Taste of the Aztec World: Worms, Grasshoppers and Amazing Short Ribs
By Anthony Todd in Food on Jan 8, 2009 4:00PM
Last October, The Aztec World opened at the Field Museum. The exhibit focuses on the daily lives of the Aztecs, as well as the development of their civilization and culture. To tie in with the theme of “everyday life,” the Field Museum has teamed up with 16 Chicago-area restaurants, including Adobo Grill, Cuatro, Cafe Ba Ba Reeba and Zapatista, to bring some dishes inspired by the ancient Aztecs to life. The Taste of the Aztec World starts on Sunday, January 11th and runs through January 17th.
We had a chance to preview some of these dishes on Wednesday. Walking into the Field in a brisk wind and a light snow certainly put us in the mood for some food from warmer climes. Three restaurants, Nacional 27, Aria and Mundial Cocina Mestiza presented some of their new dishes, and they each had a totally different take on the prevailing theme. These dishes included some … interesting ingredients not often found in Chicago restaurants.
Nacional 27 had a small selection of cocktails themed around pulque, an alcoholic drink made from a particular type of Agave, the maguey. They combined it with lime juice, agave nectar and hibiscus flowers to create a sweet, smooth shot that was served in a lime half, turned inside out. Nacional 27 also featured “Crunchy-Salty Grasshopper Guacamole,” a combination of traditional guacamole, roasted corn and grasshoppers. Surprisingly tasty, the grasshoppers actually added an interesting crunchy texture to an otherwise bland dish.
Mundial Cocina Mestiza was certainly the most “authentic” participant, but also (to our tastes) the most inedible. They featured whole miniature prawns and two types of small worms, served on flatbreads with sauces. We were brave enough to try both of these dishes and, aside from shock value, wouldn’t have them again. They also featured a braised rabbit that was almost completely tasteless.
Aria was far-and-away our favorite presenter at the event. Executive chef Brad Parsons cooked one of the best short-rib dishes we’ve ever had, rubbed with chile and braised until incredibly tender. It was accompanied with a chayote squash/black bean salsa and a mole sauce. Parsons told us that his goal, rather than creating an “authentic” version of Aztec cuisine, was just to get his guests to try some new ingredients and flavors that they may not have had before - and if his samples were any indication, we’re already converted.