After years of doing it the American way, I finally went for a real Mexican breakfast. My usual favorite place for breakfast in Mexico is VIPS, sort of a Denny’s equivalent, but there wasn’t a VIPS anywhere near where I was staying. So I went to the Mercado Municipal, where everyone else seemed to be at that time of day.

All the food stands were trying to lure me with their delicious cabeza (head), but I wasn’t ready for that. Instead, I went for the Gallo Pinto, a northwest Mexico specialty that they assured me was a highly traditional breakfast.

Gallo Pinto turned out to be a rich soup with big chunks of beef, hominy and lots of pinto beans. Sprinkled with cilantro, chopped onion and chile flakes, it was truly satisfying, and didn’t leave me sluggish, as I feared, in the brutal summer heat.

Maybe I’ll eventually break my Raisin Bran and yogurt habit.