Oaxaca Food Conference – El Saber del Sabor

When anyone asks me where they should go to experience the real Mexico, I do not hesitate one minute before suggesting Oaxaca. There you will find the quintessential Mexico, its heart and soul.  Beyond it’s spectacular setting, Oaxaca has everything — warm hospitality, art, arts and crafts so admirably promoted by FOFA (Friends of Oaxacan Folk Art,0 shopping and a distinctive and varied cuisine.

I’ve written reams about Oaxaca and you can find many articles on this site. But if you really want to get to know this magical place buy my book “>The Food and Life of Oaxaca (Macmillan 1997), then get a last minute ticket to attend the first El  Sabor del Sabor festival.  It has an extensive program for Spanish speakers with many of Mexico’s culinary stars strutting their stuff.

My daughter, Marissa, an event planner and unofficial Oaxacan ambassador,  and her husband, Manu Bastien, who generously provides many of the gorgeous photographs on this site are taking part om thosr wonderful event and dent me the following email:

It is going great here.  Everyone has been so incredibly sweet, welcoming and appreciative that we came and they keep telling me what a great ambassador of Oaxaca I have been.  They have an intense daily itinerary for the chefs and press including cultural activities but we are concentrating on the culinary aspect-shooting lots of photos and video.  Basically they want to show these contemporary chefs the traditions of Oaxacan cuisine so that they can get excited about them and the ingredients and hopefully find ways to incorporate them into their food and become ambassadors of Oaxaca as well.

Yesterday we went to a lunch where they made caldo de piedra which was cool, and then a very contemporary meal followed at a place called Casa Crespo.  It was a nice afternoon and met some very nice and interesting people.  We sat with a bunch of writers.  And last night was the opening reception at the botanical garden and Diana Kennedy was there after all.  They gave her a special recognition/premio for her contributions to Mexican cuisine and for her latest book which I had not even heard of but saw in a bookstore here.  The event was amazing with regional cooks from all over the state and we got some incredible photos.  It was so much fun.  Manu got a new camera that is so fast, it is almost impossible to take a bad shot and it shoots high definition video.  I can’t wait to show you the pics, but can only post a few on facebook because there are too many.  I have actually shot most of the photos while he shoots video, so that has been a fun and creative process.

So up to now we have had a ball and are digitizing video while we get ready to head to Zaachila for lunch at La Capilla (where you hosted everyone at our wedding) and to see them make salsa de chicatanas (a special ant)  and tonight there is a dinner at Los Danzantes with a chef from Merida and Monterey.  I hope all is well on your end.

The also sent some wonderful pictures