Aguascalientes
This month I’ll take you on a quick tour of one of Mexico’s smallest states and invite you to discover its food culture, festivities, and a few things in between.
Aguascalientes—named after the numerous hot springs scattered around the region—is located about 500 kilometres northwest of Mexico City. It has three Pueblos Mágicos, cities flagged for their charm and uniqueness: Real de Asientos, steeped in its strong mining history; Calvillo, known for its production and processing of guavas; and San Jose de Garcia, a hotspot for adventure tourism.
The state’s capital city, also named Aguascalientes, is well known for its beautiful and grand colonial buildings like the Plaza de Toros (Bull Ring), the Palacio de Gobierno (Government Palace), and Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Cathedral Basilica of our Lady of the Assumption).
Aguascalientes is also home to the Feria San Marcos (San Marcos Fair) one of the country’s largest events. The fairgrounds sprawls across 200 acres, hosts nearly two million events, and sees about million visitors every year. What makes it so special? It’s a fantastical and colourful celebration of theatre, music, dance, literature and culture. The prestigious Arte Joven, a prestigious national award, is handed out here too, in the same city where Jose Guadalupe Posada was born. Posada is famous for his etchings of La Catrina. Maybe you’ve heard of this famous folkloric figure? She is a skeleton dressed in a large plumed hat and historical dress typical of the 1800s.
You’ll also find La Catrina heavily represented at the Museo Nacional de la Muerte (the National Death Museum), Mexico’s only cultural institution dedicated to death. As you may know from my previous posts, Mexicans treat death as a natural part of the cycle of life and celebrate the occasion. The museum is not a scary place. Instead, it’s a home to colourful skeletal characters like bullfighters, lovers, children, and revolutionary heroes.
PLACES TO VISIT
Even though it is a small state with only 1.5 million residents, there are many great spots to visit. I thought I’d talk a little about two places I’ve visited myself—and explain some of the reasons why I loved them so much!
This Pueblo Mágico, about 20 minutes from Aguascalientes City, is famous for two things. First, its endless guava orchards. The fruit is processed into a range of products including delicious traditional marmalades, preserves, jellies and sweets. The fruit is also used in bread and fruit punch. Trust me when I tell you that I taste-tested many guava products during my visit! Second is the city’s Openwork, an elegant handicraft inherited from Spanish settlers. Walking around town, I saw women embroidering natural elements like birds, flowers, or fruit while sitting in their doorways.
I really loved Calvillo’s Plaza Principal (main square). The central gazebo was a lovely spot where I could observe the hub of daily life and business of the town. I would also include the Templo del Senor del Salitre on any must-see list. The church is designated as one of Mexico’s National Historical Monuments and its enormous octagonal dome is said to be the second largest of its kind in Latin America. There are beautiful al fresco paintings on each section of the dome.
I found this park to be an extraordinary place with stunning vegetation. It’s mainly populated with 400-year-old, wide-trunked red cedars. I was so impressed by their enormity especially because I had the chance to walk into the trunk of one of them! It’s important to stay alert here because you might find raccoons, armadillos, opossums, and water birds running wild! This mix of wildlife and giant cedars offers a unique and truly charming landscape. If you ever have the chance to visit, I’d highly recommend spending some quality time here either camping, walking, or just spending time in nature.
CUISINE
As every state, Aguascalientes has its own and unique cuisine. Here some of my favourites.
Pozole, a rich brothy soup, is typical of the region and a must-have dish when in the region. It’s made with hearty hominy corn kernels, pork meat and broth, and a spicy sauce. To add texture and freshness, it’s served with radishes, lettuce, onions, and oregano. Pozole will deliver endless flavours that will have your mouth wanting more!
Chaskas are the most popular snacks made of sweet corn grains that are boiled or roasted. Known as esquites in other parts of Mexico, you’ll find chaska stands all over the state, serving this snack with many distinctive variations sometimes with sliced chili peppers, and/or mushrooms, and/or bacon.
Lechón is a traditional dish made from suckling pig, seasoned with different spices and peppers, as well as lime and onions. The whole is then cooked in special ovens. Traditionally served with corn tortillas, guacamole and pickled peppers, lechón is a delicious dish found at food stands from morning to night. If you are out and about late at night, you will for sure find a lechonería to satisfy your hunger pangs.
Rollo de guayaba, or the guava roll, is another popular sweet treat in Mexico. It starts with a scrumptious guava paste that is rolled and stuffed with a variety of fillings like cajeta (caramel style sauce), piñónes (pine nuts), or simply sprinkled with sugar.
Colonche is an alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermentation of red prickly pear juices. It is traditionally served on ice—perfect for cooling off on those very hot days!
FESTIVITIES
The Fiesta de la Vendimia (Wine Festival) typically takes place every year in August in the towns of Jesús María y Pabellón de Arteaga. The region’s main wine producers participate in the event and invite visitors to taste wines, participate in grape-stomping, and enjoy food-and-wine pairing events.
The Feria de la Guayaba (Guava Festival) takes place in Calvillo in December. It is a great opportunity for local producers to showcase and sell their crafts. This festival has been around for 50 years and every year attracts people from all over Mexico who come for the bullfights, folk dancing, sporting events, and cultural exhibits. Though you’ll find many guava products favoured by the locals, you’ll also discover specialty items that are only sold during this event.