Original subtitles

Oh, it's cold. It's cold.

So this is called a cenote.

It's a natural sinkhole.

It's very unique to the Yucatán Peninsula.

They were very sacred to the Mayans.

They believed that this was a passage to the underworld.

The Maya define the culture of Yucatán.

As one of the great civilizations

in Central America, their influence is everywhere.

This is huge!

Their DNA runs through every local dish.

And their ancient ways are still a source of inspiration.

Let's let it burn a little bit more, and...

- More? - We grind.

I'm Eva Longoria,

born and bred in Texas with Mexican-American roots,

which makes me a Texican.

I'm exploring Mexico to see how the people, their lands,

and their past have shaped a culinary tradition

as diverse as its 32 states.

I don't think I've ever seen an avocado this big.

Here in Yucatán, there are so many great ingredients.

With searingly hot weather all year round,

time moves at a slower pace in Yucatán.

When it's taken hundreds of years to build the pyramids,

waiting a day for your dinner to cook is no big deal.

Eight hours?

I just hope I can be as patient as my hosts.

I want to taste the pig!

Yucatán state is cut off from the rest of Mexico

by dense forest, but its long coastline

has always linked it to the outside world.

It has the largest Maya population in Mexico,

dating back 4,000 years.

The ancient Maya were pioneering and industrious.

They thrived here until the arrival

of the Spanish conquistadors in the 1500s.

The region's turbulent history and unique geography

have heavily influenced the cuisine.

So today, I am trying cochinita pibil,

which is probably the most famous dish from the Yucatán.

You can't come here without having it.

It's known worldwide.

Hola. Hola.

Buenos días. Hola. Buenos días.

Buenos días.

Now, there are variations on the recipe.

But cochinita pibil is slow-cooked pork

marinated in a tangy spice mix...

Oh, wow.

Traditionally served in a taco with pickled red onions.

Look at that.

You know it's good when there's pork fat dripping out.

Mmm.

I'm going to the award-winning restaurant, IXI'IM,

where cochinita pibil is transformed into fine dining.

It's run by Luis Ronzón,

one of the region's most exciting chefs,

who makes his cochinita pibil

using both ancient and modern techniques.

Hello! Hello.

How you doing? Good.

Soy Eva.

Mucho gusto Nice meeting you.

- Nice to meet you. - Welcome.

Thank you. I'm excited.

I've heard amazing things about your restaurant.

Luis starts by cooking the pork

the traditional Mayan way: outdoors.

This pig is a descendant of the same breed

that the Spanish prize for jamón ibérico,

one of the world's finest hams.

I've never seen this orange.

Yeah.

You use sour orange.

The Spanish brought this citrus gem,

which is now a Yucatán staple.

Here, it's mixed with spices

from the neighboring Caribbean.

So...

Mm-hmm.

The marinated pig is entombed in a steel box

before being put in the oven,

which is literally a freshly dug hole in the ground.

What do you call the oven?

What is--P-I-B? P-I-B.

Oh.

- Pib style. - No?

It is basically a crock pot in the ground.

Yeah, kind of. Yeah.

You couldn't have said it better.

Wouldn't it be easier just to put it in a crock pot?

Yeah. No, 'cause you don't have the flavor of the soil.

- Yes, the flavor... - You know?

- Of the region. - Of the branches

and everything. Of the tierra.

Right. And this is a romantic technique, no?

- A very romantic technique. - It is.

I mean, it's romantic because I'm not the one

digging the dirt, but yeah. Yeah.

This ancient way of slow-cooking is ingenious.

Once buried, the pig needs no supervision,

and the meat is protected from hungry animals.

I mean, what's not to like?

Oh, but there is a downside.

So we're gonna leave it here for eight hours.

- Eight hours? - Yeah.

Thank goodness for that.

I just wish our crew would hurry up and get over here.

I'm dying to eat the pig, guys!

- We're hungry. - Come on!

I want to taste the pig!

I mean, if you could smell this right now,

you'd be yelling for it too.

So this one, we buried yesterday.

- The big reveal. - Yes. Yeah.

Oh, wow.

Can I take the banana leaf off? Yeah, please.

Look at this!

Look at that. Look at the juice.

Oh, my God.

It's just, like, falling off!

Oh, my gosh.

Oh, my gosh. Well, I need more now.

I mean, you can taste the comino, the clove.

That sour orange really is-- Yeah.

Sour orange and the spices, no?

Wow. Mm-hmm.

Mmm!

- My mouth is watering now. - Watching me?

Yeah.

So I wanted you to try, like, the normal way.

- Mm-hmm. - And also,

I want you to try my way,

which is the way we serve it at the IXI'IM restaurant, so...

OK.

This is beautiful!

Here in his kitchen garden,

Luis grows his produce the same way as the Maya.

Now, I'm sure the ancient Maya would feel at home

in Luis's garden, but what would they think

of his breathtaking dining room?

But I'm at the heart of the action--in the kitchen.

- What? Yes! - Yeah? OK.

Yes. Don't threaten me with a good time.

Salud. Cheers.

Luis is from Mexico City,

but it's Yucatán that's captured his heart.

So what was your favorite thing about the cuisine

when you moved here?

- Yes? This dish? - Yeah, yeah.

Oh, yeah.

- Really? - Yeah.

Luis has swapped out the traditional pickled red onions

for his own sides of sweet potato, parsnip, and beets.

Just a little bit of butter, guys.

- Yeah. - Just a little bit of butter.

Salt.

- And that's it. - And that's it.

I'm just gonna wait here while he roasts those beets.

The pig from the pib

is about to have a sophisticated makeover.

Watch out. Aah!

We're gonna make, like, a very crispy skin, no?

- That's a good idea. - Yeah.

I concur.

Do you hear that?

- Yes. - That's a crispy skin.

Yes!

- And I'm gonna put it in here. - Oh, that's beautiful!

So that's the way we plate it.

- Look at that presentation. - Yeah.

The puréed vegetables and habanero chili salsa

turns this dish into a rainbow of color.

I've never had a meal like this.

One of the best meals of my life.

Thank you.

This is Luis' love letter to Yucatán,

to the people

and the land he now calls home.

I'm just gonna-- don't mind me.

I'm just gonna stay here in the kitchen.

You have work to do. Go ahead.

I'm so happy.

Mérida is the capital of Yucatán,

and it's a city that runs on its stomach.

Hola.

I'm here to meet one of Mérida's best chefs

and gastronomic pioneers.

- Mucho gusto. - Mucho gusto.

This market sells all the spices that we will need

to cook later on in the night. OK. OK.

- So you want to take a look? - Yes.

- Let's go. - I love a spice market.

Chef Roberto Solís is famous for putting a new spin

on the foundation of Yucatecan cuisine:

el recado.

What is el recado?

I've never heard that word until I got to the Yucatán.

El recado is a colored paste

made from a combination of spices.

They come in lots of different flavors

and are used everywhere here,

but you'll struggle to find el recado outside Yucatán.

No. No.

- No? - Just here.

Why? That's so weird.

That's weird.

Because it feels like such a good idea.

- Yeah. - Like, to do a paste

on chicken and fish and pork. Yeah.

Is this their family recipe?

For generations, Don Enrique's family

have been recado alchemists.

Uh-huh.

- It's much smokier. - Yes.

No.

Many of these spices came to the Yucatán

over 500 years ago,

when the region was colonized by the Spanish.

And you can still see a strong European influence

all around Mérida.

Today, people flock to its thriving food scene.

Twice voted capital of culture,

it's a magnet for creativity.

Roberto's been at the forefront

of that creativity here in Mérida and in the Yucatán,

so let's see what he's up to.

Roberto's restaurant is called Huniik,

which means "unique spirit" in Mayan.

Here, it's all about turning ancient recipes on their head.

Wow.

Oh, this is beautiful!

This is gorgeous!

How are you?

Oh, you look so handsome

in your chef's clothes. Welcome.

Known as the Recado King,

Roberto's star of the menu tonight is his black recado.

Are we doing the spices here? Well, yes.

We're gonna grind the spices here.

- All right. - But actually,

we're gonna burn the spices here.

Ooh!

We have onion, oregano, cumin, garlic,

annatto seeds, the pepper. Uh-huh.

Roberto is making his recado negro from scratch...

- So if you want to start... - Yeah. What do I do?

With me as his wingman.

We put it in here? Yeah.

Oh, my God!

- Good. - I already--

I already messed up. OK.

Put some cumin. Just a little bit.

- A little bit? - Like a spoon.

Yeah, that's good. What is this one

called again? Annatto seeds.

You can put more, more, more, more, more, more.

The spices are lightly toasted,

but when it comes to the chili...

It's burning!

We crank up the heat.

The more you burn the chili...

- The less hot. - The less hot.

Now, you can start smelling. Yeah.

Oh, it's smoking.

Wave it towards you.

It smells amazing.

Is this what makes it black, is that char?

- Yeah. - Yeah?

And he really does mean "burn the chili."

Yeah, yeah.

Are you guys OK?

Is it just me?

Let's let them burn a little bit more, and...

- More? - We grind.

This goes against all my instincts.

And now, we grind it? Yeah, let's go.

OK.

Oh, my God.

Are we sure this is gonna taste good?

Yeah, of course.

And all of this is just for the flavoring.

We haven't even started cooking yet.

Is this right? Yeah.

Oh, yeah. The paste is coming.

Yes.

All right. I think I just pulled a muscle.

I think we are, yeah, just finished.

Amazing.

How do you know if it has the right balance?

Mmm. Ooh, that smells great. Yeah.

It's good.

- Now, we're gonna add... - The orange.

The sour orange.

Why am I doing all the work here?

I don't know how much to put.

- Then you mix it, no? - Yeah.

It looks so weird, huh? No, it looks amazing.

You're like, "Yeah."

Oh, wow. Oh, my God.

That is so complicated.

Yes.

- Let's put this on something. - Yes.

So first, we're gonna get this white onion.

Mm-hmm.

Are we making Yucatán onion rings?

I think it's a bit more than that, but...

I'm just teasing.

This is one of Roberto's signature dishes:

onion tempura.

With the recado? With the recado.

Yeah. Why not, right? Oh, my God.

Roberto adds the recado negro to the tempura batter.

So I'm gonna dip this.

And like everything else in Yucatán,

it's a slow process.

Yeah.

- It's time-consuming. - Yeah, it is.

Oh, my God. These are gorgeous.

So the black doesn't mean it's burnt.

It's just the color. Exactly.

Mm-hmm.

Oh.

These beautiful blackened onions

are presented on a bed of charcoal.

Have you had to tell some clients

not to eat the charcoal? You know, it's funny

because some people just-- 'Cause it's the same color.

And everybody like...

It was so funny.

- You want to confuse people? - Yeah.

Well, I want to-- Is this the goal?

Mmm.

- You know? - Wow.

For as complex as that paste was, it's not overwhelming.

- No, it's not overwhelming. - You're not like--

It's just giving you some creaminess.

- Mmm. - Crunch, creaminess.

I've never had anything like this.

This is gorgeous, and it's delicious.

- Felicidades. - Gracias.

I'm just gonna stand here while you make the next dish.

Once more, Roberto's toying with my taste buds,

serving coconut ice cream with grilled mango

coated in his recado negro.

Smoky with a hint of spice.

Is it hot? Yeah.

Oh.

It is so good!

- Yeah, it is. - I think I'm gonna cry!

I thought that recado was gonna overpower this whole thing.

You know what it reminds me? When you put marshmallow

on the grill, you know? Yes, yes!

It reminds me of that. The texture, you know?

- It has a crispy texture. - Yes, exactly.

- Oh, my God, this is like... - Exactly.

I'm in heaven.

Now I know why you're the king of the recado negro.

- Yes, salud. - Gracias, Roberto.

- Gracias. - Muchas gracias.

Wow.

Most of us have heard of the Day of the Dead.

It's one of Mexico's biggest celebrations,

and my personal favorite,

where spirits come back to eat, drink,

and party with the living.

This celebration is rooted in Aztec and Spanish cultures

and share similarities with the Maya ceremony Hanal Pixan,

meaning "food for the souls."

Hola. Hola, Eva.

Two-thirds of the population of Yucatán

are of Mayan descent.

And at the heart of the peninsula

is the Maya town of Xocén.

I've come to help Chef Alberto Cucu

prepare one of the world's oldest dishes.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Sí.

Uh-huh.

Mm-hmm.

Red is incredibly symbolic to the Maya.

The color of blood, it represents the sunrise

and the rejection of darkness.

I grew up making tamales.

And in my home, it's still a family tradition.

Oh, my God! It's peeling right off!

- Hola. - Hola.

Mucho gusto, señora.

- ¿No? No habla español? - Uh-uh.

My Spanish isn't great, but it's way better than my Mayan.

I'm hoping the language of food is universal.

OK, their tamale technique

is totally different than mine.

God, you guys are fast.

Así.

Oh. Oh, see? That's already a tip.

These tamales are filled with a Maya corn sauce

before adding tomatoes and shredded chicken.

Mmm.

- ¿Sí? Yeah! - Uh-huh.

Being Maya tamales, there's only one way to cook them.

I'm starting to appreciate just how much

cooking underground matters to the Maya.

It represents the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

Maybe it's because I grew up on a ranch

cooking from scratch with my family

or because I have some Mayan ancestry,

I don't know, but this feels very comforting and familiar.

Oh, wow.

Look at that. That's super crispy.

These are a very different texture

from the steamed ones I make.

Wow.

You guys, look at this.

Mmm.

It's crispy on the outside but really soft on the inside.

Wow.

Mmm.

Pollo.

Mmm.

I might have to start cooking my tamales underground, y'all.

The Maya tradition of cooking underground

is still alive today,

and it keeps them connected to their land,

to their history, and their culture.

Uh-huh.

Mm.

Mm-hmm.

Uh-huh.

- Uh-huh. - Muchas gracias.

The more I learn about Yucatán culture,

the more I fall in love with it.

Muchas gracias. Uh-huh.

It's my turn to get starstruck

and meet a chef I've admired for years:

Regina Escalante.

- Hola. Mucho gusto. - It's so nice to meet you.

I'm such a fan!

Oh, thank you for coming to Merci!

Please, have a seat. Yes, of course.

Regina trained as a chef in France

before returning home to Mérida

to open her wildly popular restaurant, Merci.

The thing I love about her is

she obsesses about every detail

but particularly the mother of all ingredients: salt.

And you know what's funny? That when I was in France,

I learned about all these different types of salt.

And for my surprise, when I came to Mérida

and I learned that the quality of the product

that we have here was just, like,

really above and beyond on--

- A global level? - Yes, on a global level.

So you traveled the world just to return home

and find you guys have the best salt in the world.

Yes.

Oh, yes. I definitely think so.

50 miles west of Mérida is Celestún,

an Instagrammer's paradise.

Pink lakes, flamingos, blue skies,

and blinding white salt flats.

Were you born in Yucatán? Yes.

I was born and raised in Mérida.

Well, my mother came to live here

when she was from the U.S., when she was 18 years old.

She was born in Pennsylvania.

- So she's American. - Yeah.

- We're both Mexican-American. - Yes!

Do you ever find it difficult to navigate that identity,

or you love it?

Growing up in Mérida, for me,

I used to be very shy about it.

I was a fish out of water.

You know, people always say, like,

"Oh, you're half Mexican, half American?"

I'm like, "No. I'm 100% Mexican..."

- Yes, I know. - "And 100% American

at the same time, all the time."

That's what I try to do with my cooking,

just to be unapologetic

and just like the confidence that you give out to the world.

Oh, are these the salt lakes?

Yes, this is where it starts.

The salt flats of Celestún produce many forms of salt,

but flor de sal is the purest.

It's the magical result of climate and geography.

Salty seawater combines with sweet rain,

slowly evaporating in the tropical heat.

And it leaves behind this pinkish-colored crystal.

- Hola, Manuel. - Hola. Buenos días.

Presentó Eva.

- Hola. Eva. Mucho gusto. - Mucho gusto.

Oh, wow.

Sí.

The crystals here, they're much bigger

than, like, a regular salt... Yeah, yeah.

- That you would have. - They're huge.

But it takes much longer to dissolve when you eat it.

This salt will not leave us

with, like, a real metallic flavor.

And this is also linked

to when the flamingos come and visit Celestún.

It's said that the flamingos get this pink color

because they eat the artemia.

The harvesting of the flor de sal is so delicate,

it has to be done by hand.

Oh, God. I'm gonna mess it up.

They say if you don't scoop it right,

then it just becomes normal salt!

No wonder it's the most expensive salt in the world.

- Brilliant! - I did it.

Now, this is a perfect spot for lunch.

Wow! So this is a sea bass.

You don't understand how excited I am

to finally eat fish on a beach in the Yucatán.

Do you know what? I'm surprised

that there isn't more seafood

in the Yucatán cuisine. I know.

Back in the day, people didn't have the ability

to refrigerate food at their homes.

- Mm-hmm. - My grandmother would tell me

that when she grew up, people thought

that they were gonna get sick of eating fish

that was caught, like, in the morning.

And with the heat, the food would spoil really fast.

The fish is stuffed with garlic, rosemary, thyme,

that Yucatán favorite, sour orange,

and of course, a healthy dose of salt.

When you have ingredients this fresh, simplicity is key.

You have specialized in, like, opening up

the gastronomy here outside of the traditional Yucatán dishes.

I feel that here in Yucatán,

there are so many great ingredients

that I want to just let the ingredients speak for itself.

We're gonna put some oil on it to start out.

We're gonna prepare the brush.

And this brush is gonna be our secret weapon

to just layer up all these herbs.

This is a great idea, an herb brush.

Oh, that smells so good.

A brush made of parsley, rosemary, and thyme

is also a neat way to apply the garlic purée.

Oh, that's gorgeous.

We're gonna do some mangoes, also grilled.

And salt!

This is my idea of food heaven.

Truly, I'd have this as my last meal on Earth.

- I'm gonna bring some of the-- - Bring the salt!

- Flor. - Bring the salt.

Fish on a beach. Now, I feel like I'm in Mexico.

I put my onions first.

Now, for the star ingredient.

- This is the flor de sal, so-- - This is the flor de--

- Yeah. - This is what we harvested.

You're just gonna put a little, tiny bit.

So what's the secret in all of this?

It's to season to perfection all the ingredients

so that when you add the flor de sal, you don't overseason.

- Yeah, mm-hmm. - OK?

Mmm.

Wow.

Mmm, that fish is amazing!

The contrast of the crunchy salt and the soft, sweet fish

is just sublime.

I feel like the Yucatán

has the most appreciation for the land and the rain

and the natural elements

and the fruit that comes from the tree.

Like, there's such a thank you to...

- Yes. - La tierra.

We have delicious ingredients.

And with delicious ingredients, we can make delicious recipes.

This is huge!

Part of the magic of Yucatán is its world-famous pyramids,

a reminder that the Maya have been shaping

the landscape and culture here for the last 4,000 years.

In honor of my own Mayan ancestry,

I'm making a pilgrimage to Uxmal.

Only 40 minutes' drive from Mérida,

but it feels like a world away.

Don Pepe! Ah.

Don Pepe is a Mayan archaeologist,

and he knows the secrets to this sacred site.

And it's probably why he got the cool hat and I didn't.

No.

Uxmal was built around 500 AD,

and the level of detail here is mind-blowing.

Little wonder they worship the god of rain.

Apart from the cenotes,

there are no lakes or rivers in Yucatán.

This ability to collect water and irrigate crops

allowed the ancient Maya to put down roots here

and call it home.

So I've heard that Don Pepe is a great cook.

He and his wife, Maria, make this signature

pork and bean broth inspired by Yucatán's history.

The pork, a nod to the later arrival

of the Spanish conquistadores.

Uh-huh.

Uh-huh.

In honor of the Mayan rain god,

water plays a key part.

Epazote is a bitter herb that many Mexicans swear

stops the gassy side effects of beans.

Oh, my gosh, I love beans,

so I know I'm gonna love this one.

Oh, sal. OK.

Uh-huh.

Sí.

Of course it's cooked underground.

This is Yucatán.

Thankfully, Don Pepe already has one in the oven.

Wow, I think you win... Sí.

the underground contest of most hours.

El olor, yeah.

Oh, that smells good.

Wow.

Mmm, it tastes like barbecue in a soup.

Smells amazing.

Oh, look at that. Look at that.

This is the pork.

Oh, my gosh! Sí.

I'm so excited about this.

Wow, this is, like,

definitely slow-cooked.

This is just falling apart.

Look at this one. Lookit. Lookit.

Oh.

Mmm.

Mmm.

- OK. - ¿Claro?

Wow, you can really taste the smokiness.

In the U.S., we get jittery

if our fast food isn't fast enough,

but here in Yucatán,

no one bats an eye if dinner takes two days to cook.

Mmm.

Sitting in the shadow of Uxmal,

their pyramids are a constant reminder

that good things take time.

I'm arriving in Izamal.

This town used to be known for a Mayan pilgrimage.

There's a lot of pyramids around.

But now, it's really a food destination.

So today, we are going to be making

our food pilgrimage here.

40 miles east of Mérida is Izamal,

known as the Yellow City.

You know you've arrived when you're surrounded

with golden yellow walls on every street,

on every building.

Even the city's largest

and most important building is yellow:

the Monastery of St. Anthony of Padua.

Hola.

Local restaurateur and Miriam Azcorra

was born and raised in Izamal.

Oh.

Mm-hmm.

- Oh, my gosh. - Sí.

When the Spanish conquered Izamal,

they dismantled the pyramids,

forcing the Maya to repurpose the stones.

¿No?

- Con las piedras. - Con las piedras.

The monastery was built for a Christian god,

but it remained holy to the Maya,

who worshipped the sacred stones of their former temple.

Mm-hmm.

Así. Wow.

There are many theories of why the town is yellow.

The most likely is because the largest pyramid in the area

was dedicated to the sun god,

but that's not the only yellow ball deified here.

- Es queso. - Wow.

Amazingly, Dutch cheese is the main ingredient

of queso relleno.

It's the signature dish at Miriam's restaurant, Kinich,

which specializes in home-cooked comfort food.

How did Dutch cheese get here

and become the most famous dish of this region?

Uh-huh.

But unlike the Europeans

who prized these golden globes for the cheese inside,

here, it's all about the part

that I would usually throw away.

So you're not gonna use the inside of the cheese?

You're gonna use the outside of the cheese?

The outside.

It's said that once the wealthy merchants

had scooped out the creamy cheese,

their servants found an ingenious use

for the discarded rind.

OK.

OK.

The meat of choice? A familiar favorite: pork.

Sí, igual.

Uh-huh.

Mm.

Mm-hmm.

- Capers. - Alcaparras.

I love capers, so let's put more.

Oh, this is almonds?

Mediterranean bay leaves and olives

also go into the pot, and then it's cooked again.

So we close it back in a cheesecloth.

So it's just gonna take a bath.

Mm.

Sí.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah. That's soft.

At last, our queso relleno is ready.

Now, I understand what bursting with flavor means.

Ooh, can I touch it?

Yes.

Oh, my goodness.

That looks really good!

Over 16 ingredients and three stages later,

it's finished with a Mayan corn sauce and tomato salsa.

This is one intricate dish,

and I can see why diners come here to enjoy its complexity.

Gracias.

Mmm.

Mm.

Wow.

Mmm. Mmm.

Oh, that's so good.

Mm-hmm.

For me, this is the dish that sums up Yucatán.

It's a region that isn't afraid

to embrace different cultures.

The people here are so secure

in who they are and where they come from.

New influences are simply blended with the ancient

to create something unique.

In Yucatán, there's an appreciation

that good things are worth the wait.