Mastering Mexican Salsas Cooking Class

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec, ISO640
“Peppers for Salsas” Mexico City, 2025

Today was easily one of the highlights of our Mexico City trip. We joined a cooking class called Mastering Mexican Salsas, and it was amazing. Our instructor, Pame, was a fountain of knowledge. She didn’t just show us how to make salsa, she also taught us about the peppers, what makes each one special, and how they connect to Mexican culture and history. It was fascinating, fun, and just the right amount of overwhelming. I kept wishing I could record everything so I could play it back later.

We started off with refreshing agua frescas before heading to the tortilleria to watch how corn tortillas are made. I learned that tortilla prices are regulated by the government to help keep them affordable. From there, we explored Mercado Medellin where Pame gave us a crash course on the fresh produce. We even sampled dried bugs, and to my surprise they were delicious. Crunchy, salty, and definitely a first for me. Would be perfect with beer, tequila, or mezcal.

Back in the cooking studio, it was time to roll up our sleeves and make salsas. We charred peppers on the comal, ground ingredients in the molcajete, blended, chopped, and even squeezed in a little dancing while we cooked. By the end we had created ten different kinds of salsas, which blew my mind. Of course, the best part was tasting them all with tacos until I was absolutely stuffed. Mezcal, beer, and Mexican sweets rounded out the feast perfectly.

This experience is one I’ll carry with me forever. Cooking classes like this make traveling even more special. If you’re ever in Mexico City, I definitely recommend the Mastering Mexican Salsas class at Aura Cocina Mexicana in Roma Norte.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO50
“Kitchen” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 2.2200000286119mm, f/2.2, 1/100 sec, ISO50
“Agua Fresca” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 14 Pro, 6.86mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO64
“Tortilla Factory” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 14 Pro, 6.86mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO160
“Peppers” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 14 Pro, 6.86mm, f/1.8, 1/250 sec, ISO80
“Molcajete Time” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/800 sec, ISO80
“Pepper” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO80
“Salsas” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E4, 27mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO1250
“Salsas” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 2.2200000286119mm, f/2.2, 1/100 sec, ISO80
“Taco with Salsa” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 2.2200000286119mm, f/2.2, 1/100 sec, ISO160
“Mezcal” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 14 Pro, 6.86mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO100
“Students and Salsas” Mexico City, 2025

Good Eats in Mexico City

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO100
“Coffee Time” Mexico City, 2025

The food in Mexico City has been incredible so far, and the prices have made it even better! After work today we wandered over to a nearby café, Brown Caffeine Lab, for coffee and a pastry. There are cafés everywhere here, so it feels like we could pick a new one every day.

Once we had our sugar and caffeine fix, we hopped on the subway and headed to Mercado de Artesanías La Ciudadela where we picked up some beautiful glassware and a few items of clothes. With a photoshoot coming up in a couple of days, we wanted to find some special outfits. I ended up buying two shirts that I really like.

Dinner was at Cantina El Gallo de Oro, which has been serving customers since 1874. The decor only gets a 4 out of 10 from me, but the food was excellent. We ordered an Octopus Cocktail and a Molcajete that was so huge it could have fed a small army. Mariko surprised me by ordering a shot of mezcal to finish the meal, and it was exactly the right way to end it. With leftovers packed up neatly, we strolled over to a couple of bakeries to check out their bread and pastries before making our way home.

With meals like this, you’d think I would have gained a lot of weight by now. Thankfully, all the walking balances it out and keeps things steady.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO250
“Molcajete” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO160
“Mezcal” Mexico City, 2025

Mexican Cooking Class

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/30 sec, ISO500
“Taco” Mexico City, 2025

Mariko and I had such a blast today at a Mexican Cooking Class. We kicked things off with a trip to the local market, where our instructor showed us how to pick out the best tomatillos, limes, peppers, and all the other fresh ingredients. I loved learning those little tips that make shopping so much easier.

Back in the kitchen, the real fun began. We got our hands messy making corn tortillas from scratch, learned how to use a molcajete the proper way, and whipped up a delicious spread of guacamole, salsa, milpas soup, and chicken enchiladas. Everything tasted amazing, and by the end we were completely stuffed.

To top it off, we even got to sip some craft mezcal. It was the perfect finishing touch to an already awesome class. I’d definitely do it again! The instructor said that a second class would have more advanced techniques and of course different dishes.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 2.2200000286119mm, f/2.2, 1/40 sec, ISO1250
“Sopa Milpas” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/40 sec, ISO800
“Chicken Enchiladas” Mexico City, 2025
Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/30 sec, ISO800
“Cooking Class” Mexico City, 2025

Meal at Los Azulejos in San Antonio, Texas

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO125
“Antojitos Trilogia” San Antonio, 2025

Today we had lunch at Los Azulejos in San Antonio, and it was fantastic! We started by sharing an Azulejos Margarita, which was a great way to kick things off. For my meal, I ordered the “Antojitos Trilogía,” and it was absolutely delicious. Each of the three main items complemented the others perfectly. I loved every bite.

Description from the menu: “Trio of Quesadilla with pork belly in a flour tortilla with a chili and honey glaze, chicken tostada with rajas, cream and a corn sopecito with guacamole and homemade chorizo.”

Also worth mentioning—the basket of chips they serve before the meal was incredibly good. They only give one basket for free, which makes sense. I could have eaten them all day.

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/120 sec, ISO80
“Azulejos Margarita” San Antonio, 2025

Dinner at Sueño

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/40 sec, ISO640
“Chicken and Potatoes” Dayton, 2025

This evening, we enjoyed dinner at Sueño, a very popular restaurant known for its gourmet Mexican food and cocktails. Although it was busy, we were able to find seating at the bar. We had the pollo al carbon and papas, which were delicious! I highly recommend Sueño and plan to visit again.