MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – On Friday, an all-American weekend filled with food and baseball kicked off here with a reception at the official residence of the United States Ambassador to Mexico, His Excellency Ron Johnson, to celebrate Major League Baseball (MLB) and its growing cultural and institutional ties with Mexico, and U.S. rice was in the starting lineup.
Ahead of the weekend’s MLB World Tour: Mexico City Series featuring two games between the National League West rival Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres, the reception brought together prominent guests, including representatives from the Diamondbacks and Padres organizations, Greater Phoenix Leadership, Visit Phoenix, and the San Diego Tourism Authority.
Several partners participated in the reception, with USA Rice standing out through the presence of two culinary stations that highlighted the versatility and quality of American rice.
At the first stand, in collaboration with the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Chef Uriel Ramírez presented an elegant selection of Japanese-inspired dishes, including several sushi offerings featuring U.S. medium grain rice, hibiscus-infused Alaskan salmon, and black cod.
The second stand featured a collaboration led by Chef Aquiles Chávez, who prepared a distinctive paella in partnership with the U.S. Meat Export Federation, U.S. Soybean Export Council, and USA Poultry & Egg Export Council.
The dish incorporated duck and pork as its principal ingredients, complemented by soy-based elements, and served atop southern U.S. long grain, resulting in a bold and flavorful interpretation of the classic Spanish recipe.
Ambassador Johnson expressed his appreciation for the culinary offerings and praised the collaborative efforts showcased during the evening, underscoring the importance of cross-industry partnerships in strengthening U.S.–Mexico relations.
The reception served not only as a celebration of baseball but also as a platform for cultural exchange, gastronomy, and international cooperation.
The D’backs and Padres split the series. On Saturday, the first place Padres posted a thrilling come-from-behind victory with two home runs from Ty France. The next day, the third place Diamondbacks punished the San Diego pitching staff to take the game 12-7. Both games were played in front of almost 20,000 fans at the Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú.