“And that’s how my story began in the land of Yucatán.”
Alberto Salum
As the world seems to become a smaller and smaller place with the ease of travel and migration, Yucatán is no different. I am inspired this month by Alberto Salum and his brother José, proprietors of the iconic Patio 57 Restaurant (formerly known as Alberto’s Continental) in Mérida Centro, where you can not only enjoy a delicious Lebanese or Yucatecan meal, but hear Alberto’s stories about food, people, and life in Yucatán.
We at Yucatán Today are lucky to have multiple cultures in our own midst as well: one of our founders, Judy, is from New Jersey originally, and her husband Juan Manuel’s roots are in Yucatán and Colombia, providing a multi-cultural childhood for their daughter Andrea, our director. Her husband is French, so their children are learning three languages at once. Contributing writer Amanda is from Mississippi; you’ll be able to learn more about her on page 5, with a compelling story about her own cultural evolvement.
On page 6 we tell you the story of Zazil, a wise young woman who has created a following of people all over the world, but whose roots are very Yucatecan; and on page 35 we tell you about a relatively new gastronomic trend in Mérida, the gastropub: an exotic blend of cultures and cuisine from places as far away as Ireland and Germany, with a local micro-brewery contributing its own chapter in this story.
All of this brings me back to our readers: visitors from everywhere; expats both retired and with young families who have made their homes here; Mexican families relocating to this safe and vibrant city; and the Yucatecans who embrace them all. Thank you all for bringing your own cultural identities to this ever growing melting pot called Yucatán.
By Juanita Stein
Editorial Director
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