Discoveries - Wonderful Specialty Shops

Aloha Everyone,

After 3 weeks living in the Centro Historico neighborhood of Guadalajara, JJ and I discovered a couple of specialty shops.

First one has absolutely no street appeal. We found this small Pasteria quite by chance. Its location is a half block from our hotel. This is the street where J.J. and I find taxis to take us to malls. 4-5 taxis are usually parked along one side of the street blocking the view of this tiny storefront. J.J. and I saw taxi drivers eating flaky crusted individual pies (something like Yorkshire Pasties but with a very different taste). The two of us walked in mid afternoon and purchased the only remaining piece of pastry. The owner smiled and told us to come at 9:00 am when she opens. She closes the shop when the last piece is sold.

Our favorite so far is the mushroom pie. The cost of 25 peso (around $1.25) each, served in a paper bag with a tiny napkin, maybe a special treat for taxi drivers.

Alfredos is a pastry shop with a retail store located a couple of stores away from the Starbucks where J.J. is now a regular customer. Alfredo is an extremely popular panadería (bread shop). A large selection of croissants and pastries is difficult to resist. Tostada (dried toast fried crisp with cinnamon flavor) is a perfect dessert but too high in sugar.  JJ and I adhere to having plain, what the store clerk refers to as “normal” croissant. I paid 73 pesos (US $3.65 for 5 pastries. A single normal croissant is 20 peso or US $1.)

Aloha -- Cathi