13 Mexican Grocery Store Items You Won't Find At Your Supermarket
BY FLETCHER HUNTLEY
Epazote
A seasoning you won’t find in your average grocery store is epazote, a Central American herb with a pungent, earthy flavor with hints of basil, mint, citrus, and anise.
Mexican grocery stores sell it fresh by the bunch. You can use it for dishes like stews, beans, or quesadillas, and can even be brewed for medicinal tea.
You’re probably familiar with fungi like crimini and shiitakes, but at a Mexican grocery store, you’ll find huitlacoche, an edible fungus that grows on corn.
The fungus is prized for its complex flavor which is by turns earthy and umami. Moreover, its spongy, chewy texture makes it great for quesadillas, tamales, and tacos.
The Aztecs used the plant in chocolate drinks and medicine for digestion and pain relief. Today, it’s used as an edible wrapper for meat and flavor in pozole and mole.
Packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and essential minerals, chayote is an excellent addition to your diet and can be used in place of any starchy veg like potatoes or parsnips.