Hay Elotes – Authentic Mexican Snacks
Let’s face it, it’s unforgivably hot in Austin. One of the ways I’ve chosen to beat the heat is staying indoors with the ceiling fan on high, but if there’s one thing that will get me out of the house, it’s food. This week I had the pleasure of trying a variety of different Mexican snacks from Hay Elotes in east Austin. Mexican snacks are a variety of sweet, savory, sour and spicy. Many snack vendors rely on their creativity to create new and fun flavors to attract more customers. From elotes, to fruta con crema or hot Cheetos with cheese these snacks are interesting and a fun introduction to a small part of Mexican culture.
A part of these snacks’ cultural significance is that many of these vendors are street vendors in diverse regions like Texas or California. Back in my hometown of El Paso, there are many local shops where these snacks are easily available. However, it is difficult to find authentic snack stores if you’re unfamiliar with the area.
I was pleased to find that Austin had a 100% authentic Mexican snack store less than three miles away from my home. Tucked in a corner in East Austin is Hay Elotes, where they offer a wide variety of tasty snacks.
Covering the entire spectrum of flavors
The first snack that I had the pleasure of trying was their elote, also known as corn in the cup or on the cob. You can choose to have them plain or with the addition of cheese, chile, or mayonnaise. The one I ordered had mayonnaise and queso fresco. Queso fresco is a Mexican cheese that is light and often paired with heavier dishes. It has a sour taste to it that goes well in contrast to the heaviness of the corn and mayonnaise.
Mexican street corn is the perfect snack that is sweet and savory, whether it’s by itself or with a meal. The fact that is it portable makes the snack desirable for those who want to pick something up on the go.
Fruity Goodness
The next snack that was sweet and spicy was the mango hill. The Mango Hill is a mango smoothie mixed with chamoy and has strawberries placed on top with one piece of sour candy wrapped around it as well.
This snack was perfect for beating the Austin heat, the frozen smoothie was refreshing and sweet. The toppings were a great addition to contrast the sweetness of the mango. I got to enjoy this snack from the comfort of a picnic table in the shade next to the shop. Though it’s intensely hot outside, this snack kept me cool and was the perfect size for sharing.
The last snack that I tried was the Chamoy Apple. This was a large red apple with a peel of tajin cut in sixths and chamoy drizzled all over it. If you aren’t familiar with Mexican snacks, many of them include mixing sweet and spicy flavors. One of the most popular pairings is with fruit.
The Chamoy Apple was sweet with enough to spice to make your mouth water after having one bite. This was my favorite of the snacks that I tried. It was light and a great size for sharing. Hay Elotes serves the apple chilled, keeping customers cool in the heat.
If you’re feeling particularly hungry, they also have a birria taco truck to the right of the building. These tacos were especially delicious and authentic. The truck serves birria tacos with cilantro, onion, lime, and red and green chile. They’re hot and spicy with enough flavor to have you coming back for more.
Hay Elotes is located on 2214 E. 7th street in Austin, Texas.
Conclusion
Be sure to visit Hay Elotes to try out all of their delicious options.
