París
a la mexicana
© LATIN STOCK MÉXICO.
Cuentan que en tiempos recientes los habitantes de la capital francesa comenzaron a sucumbir ante los encantos de los tacos, del mezcal y hasta de la lucha libre. Para comprobarlo viajamos a su ciudad y visitamos algunos lugares que de parisinos tienen muy poco…
Trotamundos
FOTOS: LA LUCHA LIBRE: MÉLANIE PAUTRAT. LA CANDELARIA: DIANE YOON.
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AMBIENTE
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Los franceses logran sentir la pasión con la que los mexicanos disfrutamos los espectáculos populares.
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Paris, otra sobre el ring. -
Mexican Style
It’s been said that, in recent times, people in the French capital began to succumb for the charm of tacos, mezcal, and even wrestling. To test this we traveled to their city and
kitsch
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urprise exclamations can be heard while, without any apparent effort, the man in green applies an improbable move that overthrows his opponent. With his back to the ground, but still with strength, the defeated twists and kicks, in a way that “the hero” barely detains him with a touch of his chubby hands. Immediately the countdown >>>
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no están los luchadores estelares— el público se apropia del ring. Algunos suben ataviados con
verdaderos talentos de la
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NO TODO ES MÚSICA DE ACORDEÓN
ÉXITO
En Cartel 8 es posible encontrar mezcales tradicionales creados por la cooperativa oaxaqueña Yuu Baal.
ció de un viaje a Oaxaca en el que Xavi Marga -
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01 ¿QUÉ Y DÓNDE?
Para vivir México en París
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LA LUCHA LIBRE 10 Rue de la Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, 5e arrondissement. laluchalibre.fr
CARTEL OCHO 222 Rue Saint Martin, 3e arrondissement. cartelocho.com
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LA MEXCALERÍA 44 Rue des Tournelles, 4e arrondissement. lamexcaleria.com
LA CANDELARIA 52 Rue de Saintonge, 3e arrondissement.
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candelariaparis.com
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Trotamundos
begins and with it the fired up screams, the applause –also some laughter in the back–: Picoltrop (in colloquial French “the one that drinks too much”) has won again and he celebrates with beer after beer in the ring. This happens the first and third Friday of every month in La Lucha Libre, an extraordinarily tacky place situated in the historic Latin Quartier (Latin district) – a few steps from Boulevard Saint-Germain, and also very close to the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral – where among Corona and Negra Modelo beers, one feels inside one of the Arena Mexico embassies… with the difference, of course, that here none of the wrestlers takes himself seriously. Besides the show – right after the main fight and from Tuesday to Saturday when the main wrestlers are not present – the audience owns the ring. Some go up dressed with the masks that are for sale at the place, but others go up without covering their faces, with the courage tequila provides. The French, always cliché, sober and elegant, transform themselves into true AAA gifted.
NOT EVERYTHING IS ACCORDION MUSIC
TRADICIÓN
La decoración de La Mexcalería exalta el colorido y los elementos clásicos de la estética kitsch mexicana.
Just like La Lucha Libre, Paris hides other places that surprise because of their Mexican style. Cartel Ocho is a clear example. Entirely dedicated to mezcal, this little place at Rue Saint Martin – where Mexican style is in the glasses and not in sarapes or hats – was born from a trip to Oaxaca in which Xavi Marga – born in Mexico, but living in France all his life – and his girlfriend had the opportunity to get close to the best of culture in this artisan spirit. “We tasted some refined mezcales that surprised us a lot, they were like a revelation”, said Xavi. “I told my friends in Mexico that someday I would import mezcal to France to make it known. It was one of those things that you say half-jokingly, but after returning to France the project became more definite. I had the support of Diane (mi girlfriend) and Jean, a French friend that had lived a couple of years in Mexico and took me seriously. We became associates after he suggested opening a bar in Paris devoted to mezcal. We already had the global concept: create our own importing chain and our own diffusion channel. We realized we were going to create the first mezcaleria in France and that was very stimulating”. Needless to say, Jean, Diane and Xavi did it. Their mezcaleria is a success. Frequented by Parisians and the Mexican and Colombian communities as well, it’s a cozy space full of life that, despite the natural Latin spirit it has, doesn’t pretend to change stereotypes, so the music is varied – jazz, rock, hip-hop and cumbias every now and then – and the décor, which includes an antique and classic French bar is, as Xavi, a perfect mix between the Mexican and the Parisian. As if it weren’t enough, this mezcaleria works directly with the cooperative from Oaxaca Yuu Baal, which is why the products they offer are not only of quality: they are also rich in culture and fair trade.
FOR EVERY BAD, MORE MEZCAL – PARA TODO MAL, MÁS MEZCAL In the middle of Le Marais – one of the trendy neighborhoods in the city for some time – there are two Mexican gems. The first is La Mexcaleria, another small cantina mezcalera that gives loose rein to popular culture: the walls are covered with photographs of Pedro Infante, Frida Khalo, El Santo, Cantinflas, María Félix and a few catrinas. Before arriving to live in Paris, Ivan Romero – its founder – was working in advertising. He witnessed the mezcal explosion tendency that took place in the late 90s and fell in love not only with the flavor, but also the traditional ritual that this drink implies, which is why he didn’t hesitate to bring it to France with him when he had to move. “I didn’t know what the reaction of people in France would be”, he confesses, “but I knew there was potential and I had it in mind. They say that believing in you is something indestructible. I believed in this and now I see it has potential, although it’s not always easy. I had the support of my wife and her family, so everything was made possible with their help, luck and heart. It sounds cliché, but that’s how it was”. >>>
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PARA TODO MAL, MÁS MEZCAL los barrios trendy de la ciudad— se alojan dos -
una que otra catrina.
lo que no dudó en llevarla consigo a Francia DELICIOSO Tacos, guacamole y huevos rancheros, son las estrellas del menú de La Candelaria.
de nuestros destilados de agave. Las noches aquí son alegres. El local está
los espirituosos pueden encontrar cervezas -
LA NUIT MEXICAINE
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Through mescal, but also with the help of tequila and stool, Ivan promotes the Mexican liquor culture, inviting his clients to get to know the flavor, history and tradition of our agave distillates. Nights here are very animated. The place is always full and Parisians, cautious, drink more tequila than mezcal, although more and more they dare try drinking “stronger”. For the Mexican community it is, of course, an oasis where besides the spirits they can find Mexican beer and wines to accompany the dishes served: guacamole, quesadillas and even choriqueso, as to not miss home.
THE MEXICAN NIGHT - LA NUIT MEXICAINE To end the night, another hidden gem is in a corner of Le Marais: La Candelaria. The neon pink sign announces an unexpected promise among the streets of Paris. TACOS. This way, in capital letters, illuminated letters that acquire – when you are a Mexican traveler that has been lost for a long time in the nooks of the City of Light – some of the typical surrealism from the longed for Mexico City. And one goes in because of nostalgia – the French must have other reasons, like curiosity – and finds, oh surprise, a small hall that tends with a grill where there is plenty of cheese and tortillas. There is salsa Valentina at the bar and another homemade salsa, red, that honestly is not spicy, but helps somewhat. There are margaritas and beers to drink and help down the taco. Because it turns out that the promise of the exterior sign is true. La Candelaria is a taqueria. The melted cheese is a reminder that Mexico is far: over the soft tortilla, the cheese cannot hide the sweet flavor of beans available in France and a touch – we won’t deny it’s sophisticated – of shaved almonds that make the flavor far away from an authentic street taco. But this, let’s be clear, is not a mistake. It’s a hit of globalization. That’s why it’s said that mixing is good. When night falls, the taquería switches. La Candelaria turns off its grills and opens the door to the bar, where tequila and mezcal are on the loose. The cocktails are spectacular. El Compadre – sotol, curaçao, white beer syrup, orange and lime – is not to miss, just like Le Jardin de Mémé —Chartreuse, St. Germain, basil, lemon, absinthe and egg whites – that, voilà!, if you don’t travel to Paris soon you can try it at Roma neighborhood every night in the French bar Maison Artemisia, on Tonalá Street. BEBIDAS
La escena de la coctelería parisina ha sumado a sus elementos básicos el tequila, el mezcal y el sotol. Uno de los mejores exponentes de esta tendencia se puede probar en la barra de La Candelaria.
HOW TO DRINK MEZCAL IN PARIS? Xavi Marga from Cartel Ocho, shares with us how Parisians drink one of our most traditional beverages: t Because of its smoky characteristics, mezcal is not like any other alcohol usually served in Europe, which makes it unique. t Artisanal mezcal is very well accepted and is well received because it reminds them of the old traditional fruit hard liquors from Europe. t The worm is not very well accepted. In Paris it damages the image of mezcal because it steals attention, so we serve it without a worm. This way we show the clients that mezcal is not equal to a worm at the bottom of the bottle, but an exquisite spirit that should be tasted with the same care as a good whisky or brandy. t When we speak of mezcal we also speak of Yuu Baal, the cooperative in Oaxaca that produces it for us, and we show its human side and clients can see it from another approach.
t We promote dry mezcal, but for those that prefer an easier introduction, we recommend it in a cocktail, like our Cocktail Ocho which has young espadín mezcal, apple juice, fresh basil and elderberry syrup.
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FANTÁSTICO
Salsas, cervezas y hasta Jarritos… productos antes imposibles de encontrar en la capital francesa, ahora se encuentran en los bares más frecuentados tanto por la comunidad latina de la ciudad como por los propios parisinos y turistas provenientes de todo el mundo.
letrero exterior es cierta. La Candelaria es una
el queso no puede ocultar el sabor dulzón de los -
eso no es ningún error. Es un acierto de la glo-
La coctelería de este lugar es espectacular. El t voilà! si no se viajará a París pronto puede probarse en -
¿CÓMO SE TOMA MEZCAL EN PARÍS? que los parisinos viven una de nuestras bebidas
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