Editing Oaxaca (section)

===Food and drink===
[[File:Chapulines de Oaxaca.jpg|thumb|right|Various sizes of Chapulines at the Mercado Benito Juárez in [[Oaxaca, Oaxaca|Oaxaca, Mexico]]]]
[[Oaxacan cuisine]] varies widely due to the relative geographic isolation of its peoples, and the climates in which foods are produced.<ref name="oaxcuis ">{{cite web |url=http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2266-the-cuisine-of-oaxaca-land-of-the-seven-moles |title=The Cuisine of Oaxaca, Land of the Seven Moles |first=Karen |last=Hursh Graber |date=January 1, 2006 |publisher=MexConnect |access-date=August 15, 2010}}</ref> Oaxaca's gastronomy is known for its "seven moles", [[chapulines]] (grasshoppers), Oaxaca [[tamale]]s in banana leaves, [[tasajo]] and [[mezcal]].<ref name="atraccul"/> Regional variations include the wide variety of vegetables in the Central Valleys region, fish and shellfish in the Coast and Isthmus regions and the year-round availability of tropical fruit in the Papaloapan area on the Veracruz border. Like most of the rest of Mexico, corn is the staple food, with corn tortillas, called "blandas" accompanying most meals. Black beans are preferred.<ref name="oaxcuis "/> Oaxaca produces seven varieties of [[mole (sauce)|mole]] called manchamanteles, chichilo, amarillo, rojo, verde, coloradito and negro.<ref name="rincones45">Akaike, p. 45</ref> These moles and other dishes are flavored with a variety of chili peppers such as pasillas Oaxaqueños, amarillos, chilhuacles, chilcostles, chile anchos and costeños. [[Dysphania ambrosioides|Epazote]], [[Lippia alba|pitiona]] and [[Piper auritum|hoja santa]] are favored herbs in Oaxacan cooking. The last is indispensable for the preparation of mole verde.<ref name="oaxcuis "/>
[[File:Making Chocolate in Oaxaca.ogg|thumb|left|[[Cacao bean|Cacao]] beans being ground & mixed with almonds and cinnamon to make chocolate in a Oaxacan [[Mayordomo|chocolate store]].]]
Chocolate, which is grown in the state, plays an important part in the making of certain moles, but is best known for its role as a beverage. The popular bitter chocolate drink, traditionally served cold in special cups (xicali) with a variety of spices, was once a favorite beverage among the upper classes of Mesoamerican societies.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Ramos Cacciatore |first=Manuela |title=Oaxacanita Chocolate: Reviving Indigenous Mixtec cocoa traditions |url=https://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/ip-at-work/2023/oaxacanita-chocolate.html}}</ref> The [[cacao bean|cacao]] beans are ground then combined with sugar, almonds, cinnamon and other ingredients to form bars. Pieces of these bars are mixed with hot milk or water and drunk.<ref name="oaxcuis "/><ref name="rincones45"/> Mexican entrepreneurs of the region aim to preserve Oaxaca's rich cocoa culture and its associated [[traditional knowledge]] collaborating [[Indigenous peoples|indigenous communities]] to revitalize these traditions and promote social, economic, and environmental development in the state of Oaxaca.<ref name=":0" />

[[Oaxaca cheese]] is a soft white string cheese which is similar to mozzarella. It is sold in "ropes" which are wound onto themselves into balls. It is eaten cold or lightly melted on quesadillas and other dishes. One unique aspect to Oaxacan cuisine is the consumption of "chapulines", which are a type of grasshopper that has been fried and seasoned with salt, lime and chili pepper.<ref name="rincones45" />

There is a saying in Oaxaca, "Para todo mal, mezcal, para todo bien, también" (For everything bad, mezcal; for everything good, the same.) Alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks (as well as food items) based on the maguey plant have been consumed in many parts of Mexico since early in the pre-Hispanic period. The tradition of the making of the distilled liquor called mezcal has been a strong tradition in the Oaxacan highlands since the colonial period. One reason for this is the quality and varieties of maguey grown here. Some varieties, such as espadín and arroquense are cultivated but one variety called tobalá is still made with wild maguey plants. It is made with the heart of the plant which is roasted in pits (giving the final product a smokey flavor) and is sometimes flavored with a chicken or turkey breast (pechuga) added to the mash. It is mezcal, not [[tequila]], and may contain a "[[Maguey worm|worm]]", which is really a larva that infests maguey plants. The final distilled product can be served as is or can be flavored (called cremas) with almonds, coffee, cocoa fruits and other flavors.<ref name="rincones4445">Akaike, pp. 44–45</ref>

The town of [[Santiago Matatlán]] calls itself the world capital of mezcal. In many parts of the Central Valleys area, one can find small stands and stores selling locally made mezcal on roadsides.<ref name="turdes"/>