The city of Culiacán, which is also the capital of the state, is widely known for being the cradle of narcoculture, a place where the operations of drug cartels are deeply entrenched in the local folklore. It’s not that everyone here is involved in the illicit activities of drug trafficking; it’s just that everyone is aware of them, and many people take pride in their close proximity. In 2005, the government activated the mexican marines to become the security force, in response to violence triggered by rivalry among criminal gangs. A preventive measure to “bulletproof” the state, given the violence registered in Sinaloa. But when I moved here from Puerto Rico, about 2 years ago, I realized that Culiacán has a lot to offer, Culiacán is more than just El Chapo…
Culiacán main dishes are primarily seafood: shrimp, scallops, red snapper, cod, salmon, bass, tilapia, oysters, chocolate oysters, and hot sauces; other dishes are machaca (shredded beef dried in the sun), chilorio (shredded pork with spices) and chorizo. Very important is their traditional cheese (queso fresco), barbacoa, roasted goat, beef-chicken-shrimp molcajete, aguachile, shrimp ceviche, pescado zarandeado, and birria (goat stew), but there’s always an opportunity to make carne asada, menudo and pozole…can’t forget to mention the famous tacos de buche, tripa y lengua (pork stomach, beef tripe and tongue), and tacos de cabeza (beef cheek and even eyes). Some of their main appetizers are the dried but salty grasshoppers (chapulines) and dried shrimp.
The city, also claims to be the birthplace of the “mexican sushi”, It all began with a man who mixed ingredients usually reserved for tacos with the ingredients usually used for sushi. That’s why today it’s possible to find sushi rolls with beef, grilled chicken, breaded shrimp, tampico salad, jalapeños, avocado, mayonnaise, onions and cream cheese, combinations that might not seem to make sense on the menu, but are truly delicious.
Culiacán is leaving the ranch time era and baby stepping into a big city, a city of lights and gastronomy greatness, and it continues to embrace the modern times; the marines are still here doing their job though, and hopefully someday, it will become a great place to live and eat in peace.
