Hola! One of the most beautiful places for me in Mexico is the city of Puerto Vallarta in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Yes, it is a tourist destination. Phenomenal Art Galeries and many good restaurants make the city worth visiting. And of course the sun and the ocean …. What more can we ask for.  A rental car or the local busses (a furiousy fast and bumpy  adventure all by itself) and chats with local residents can quickly add impressions over and above the tourist flooded sights.

Close to Vallarta, I had the opportunity to climb some hills, cross a river along a tree stem, which I thought was fun at first, but returning and crossing again loaded with bags of bounty …… well, that added slightly different feelings to the excitement.  Cecile, a lovely local woman, took us up into the hills, visiting a small farm and to my delight, an area full of wild passion fruit trees.

I was taught how to gently knock the fruit off the trees with wooden sticks, and very quickly our bags filled with what I consider one of the most deliciously tasting fruits. Now, it is one thing to get your hands on a ripe passionfruit in a grocery store and use it to top a special dessert. Having loads of them, harvested fresh and at their peak time, was truly delightful. We savoured their precious orange flesh and seeds, mixed them in smoothies and sprinkled them on salads. The memory makes me crave one.

Fruits are a significant part of the Mexican diet and so are vegetables. The climate provides perfect conditions for vast varieties, may being offered in little farm stands along the bumpy roads.

Salsas are being served almost everywhere as a complimentary snack as soon as you sit down in a restaurant..  Often red from tomato, sometimes green from tomatillos, and often a mix of both. The heat level can vary, but they are always super tasty.

Adding fruits to this simple dish makes for a beautiful little appetizer or snack. We often have it with roasted meat or fish. So simple and so mmm-mmm-gooood.