Travel Meet the friendly and talented people who create delicious cuisine in this eco-friendly region of Mexico If you think that Mexican food is just burritos and nachos, then a tasty journey through Riviera Nayarit will dispel your misconceptions. It will also reveal one of the reasons why nearly 490,000 Canadians visited Nayarit State last year. Bordered on the west by 300 kilometres of Pacific coastline and on the east by the Sierra Madre Mountains, Nayarit is easy to reach. Just drive 10 minutes north of Puerto Vallarta International Airport and follow Highways 200 and 15 northwards. Our culinary exploration began at Marival Resort Residences in Nuevo Vallarta, where we had our best breakfast in Mexico. More like a brunch than breakfast, the almuerzo was prepared by executive chef Alfredo Jiménez Arrizón and Patricia Quintana, Mexico’s most famous chef who was in town for the annual Festival Gourmet International (more about this non-stop feast later). Patricia explained its history: “Mexican farmers traditionally had coffee, juice and bread before going out early to work in the fields. They returned around 10 a.m. to eat almuerzo, which was substantial enough to hold them until their main meal at four o’clock.” Riviera Nayarit Savouring Photo courtesy of Marival Resort & Suites® Chef Patricia Quintana and Marival Resort’s Executive Chef Alfredo Jiménez Arrizón Almuerzo (Mexican breakfast) at Marival Resort Residences Dining at night by the pool Story and Photos by Barb and Ron Kroll 26 | www.snowbirds.org
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