Oaxaca is already known for many things, and will continue to capture people’s imaginations well into the future as the true depth of culture and its global significance come more into focus, as the eyes of the world gaze toward her. Of those many things, one particular part stands out above the rest, and that, of course, is the food: many consider Oaxacan cuisine to be one of the most complex–yet somehow segregated–cuisines in the world. Of course Mexico is known for its corn–maize–which was genetically altered here in Oaxaca by the ancient people of the Central Valleys from a small grain called teosinte into the corn we know today over many millennia.
Viewing the cuisine through the bi-focal lens that is Oaxaca– 1) the story of the ancient Zapotec and Mixtec people that arrived in this valley over 12,000 years ago, & 2) the modern wonder of preserved culture that Oaxaca has become–one gets a sense that while incredibly ancient, this cuisine is just now beginning to be understood by the foodies of the globe, as well as by the inheritors of tradition right here at home: the new, young and inspiring chefs taking Oaxacan food to the next level of competence and completeness.
This tour will focus heavily on the variety of edible mushrooms while in the mountains of Ixtlan with our Zapotec guides. During our four nights the City of Oaxaca, we will explore several of THE BEST restaurants the city has to offer, as well as a cooking class with Zachary in our accomodations, and take some time to explore the wild variety of street food and hidden gems within the city.
Viewing the cuisine through the bi-focal lens that is Oaxaca– 1) the story of the ancient Zapotec and Mixtec people that arrived in this valley over 12,000 years ago, & 2) the modern wonder of preserved culture that Oaxaca has become–one gets a sense that while incredibly ancient, this cuisine is just now beginning to be understood by the foodies of the globe, as well as by the inheritors of tradition right here at home: the new, young and inspiring chefs taking Oaxacan food to the next level of competence and completeness.
This tour will focus heavily on the variety of edible mushrooms while in the mountains of Ixtlan with our Zapotec guides. During our four nights the City of Oaxaca, we will explore several of THE BEST restaurants the city has to offer, as well as a cooking class with Zachary in our accomodations, and take some time to explore the wild variety of street food and hidden gems within the city.
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" I’m not sure if I’ve ever eaten this well and had as many adventures on a guided tour before the Oaxaca mushroom foray!”
–Kaitlen, Minneapolis, MN; 2021 attendee
TRIP OVERVIEW
Our first night will kick off in Oaxaca City with a group welcome dinner on a beautiful terrace overlooking Oaxaca City to get to know each other and get our first taste of Oaxaca’s famous cuisine (with much more to come!).
The following morning, while heading into the Sierra Norte mountains for three full days of foraging, we will stop for breakfast at a wonderful mountain restaurant with unparalleled views of our guide Celestino's small town of Latuvi across the forested valleys, and we will see and demonstration of how the molinillos--the carved wooden 'whisk' used to make Oaxaca's famous hot chocolate. The family that runs this restaurant makes their famous molinillos for many of the makers and dining establishments all over the State of Oaxaca.
The following morning, while heading into the Sierra Norte mountains for three full days of foraging, we will stop for breakfast at a wonderful mountain restaurant with unparalleled views of our guide Celestino's small town of Latuvi across the forested valleys, and we will see and demonstration of how the molinillos--the carved wooden 'whisk' used to make Oaxaca's famous hot chocolate. The family that runs this restaurant makes their famous molinillos for many of the makers and dining establishments all over the State of Oaxaca.
We will stay in the bosom of our Ecotourism campground, sleeping in wood-fire heated cabins, and only meters away from the mushrooms we will be picking as we explore the area for three full days with local guides and ethnomycology experts. We have been lucky to be in Ixtlan the last two years (2021 & 2022) around this time, and it has been a veritable feast for the eyes and baskets! We are counting on you to find more species of edible mushrooms than last year... and we counted 27 edible species found in 2021. That’s the record to beat!
Each morning and evening, we will eat dinner at the local comedor, and eat our lunches in the field. In the evenings, we will enjoy free time to have an outside fire–if it is not raining too hard--and Zachary or others will be presenting on different topics about eating and cooking mushrooms and their place in the cooking literature, as well as looking at and discussing the edible mushrooms that we have collected that we will display on the collection table. This trip will feel complete after our first half, but wait, this is when it gets really delicious.
From the mountains, we’ll head back into the City of Oaxaca to immerse ourselves for three nights and days in the incredible fine-dining experiences of Oaxaca City.
The incredible restaurants of Oaxaca are too numerous to name, with new experiences opening on the regular, and delicious twists on Oaxacan cusine interpreted through the lens of modern dining and expert-level plating design, incredible pottery and chefs that ought to top the charts in global cuisine. And this doesn't even scratch the surface of the bakeries, street food, the many markets, cooking classes, chocolate, coffee roasteries, and so much more!
On each of the three nights, we will visit one of these incredible restaurants to enjoy a prix-fix meal at the chefs table, being treated to the new and creative mastery of one of the foundational cuisines of the world.
On each of the three nights, we will visit one of these incredible restaurants to enjoy a prix-fix meal at the chefs table, being treated to the new and creative mastery of one of the foundational cuisines of the world.
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Of course, dinners won't be the only fantastic meals in the city... there will be plenty more to fill our bellies and imaginations from the numerous incredible breakfast locations, opportunities to tour the various Mezcal Bars in the evening, secret market stalls, and mole tastings that will take your breath away with their out-of-this-world flavors... a true reflection of the wonder and complexity of this ancient cradle of civilization. |
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Our lengthier time in Oaxaca City means there will be plenty of time for shopping, visiting the incredible markets, seeing artisans in action and even catching a comparse (parade) or two in our travels. And while three days is hardly enough time to really see and do even a portion of what Oaxaca offers, we know that by the end, Oaxaca will be on your list for a return visit!
Of course, you don’t have to leave Oaxaca when the trip ends… in fact, we encourage you to stay and are more than happy to share what we know. |
Our Team
Zachary Hunter
Tour Leader & Chef InstructorOver several trips to Oaxaca, we have cultivated a rich relationship with the people, culture, & cuisine that has culminated in this invitation for a hands-on, immersive window into this cradle of civilization.
Chef Zachary will take co-lead for this final trip in Oaxaca, teaching cooking classes with Mario, sharing his knowledge of edible mushrooms and the wisdom gained by over 20 years of foraging and 30 years working in the service industry. He offers presentations to mycological clubs all over the US and Canada, serves on NAMA's Culinary Comittee, and loves food and mushrooms almost as much as his wife, Kim. |
Celestino Mendez
Zapotec Nature GuideCelestino Mendez is a local Zapotec member of the Mancomunados of the Sierra Nortes, farming and living in his native village of Latuvi. He leads treks, mountain bike tours, mountain summit tours and more with his business Walk With Celestino. Celestino a certified nature guide for the Siearra Nortes, as is apid consultant for communities Mexico-wide hoping to emulate the ecotourism successes of Oaxaca
We met Celestino in 2019 at the Cuajimoloays Mushroom Festival, and have partnered with him on all of our tours in 2021 and 2022. He is also a nature geek himself, passionate about orchids, as well as deep knowledge of the forests and ecological diversity in the Sierra Norte. |
Chef Mario Gabiati
Expert Chef InstructorMario shares a passion for the WHY?, the undelrying biochemistry of food and mushrooms, ferments and brews. He is an avid researcher and lecturer, making otherwise complex ideas more digestible. He is joining as a presenter and chef instructor.
He is the founder of the Science Laboratories of Practical Education (SLOPE), a microbiology teaching lab and startup incubator in Oakland, CA (learn more at www.slopelabs.org_) as well as the founder of the popular Mycelial Mass Mushroom Meetup, which has been doing monthly speaker events and science-forward mushroom hunts since 2014, learn more at www.meetup.com/Mycelial-Mass-Mushroom-Meetup/. |
