By Kathleen Horner
The mother of all Sunday markets is at La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, about 25 minutes south. Some 170 booths are bursting with organic vegetables and fruits, handmade and sustainably-produced artisan crafts, hand-died and embroidered beachwear, breads and pastries, and more. Whether looking for an experience for visiting guests, stocking up your own kitchen, or sampling a wide variety of foods for lunch, Sunday is your market day.
Make a plan before arriving, as some of your favorite foods may run out. Market hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. We like to arrive within the first hour or so, making a bee-line to popular booths with limited inventory. Then we look for new treasures on a more leisurely walk back to the (huge) parking lot.
Fresh produce booths are abundant this year, and figs are in season (sliced in half, they are perfect for grillingserve with a dollop of goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic). We also love the baby zucchinis, green-bean bundles, and fresh herbs. Trimmed berries are ripe for eating (or you can freeze them for smoothies). Ask for a mixed container if you prefer.
There are amazing breads, including gluten-free and vegan loaves. We like the crusty/chewy/soft sourdough baguettes. You will also find croissants, filled and plain, and bagels. Pastries are amazinglook for the quiches! Keep an eye out for mini chicken pot pies before they sell out. These are generously filled and also freeze well for a handy at-home meal.
The fresh pasta booth offers fresh linguini (the spinach is divine). Choose from goat cheese, beef, and mushroom raviolis, and have a taste of the fresh sauces to accompany. You can also request special flavors of fresh pasta, like squid ink (perfect with sautéed shrimp and a splash of Ricard Pernod), to pick up the next Sunday.
At the Tamal Gourmet booth, tamales are sold warm in corn-husk and banana-leaf wrappings, stuffed with soft masa and a long menu of meat and vegetarian fillings.
Choose from paella with shrimp, savory and sweet crêpes, sandwiches from spit-roasted meats, tacos and gorditas at the circle at the end of the market. The porchetta torta booth has a secret cooler of frozen pre-packaged mild and hot Italian sausages, and thinly-sliced pancetta (just ask). Love baklava? You'll also find every style and shape imaginable.
Artisan crafts are better than ever this year, with brilliant textiles for rugs, runners, and accent pillows. Tree-bark wall hangings are very popular, and Mexican embroidery is treasured. Finely-beaded jewelry, hand-painted pottery, and baskets will also catch your eye. Don't forget that here, whatever size or color is not on display is probably available in from a box in the back, or can be custom-made and picked up later.
Sunday is market day, so don't eat breakfast and put a cooler in your carsee you there!