Eva Longoria: Buscando a México

First, I love Mexican food. This puts a whole new slant on what's available and what other cultures have influenced the food, especially in Mexico City. She covers various neighborhoods in the City, including a "farm to table" style offering. The restaurant serving fresh fish, which wasn't done in the past, was mouth watering. I'm looking forward to all of the episodes. Her appreciation for the culture, the food and the people is genuine and sincere. She even goes to a shelter for immigrants where they cook food from their home countries. Worth watching. Next episode is the Yucatan. I'm curious to see the differences in the various regions, who the people are, food variety, everything.

Overall the show is decent, but Eva doesn't come across very natural. I feel like she is acting. She talks about her "Mexican American" roots but she seems to misspeak in a few areas as she refers to regions like "The Yucatán" or kept repeating the term "Chilango" over and over again. Chilango is a slur in Mexico regardless what she says. She kept on calling them that over and over like she was trying to sell she was "authentic" and understood the people.

The last episode in Guadalajara showed a guy using a can of ranch style beans for his recipe and it didn't cover the city as it could have been. She ain't no Tucci.

The way this series was presented gave you the impression that Mexicans live almost exclusively on meat. Whilst this may be the case, I know that Mexican cookery also uses a lot of unusual herbs and spices. I would have liked much more on that topic. Ms Longoria often seems brimming over with enthusiasm, and virtually every dish she tries is highly praised. I got a bit worn down by the endless enthusiasm as it just came across as slightly false at times. As a presenter she is always immaculately turned out, to the point that the viewer is left uncertain about whether it's the food or the presenter that is the star of the show.

This was a pleasant surprise! I loved Stanley Gucci's series showcasing Italy and the beautiful regions of that country, it was only fitting that Mexico would be up next. I was a bit apprehensive that it would be a Mexican-American that would do it, but if an Italian-American can do a good job, so can she!

The first batch of episodes were great. Starting with the cosmopolitan Mexico City, where she talks about the street food culture to the hip scenes in La Roma and Condesa to the immigrant communities finding a home there today from the global south to the older communities like Italian and Japanese in Roma and Little Tokyo neighbourhoods.

Yucatán episode was a delight, with the Mayan presence and the majestic Merida and the influences that came from the sea like Dutch cheese and Spanish techniques and architecture.

Nuevo León was a standout. With its Sephardic Jewish roots and cowboy culture, the kings of Cabrito made a splash with urban and modern Monterrey and the beautiful towns outside the city surrounded by orange groves.

Oaxaca was the least interesting episode but it was saved by the Muxe culture (2 spirit people) which was very interesting. It was the least interesting cuisine in my opinion.

Jalisco was up next. Guadalajara is such a beautiful city and the surrounding areas are just as impressive! Even though she went to the town of Tequila...the real heart and soul of Mexico are in the beautiful Los Altos de Jalisco region where the charro bravado is the symbol of Mexican resilience!

Closing with Veracruz...one of the most diverse states in the country! Where millions of people entered Mexico in the last centuries to make Mexico their home, either by choice or not, since they talk about Mexico's African roots and the beautiful La Huaca neighbourhood and cuisine. The Spanish influence in the cuisine can't be denied. The indigenous roots. But I was pleasantly surprised when she went north to see the vainilla plantations where the Gaya family have become the kings and queens of vainilla and they come from a legacy of Italian immigration into the region that is still very strong today! And the mansion they show in the end is from the French migration in the region as well, el Proal. I was very surprised but they should have delved more into that!

I can't wait to see more of this series! Mexico has 32 states so this should be interesting and hopefully we see more! I'm very excited to see Eva showcase states like: Sonora, Michoacán, Aguascalientes, Baja California, Puebla, Sinaloa and Querétaro! Cheers!

The first thing I need to point out that the camerawork is excellent. There are lots of truly impressive shots in each episode, this series is truly a visual treat.

Second, Eva's "voice acting" when it comes to the narration is very high quality, she speaks in a friendly and entertaining way, it holds your attention.

Third, the series itself is informative and will be a delight for anyone with an interest in culinary exploits. It is a great demonstration of Mexican cuisine & culture.

All in all, I am happy to have watched this series and I would recommed it to anyone who would like to know more about Mexican culture.