I didn’t realize that grocery shopping in San Miguel de Allende would be such an adventure. Then I discovered the Tianguis farmers market.
After a full week in San Miguel, I had an empty fridge and pantry and it was time I started cooking some meals at home. I was able to buy cereal, milk, and produce for breakfast but I needed meat, eggs, butter, coffee, snacks, etc. For three days, I was on the hunt for the best place to buy all of the above. There is a large grocery store on the edge of town. On the following Monday, I set out to buy groceries and walked along one of the main avenues hoping I would run into a store. I finally found a carnicero (a butcher) next to a fresh produce stand only to realize I didn’t have enough pesos to buy enough meat. It was a cash only place. Annoyed, I didn’t buy anything. Then I saw someone that looked American, so I asked them where I could find fresh food/produce. She told me about the Tianguis, the local farmer’s market/flea market that happens every Tuesday. Excited, I was told I could find everything I needed there at the best prices and everything would be fresh.
We got up on Tuesday morning, ate our cold cereal (with complaints from the kids) and loaded up into a taxi to go to the Tianguis.
What a wild adventure this was. The word “Tianguis” means an open air market. The market was everything you’d expect to find at farmers market and more. A lion in a cage (to promote the circus in town), live roosters for 30 pesos (less than $3.00 USD), and live chickens.
I found plenty of fresh and dried herbs and seasonings to be used in traditional Mexican dishes. Like these chilis and peppers below.
Produce for less than $1.50 USD a kilo. I paid about .50 cents for three large mangos and about .40 cents for over a pound of bananas.
Plenty of local and handmade candy. The kids enjoyed sampling the candy and trying new things.
And last but not least, wild birds for sale. I guess there’s still a market for wild birds even though the same birds roam free everywhere?
There was also plenty of hot food at great prices. For lunch I had a tasty gordita made fresh from scratch. it cost me just $1.00 USD! I was the only one brave enough to try it. The kids decided they rather not. It was delicious!
Despite all the choices, I passed on buying any meat or seafood there. I hate to act like the picky American but something about meat sitting outdoors around lions, birds, and hundreds of people didn’t sit well with me.
Next on the agenda in San Miguel: Tonight we are going to meet Amy Conroy of habla blah blah to watch an Aztec dance show. How exciting! I’ll post those pictures soon.
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