Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico

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!

This show is obviously a homage to the "Searching for Italy" which itself was suggested by the Anthony Bourdain series. I wasn't very impressed with either of those shows but I do travel a lot and so I watch them initially but eventually their personalities prevent me from continuing. This show did the opposite. In the first few shows Longoria got on my nerves. She was so conscious of looking good and saying the right thing that it annoyed me and distracted from what should be the focus of the show - the food, the people, and the place. To my surprise, she changed. She's able to focus on the people and the food and the show is now one of my favorites travel shows and sits just behind Huell Howser's. So if you start and you're a little put off, hang in there and it gets much better.

I learnt a lot about Mexico and their amazing food. Makes me want to got to Mexico City right away. If you are an amateur chef you would also get some great ideas for new recipes.

I was amazed at the featured chefs, their passion and the creation. The nest of the lot for me was the one who made the onion fritters with the blackened cilli paste.

The show would have been a lot more informative with a host more proficient about food. The host needs to get into the food, provide descriptions that are more vivid. Like Andrew Zimmern. Not just "fabulous and amazing". Even Stanley Tucci did a reasonably good job with Searching for Italy.

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.

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.