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family harvests enough chayote to supply markets
in Morelia and Mexico City, working six days a week
tending their vines.
Chayote was treated almost like an afterthought
at the second farm we visited in the midst of an
avocado grove (Michoacán is Mexico's largest
avocado producer). Leafy vines covered the earth
and climbed the trees—it was hard to walk and not
crush a fruit. We had to use extra caution, as these
plants produced spiny chayote with irritating barbs.
Harvesting is backbreaking work as workers bend
and squat to find their quarry.
We stopped at a roadside stand for boiled chayote
doused with hot sauce, salt and lime—a tangy,
filling snack—and found chayote in its many forms
at Morelia's markets. Spiny, smooth, green, brown,
white, baked and boiled versions were all on offer at
Morelia's main market, and Uriel tried to win us over
with a freshly baked squash. We were not impressed.
Then we tried chayote prepared by professional
chefs.

In the Kitchen

Ana Compeán, General Director of Morelia's
gracious Villa Montaña Hotel, knew exactly what we
needed for our article when I contacted her before
our trip. She sent chef Manuel Gomez to work creat-
ing a chayote tasting menu, and helped us stage a
photo shoot in the restaurant's terrace and courtyard.
Gomez wowed us with his chayote tempura, cheesy
gratin and timbale of the traditional Mexican style
with tomatoes, onions and chilies. Gomez's Plato de
Degustación de Chayote is on the restaurant's menu,
which features regional cuisine. His avocado soufflé
and raspberry meringue are beyond amazing.
Chef Josué Ontiveros at the Hotel De La Soledad
went all out with his chayote presentation as well,
stuffing a traditional tlacoyo (a corn masa base) with
mashed chayote root and topping it with escamoles

A worker at a rural chayote farm spots his
quarry. Snacking on baked chayote while
touring the market. Hunting for green fruit in
overhead vines.

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