Milk Street on the Road: Oaxaca
OVERVIEW
Rich mole, fresh fruit paletas, warm corn tortillas: these are the flavors of Oaxaca. In this weeklong trip available only to the Milk Street and Culinary Backstreets audiences, you’ll get a perspective on Oaxaca that casual tourists never get to see. Your guide this week is Maria Itaka, a Oaxaca native who has guided Christopher Kimball on his trips there. Resident chef Iliana de la Vega, a regular at the Milk Street Cooking School and on Milk Street Radio, will show you the secrets of shopping like a local at Oaxacan markets and will guide you in two hands-on cooking sessions.
We begin with a walking tour of historic Oaxaca structured around corn, a key pillar of Oaxacan cooking and eating. You’ll see corn’s journey from kernel through processing all the way to a warm tortilla coming off the comal. You’ll appreciate modern interpretations of Oaxacan cooking at spots like Sabina Sabe and Zandunga. We’ll spend two days exploring markets, cooking, drinking and eating alongside Iliana de la Vega, who will welcome you into a private Oaxacan home and treat you to meals served in a quiet courtyard. We’ll get out of town to visit traditional producers in the village of Etla, famous for its Oaxacan cheese, and get a glimpse of a huge collection of rare mezcals. You’ll visit the Tlacolula market, a once-a-week event where you’ll sample everything from hyperlocal chocolate to crunchy chapulines. At the home of ceramicist and agricultural advocate Isabel Sanchez, you’ll get a rare glimpse into her seed bank of heirloom corn varieties. And you’ll meet multiple Cocineras Tradicionales, the women keeping Oaxaca’s culinary traditions alive.
Join us to experience Oaxacan home cooking, tradition and innovation up close.
HIGHLIGHTS
Local market visits & private tastings
Experience markets like a local with Iliana de la Vega, Mexican cooking authority and Friend of Milk Street
Hands-on cooking classes
Get in the kitchen with Iliana and Oaxacan Cocineras Tradicionales who protect local culinary traditions
Small-scale producers & artisans
See Oaxacan cheese production up close and taste agave spirits with a collector of rare mezcals
Oaxacan history, culture and heritage
Visit a seed bank of heirloom corn varieties and learn about traditional ceramics, textiles and kitchen tools
Great meals
You’ll eat enchiladas with red and black mole, barbacoa tacos, hibiscus cocktails, Oaxacan cheese, tamales and much more
ITINERARY
Day 1
Arrive and meet the group
Day 2
Follow corn from kernel to tortilla
Day 3
Shop & Cook with Iliana de la Vega
Day 4
Get out of town for Oaxacan cheese
Day 5
Get Back to the Kitchen with Iliana
Day 6
Learn from a Traditional Cook
Day 7
See Ceramicists at Work
Day 8
Say Goodbyes and Depart
ABOUT US
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Pricing and Accommodation
- The total cost of this trip is $4,000 per person in a shared accommodation. For travelers wishing to have single accommodations during the trip, an additional $700 will be due at the time of the final payment. A $500 non-refundable deposit per traveler is required to secure space on the trip. The balance is due 90 days prior to the start of the trip.
- Activity Level
- Travelers should be reasonably fit and feel comfortable walking 2 to 4 miles each day and remaining on their feet for long periods of time. Keep in mind that Oaxaca is a bustling and crowded place!
- Arrival and Departure
- For flights in and out of Oaxaca International airport, we suggest you arrive by 3 p.m. on Day 1 and depart any time on Day 8. We are happy to book you extra nights at the group’s hotel; just email us to arrange that after booking your spot on the trip. We’ll also provide suggestions for things to do and see in the area on your own if you choose to extend your visit.
- Inclusions
- • All accommodation throughout the trip in stylish, boutique hotels.
• Professional guides throughout the entire experience.
• All meals and drinks included in the above activities.
• Admission to all proposed activities, locations, and events.
• Private coach for visits inside and outside the center city
• A hungry group of Culinary Backstreets and Milk Street travelers, excited to explore all that Oaxaca has to offer! - Exclusions
- • Private individual arrival & departure airport transfers
• Airfare and transportation to/from the start and end destination
• Meals beyond those specified in the itinerary above
• Alcoholic beverages other than those served at the table
• Accommodations outside those noted, including pre- or post-trip hotel nights
• Activities, tours & entry fees not included above
• Personal purchases and incidentals at hotels
• Travel insurance
• Trip Leader tips - Dietary Restrictions
- We encourage an adventurous palate! We try our best to accommodate dietary restrictions, though ingredients cannot always be substituted or omitted from particular dishes. This trip can feature plentiful vegetarian options and is easily adapted for a gluten-free diet. If you have other food allergies or intolerances, please contact us to find out if this is the right trip for you.
- Notes on Itinerary
- Itineraries and daily schedules are subject to change. We expect to do everything listed in the itinerary, though the order may be rearranged based on weather or other local conditions.
- Our Commitment to Safety and Sustainability
- At Culinary Backstreets, we have reinforced our commitment to sustainability and safety with new guidelines to assure maximum safety of our guests on our trips while maintaining the quality of the experience. All of our experiences are designed to have minimal impact on the community and environment. For more details on our precautions, read here. Our cancellation policy is extremely flexible to deal with changes in travel plans.
Testimonials
“The best introduction to Oaxacan food and culture that you could possibly hope for.”