You'll get your fill of hot stuff from chili-shaped Christmas lights to jams, jellies and pinatas. All this chili lore is probably making you long for a taste of the real thing. Sip a namesake concoction while nibbling fiery nachos. Such an indulgence will make sidewalk voyeurism even more appealing and prepare you to hit the newest kid on the block, the Farmer's Market. Booths and pushcarts offer more arty-craftsy renditions of fruit rather than the real, juicy thing.
Many items suggest the Southwest as much as Mexico.
A few of the shops do smack of real taste. The Texas Wine Rack offers not only tasty examples of the booming wine industry, but accessories from mulling spices to corkscrews as well. A cluster of juice bars offers lemonade, cold beer and snacks. Mauldin Barbara Mauldin writes An Appetite for Travel column carried by several Texas newspapers and is a frequent contributor to The News in Mexico City. All rights reserved.