Merced Market, Oaxaca, Mexico

This is a small market on the eastern side of the old part of Oaxaca.  It is a manageable size, where you can stop at each and every vendor to see what they are offering and not take an hour to accomplish that task. The quality and quantity of fresh vegetables and herbs, including the wonderful squash blossoms pictured below (just look how many there are!), is astounding, and these pictures were taken in January, the dead of winter a little further north.

 

I did buy some chilis from these massive bags full of them.  I bought a Oaxacan chili which smells smoky and is more rubbery than crackly when dried, and I also bought a red mole paste to take home and try.

We also got a corn chocolate drink from one of the numerous breakfast places in the market (and were sorely tempted by some of the massive dishes bakes on a stone topped with fried eggs).  I highly recommend markets as a great place to immerse yourself in a city, even if you are not able to cook for yourself while you are there.  Oaxaca is a city that it would be very fun to spend a month in, cooking some for yourself and eating out the rest of the time.