“It’s not what you look at that matters,” wrote Henry David Thoreau, “it’s what you see.”

Or to state that from a kitchen vantage point, “It’s not what you eat that matters, it’s what you taste.”

For Topolobampo’s Art Menu, we’re hoping you’ll do both a little seeing and a little tasting. As you gaze upon six works of art from our mostly Oaxacan collection (and then dig into the six dishes inspired by those pieces), perhaps you’ll notice how the artists’ colors evoke unexpected bursts of flora and flavor that are part of their everyday life, part of tradition. You can pick up stories about tightly bound families. And about how spiritual and profane walk hand in hand. Perhaps some of the stories will lead you down magical paths that, upon later reflection, won’t seem so magical after all. Mexican art has a tendency to open doors like that. It certainly has for us here at Topolobampo.

The works of art in our collection were not chosen for their fame, but because each one told us its own story, a story that, almost without exception, could only be told in Mexico. If your eyes listen carefully, you, too, will hear those stories. And if you’re palate pays just as much attention, I’m pretty sure the stories will come alive in an even more personal way. Just maybe, you’ll find that both art and dish resonate for you, in a way that nourishes your spirit.