The Flavors of Mexico: A Culinary Adventure in Oaxaca & Puebla

After arriving at the hotel, checking in, and getting your room, take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax.

In the hotel restaurant, we’ll have a plated 3-course meal with beverage choices of soft drinks, coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase. Dinner will be saved for those arriving late.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

In the hotel restaurant, choices include Mexican and international cuisine with a variety of hot and cold dishes plus fruit, yogurt, pastries, bread, coffee, tea, water.

Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This program is staffed with an instructor who will give lectures and a Group Leader who will be responsible for logistics. A certified expert will lead field trips, and transportation will be via bus unless specified otherwise. We will provide suggestions for restaurants and on-site visits for personal independent exploration and several meals on your own to enjoy the cuisine of your choice. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Our Study Leader will give us a presentation on the market system in Oaxaca and its importance in Oaxacan cuisine. We will then walk on into the historic district with our local expert and explore the Santo Domingo church and museum. Once the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, founded by the Dominican Order, the rooms that constituted the monastery now house the Cultural Center of Oaxaca. Construction began in 1570 and continued over two centuries. It underwent a complete restoration that was completed in 1999.

At a local restaurant, we’ll have a 2-course meal with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Next, we will then walk to the famous Mercado Benito Juárez where we’ll feast our eyes on the rich colors of the fruits and vegetables, the smells of the aromatic herbs and exotic spices, and the sounds of the vendors calling out “Tortillas! Tamales! Chocolate! Chapulines!” We’ll take in the hustle and bustle of local chefs picking ingredients for their evening culinary delights and watch artisans as they weave rugs, put finishing touches on pottery, and create paintings. Returning to the hotel, we’ll enjoy a social hour and spend more time getting to know our fellow Road Scholars.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will board a bus for a field trip to the prestigious Seasons of My Heart Cooking School. There, we’ll put on aprons for a hands-on cooking class focusing on pre-Hispanic foods, traditional culinary, medicinal, and spiritual herb usage.

At the cooking school, we’ll have a tasty meal featuring the foods we helped prepare with beverage choices of soft drinks, coffee, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

We’ll return to the hotel for a lecture on pre-Hispanic foods of Mexico and the impact on gastronomy worldwide as a result of the Spanish invasion. The arrival of the Europeans on the American continent brought about a huge shift in many aspects of life, including diet and not just in the Americas; the changes that came about affected the whole world. In this session, we’ll learn about some of the ingredients, utensils and cooking methods used in Oaxaca since pre-Hispanic times and see how some of the additions brought from other parts of the world were added in to create new and interesting combinations. The text entitled “The Mesoamerican Diet and Gastronomic Mestizaje” offers an introduction to this material. The remainder of the afternoon is free to see and do what interests you most in Oaxaca. Or, just relax.

On your own to enjoy the regional cuisine of your choice. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We’ll board our bus with a local expert and set out on a field trip to Santa María del Tule. This was once marshland filled with cypress trees and bulrushes the Aztecs called “tulle.” We’ll stop in the town center to see El Árbol del Tule, a 2,000 year old Montezuma cypress tree that has the greatest girth of any tree in the world with a diameter of almost 40 feet. Moving on, we’ll arrive in Mitla, an archaeological site that is an important representation of Zapotec culture as it features unique and intricate geometric and mosaic work. Well-preserved thanks to the dry climate, Mitla was the residence of the high priest, whom the Spanish likened to the Pope, and served as the main religious center for the Zapotec.

At a restaurant outside Mitla, we’ll have choices of different kinds of moles, salads, main dishes, desserts, and beverage choices of soft drinks, coffee, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Our exploration will continue as we explore Teotitlán del Valle, a small village known for its handmade textiles made from local materials. The village was originally founded by the Zapotec under the name Xaguixe — meaning “at the foot of the mountains” — and retains much of its original culture. The Spanish renamed the site Teotitlán del Valle; Teotitlán meaning “land of the gods” in Nahuatl. We will be treated to a unique demonstration given by local experts and local professional weavers. We’ll observe the treating of the wool, organic coloring, and weaving by a team of professionals weavers. We’ll ride back to the hotel after our field trip.

At a local restaurant, we’ll have a 2-course meal with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

Aboard our bus, we will begin a field trip to Monte Albán, one of the most impressive archaeological sites in México with the most spectacular views. One of the greatest Mesoamerican cities, it served as a political and economic center for the Zapotec from roughly 500 BCE to around 500 CE. One of the defining features of the city are the carved bas relief monuments called Los Danzantes — the dancers — along the main plaza. Next, we will walk to the Monte Albán Site Museum with an opportunity to see many of the artifacts excavated from the area, including the impressive collection of Danzantes. We will return to our hotel for free option lunch and free time.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At a local restaurant, we’ll have a 2-course meal with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

After checking out of the hotel, we will board a motorcoach and transfer to Puebla, arriving in time to check in and have lunch.

In the hotel restaurant we’ll have a 3-course meal featuring Mexican cuisine with beverage choices of soft drinks, coffee, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

We’ll set out from the hotel with a local expert on a walking field trip into the Historic Center of Puebla, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. The area was unsettled during the Aztec empire, having served as the location for “flowery wars” between the Aztec alliance and their rivals. Until the establishment of Puebla in 1531, the area was known as Cuetlaxcoapan — “where serpents shed their skin.” Today the city is known for its diverse architecture and Talavera pottery in addition to being one of the largest cities in México. Among the highlights we will see are the Templo de Santo Domingo; the Capilla del Rosario, also called the House of Gold, considered one of the modern wonders of the world; Casa de los Muñecos, the Doll House, a baroque house from the 18th century with beautiful talavera tile; and the El Parian artisan market.

We will walk with our Group Leader to a local restaurant for a 2-course meal with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will be joined by a local chef who will lead a cooking class focusing on the secret of preparing “mole poblano” — sometimes called the national dish of México. With nearly 20 ingredients, mole is a labor-intensive sauce that is a source of pride for its makers. It is said that each Mexican woman has her own mole recipe that has been passed down through her family. One legend behind the sauce's creation tells of convent nuns in Puebla needing to prepare food for the archbishop who was coming to visit. After praying, they mixed together what ingredients they had and poured it on top of cooked turkey. When the archbishop enjoyed the meal, the nun explained that she made a “mole,” being the ancient word for mix.

At the hotel, we’ll have a plated meal with coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Free time. Take this opportunity to see and do what interests you most.

At the hotel, we will have a 3-course meal with the mole that we helped prepare in our cooking class and beverage choices of soft drinks, coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Breakfast at hotel

We will check out of the hotel, and board the motorcoach to transfer to Mexico City to the neighborhood of Coyoacan. Once an independent village on the shore of Lake Texcoco, Coyoacan welcomed the Spanish and served as the headquarters of Hernan Cortez and the conquistadors. Its name comes from a Nahuatl word, of which the exact meaning is unknown, but most likely means "place of coyotes". We'll spend some time in downtown Coyoacan on a culinary journey featuring several tasting locations specifically chosen to highlight the best of the regional flavors Coyoacan has to offer. An appetizing opportunity to experience the Mexican culture through its food.

Lunch will be during the culinary journey, an opportunity to sample different regional dishes. The group will make stops at local restaurants where they will eat a variety of dishes including drinks and desserts.

We'll visit the Frida Kahlo Museum, also known as Casa Azul, the museum is housed in the building where Frida Kahlo spent most of her life and was donated, along with its contents, to be a museum in her memory by her husband Diego Rivera. Here we will admire many exhibits of Frida's work, as well as some personal items that are on display. The museum displays work of art by the couple and other artists, in addition to displaying the lifestyle of Mexican artisans and bohemians in the first half of the 20th century. You will also be able to enjoy some of Diego Rivera's work. After visiting the museum, you can walk on the beautiful gardens on the property. After the field trip we will transfer to the hotel in time to check in and to rest before dinner.

Farewell dinner will be at the hotel.

We’ll then gather with our Group Leader for a program review and discuss transportation for the conclusion of the program. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.

At the hotel,

Independent transfers to the Mexico City Airport for the return flight. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!