Top dishes to know and taste when visiting the Yucatan

“Travel Weekly” author Meagan Drillinger from New York City, has been writing about travel since 2009. Her journeys have taken her to more than 30 countries, but her favorite has always been Mexico for its rich cultural diversity, food, landscape and its people.

On July 19, Drillinger published a piece on “How to eat like a local in the Yucatan”, so if you are planning to visit the Peninsula this summer, this could be a useful guide.

Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is a region known for its lush tropical jungles, spectacular coastline, Mayan ruins and tourist hotspots like Cancun and Tulum.

But digging deeper into the Yucatan reveals a cultural melting pot, drawing on influences from the Mayan world, the Caribbean, Spain, Africa and the Middle East as well as other parts of Mexico. Nowhere in the country is this more evident than in the traditional cuisine in the Yucatan.

Here are some of the top dishes to know and taste when visiting the area, courtesy of Yucatan Tourism.

Sopa de Lima: Whole turkeys simmer for hours to create a delicious broth that is seasoned with garlic, onion, tomatoes, dried oregano and a lot of lime juice. The result is a sour soup that is usually topped with fried tortilla strips.

Panuchos: This appetizer-style dish is made of corn tortillas topped with refried black beans and shredded chicken. The chicken is marinated in annatto paste (made from achiote seeds) dissolved in sour orange juice. Top off the meal with pickled red onions, avocados and lettuce.

Salbutes: Similar to paunchos, salbutes tortillas are made of a combination of corn and flour, then fried and topped with shredded chicken, onions, tomatoes, and avocados.