This year, give Thanks in Mexico

In November 2021…

we decided that we needed to be together for Thanksgiving. And, given pandemic restrictions, that meant finding a place where we could gather outdoors. After a day of drinking, we decided that place should be Mexico City.

  • We found a host: Damian & Raquel of El Tigre!

  • We sourced amazing produce for the local mercados!

  • We found an enormous turkey!

  • We found the oven couldn't fit both the amazing produce and the enormous turkey!

  • We found a barbecue joint appropriately named Pinche Gringo for a turkey solution!

  • And we had a grand time!

How grand was it? So grand that we did it again in 2023! And we’re doing it this year, too! But…

Thanksgiving 2024 will be in Guadalajara

Below is my itinerary. (This is Lou.) You’re welcome to join, and you’re not obligated to do all the stuff or stay the whole time. But if you do want to join, let us know and specifically which things you think you’d want to do, so we can secure transportation.

Saturday, November 23

We’re flying into GDL in the morning

 , grabbing a rental car and checking into our AirBnB in Colonia Americana. (Normally I’d stay at the Bungalows Demetria, which are amazingly beautiful and shockingly affordable. But I need a full kitchen and we need a place to gather. The point is … beautiful choices at affordable prices. Go find yours.)

After getting unpacked, we’ll head to

the Mercado Alcalde to get a sense of what we can pick up for cooking for the big meal. We’lll

snack-as-we-go there to tide over until a

 

3pm lunch at Palreal/

 and then 6pm we’ll be hitting Oliveria Cocktail Bar, where Jesus Gomez makes some great drinks.

Sunday, November 24

Breakfast the next day is at Palreal (yes, again, because it’s just that good, for food and for coffee). We’ll spend

the day exploring the city — there’s a great chocolateria on my to-do list, as well as Feria de Productores. Then we’ll have

 a

(big, late) lunch at Allium. That’s enough food for me for one day, but you do you. What I’ll be doing is c

ocktails at Farmacia Rita Perez.

This is actually a picture of Mezonte, my favorite mezcaleria, where we’ll be drinking the night before. I don’t have a good pic of Farmacia Rita Perez and I love Mezonte. So … compromise.

Monday, November 25

We’ll depart Guadalajara at 6am (yes, 6am — not a requirement, just an opportunity) to head to Zapotitlan de Vadillo, where we’ll tour the middle-school library and re-wilding project supported by SACRED and 818. After, we’ll visit a couple of local mezcaleros.

On the drive down to the library, we’ll stop in Ciudad Guzmán to get breakfast at Las Portales Restaurante.

 

We’ll depart Zapotitlan by 3pm latest, head back to Guadalajara. Casual dinner, maybe at La Ambivalencia Taqueria.

Tuesday, November 26

We’ll depart Guadalajara at 7am to visit the distillery of Tequila Cascahuin. Just past the distillery, around an hour drive total since departing Guadalajara, we’ll get breakfast at Restaurant Rufis. After breakfast, drive back five minutes to Cascahuin. We’ll tour, taste, and then head back to the city by 1pm

We’ll get our nap on, and then have a

5pm tasting at Mezonte, my favorite mezcaleria

followed by a 6pm dinner at Tikuun. This is one of Connie’s favorite restaurants, and this is Connie’s birthday. So wear a funny hat and prepare to be part of a spanking line.

Wednesday, November 27

You do you. But me? I’ll be spending this day in town to shop for groceries at places like Mercado Alcalde, Mercado del Mar de la 34, and La Broma de Teo (chocolate). Cooking. Chilling. All are welcome to join, none are obligated in any way whatsoever. I’m told there are museums in Guadalajara. I know there are pulquerias.

Note for my vegetarian/vegan friends: Yeah, me, too. Last year the only dish that was not vegan was the turkey. Guessing it’ll be similar this year, too. So don’t worry, you won’t be a hassle and you will be taken care of.

Thursday, November 28

It’s go-time! Get your Thanks on! I’ll wake up early, do some more cooking. Grab pulque from one of the pulquerias around 10am. Pick up the turkey from Wabba BBQ around 11am. (Then use sous vide to bring to temp.) Everyone who wants to help finish cooking comes over around 1pm, meal begins 4pm.

Friday, November 29

Breakfast of leftovers at our AirBnB (think tacos, egg scrambles, and maybe stuffing waffles, if I can source a local waffle iron). Then head to Tonala to visit the pottery stores. This will be followed by a late lunch and Tequila tasting at Torrente Tequila, the only blue weber fields I have ever seen that are managed in a regenerative fashion. Back to centro by 6pm. I figure we debate during the week where this last meal will be, because, no doubt, everyone will be searching apps to find, well, the best apps.

Saturday, November 30

Connie and I will be flying back to Chicago on the morning Volaris flight — no doubt thinking about all the things we didn’t have time to do, like visiting this greenhouse in Arandas that SACRED supported this past year through a donation from Campari. So we’ll be back soon — and will be thinking about Thanksgiving 2025.

So … you in?

If so, let us know — and let us know which of the things you know you want to do, so we can be sure to save you a seat, at the table or in the car. Just email Lou or David with your details. And … thanks!