For fourth consecutive year, the Mexican Gastronomic and Cultural Festival, “A Taste of Mexico” has showcased food, drinks, music and fashion from all over the 31 States of Mexico and Mexico City to Ireland in the week-long festival that has been running this week, ending on Sunday 23rd November.

Mexican food has become the food of choice by many here over the last number of years with restaurants and burrito bars opening at a rate of five per year over the last three years growing from seven in 2011 to 25 to date.

‘A Taste of Mexico’ features many of these Mexican restaurants from all over the country and offers an opportunity to immerse oneself in Mexican culture. “It is truly a wonderful thing for us here at the Mexican Embassy to offer a little taste of Mexico to Irish people. We are a very proud nation and we want more Irish people to experience our culture and to visit our country, just the same as we want to encourage more Mexican to visit this wonderful country. We hope that customers will attend the events taking place throughout venues across he city and country,” said Mexican Ambassador, Carlos Garcia de Alba.

So far this week, the festival has been packed with interesting events providing a unique experience of the flavours, colours and traditions of Mexico.  On Wednesday evening, 19th November, Mexican chef Helma Honda, a specialist in authentic Mexican food, hosted a conference about genuine Mexican cuisine, sharing her expertise and love of this unique cuisine in the Instituto Cervantes on Lincoln Place.  Atfterwards, a tasting of tequila, the iconic Mexican spirit, took place by Mr. José Torres Diaz, an expert with the Mexican Tequila Regulatory Council, who was specially flown in from Mexico for the festival.

Yesterday in the Instituto Cervantes, a Mezcal tasting took place hosted by the now famous mezcal expert Sergio Inurrigarro. Mezcal is a Mexican spirit that has more recently been generating worldwide interest in the drinks industry and becoming the drink of choice with celebrities around the world.

Today, Friday 21st November, a competition to find “The Best Enchilada in Ireland” will also take place in the Mansion House. The event will see judges including the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke, Mexican chef Helma Honda and renowned award-winning chef and TV personality Darina Allen will decide from entrants of Mexican restaurants from all over Ireland which one has created the best enchillada of 2014. Commenting on the festival Darina Allen said, “Once again I am thrilled to be invited by the Mexican Embassy to be involved in the Taste of Mexico. During my trips to Mexico over the last decade, I have come across some delicious recipes and unique flavours that I am delighted to see being showcased on menus in Ireland. Mexican food is really making its mark here at last and I am excited to be part of this food movement.”

The festival offers a wide range of authentic and traditional Mexican events including a variety of equila and mezcal tastings, cookery workshops, Mariachi band music and fashion events. A full list of events can be found on the website www.embamex.ie or www.tasteofmexico.ie.

The Taste of Mexico Festival is sponsored by the Embassy of Mexico, The Village at Lyons, AeroMéxico, the government of the state of San Luis Potosi, Corona, Barry and Fitzwilliam, the Mexican Tourism Board, Grupo Posadas, Viajes Mecca, the Cervantes Institute, the Tequila Regulatory Council, the Pro-Culture Mezcal Association, Aztec Money, Nautilius, The Irish Hotels Federation, the Conrad Hotel, the Ashling Hotel and the Academy Plaza Hotel.