that knew how to survive and redefine themselves through mixing with cultures from other continents, which, throughout the centuries, have left their mark on all the cultural manifestations, especially in gastronomy.

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Smoked meat dish in Tlatlauquitepec

Platter with a variety of smoked meats such as chicken, longaniza (sausage), lomo (loin), costillas (ribs) and cueritos de cerdo (pork crackling), Tlatlauquitepec specialties. They are served with red rice, cambray potatoes, spring onions and charred beans. The peanut salsa particularly stands out because of its unique flavor.

3 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

Dinner in Zacatlán

A dinner in Zacatlán, tostadas (toasted tortillas) with refried beans and beef are dipped in salsa verde with the addition of cabbage, cheese and onion. They are served on an earthenware dish and are accompanied by hot chocolate in an earthenware jar.

4 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

Pelonas (sandwiches) and tlacoyos (corn time fill with different ingredients) in Chila Honey

In the mercado de Chila Honey, in the Northern mountain range, the initial comal (griddle) has the breads already fried to prepare the pelonas (sandwiches), they are made with refried beans, shredded beef or chicken, lettuce, salsa and cream. The blue corn tlacoyos (corn time fill with different ingredients) can be filled with bean or grasspea, with lettuce and cheese on top.

5 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

Mole of caderas (hips) in Tehuacán

Mole of caderas (hips) is recognized as the most important traditional dish in the Tehuacán region, it is made with goats, its long aging gives it an unbeatable flavor to its meat. The mole is prepared with the hips of goat, chili peppers and wild green beans.

6 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

There is a wide repertoire of stews and snacks typical of each region, based on corn, chili and beans, making Puebla gastronomy one of the richest among the 32 states of the Mexican Republic.

7 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

Cenaduría in Xicotepec de Juárez

In the Northern mountain range of Puebla, in Xicotepec de Juárez, in a diner the chef and the waitress pose for a photo, the antojitos (street food) they offer are gorditas (corn time filled with different ingredients or stewed), tostadas (toasted tortillas), enchiladas and empanadas (patty), they are served on a deep dish and are bathed in green or red sauce and served with chopped cabbage, onion and cheese.

8 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

Tasty dinner in Xicotepec de Juárez

Snack-sized molotes (pastries) filled with chicken, beef and pork. The roast meat and beef leg are served with lettuce and slices of cooked egg.

9 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

Pollo al chiltepín (chicken with chiltepin chili) in Huauchinango

In Huauchinango in a kitchen inside the market, you can find tasty pollo al chiltepín (chicken with chiltepin chili), the guiso (stew) is served with a salad of lettuce with tomato, avocado and cucumber and black beans.

10 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

From presenting this exhibition on the traditional cuisine of the state of Puebla, I have discovered a vocation: photographing ingredients, dishes and chefs wherever I find them, this, to leave a testimony of a living culture, where the chefs, from the ingredients, create and recreate a huge range of dishes for the enjoyment of the palate.

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Pahuas and green mole with chicatanas (chicatana ants) in Pahuatlán

Pahuatlán, its name comes from Pahua, a variety of avocado served with roasted ribs, green mole meat, black beans and corn tortillas.

12 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

Chalupas poblanas (Puebla crunchy tortillas) in Huauchinango

The chalupas (crunchy tortillas) offered by Huauchinango are small corn tortillas which you add butter to and which are served with beans, salsa verde, lettuce, onion and cheese.

13 Del fogón al comensal, platillos del estado de PueblaCocina Cinco Fuegos

I hope that, through my photographs, people will be encouraged to travel to get to know and enjoy all that their region has to offer, in terms of gastronomy.

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Mole poblano (Puebla mole) with red rice in Cholula

Considered the most famous of the moles, the Poblano is a culinary jewel of Puebla. Its origin goes back to the pre-Hispanic cultures, since the indigenous people made a salsa with a mixture of different chilis called mulli. During the colonial period, different ingredients from other locations were added to the same salsa.

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Trout producers in Santa Rita Tlahuapan

In Santa Rita, the water from the melting of the Iztaccihuatl volcano is used by the local Ejidatario people to raise rainbow trout, which visitors can then choose to try in different ways: deviled, Mexican, Hawaiian, as meatballs, or simply fried.

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Tlahuapan trout

One specialty in Santa Rita Tlahuapan is to cook the trout in paper with three cheeses, prepared with pepper, tomato, sliced jalapeño pepper, onion and bay.

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Trout in pipián verde (pumpkin seed salsa) in Santa Rita

Santa Rita Tlahuapan prepares a trout in pipián verde (pumpkin seed salsa), dotted with toasted pumpkin seeds, and it is accompanied by white rice and refried güero beans, and served on a Talavera dish.

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Stew vendor in Nuevo Necaxa

Homemade stew vendor in a rustic cottage located on the roadside in Nuevo Necaxa, in the Northern mountain range of Puebla. Dishes to keep them warm, they are stored in pewter pots and covered with aluminum foil.

Credits: Story

Curator: Andrés Lobato 
Photographer/Creator: Andrés Lobato

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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