Food is my souvenir

My husband just returned from a business trip to Mexico this week and per my request, he came home bearing gifts. I, however, am not someone who wants meaningless souvenirs that bear no significance to my life. Don't bring me back a keychain or t-shirt that was probably made in China anyway. No, what I asked for was something very simple: bring me back something food-related like condiments unique to the area.

To me, there's no better reflection of a culture than through its food. Not to mention, these items are something I can't buy in the grocery store at home so it's actually a real gift from that country rather than something you can only find in souvenir shops that the real people of that place would never be caught dead with.

My husband and I have a very clear policy regarding shopping and travel: don't waste your time seeking out useless souvenirs for friends and family because what do they want with a keychain from Amsterdam or a shot glass from Germany if they've never been there? The only time we amend that policy is if we're shopping and we see something that reminds us of someone. Otherwise, we feel absolutely zero obligation to buy people stuff from our trips.

Anyway, my husband came home toting several Mexican condiments in his suitcase and I can't wait to find a way to use them in a few dishes I make in the next few weeks.Travel is such a wonderful opportunity to explore new flavors, and just because I didn't go on the trip with him doesn't mean I couldn't benefit from experiencing those flavors somehow.

I'm looking forward to playing with these flavors and coming up with something mouth-watering for dinner. The only bummer from all of this is that if it turns out to be delicious, I'm going to have to send The Husband back to Mexico to get some more.