It’s been several years (thanks, Covid and bloqueos) since blogger buddy Chris and I made a road trip along our favorite mezcal route. From the city we headed southeast on highway 190 — passing Tlacolula de Matamoros and Santiago Matatlán and marveling at the proliferation of agave fields along the way.
We turned west on the San Dionisio Ocotepec/Ocotlán de Morelos road, en route to San Baltazar Chichicapam and the palenque of Faustino García Vázques — a palenquero we have known for many years. There was no answer as we rapped several times on the portón, so we ventured a few doors down to his home, knocked, and were rewarded with the familiar face of his wife opening the gate. How lovely it was to sit in their expanding family compound and catch up on their life and business. And, then there was the mezcal.
After being offered a tasting from a jicara of Faustino’s 2023 espadin, we each bought 5 liters of this most excellent mezcal. He poured it into our plastic containers that, once home, would be decanted into glass bottles — some to be stored in our liquor cabinets and others to be stashed away for gifts. By the time we turned north onto highway 175 at Ocotlán de Morelos, hunger beckoned. Lucky for us, Los Huamuches, our “go to” roadside restaurant between Santo Tomás Jalieza and San Martín Tilcajete, wasn’t far away.
We each ordered our “usual” — costillas (ribs) for my blogger buddy and a tlayuda with tasajo for me. It was a delicious and delightul day!
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 