I'll just call ourselves "The fellowhip of the ceviche"

In winter 2006, my family and I decided to spend our December holidays at the Mayan Riviera. As we flew from Chihuahua to Cancún, we knew this was not a simple family trip, it was the beginning of long quest: The search for the greatest ceviche ever; a quest that until now, four years later, hasn't been concluded.

Looking for the tastier ceviche in the galaxy is not an easy task. Back in that summer, we found our favourite among ten different eateries. On the Riviera highway, in the city of Tulum, not far from the point were you turn left (if coming from Playa del Cármen) to reach the archaeological site, there it is, a street restaurant serving one of the best ceviches we have tried.

I still remember how it all happened: We all ordered ceviche, but my sister was the first one to try it. As soon as the magic blend touched her tongue, she took a look at us and with her eyes wide open said "No…está bien bueno!“. That ceviche is since then our standard: We give ceviche grades based on that one.

My family and me...well, I'll just call ourselves "The fellowhip of the ceviche" continued our journey last month. In December we started exploring new territories. My brother, who has been living in Los Cabos for over a year now, located new terrains. Before I narrate the impressions from the best ones last month, I have to dedicate the next paragraphs to ceviche. Some readers may have joined this blog recently and are not aware of what ceviche is.

I often describe ceviche as the Latin blend of sashimi and gazpacho. Ceviche has the Japanese minimalism if you count the number of ingredients (all raw), it is perfectly combined with some of the fresh ingredients of gazpacho and is pimped with the two best ingredients of Latin kitchen: Lime and coriander/cilantro.

Ceviche has six ingredients: Fish, lime, tomato, red onions, cucumber, coriander and salt. Some people add fresh jalapeños and/or avocado. In Peru, the birthplace of ceviche, ceviche is prepared sometimes with corn and served with slices of grilled sweet potato.

Many cooks try to make ceviche tastier by augmenting the number of ingredients. There is ceviche prepared with tomato juice, black pepper, ketchup, chillies, and a mix of Worcester, Soy and Maggi sauces…

For us, the fellowship of the ceviche, the dish has to be fresh, simple and it must have red onions. That’s it.

I will write about the ceviche experience in Los Cabos in my next entry...

P.S. The picture is a ceviche I had at the marina of San José