Guanajuatan cuisine: enchiladas mineras, fiambre and Bajío tradition

What is it?

Guanajuatan cuisine is the gastronomic tradition of the state of Guanajuato, in the heart of the Mexican Bajío, one of the most important agricultural and mining regions of Mexico during the Colony. Its emblematic dishes are enchiladas mineras (from the city of Guanajuato), Celaya fiambre, tamales and atoles, the oven gorditas of Dolores Hidalgo, the cajeta of Celaya, charamuscas (burnt sugar candies), milk and burnt-milk sweets, menudo, Guanajuatan caldo Tlalpeño and San Miguel-style mole enchiladas. Guanajuato is one of the great Mexican tourist destinations: the city of Guanajuato and San Miguel de Allende are UNESCO World Heritage (2008 and 1988 respectively). It is consumed daily in markets such as Hidalgo in Guanajuato and Ignacio Ramírez in San Miguel, reaching its splendour at festivities such as the celebrations of the Cry of Independence in Dolores and the Cervantino.

Origin and history

Guanajuatan cuisine inherits from the Otomi, Chichimec Guamares and Tarascan peoples who inhabited the region before the conquest. The discovery of the silver mines of Guanajuato in the mid-16th century made the city one of the richest of New Spain: La Valenciana was during the 18th century the most productive silver mine in the world. This wealth financed churches, convents and haciendas, where a baroque convent cuisine developed with sweets, fiambres and festive stews. Enchiladas mineras were born among the mine workers as a midday meal: tortillas dipped in chile guajillo sauce, folded like quesadillas and served with fried potatoes and carrots, lettuce, ranch cheese and cream, according to Larousse Cocina. Celaya fiambre is a baroque dish composed of cold meats of three types (pork, veal, chicken or tongue) with pickled vegetables and vinaigrette, according to México Desconocido. Cajeta was born in Celaya in the 19th century as a convent sweet: goat's milk slowly cooked with sugar until caramelised, today with denomination of origin. Dolores Hidalgo, cradle of Independence (1810), has tradition of oven gorditas and exotic ice cream. The Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a UNESCO route, crossed the region connecting trades and kitchens.

Characteristic ingredients

Enchiladas mineras are tortillas dipped in strained sauce of chile guajillo, garlic, cumin and oregano, folded (not stuffed), accompanied with potato and carrot fried in cubes, shredded lettuce, ranch cheese, cream and pickled güero chillies. Celaya fiambre is a cold banquet dish: cooked chicken breast, pickled beef tongue, pork ham, all in slices, on a base of lettuce with pickled vegetables (carrot, potato, beetroot, güero chillies, olives) and bathed with a vinaigrette of oil, vinegar, oregano and cumin. Cajeta de Celaya, with denomination of origin, is made with goat's milk (sometimes mixed with cow's milk), sugar, vanilla and bicarbonate, cooked until thickened and caramelised. There are several variants: burnt, wine-laced and vanilla. Charamuscas are twisted candies of burnt sugar or piloncillo, sold by street charamusqueros. The oven gorditas of Dolores Hidalgo are crunchy and flaky, different from the classic Bajío ones. The most-used chillies are guajillo, ancho, pasilla and chipotle. Cambray onion, mountain oregano and cherry tomato are basics. The ice creams of Dolores Hidalgo cover more than 200 flavours: mole, avocado, cheese, prawn, beer, alfalfa, tequila, etc.

Cultural significance

Guanajuatan cuisine is the identity of the historic and cultural Bajío and a world-class tourist driver. Guanajuato (city) has been UNESCO World Heritage since 1988, San Miguel de Allende since 2008, and the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro since 2010, all with gastronomy as a cultural axis. The International Cervantino Festival, held in Guanajuato every October since 1972, is one of the most important cultural events in Latin America and has consolidated the city as a gastronomic destination. San Miguel de Allende, repeatedly considered by international magazines as the best city in the world, attracts communities of American and European expatriates who have raised the level of the restaurant offering. The Cajeta Route in Celaya and the Ice Cream Route in Dolores are official gastronomic routes. The Cry of Independence every 15-16 September begins in Dolores Hidalgo with the official ceremony and traditional food. Women cooks such as Margarita Carrillo Arronte, an authority on Mexican cuisine, have taken Guanajuatan cuisine to the international sphere. The cuisine forms part of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed by UNESCO in 2010.

Frequently asked questions

What do enchiladas mineras contain?

They are maize tortillas dipped in a strained sauce of chile guajillo, garlic, cumin and oil, folded like quesadillas (without filling or with a little cheese), accompanied by potato and carrot cut into small cubes and fried in the same sauce. They are served with shredded lettuce, crumbled ranch cheese, cream, pickled güero chillies and sometimes shredded chicken on top. They were born as miners' midday meal.

What is Celaya fiambre?

It is a cold banquet dish typical of Celaya, Guanajuato: it combines three cold meats (cooked chicken, pickled beef tongue and ham) in slices, on lettuce with pickled vegetables (carrot, potato, beetroot, güero chillies, olives, capers), bathed with a vinaigrette of oil, vinegar, oregano and cumin. It is a festive dish for weddings and celebrations.

Where is cajeta from and why does it have denomination of origin?

Cajeta originates from Celaya, Guanajuato, where it has been made since the 19th century from goat's milk slowly cooked with sugar until caramelised. It obtained Mexican denomination of origin in 2010, protected by IMPI, to ensure that only the one made in specific municipalities of Guanajuato can bear the name 'Cajeta de Celaya'. It is one of the most famous traditional Mexican sweets.

Where does Guanajuatan cuisine originate from?

It originates from the state of Guanajuato, in the heart of the Mexican Bajío. Its roots are in the Otomi, Chichimec Guamares and Tarascan peoples, with a strong Spanish colonial imprint from the 16th century because of the silver mines of Guanajuato, Valenciana and Mineral de Pozos. Convent and mining cuisine gave rise to enchiladas mineras, cajeta de Celaya and Celaya fiambre, among others.