Page 136 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL EATING IBERIA

Mariachi
I arrived in Guadalajara on a Saturday night
during the International Mariachi and Charrería
Festival, and immediately headed to the neoclassic
Teatro Degollado for the fancy Mariachi Gala. The
musicmadefamiliaratMexicanrestaurantsaround
the world began as working-class entertainment,
with humbly dressed, roving musicians playing for
money. As mariachi gained in popularity, however,
an elaborate style evolved. Based on the clothing
worn by Jalisco's charros, or horsemen, the mari-
achi uniform can run into many thousands of dol-
lars for the short bolero jackets, tight pants or long
skirtsadornedwithsilverorgoldbuttonsandenor-
mous sombreros covered with elaborate gilt em-
broidery.
The music evolved as well as musicians gained
professionalstatusandestablishedcareers.It'snot
unusualtohearsymphonicarrangementsforsongs
from the mariachi playbook. Some of the finest
groups from Mexico and the U.S. performed with
theJaliscoPhilharmonicOrchestraduringthegala,
filling the ornate theater with beloved favorites
that kept the audience cheering. Outside the the-
ater musicians displayed their CDs and mingled
with their fans as they refueled with shots of
tequila from the theater's cafe.

Ballet Folklórico
Sunday morning began at Tortas Toños with a
typicaltapatio(thenicknameforGuadalajara'sres-
idents and style) breakfast—a torta ahogada, or
"drowned sandwich." The sandwich comes on a
birote, a crunchy baguette dense enough to absorb
the juices spooned over piles of shredded pork (I
prefer just a little sauce on the torta, which tastes
like a juicy carnitas sandwich). At Toños, ladies in
theirSundaybestperchedoncounterstoolsbeside
laborers all devouring their tortas with relish.
Stomach satisfied, I moved on to Avenida Cha-
pultepec and the International Mariachi parade.
More than 40 bands from 25 countries were in
Guadalajara for the festival, and a lineup marched
along the avenue proudly waving flags from France
Australia,JapanandPeru.Femalemariachis,slowly
gaining prominence in the profession, marched
alongside their male peers, and ages ranged from

136 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2020