Most countries that we are familiar with have one or two dishes that are the standard "go to's" for a large swath of the population. For example, the hamburger is definitely king in North America. And we can probably agree on Wiener Schnitzel for Germany, pasta for Italy, and perhaps moules frites or steak frites for France.  For Spain, it would be either dry ham on a plain bun or calamari on a plain bun.  If you think I am nuts on any of these, then put a flame in the Comments!

Now for Mexico, there is Taco, or maybe burrito. Actually, a quick Google search seems to mentions things like 1. Chilaquiles · 2. Pozole · 3. Tacos al pastor · 4. Tostadas · 5. Chiles en nogada · 6. Elote · 7. Enchiladas · 8. Mole.

And then, on learning of our plan to cycle in Yucatan, Joni chipped in Salbutes, Panuchos, Papadzules,  and for dessert, Marquesitas.

Frankly, I am not necessarily sure what most of these things are, and actually we do not often, or ever, visit such Mexican restaurants as may exist here in frozen Canada. But in 2018 we found ourselves in Cancun, and I got sent to find some take out food. A restaurant suggested "poc chuc", and in my case it turned out to be made with chicken.  Wow, instant love affair! This dish has everything you need to reach food nirvana - BBQ flavour, pickled flavour, salad, rice, beans, lemon, avocado, and a stack of flour tortillas on the side! It turns out that, as you read below, Poc Chuc is a signature dish of Yucatan. And it seems that although generic Mexican food is not necessarily our favourite, the Yucatan region is something else again.

"Poc chuc is a Mexican dish of meat, commonly pork, that is prepared in citrus marinade and cooked over a grill. Poc chuc is often served with a side of rice, pickled onion, refried beans, and avocado. Poc chuc is one of the signature dishes of the Yucatán." (Wikipedia)

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Rachael AndersonLooks and sounds delicious!
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3 years ago

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Now, I'm not saying that Poc Chuc is the reason for spending big bucks just to nip over (6000 km) to Yucatan for a month. That would be crazy, right? OK, yes, Yucatan also has Mayan ruins, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico coastlines, many quiet rural roads, reasonable prices, nice people (most of whom are not shooting you or each other, except in Cancun), and of course warm weather in Winter.

Still and all, it was in Yucatan that we came to recognize that Mexican people really do have a knack for fresh and wholesome food (and oh, Coca Cola and the most atrocious gas station junk food). For the Grampies, that is a big draw.

So the Poc Chuc Pursuit is a spin through Yucatan , where we will be searching out that good food, the quiet roads, and the other good things of this unique place.

To put you quickly in the picture, here is where it is:

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Looking a little closer, we see spots like Chichen Itza and Tulum and Coba, all Mayan cities, and the "Mexican Riviera" on the Caribbean coast from Tulum north.  It all seems super famous and like everybody knows about it. But, do they know where is the best and cheapest Poc Chuc? Maybe by the end of this blog they will!

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Don SkerikI would recommend Campeche, Palenque and Agua Azul Waterfalls. I was there about 25 years ago. Have fun. I would join you in Portugal and Spain.
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3 years ago

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