"This central market is known for carrying rare and specialty foods—European cheeses, unusual local produce, and regional delicacies such as armadillo and crocodile—which has made it a regular stop for food-focused tourists and culinary tours. Tour operators bring visitors to sample items that echo dishes from trendsetting restaurants, and vendors often sell ingredients brought directly from their villages, offering a direct link to rural food traditions. The market functions as both a site of cultural education and a site of irony: many of the foods celebrated by urban diners remain inaccessible to the lower-income communities that originated them." - Madeleine Wattenbarger