El Mercado

Good evening, bienvenidos, and welcome to El Mercado, the late night grocery store of local legend. In the parking lot, a gentle soundtrack of trumpets and violins blaze through the speaker system, beckoning customers to enter and explore this one-of-a-kind place. Inside this door, light from the ceiling above bounces off the sleek, linoleum floors producing a crisp, clean glow that radiates throughout the aisles. The air carries a blend of sweet and savory scents, giving it a safe, nostalgic quality. At this time of night, you feel no sense of rush or worry. Tonight, you have all the time in the world to slow down and admire the space around you, allowing your senses to soak in the richness of your environment. As you settle in for the evening, let's deepen your state of relaxation with a short wind-down exercise. Tonight's exercise is a really simple breathing exercise. So when you are ready, let's begin. So first, get yourself comfortable. Now just bringing the attention to the breath. Just noticing where you feel it, in the nose, the throat, the chest, the diaphragm. You're nice and relaxed. We are going to be taking a deep breath in for four, holding it for four, and then breathing out for six. So are you ready? Let's begin. In for four, two, three, four. Hold it for four, two, three, four. Now breathing out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. Great! Now returning the breath to normal. The back wall of the market is usually bustling with regulars ordering marinated meats and salsa fresca for their cookouts. But tonight, El Mercado is calm and nearly empty. You can take your time browsing and admiring the selections. The lighting and all of the colors that will soon come to fill your refrigerator. A row of fresh cheeses sits on a long chill shelf. Which one calls to the bread sitting on your basket tonight? Is it the traditional queso fresco? Or the fresh Cotija waiting to be crumbled on top of a taco of your choice? There is no wrong answer in El Mercado. A large-sized box next to the cheeses offers a variety of pre-packaged fish and ceviche dishes. With roots in South America and Mexico, ceviche holds a very special place on the sunny lunch tables of so many. Often served along a wide variety of citrus and chili marinades, be it lime, lemon or grapefruit juice. The citrus has the ability to cook without the need for heat. A box of brightly colored aji amarillo peppers sits on the shelf just below you. Their deceptively sweet aroma inviting you...