Village Life in San Andrés Huayapam

I know I’ve posted about grocery shopping in San Andrés Huayapam before, but this really is my favorite village in Mexico for getting fresh goods.

We start by walking a few small blocks to the Frutería, my very favorite store. The small room is overflowing with all kinds of local fruits and veggies, all super fresh. Only a few items in the store have brand names or labels, but the shelves are filled with locally canned goods, canned fruit, honey, sauces, salsa macha, and mole. Bulk dry goods in clear bags are stocked up to the ceiling! Beans, rice, oats, all kinds of nuts and seeds, and treats like spicy or sweet coated peanuts. Bulk food can be bought by bag, or weighed out on the scale; as much or as little as you’d like. Evan made pumpkin seed butter and sunflower butter, for my ‘seed cycling’. We recently learned they have the best coffee in town, which they scoop out from a large burlap sack. I tell the clerk “Este es my tienda favorita”, and a friendly customer adds, “Todos las cosas. Todo fresco!” (All the things. All fresh!). Most villages have fruterías, because so much in Mexico is locally sourced, but this one has my heart.

Just down the street is the Cremería, full of local Oaxacan cheeses, yogurt, and butter (sold by weight in unmarked containers). They also have fresh tortillas, and a variety of packaged tostadas and salsas. One block over is the Carnicería, with a glass case full of local meats. The woman behind the counter is friendly, and for example, if you ask for beef, she will tell you allll the different kinds of beef cuts they have that day. We do most of our own cooking, so these are the three shops we visit the most.

But Huayapam has all kinds of stores: lavandería (laundry), farmacía (pharmacy), tiendas de ropas (clothing), panaderías (bakeries), pastelería (pastries), dentista (dentist), veterinaria (vet), médica (doctor), cervecería (beer), pulquería (pulque), iglesia (church), mercado (outdoor market), and a gobierno plaza (government) where we got our Mexican drivers licenses! Plus, many homes have door-bell storefronts selling goods like cookies, tortillas, and tejate (cacao drink).

And don’t get me started on all the amazing restaurants!

Thanks for reading,
Dani & Evan Benton