Jalisco Culinary Explorer’s Trip with Rick Bayless and Ricardo Muñoz as your guides
After more than 10 years, we again are planning a trip Feb. 15-23, 2014 to the brash state of Jalisco, best known for its mariachis and tequila, the spirit of Mexico. The music and drink seem inseparable here, but also there is a distinct gutsy regional cuisine, characterized by dishes such as birria, carne en surugo, and my favorite, the messy but super flavorful, tortas ahogado.
We will stay both in the sprawling capital, Guadalajara, the second largest city in Mexico, and in a small town in the highlands. This Los Altos region is a treasure trove of fine tequila distilleries surrounded by fields of blue agave.
As always, we will have a packed schedule including classes with Chef Rick Bayless.
To get everyone in the spirit of Jalisco, on our first full day we will attend the Ballet Folklorico with dances that symbolize the culture and importance of ranch life, and then join with the locals to watch the Sunday charreado, a very elaborate version of a rodeo. On other days we will wander through the relatively unknown archeological site of Los Guachimontes with its circular pyramids, view the dramatic Orozco murals in the vast Institute of Cultural Cabanas, and browse and shop in the artisan towns of Tlaquepaque and Tonalá. Every major form of arts and crafts can be found in these two places, especially the beautiful local pottery, and I once brought home a 4 foot tin rooster for my husband!
During the coming days, we will tour a variety of distilleries, learning about the harvesting of the agave, the cooking, grinding, filtering, and distilling process and then sampling the end result.
While we do not have all the scheduling details for this trip worked out, I did want to alert everyone so that those who are interested can send in a $400 deposit to hold a space. Our trips always fill early, and we already have people signed up. As of now, we do not have an exact cost, but it should be around $4,000. As soon as we are able to confirm, we will post the final price.
This trip will start and end in Guadalajara. Trip costs include two meals per day, hotel costs and transportation while on the trip and any fees associated with visits to local sites. Transportation to and from Guadalajara is excluded from trip costs.
Please contact Culinary Adventures if you are interested in joining us



















