0:00:04 > 0:00:09It was 1968 when I first came here to San Francisco.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I wanted to do my own road trip from the United States
0:00:12 > 0:00:15to the Mexican border and beyond.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18My dad had just died, I'd finished school,
0:00:18 > 0:00:21I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28It was the year after the Summer of Love, and things like enchiladas,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32burritos, guacamole, I'd only heard of from the radio,
0:00:32 > 0:00:34but they sounded wonderful.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37But it wasn't just the food,
0:00:37 > 0:00:41I wanted to live a little bit dangerously.
0:00:41 > 0:00:42And I did.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Mwa!
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Oh!
0:01:14 > 0:01:18This is the last leg of my travels, I'm heading towards the Yucatan,
0:01:18 > 0:01:19and the Gulf of Mexico,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23probably the most romantic and mystical part of the country.
0:01:24 > 0:01:30In the early 1900s this was a big tobacco growing area run by Cubans,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33and we just happen to spot this roadside cafe
0:01:33 > 0:01:38with a rather tantalising spit-roast barbecue pork
0:01:38 > 0:01:40that simply couldn't be ignored.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49This is just one of those stories
0:01:49 > 0:01:52that when people up sticks and move to another country,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54they bring their food with them,
0:01:54 > 0:01:56it is that important to them.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02How wonderful, just to be driving past here, massive barbecue pit,
0:02:02 > 0:02:07logs aplenty, pigs are roasting, chickens are roasting.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Just some of the crispest looking skin I have ever seen crackling.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13And look at the portions, I don't know if I can finish that.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17But my anticipation is immense.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20That, and a beer, on a hot afternoon.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Always take the second one, because it is warmer.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34It is a bit selfish, though.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38My translator and guide has been Verity Oswin,
0:02:38 > 0:02:42an Australian who made Mexico her home 15 years ago.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46We found ourselves talking about the country she knows so well.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Mexico is a construction, really, it is many countries.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57The differences and the contrast in Mexico, the rich and the poor,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01so many different indigenous groups, the mountains, the coast,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03the topography, it's many countries.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06You never stop learning in Mexico.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09I have lived here for 15 years and I've still got things to learn.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Before this trip, I have never eaten Cuban pork.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Excuse me.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Buen provecho! That's what we say here, it's bon appetit,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20we don't really have an expression in English.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22It's really nice, in Mexican restaurants,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24when you walk into a restaurant,
0:03:24 > 0:03:27you say, "Buen provecho!" to all of the other tables,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30which at first I thought was really strange, in Mexico,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33but, literally, it's more of a communal atmosphere
0:03:33 > 0:03:35and you engage with other diners.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38I suppose that is one of the things about Mexico.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Everybody's so welcoming.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41You really don't get the feeling
0:03:41 > 0:03:43that they don't want you in their country.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Mexicans are very hospitable.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50The famous Mexican phrase, "Mi casa es su casa", my house is your house.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52That's Mexico for you.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54People have said to you on the trip, "Welcome to my home."
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Individual Mexicans are the most wonderful people in the world.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Poverty, in my mind, and inequality,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06they are the reasons behind the insecurity in Mexico.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09I haven't felt threatened in any way here.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11I think sometimes I feel more threatened in London,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I know that's an obvious thing to say, but sometimes I do.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15You know.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Also, it is just the fact that everybody's so nice, you know.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22It's sort of like, you think, they must be
0:04:22 > 0:04:24having us on a bit,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27because, just, everybody smiles,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30everybody is thoroughly pleased to see you.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32And the food's rather good!
0:04:32 > 0:04:34That matters a lot to me.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38Food is very important to them, if you show interest in their food,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41they will instantly warm to you.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43I love it, I absolutely love it.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53I was keen to go to Campeche, on the Gulf of Mexico,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57because this was the main port, a sort of springboard, if you like,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59for the Spanish conquering Mexico.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06Old Town Campeche reminds me a bit of downtown Cadiz.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08The architecture's the same,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11except, here, there's more of an emphasis on pirates.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Because, in the 1500s and 1600s,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17this was pirate central casting headquarters!
0:05:18 > 0:05:22This street here could have been full of Cornish and Devon boys,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24full of grog and itching for a fight.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27All pirates came to Campeche,
0:05:27 > 0:05:31whether from Holland, France, and, of course, England
0:05:31 > 0:05:34because the booty was so good.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39I was told that your average pirate crew man
0:05:39 > 0:05:43was looking to make enough money to buy a little pub back home,
0:05:43 > 0:05:45overlooking the sea.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50Anyway, the focus of their attention, to quote John Masefield,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52was the "Stately Spanish galleons",
0:05:52 > 0:05:55"Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores."
0:05:57 > 0:05:59But it wasn't just the pirates,
0:05:59 > 0:06:03everybody in those days who came to Mexico came to Campeche.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06It was so bustling and so busy,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09that there is even an expression that lives today.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13Campechano, which means a veritable mix.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20Pirates, to most of us, are rather a jolly figure, rather funny.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23The reality, of course, was nothing like that
0:06:23 > 0:06:25but then, when you look at history,
0:06:25 > 0:06:29in 1663, a certain Christopher Myngs,
0:06:29 > 0:06:36assembled a fleet of 14 ships and 1,400 men, all jolly pirates,
0:06:36 > 0:06:40and actually invaded Campeche, sieged it,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42and took it over for a week,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45and made off with loads and loads of booty.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52The international outrage was extreme, and Charles II, the king,
0:06:52 > 0:06:54had to issue an apology -
0:06:54 > 0:06:59however, for his part, took a big proportion of that booty,
0:06:59 > 0:07:05and rewarded Christopher Myngs, first by making him an Admiral
0:07:05 > 0:07:07and then by giving him a knighthood!
0:07:07 > 0:07:11A great example of British hypocrisy, I think you'll agree.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26I've been told by those in the know
0:07:26 > 0:07:29that one of Campeche's most famous dishes
0:07:29 > 0:07:31is the local shallow water octopus.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35The dish is named after a famous pirate.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Well, we don't call him a pirate.
0:07:37 > 0:07:43This dish is called Sir Francis's, as in Drake, octopus.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48I'm just noticing that Carlos is frying the almonds here
0:07:48 > 0:07:53and the octopus on a la plancha, in olive oil, and that's not unusual,
0:07:53 > 0:07:57in this part of Mexico, simply because the Spanish,
0:07:57 > 0:07:58when they arrived here,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01needed to have some things that reminded them of home.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Carlos chops up some guajillo chillies,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09leaving most of the seeds behind.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Paprika, it came from Mexico,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17and the whole of Europe fell in love with it.
0:08:17 > 0:08:18And now, some garlic.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24I think it is fair to say, judging by the crew's faces,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28that this is not a dish that would please everyone but, for me,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30it's one of the reasons I'm here.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35This tender, sweet octopus from the bay,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38with more than a hint of chilli and paprika
0:08:38 > 0:08:41seems a fitting dish for the likes of Sir Francis.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Whether he actually had it is another matter.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Well, the kitchen's getting quite busy now,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53so I need to get this tasting over and done with,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56so they can get on with their work. I've just watched it being made.
0:09:01 > 0:09:02Maestro, maestro!
0:09:03 > 0:09:09The octopus is superb, a very nice dish, and very simple, like it lots.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11So, Carlos,...
0:09:13 > 0:09:15..muy bien, that is.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19You are fast becoming one of the most famous chefs in Mexico,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23why do you think people love your food so much?
0:09:23 > 0:09:25HE SPEAKS SPANISH
0:09:28 > 0:09:31He says, "The best thing is the flavour, of course,"
0:09:31 > 0:09:34"and it is also the heart I put into making these dishes,"
0:09:34 > 0:09:37"which people seem to like, and I like cooking them."
0:09:41 > 0:09:43I'd just like to say, put it there!
0:09:43 > 0:09:45- It's very...- Thank you.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48You know, it's seafood.
0:09:48 > 0:09:49He's good at it.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56So I thought I'd cook a dish from this part of Mexico,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58back home in Padstow.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00It's all from the local supermarket.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04And it's coconut prawns with a fruity hot sauce.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09So the prawns are fairly quick to cook
0:10:09 > 0:10:12but the sauce takes a little bit longer.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17And it's a very exotic mix of tropical fruit,
0:10:17 > 0:10:18citrus juice, and chilli.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23Just cut this papaya in half, scrape out the seeds,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25and scoop out the flesh,
0:10:25 > 0:10:27and into my blender.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30You use a blender a lot in Mexican cuisine,
0:10:30 > 0:10:35I guess it's because there was a tradition of using a molcajete,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38which is their version of the mortar and pestle,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40but now everyone in Mexico uses a blender.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44And now, the chilli, this should be a habanero,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46but actually it's a Scotch bonnet.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51They are right at the top end of the Scoville Scale, really, really hot,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54but I am scooping out the seeds.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58It will still be quite hot, but you need to get rid of the seeds.
0:10:58 > 0:11:04In they go. Couple of shallots, and then some orange and lime juice,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08and now, apple cider vinegar a couple of tablespoons of that.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10A gloop, in other words.
0:11:10 > 0:11:11And now some garlic.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13You don't need to chop things up to put in a blender,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16you do need to chop the garlic in half a couple of times
0:11:16 > 0:11:18but, otherwise, don't waste time.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22Similarly, ginger, just slice that,
0:11:22 > 0:11:27and a little bit of spice, very popular spice in Mexico,
0:11:27 > 0:11:32particularly in sweet things, allspice berries, a couple of those.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35A little bit of sweetness with some brown sugar.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36And, finally, salt.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50I'm just going to pour that out
0:11:50 > 0:11:52into a pan, and bring it to the boil,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54and simmer it for about five minutes,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57just to cook the shallots and the garlic out,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00and that is going to be the dipping sauce for the prawns.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04That's very good, just testing the heat.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06It is hot but not seriously hot.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12So now to cook the prawns, first of all, make a simple batter,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14got some flour in this bowl,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17adding a little bit of baking powder to lighten it.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Pinch of salt. And some beaten egg,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21about half what I've got in here.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Don't want too much of that.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26And water. I never totally specify how much water.
0:12:26 > 0:12:27You just...
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Thickness of double cream, thick cream, I always say.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Tiny bit more water.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38I really like this dish, what I particularly like,
0:12:38 > 0:12:42you have this lovely fruity hot sauce, from the tropics,
0:12:42 > 0:12:44and then, in the batter, you've got coconut,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47so it, sort of, goes together really well.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55So, the prawns, season well with salt and then dust with flour.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59I'm using raw tiger prawns from the local supermarket,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01which mostly come from Thailand.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I don't think there's much out there that would make a good alternative,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06so raw tiger prawns it is.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10They go into the batter, and give them a good dunking.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Now, the special bit, the desiccated coconut,
0:13:18 > 0:13:23mixed with those lovely crisp Japanese breadcrumbs, called panko.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30I've got my oil on already at 190 degrees.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34No hotter, otherwise it would be burning.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37In they go. I think there is enough oil in there, I've judged it,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40to take all the prawns in one go.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43I just love the way they foam up.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46There we go.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Just going to cook those till they're nice and light brown.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53I never tire of telling chefs,
0:13:53 > 0:13:57don't overcook fish or seafood when you're deep frying it.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59You don't need to have a dark brown colour,
0:13:59 > 0:14:03because otherwise the prawns or the fish will be well overcooked.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Light brown, always light brown.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08These are now ready.
0:14:09 > 0:14:10Light brown.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23They won't miss one. I've just got to try it.
0:14:26 > 0:14:32That sauce, the heat, the sourness, the sweetness, the fruitiness of it.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36And these crisp breadcrumbs and the sweetness of the prawns,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39that is...holidays!
0:14:58 > 0:15:02I have a friend, a chef, like me, who says, with some frequency,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05I may add, the best part of a chef's job
0:15:05 > 0:15:09is waiting for the boats to come in and thinking of fish.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Well, I know that feeling all too well.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25It's an expectant time on Campeche's beach-front, even the birds know it.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30We've actually asked these fishermen
0:15:30 > 0:15:33to cook fish caldo for us on the beach.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35But, this is what they'd normally do.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37They go out fishing for two or three days.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41They've only been out for a day this time,
0:15:41 > 0:15:45but, normally, they'd find an island and cook using driftwood.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46Or they've got a little stove
0:15:46 > 0:15:48if they haven't got anywhere near an island.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Why I really like it,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53is because you think of fish soups, like bouillabaisse,
0:15:53 > 0:15:54and these other dishes.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58They were always, originally, fish stews that fishermen cooked
0:15:58 > 0:16:01when they were out at sea.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04These days, bouillabaisse fetches astronomical prices
0:16:04 > 0:16:06in South of France restaurants
0:16:06 > 0:16:09and no fishermen would dream of cooking a bouillabaisse at sea,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11but this is the real deal,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13this is what it would have been like.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18I think that's going to be quite a lovely caldo.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Tomatoes, onion, green pepper, salt.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Ordinary pepper. But what is going to make it really good
0:16:24 > 0:16:25is the freshness of that fish,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28and then I think they're going to serve it with a salsa,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32made with sliced onion, habanero chilli, lots of it,
0:16:32 > 0:16:34and lime juice.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Having made the base, they top it up with water, fresh water.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42After all, it is a soup.
0:16:42 > 0:16:43And now, the fish.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46There's quite an assortment, including little bream,
0:16:46 > 0:16:48which they call chachi,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52and all the fish have been carefully descaled.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Otherwise, what a disaster.
0:16:54 > 0:17:00Finally, coriander, lovely fresh fragrant spicy coriander,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02and that, I think, is that.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11FISHERMEN CHAT QUIETLY IN SPANISH
0:17:13 > 0:17:14Ah!
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Very good.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Oh, that's lovely.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21I love the lime, I love the seasoning.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Just got to try a bit of the fish.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28- Caliente.- I don't mind.
0:17:30 > 0:17:31Habanero, mwa!
0:17:33 > 0:17:35It's really good.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39With fish as fresh as this and lime juice, tomato, chilli,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42green peppers, it's just delicious.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48It was very good indeed, I know it looks a bit rustic,
0:17:48 > 0:17:52but the taste was terrific and the fish couldn't be fresher.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54I think these guys should seriously think
0:17:54 > 0:17:56about opening a restaurant here.
0:17:56 > 0:18:01After all, eating fresh fish, in a hut, next to the sea,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03is part of most people's dreams.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06You just need a few ice-cold beers
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and a couple of chairs would definitely help!
0:18:21 > 0:18:25The fishermen told me that tonight was a very special occasion.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29They said I must go to a famous mass by the sea.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33- PRIEST:- Como hijos de dios intercambian ahora
0:18:33 > 0:18:35un signo de communion fraterno.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45This mass is celebrating the 500th anniversary
0:18:45 > 0:18:49of the first mass on the Mexican mainland.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54And I've just been told what that would have been like.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Where we are standing now is actually the beach.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Beyond, the sea has receded
0:18:59 > 0:19:02but we would have been standing here on the beach,
0:19:02 > 0:19:07and just this idea of a group of Spanish people
0:19:07 > 0:19:12surrounded by Mayan temples and the Mayan civilisation,
0:19:12 > 0:19:15celebrating Mass.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19But what I like about it, it's not in some football stadium,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22because it is such a big deal, it is just here,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26and the mass has been said partly in Spanish and partly in Latin.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Now everyone is celebrating Holy Communion,
0:19:29 > 0:19:30which is going to take a while,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33because I think the average parish priest
0:19:33 > 0:19:36would give their back teeth to have a congregation like this.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38But it's not enormous.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40The Spanish ambassador is here.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42It just feels very local.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30We are driving towards Uxmal and the famous ruins.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32We happened to pass through this little town.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37For me, at least, there seemed to be something reassuring about it.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41It was very ordinary and, in some way, familiar too.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44I wanted to stop the van, get out and have a look around.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54This is a little town called Pomuch.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56If you went, as you might,
0:20:56 > 0:21:02on holiday to somewhere like Merida, or Campeche, or Cancun, perhaps,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04you probably would never come to somewhere like this.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07But it is so nice, it's so friendly,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09it's so relaxed.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11I'm just loving all these bicycle things
0:21:11 > 0:21:13which everybody uses to get around.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17There are very few cars here and it's the sort of aspect of life
0:21:17 > 0:21:21in Mexico which so many people miss.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24But I don't think they should because it's good for the soul.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33As far as I'm concerned these tortillarias are the kingpin
0:21:33 > 0:21:34of any village, or town,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37because this is where people come to get their maize ground
0:21:37 > 0:21:40and also to buy ready-made tortillas,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42a staple of any Mexican meal.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49This is really interesting.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52I mean, this is the real deal with tortillas.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56All these people are bringing their own corn in to have it ground.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59But before they bring it in they nixtamalize it.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03That's when you boil corn with lime to soften the skin
0:22:03 > 0:22:09and make it much more pliable and make it into a proper dough.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13But then they take the corn home and make their own tortillas.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17And it is worth pointing out that tortillas here
0:22:17 > 0:22:22are only truly special when they're made with fresh corn, like this.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26In other words, you grind the corn, you make the tortillas.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31When you have to grind the corn, dry the ground corn
0:22:31 > 0:22:34to make masa harina, that's cornflour, cornmeal,
0:22:34 > 0:22:39and then make a tortilla, you lose a lot of flavour.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44When I say lime I don't mean the fruit.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48No, it is the chalky substance that comes from limestone,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50used mostly as a fertiliser.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54It is amazing who comes up with these things.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05I love riding in the crew bus best of all,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08away from all those hot kitchens.
0:23:08 > 0:23:09For me, looking out of the window,
0:23:09 > 0:23:14observing and thinking about Mexico is manna from Heaven.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18There's a couple of explanations
0:23:18 > 0:23:20as to where the word Yucatan came from.
0:23:20 > 0:23:26The first is Nahuatl language, that's the Aztec language.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Yucatlan, which meant "land of richness".
0:23:29 > 0:23:32But the one I like is when Hernan Cortes
0:23:32 > 0:23:36sent his first letter back to Charles V of Spain.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39He said the name came from the first explorers,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Spanish explorers that arrived in this part of Mexico
0:23:42 > 0:23:46saying to the Mayans, "Where is this?"
0:23:46 > 0:23:48And they said, "Yucatlan, yucatlan"
0:23:48 > 0:23:52which in Mayan means "We don't know what you're saying".
0:24:00 > 0:24:02VARIOUS BIRD CALLS
0:24:06 > 0:24:09This is the city of Uxmal.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I am tempted to say it's got nothing to do with food,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14but really you can't separate
0:24:14 > 0:24:17the people who lived here over 1,000 years ago
0:24:17 > 0:24:20and the food that Mexicans eat today.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22You see, they were very advanced in every way,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25especially when it came to growing food.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29They knew about slashing and burning, crop rotation, irrigation.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33They grew pumpkins, avocados, chocolate, and chilli,
0:24:33 > 0:24:34and they were very clever
0:24:34 > 0:24:37because they produced more than they could eat.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04I remember in the late '60s reading the book Chariots Of The Gods.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Everybody was reading it, it was a cult book,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10and it suggested the advanced architecture
0:25:10 > 0:25:14and the city planning in the ancient Mayan and Aztec communities
0:25:14 > 0:25:18were inspired by visitors from outer space.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Then, we all liked to believe in UFOs,
0:25:25 > 0:25:28but I think, over the last 50 years, people, experts,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30have pooh-poohed that idea.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35But I have to say looking around it looks so modern.
0:25:35 > 0:25:42It sort of reminds me of an old Odeon cinema,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45the designs look like the origins of Art Deco.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49That could be a sign for the tube.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52Fanciful, I know,
0:25:52 > 0:25:56but the strong overall impression I have here
0:25:56 > 0:26:00is that all our ancient castles, cathedrals, and monasteries,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03back at home, have a practical explanation.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10But this place is still a mystery.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22On a more prosaic note and not far away from Uxmal
0:26:22 > 0:26:25are these traditional Mayan houses.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29They are simple, thatched, one room, no windows,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31just two well-placed doors,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34one that lets in the morning light
0:26:34 > 0:26:36and the other where you can see a sunset.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40This is Don Hernan.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44He still reveres and worships the Mayan gods.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48His grandfather was a priest and he has a shrine in his garden.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53He fills these gourds, these cups, with a corn-based drink,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56flavoured with the juice from a root called xak.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59He doesn't drink it himself.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01This is strictly for the gods.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07HE SPEAKS HIS OWN LANGUAGE
0:27:19 > 0:27:21During the course of this, he's praying,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25asking the gods to help him with his crops and protection for his family.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31I found it totally absorbing.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38HE CONTINUES IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Out of the blue the wind sprang up,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53the trees came to life, as if on cue.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55I don't think I'll ever forget it.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00And then, as suddenly as it appeared, it was over.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20I wanted some food that was typically Mayan,
0:28:20 > 0:28:24something Don Hernan's family would eat on a daily basis.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28So his wife Azaria told me she'd make a Mayan dish
0:28:28 > 0:28:30called papadzulez, which means food of love.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37It comes with a sauce
0:28:37 > 0:28:40and here she's making a paste from pumpkin seeds.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42I hope she doesn't mind.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44I'm just going to have a sniff of that.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46That's so lovely.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49Those are toasted pumpkin seeds.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52She's called Azaria and just said she couldn't do this properly
0:28:52 > 0:28:55because she has got a sore arm, but my gosh she's doing a good job.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59But testimony to the efficiency of the metate.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03But it smells so good and I think pumpkin seeds
0:29:03 > 0:29:06are a fundamental part of the cuisine of Southern Mexico.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09It's almost like their version
0:29:09 > 0:29:14of sesame seeds in the Middle East in things like tahini and hummus.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17But I mean it has just got this lovely smell
0:29:17 > 0:29:20and you encounter it so often in moles.
0:29:20 > 0:29:21It's a really good way
0:29:21 > 0:29:25of flavouring and thickening sauces, essentially.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29For the sauce they call sikil pak,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32she has fresh tomatoes boiled and skinned.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37She then crushes them with a little bit of salt.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Now chopped chives and coriander.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47I think coriander is becoming nearly my favourite herb of all time,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50but basil still has the honour.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55So the crushed pumpkin seeds go in with the tomatoes
0:29:58 > 0:30:00then the green herbs we've just seen.
0:30:04 > 0:30:10Now she simply smooths that mixture on a freshly-made tortilla,
0:30:10 > 0:30:13the good old tortilla, the backbone of Mexican,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16and, in this case, Mayan gastronomy.
0:30:17 > 0:30:23All she does now is to place a boiled egg on top, and that is it.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Muchas gracias, Asaria.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33Oh, it's delicious, lovely scent of corn,
0:30:33 > 0:30:34a beautiful tortilla,
0:30:34 > 0:30:36and the sikil p'aak is the best I have tasted,
0:30:36 > 0:30:38it is so fresh.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41With that coriander and tomato and the chopped chives in it.
0:30:43 > 0:30:44It is a lovely little dish, I must say.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49And who would have thought in these very humble surroundings,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51you could get something so tasty?
0:30:51 > 0:30:53But she is a very good cook.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03One of the most popular and cheap dishes I have come across down here
0:31:03 > 0:31:05is pan de cazon.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07I thought I would make it back in Padstow.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10It is layers of tortilla with fish.
0:31:10 > 0:31:11Cazon means dogfish,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14but that is endangered back at home,
0:31:14 > 0:31:18so I am making it with sardines and the famous refried beans.
0:31:24 > 0:31:25So, to make the sauce,
0:31:25 > 0:31:26I've got some oil in the pan,
0:31:26 > 0:31:30and I'm just adding some sliced onions with some chopped garlic.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34And now epazote.
0:31:34 > 0:31:35You may not have heard of epazote,
0:31:35 > 0:31:39it is probably the most popular herb in Mexico,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42and it grows like a weed everywhere, but not here.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44Well, it would if you could get the plants.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47It is a bit sort of thymey, but a bit not.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51And now the chilli and I have got a Scotch Bonnet chilli here
0:31:51 > 0:31:55so I am taking the seeds out because that is where all the heat is.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57It will still be quite hot.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00Just slicing that lovely, small, red chilli up.
0:32:00 > 0:32:07And finally about 500, 600g of passata and then some salt.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11So I am just going to leave that now to cook down for a little bit.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15While I'm waiting, I am going to make my refried beans.
0:32:15 > 0:32:16Frijoles refritos.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21I've got a lot of lard melting in the pan here.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24Lard is very important.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27And now some onions, chopped onions, and garlic.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29And now epazote. It is not to everyone's taste,
0:32:29 > 0:32:31but it is like a lot of things.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35I remember the first time tasting coriander actually in Mexico
0:32:35 > 0:32:37and thinking, "I am not sure if I like this."
0:32:37 > 0:32:39But now I can't get enough.
0:32:39 > 0:32:40Now a jalapeno chilli.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42I'm going to chop the whole chilli up for this
0:32:42 > 0:32:45because it is nothing like as hot as a Scotch Bonnet,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47and then cook all that down.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Just going to leave that to sweat away for about five minutes.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54And now for the black beans.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56Well, I have already cooked the black beans,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58boiled them in water with a bit of salt.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03I like the deep blackness of these beans from Mexico,
0:33:03 > 0:33:06also known as turtle beans.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12There is probably a Mexican device for bean mashing.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14I am using a potato masher, so they are sort of
0:33:14 > 0:33:18getting through the holes in the masher.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20But it is doing a good job.
0:33:20 > 0:33:21Personally, because I like a bit of texture,
0:33:21 > 0:33:24I don't mind if they are not totally smooth,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27if you see the odd whole bean or half bean
0:33:27 > 0:33:29in the general puree of beans,
0:33:29 > 0:33:31that is fine by me.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35So now I am just going to season that with salt.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37Actually, quite a lot of salt
0:33:37 > 0:33:42because I do think frijoles should be quite salty.
0:33:42 > 0:33:43Now the sardines.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45Can you think of another fish
0:33:45 > 0:33:48that has so benefited mankind since the year dot?
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Well, maybe herrings.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55I sort of miss those sardine keys.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58You remember you just turn the top of the lid off like that,
0:33:58 > 0:33:59but that's progress.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02Now you have got a little lift and pull thing.
0:34:02 > 0:34:03Look at those lovely fat sardines.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08There is a lot of pickiness, and, dare I say, snobbery
0:34:08 > 0:34:10about the best tinned sardines,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13where they come from and when they were packed.
0:34:13 > 0:34:16It is, I think, getting a bit like wine
0:34:16 > 0:34:18and good vintages and all that stuff.
0:34:22 > 0:34:27So, to make up my pan de cazon, except it is pan de sardinas,
0:34:27 > 0:34:31it is a fried tortilla, then refried beans,
0:34:31 > 0:34:37followed by my lovely tomatoey, sardiney sauce and repeat.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42In the Yucatan, it's one of those dishes eaten all along the coast,
0:34:42 > 0:34:46not with sardines, though, but with cazon, dogfish.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03One of the first things you see here is at the heart of any town or city,
0:35:03 > 0:35:09the life, the drive, the spirit, is found in the main public square.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Sometimes known as the zocalo,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13and when the sun starts to lose its heat,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15it's time to dance.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33This is such fun, I think the same thing happens in zocalos
0:35:33 > 0:35:35all over Mexico on Sunday afternoons.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37I saw the same thing in Oaxaca.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40I don't think it's actually put on for the tourists,
0:35:40 > 0:35:44because here in Merida, most of the audience are Mexican.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48I sort of think maybe we could have a bit more Morris dancing at home,
0:35:48 > 0:35:51but maybe not, because we don't have this wonderful sun
0:35:51 > 0:35:53and all the colourful buildings
0:35:53 > 0:35:56and the natural exuberance of the Mexicans.
0:35:59 > 0:36:04I'm told this dance was created when cattle were first introduced here.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06It's called the Jarana,
0:36:06 > 0:36:10and the dancers are known as vaqueras, and vaqueros,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13basically, cowgirls and cowboys.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15I think it's utterly brilliant to see this
0:36:15 > 0:36:18in the middle of the town, for free.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Apparently, when all the cattle were rounded up and branded,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23then it was time to dance,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26and dance they did until it was the last vaquera
0:36:26 > 0:36:28and vaquero standing.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43One thing I'm really beginning to realise about Mexico
0:36:43 > 0:36:47and certainly here in the zocalo in Merida,
0:36:47 > 0:36:52is that Mexicans love music and they love loud music and sometimes,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54there's so much loud music going on,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57you don't know whether you're coming or going.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13I love corn on the cob with loads of butter and black pepper,
0:37:13 > 0:37:17but here, this is corn-on-the-cob heaven.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21First of all, they smother it with cream into every crevice.
0:37:24 > 0:37:25Now cheese.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29It looks dry, a bit like Parmesan, but it sticks to the cream.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34And then, oh, yes, well, it's Mexico, chilli sauce.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38I'm told once you taste this,
0:37:38 > 0:37:42you'll never go back to just butter and pepper.
0:37:42 > 0:37:43We'll just have to see!
0:37:45 > 0:37:46Well...
0:37:49 > 0:37:52You can imagine corn-on-the-cob corn in Mexico's
0:37:52 > 0:37:55is going to be as good as it gets,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57but with a bit of cream and some cheese and chilli...
0:37:59 > 0:38:01..very, very lovely fast food.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06This is as-good-as-it-gets corn on the cob.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15Next morning, and about 20 minutes' drive from Merida,
0:38:15 > 0:38:18I met up with a fellow chef.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24That's quite a long drop for a couple of old geezers!
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Thanks. I'm not overwhelmed normally
0:38:27 > 0:38:30when I meet up with celebrity chefs.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33However, there are celebrity chefs,
0:38:33 > 0:38:38but above that, is a category of super celebrity chefs
0:38:38 > 0:38:42and Jeremiah Tower is very much part of that bracket.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46He used to be the young Turk of new American cooking.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49I've followed his career for nearly 40 years.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52From Chez Panisse in the very beginning,
0:38:52 > 0:38:53to Stars Restaurant.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Gastronomically, he had America at his feet,
0:38:57 > 0:38:59but he's given up the restaurant business now
0:38:59 > 0:39:01and found a new life here.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04It's funny talking to a chef of my age
0:39:04 > 0:39:07and the food we cooked when we first started out.
0:39:07 > 0:39:08It had to be all French.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13Otherwise, in the mid-70s, nobody would take you seriously.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17It used to be everybody wanted to be like a posh French, didn't they?
0:39:17 > 0:39:19Yes.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22Because I can remember even when I started writing my menus in French
0:39:22 > 0:39:23to start with, you know?
0:39:23 > 0:39:25- Yeah, yeah.- Why?
0:39:25 > 0:39:27- Right. Right.- But I did.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29- So did I.- Did you?
0:39:29 > 0:39:30- Yeah.- In California?
0:39:30 > 0:39:32Well, in the beginning, because everyone assumed...
0:39:32 > 0:39:34It's so obvious now.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36- Yeah.- That as you were talking, I'd say, for instance,
0:39:36 > 0:39:38there were no fresh herbs. There was no olive oil.
0:39:38 > 0:39:44Nothing like that. People just look at you as if you've lost your mind.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46But Chez Panisse in the beginning...
0:39:48 > 0:39:50..was a little French bistro.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52So of course, then I went through a...
0:39:52 > 0:39:55To fill the restaurant up and make it famous,
0:39:55 > 0:39:58and therefore fill it, I decided we'd do regions of France,
0:39:58 > 0:40:02so I did all the regions, ran out of them and the next thing,
0:40:02 > 0:40:03the last one was Corsica.
0:40:03 > 0:40:04Well, I'd never been to Corsica.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07I didn't know anything about Corsica.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11Or its food. And so I cooked a dish which was the only one I think that
0:40:11 > 0:40:13was an absolute disaster.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17It was kind of stock fish, bacalao, but I hadn't soaked it long enough.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19It was disgusting.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21So I thought, "OK."
0:40:21 > 0:40:23That was an awakening and I thought, "Wait a minute.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25"We have Petrale sole.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28"We have lobsters out there.
0:40:28 > 0:40:32"We have these beautiful big, fresh prawns in Monterey Bay,"
0:40:32 > 0:40:35so within two hours' drive
0:40:35 > 0:40:40of San Francisco was all these products, ingredients
0:40:40 > 0:40:43that we were apologising for and I said, "No."
0:40:43 > 0:40:45No.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48And there was a moment then in 1976, in June, 1976,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50I read the California Regional Dinner.
0:40:50 > 0:40:52It was all in English.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54We used only local wines.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58Local meaning Napa Singer, which is not exactly a hardship.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01But, I think the dinner was...
0:41:03 > 0:41:05..18?
0:41:05 > 0:41:06For six courses!
0:41:06 > 0:41:08THEY LAUGH God!
0:41:08 > 0:41:10And that changed it.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13Then the Gourmet Magazine and the Wine Spectator picked up on that,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16and that's when everything became what would be now viral.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21Well done!
0:41:21 > 0:41:23It's a grouper. Oh, it took the whole fish.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25Give me my sardine back.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Fresh sardines. How come I never see those in the market?
0:41:30 > 0:41:32- Well, this is fun.- Absolutely.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37I suppose one of the reasons I'm not always happy to go fishing
0:41:37 > 0:41:39is when we're filming,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42we never seem to catch any fish and it's a bit like,
0:41:42 > 0:41:44and I'm sure Jeremiah would agree with me,
0:41:44 > 0:41:46it's a bit like being in an empty restaurant,
0:41:46 > 0:41:49having to cook or not cook, standing in a kitchen,
0:41:49 > 0:41:51waiting for customers. Probably.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Oh, my God! I don't have restaurant nightmares any more, but if I did,
0:41:54 > 0:41:55that would be the empty restaurant.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59You mean, there is a time when you stop having restaurant nightmares?
0:41:59 > 0:42:01I thought there was.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03No, no, every once in a while, I still think,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06"I'm in my restaurant and nobody's shown up."
0:42:06 > 0:42:10My restaurant nightmare is everybody shows up, but for some reason,
0:42:10 > 0:42:12I can't cook.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15Just to cap that, I have actually caught a fish at long last.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17It's quite a good-sized one, by the feel of it.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20- There we go.- You see!
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Look at that. It's a beauty.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34We caught that ceviche.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36I know. Isn't that wonderful?
0:42:37 > 0:42:39Three or four different fish.
0:42:39 > 0:42:41It doesn't cut all the way through.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44He leaves that bit connected to the tail.
0:42:44 > 0:42:45So you can just slip it.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48- Look at that.- So he can do it in one go.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51Look, he doesn't have to hold on to the end of the fillets.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54These fish fillets are perfect for ceviche,
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Mexico's famous dish of raw fish,
0:42:57 > 0:43:01cooked, or rather, cured in lime juice.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05It's got a bite and a sweetness when the fish is as fresh as this,
0:43:05 > 0:43:07contrasted with the salt.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Some fresh tomatoes, onions,
0:43:11 > 0:43:16and then coriander or cilantro, as they call it.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19It's all a lovely fragrant sourness.
0:43:20 > 0:43:21And that's it.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27- Don Ricardo. Esto es ceviche. - Gracias, Abraham.- Perfect.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31Obviously, this is a bit much for just me and Jeremiah.
0:43:31 > 0:43:32Actually, it's for the whole crew.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34Abraham's kindly made it all.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36I was just thinking we should try it, don't you?
0:43:36 > 0:43:38I think so. I can't wait.
0:43:38 > 0:43:39No, same here.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45That is really good. What I want to ask you, is that,
0:43:45 > 0:43:47that's cooked enough in the lime juice, isn't it?
0:43:47 > 0:43:49Is that how they would have it?
0:43:49 > 0:43:51That's how they would have it, yes.
0:43:51 > 0:43:53It just needs a little bit of chilli.
0:43:53 > 0:43:55OK. I can do without that.
0:43:55 > 0:43:56I'll just have one more.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59We'll have some chilli. You can have yours before they put the chilli in!
0:43:59 > 0:44:01THEY LAUGH
0:44:01 > 0:44:03It's really lovely.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05Sometimes when you get ceviche,
0:44:05 > 0:44:08I find it's a bit too cooked and it's gone really dry,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11but this is really, really juicy.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13And I love that lemon in it.
0:44:13 > 0:44:14Now the crew can have it!
0:44:16 > 0:44:18- Shall we take it?- Take it to the house.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21- OK.- A la casa.- Yo me voy a la casa con Usted.
0:44:22 > 0:44:27At Abraham's house, his wife Ruby prepares pibil, in this case,
0:44:27 > 0:44:30it's a grouper split down the middle,
0:44:30 > 0:44:32and then she puts in cooked garlic,
0:44:32 > 0:44:34salt and pepper and that's all crushed up.
0:44:36 > 0:44:37Next, very sour orange -
0:44:37 > 0:44:41they say everyone here has a tree in their garden.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Back home, we'd use Seville orange.
0:44:43 > 0:44:45Now achiote paste.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48That's made with the seeds from a local tree.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51It's slightly sweet and earthy.
0:44:51 > 0:44:53That goes over the fish.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57A little drizzle of corn oil.
0:44:57 > 0:45:03And now Ruby tops this with onions, tomatoes, and fresh chilli.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07Finally, a green bell pepper.
0:45:08 > 0:45:10I found this a little surprising,
0:45:10 > 0:45:13because she then covers the fish with mayonnaise.
0:45:13 > 0:45:15I didn't see that coming at all.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19She covers all that with banana leaves
0:45:19 > 0:45:20so it doesn't burn,
0:45:20 > 0:45:23and then it's buried in the sand for about an hour.
0:45:25 > 0:45:29The tinfoil, incidentally, helps keep the sand out.
0:45:29 > 0:45:33That's quite important because every time I've tried this sort of dish
0:45:33 > 0:45:37in Cornwall, I'm sure I can hear my guests' teeth crunch.
0:45:37 > 0:45:39Maybe I'm just imagining it!
0:45:41 > 0:45:44- Look at that.- Listo.- Listo.
0:45:48 > 0:45:49Wow, look at that.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53- Gosh.- There's something magic about it.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55- Yeah, there is.- Gentle cooking, yeah.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57- You know that.- Yeah.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59It's not rushed. It's much juicier.
0:46:00 > 0:46:04- Salud.- Salud.
0:46:04 > 0:46:05Abraham, Ruby.
0:46:06 > 0:46:08Well, it's been in... How long was it in there?
0:46:08 > 0:46:10- About an hour?- An hour.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12Which I would have thought was too long, but...
0:46:12 > 0:46:15Oh, lovely.
0:46:15 > 0:46:17It is. Moist, very moist.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19Lovely fish, grouper.
0:46:19 > 0:46:21Really, really good flavour.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24I think what's been really important about this
0:46:24 > 0:46:26is that all the veg have cooked together very nicely
0:46:26 > 0:46:28and baked together.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30- Absolutely.- So it is.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32That's one of the problems with baking fish,
0:46:32 > 0:46:34the veg don't cook enough.
0:46:34 > 0:46:37You've almost got to overcook the fish a little bit
0:46:37 > 0:46:39to get that everything cooked together.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52I'm nearing the end of my trip now, not far to go.
0:46:52 > 0:46:57Just a couple of days, and I'm heading to the town of Valladolid.
0:46:57 > 0:47:01It's a very soothing place, with a great sense of local pride.
0:47:01 > 0:47:04They say you're welcomed into a city
0:47:04 > 0:47:07that breathes peace and tranquillity,
0:47:07 > 0:47:10courtesy of the hospitality of its inhabitants.
0:47:10 > 0:47:13Well, that was probably written by the local council!
0:47:13 > 0:47:16But I have a sense it's bathed in truth.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23Inside the town hall is a mural
0:47:23 > 0:47:27showing how the Spanish won the day over the Mayans,
0:47:27 > 0:47:28nearly 500 years ago.
0:47:30 > 0:47:33I was taken by the priest, stopping,
0:47:33 > 0:47:37I presume, a Mayan priest taking a life for sacrifice.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40And I'm thinking, "Who is right here?"
0:47:40 > 0:47:41Discuss.
0:47:51 > 0:47:56Valladolid is very close to what I think is a wonderful natural marvel,
0:47:56 > 0:47:58the cenotes.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04It might be something to do with my age,
0:48:04 > 0:48:07but I get really annoyed at certain phrases,
0:48:07 > 0:48:09for instance, bucket list.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11It must be American.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14It means all the things you must do before you die.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18Whoops, nearly slipped!
0:48:23 > 0:48:26Well, I've always wanted to swim in the cenote,
0:48:26 > 0:48:28but I don't want it on my bucket list,
0:48:28 > 0:48:29thank you very much!
0:48:34 > 0:48:36This is a very deep natural swimming hole,
0:48:36 > 0:48:40and it's made because the limestone surface of the land,
0:48:40 > 0:48:43the crust, if you like, collapsed.
0:48:46 > 0:48:51There are over 6,000 of these sweet water pools here in the Yucatan.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54I have to say, they're quite magical.
0:49:07 > 0:49:08That was very nice.
0:49:08 > 0:49:11I've always wanted to swim in a cenote, and now I have.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14The first question I was asking myself is, would it be cold?
0:49:14 > 0:49:17And I'd describe it as refreshingly cool.
0:49:17 > 0:49:21Also, the water's very, very pure,
0:49:21 > 0:49:23simply because it filters down over
0:49:23 > 0:49:26years and years through limestone.
0:49:26 > 0:49:28It tastes really sweet.
0:49:28 > 0:49:30Of course, this is a sacred place,
0:49:30 > 0:49:33it was a sacred place for the Mayans.
0:49:33 > 0:49:36Still is. Because
0:49:36 > 0:49:40they regarded it, A, as the entrance to the underworld,
0:49:40 > 0:49:43all these cenotes, and, B, as the source of life,
0:49:43 > 0:49:45because it's all limestone here.
0:49:45 > 0:49:47There's virtually no rivers in Yucatan
0:49:47 > 0:49:50because of the porousness of the limestone,
0:49:50 > 0:49:53so they relied on these cenotes for their water.
0:49:54 > 0:50:00Now breakfast at Valladolid's most popular haunt, Meson Marques.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04I've got a few quotes this morning.
0:50:04 > 0:50:07Somerset Maugham said, to eat well in England,
0:50:07 > 0:50:09you should have breakfast three times a day.
0:50:09 > 0:50:11I'm pleased to say it's not like that any more
0:50:11 > 0:50:13but it certainly was in the '40s and '50s, I'm sure,
0:50:13 > 0:50:16and I remember the first time I came to Mexico
0:50:16 > 0:50:22was in 1968, and the thing above all I remember were the breakfasts.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25I mean, they are enormous.
0:50:25 > 0:50:30And here, I've chosen what I think is just a typical Mexican breakfast
0:50:30 > 0:50:33called huevos motulenos.
0:50:33 > 0:50:36I suppose it's the closest thing to bacon and eggs they do -
0:50:36 > 0:50:38but some bacon and eggs!
0:50:42 > 0:50:45And this, at the Hosteria del Marques,
0:50:45 > 0:50:47is how they do it!
0:50:47 > 0:50:49This is huevos motulenos.
0:50:52 > 0:50:55First of all, make the sauce.
0:50:55 > 0:50:59The chef is simmering celery, garlic, tomatoes, onions,
0:50:59 > 0:51:04red pepper and coriander, loads of coriander,
0:51:04 > 0:51:07for that unique fragrance.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10Simmer, simmer away then Passata.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12Looks like half a litre.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14Next, whiz in the blender.
0:51:15 > 0:51:20Having the sauce cooked freshly like this does make a difference.
0:51:20 > 0:51:23So that's the base for the huevos motulenos.
0:51:23 > 0:51:26Pour back in the pan and add more Passata,
0:51:26 > 0:51:28for that extra kick of tomato.
0:51:33 > 0:51:37Now this is a bit chefy and comes as a bit of a surprise.
0:51:37 > 0:51:41Chicken stock powder and salt.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43Don't ask me why, but it tastes good.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45The Chinese use it all the time.
0:51:48 > 0:51:53To assemble, some refried beans on the base of a tortilla, like so,
0:51:53 > 0:51:55and a couple of fried eggs.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58Huevos sounds so romantic to me.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01I think it's why huevos rancheros,
0:52:01 > 0:52:04basically just a simplified version of this dish,
0:52:04 > 0:52:07is such a breakfast favourite of mine.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11Here, some fried plantains,
0:52:11 > 0:52:14beautifully grilled sweet, crispy bacon...
0:52:15 > 0:52:17..and now that sauce.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24A few peas with chopped ham, and then cheese.
0:52:24 > 0:52:26Do you think that would be a welcome change
0:52:26 > 0:52:28to baked beans and hash browns?
0:52:28 > 0:52:30Definitely, I would say!
0:52:48 > 0:52:50I'm coming to the end of my journey now,
0:52:50 > 0:52:54and this is the Caribbean Sea at Tulum.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57I'm told this used to be a colony for hippies,
0:52:57 > 0:52:59as well as the odd draft dodger
0:52:59 > 0:53:01escaping from the Vietnam War.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04Now it's the hang-out of Hollywood A-listers
0:53:04 > 0:53:06and it's all been gentrified.
0:53:06 > 0:53:11A cabin on the beach here could cost you 300 a day.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14Yoga and aromatherapy are extras.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19But if you love seafood,
0:53:19 > 0:53:24there's one man here who does a pretty good job, and that's Eric.
0:53:24 > 0:53:27Eric Werner was fast becoming a top chef in New York,
0:53:27 > 0:53:29and came here on his hols,
0:53:29 > 0:53:32loved it so much, decided to stay.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34Same old, same old story.
0:53:37 > 0:53:38- Beautiful.- It's a nice pargo.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42I've never seen them as big as that in the Mediterranean.
0:53:42 > 0:53:44Here we've got a liseta.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46Liseta. I mean, it looks like our grey mullet,
0:53:46 > 0:53:47very similar shape and everything.
0:53:47 > 0:53:52Yeah. And the females carry eggs and we dry out the egg sacs
0:53:52 > 0:53:55and, you know, kind of use it in a similar way, like a bottarga.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58- Yeah.- We tend to shave it on top of ceviche,
0:53:58 > 0:54:01add a little bit more kind of a sea taste and a little bit more salt.
0:54:01 > 0:54:02Great idea.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05- Yeah.- The Italians put it in pasta but you put it on ceviche.
0:54:05 > 0:54:07- Right.- Of course. Yeah, yeah.
0:54:07 > 0:54:08OK, let's go.
0:54:10 > 0:54:11Gracias!
0:54:11 > 0:54:14There's nothing here but sand, sea and jungle.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16No mains electricity,
0:54:16 > 0:54:19but Eric and his wife cleared the land
0:54:19 > 0:54:21and built their own dream restaurant.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28What Eric does here couldn't be simpler.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30He's grilling a grey mullet
0:54:30 > 0:54:34using a fair amount of oil to stop it sticking to the bars
0:54:34 > 0:54:38and he serves it up with a giant grilled radish.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48Why on earth, I mean, this restaurant,
0:54:48 > 0:54:51- when you got here, was just jungle? - Uh-huh.
0:54:51 > 0:54:54It's quite, for a young chef, it's quite a sort of, you know,
0:54:54 > 0:54:56you've been working in good restaurants in New York.
0:54:56 > 0:55:00It's quite a serious change of career, almost.
0:55:00 > 0:55:04Yeah. It was. It was serious, it was exciting, it was an adventure.
0:55:04 > 0:55:07It was what you're looking for when, you know,
0:55:07 > 0:55:09you're kind of wanting to do something on your own
0:55:09 > 0:55:12and you want to make that move and to...you know.
0:55:12 > 0:55:14It was... My wife and I had the idea
0:55:14 > 0:55:18that we were going to come down, and, you know,
0:55:18 > 0:55:22have a family on the beach and be able to go out, you know,
0:55:22 > 0:55:26walks in the sand every day, all those kind of things and really,
0:55:26 > 0:55:30I have not stopped working since the moment I got here.
0:55:30 > 0:55:32Which is a beautiful thing. Which is great, you know.
0:55:32 > 0:55:35Well, I mean, I think, you know, knowing chefs the way I do,
0:55:35 > 0:55:37I think a number of people I can think of
0:55:37 > 0:55:40would give their back teeth to come and work somewhere like this.
0:55:40 > 0:55:42- Yeah.- Because, I mean, it's open
0:55:42 > 0:55:44and also it's such fun with these wood fires
0:55:44 > 0:55:47and you know everything about cooking with wood, don't you?
0:55:47 > 0:55:49Yeah. A long time.
0:56:04 > 0:56:06Well, it's nearly time to go home.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08I'll say it's a bit of a wrench,
0:56:08 > 0:56:11because just taking a look around me,
0:56:11 > 0:56:13I'd love to stay a few more days.
0:56:14 > 0:56:15But it's been a long journey.
0:56:15 > 0:56:17It's been wonderful.
0:56:17 > 0:56:22When I set out from California, from San Francisco so long ago,
0:56:22 > 0:56:25I sort of thought it was going to be a journey of rediscovery,
0:56:25 > 0:56:29because I first went to California and Mexico in the 1960s.
0:56:31 > 0:56:35I've just realised how important California has been to me
0:56:35 > 0:56:37and my generation of chefs.
0:56:37 > 0:56:41Because I think that was where the whole movement of buying locally
0:56:41 > 0:56:44and changing the menu on a daily basis
0:56:44 > 0:56:47and just putting on that menu whatever was good and fresh
0:56:47 > 0:56:50in the markets, that's where it came from.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53That's where that whole sort of anti-French,
0:56:53 > 0:56:55anti-classic menu came from.
0:56:55 > 0:56:59And I had a great deal of debt to California
0:56:59 > 0:57:03and so it proved to be still much the same as it ever was.
0:57:06 > 0:57:07And then Mexico.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10My memories of Mexico and what I wanted to feel,
0:57:10 > 0:57:14the first time I went there, the first day,
0:57:14 > 0:57:17was the smell of a tortilla,
0:57:17 > 0:57:21of a corn tortilla, because I just remember, when I first went there,
0:57:21 > 0:57:24it was that smell that is so indefinable,
0:57:24 > 0:57:28but so essentially part of Mexican cuisine.
0:57:29 > 0:57:31The food is so utterly wonderful,
0:57:31 > 0:57:35from the north of Mexico down to here in Yucatan,
0:57:35 > 0:57:38there are so many different types of cooking,
0:57:38 > 0:57:41from moles to pozoles,
0:57:41 > 0:57:47to ceviches, wonderfully grilled fish, to fantastic tacos.
0:57:49 > 0:57:50But finally, to sum up,
0:57:50 > 0:57:53I've been here for weeks and I still can't put my finger
0:57:53 > 0:57:55on why I love Mexico so much.
0:57:55 > 0:57:57Is it the food, the wonderful food?
0:57:57 > 0:57:59Is it the lovely people?
0:57:59 > 0:58:02Is it the really varied countryside?
0:58:02 > 0:58:04Is it the colours in the market?
0:58:04 > 0:58:06Is it the weather, the lovely warm weather?
0:58:06 > 0:58:09Do you know, I think it's a sum of all those parts,
0:58:09 > 0:58:13and a little bit of chaos dropped in for good measure.
0:58:13 > 0:58:16I will be back over and over again.