Have you ever wondered why people say that Mexican food is something that you should try at least once in your lifetime?Well, those who have had Mexican cuisine will know why. As for those who haven’t tried it, this article will surely make you want to try it!Either way, what comes to your mind when someone says Mexican food? Mostly, people would yell ’taco!’, and some may say ‘burrito’, but there is so much more to Mexican food than you could ever imagine!Mexican cuisine is an integral part of Mexico’s culture, social structure, and popular customs too. The most notable illustration of this link is the usage of mole for special events and holidays, notably in the country’s southern and central areas. For this and other reasons, UNESCO placed traditional Mexican food on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.Read on to learn some Mexican food facts that will make you want to try it! After all, wouldn’t you want to taste a million flavors exploding in your mouth, giving you a taste of paradise?Mexican Food History And Regional CuisineMexican food is defined by terms like feisty, vivacious, and secretive. Its culinary culture is distinct due to a blend of ethnic types and a vivid past. Mexico’s food has been influenced by a wide range of cultures, from the Aztecs and Mayas to modern Europeans.Here are some historical facts about Mexican cuisine and regional cuisine.Mexican food dates back to 7000 BCE when Mexican and Central American indigenous peoples hunted wildlife and harvested flora, including wild chili peppers.Because corn had not yet been planted, roasted agave hearts were a major source of calories.Corn was only domesticated during 1200 BCE, and a procedure was devised to soften corn for grinding and boost its nutritional content. This enabled the development of tortillas and other types of flatbread.During the pre-Hispanic era, the Mayans developed complex dishes based on peoples blood type, which varies from person to person. Meals differed between social classes. The wealthy had white maize, while the poor used yellow maize. Chia was added to water to produce gruels by priests who believed it would relieve a person’s blood from high levels of cholesterol.The Aztecs also consumed tomatoes, avocados, pineapples, and mangos, all of which were native plants in Mexico.In the modern period, the Spanish introduced a number of commodities and culinary techniques to the New World, such as frying. Regional cuisines remained diverse, with local staples dominating in rural southern parts and Spanish meals establishing themselves in the more sparsely populated northern region.Despite the impact of Spanish culture, Mexican cuisine has stayed true to its roots of maize, beans, and chili peppers. Native Americans continued to rely on maize since it was less expensive than wheat, was easier to farm, and generated better yields.Mexico witnessed an inflow of numerous French, Lebanese, German, Chinese, and Italian immigrants, throughout the 19th century, which had an impact on gastronomy. During the French occupation of Mexico, French cuisine gained popularity among the elite classes. The Germans introduced beer brewing technology, and the Chinese introduced their cuisine to some regions of the country. As a result, Mexico’s cuisine is defined more by its relationship to popular customs than by specific culinary skills.During the 20th century, Mexican cuisine has influenced United States’ food and vice versa. Tex-Mex cuisine evolved from Mexican and Anglo influences and may be dated back to the late nineteenth century in Texas. It is still evolving, with flour tortillas just becoming popular north of the border in the late 20th century.Some regional cuisines include cuisine of Chiapas, Mexico City street food, Oaxacan cuisine, Veracruz cuisine, and many more cuisines, which include ingredients such as tuna, ice cream, pumpkin, flowers that are edible, corn, pie, brown sugar, coconut sauce, and many more!Basic Ingredients In Mexican FoodsThe foundation of Mexican food was based mostly on corn and beans. The meat was in short supply and was utilized infrequently. When the Spanish arrived in Mexico, they brought new tastes and spices, including chile. Mexicans in beach regions took advantage of plentiful fish to supplement the scant meals. Chicken, garlic and onion, cheese, and other items were also brought by the Spaniards. The Spanish influence on Mexican cooking aided in the development of the distinct and delectable Mexican dishes and cuisine that we know today.Read on to know what basic ingredients are used to make Mexican food.Beans, corn, tortilla, and flour are important staples and nutritional sources that are some basic ingredients used to make Mexican food.Chilies are often used in Mexican cuisine. There is a specific type of chile that is utilized. Most Mexicans want their meals hot and spicy, hence fiery jalapeno peppers, serrano, and ancho chilies are utilized to satisfy this craving.Mexican dishes call for a variety of cheeses. The most prevalent cheeses are queso fresco, queso blanco, and panela. These go well with quesadillas and enchiladas, especially parmesan cheese.Some believe that lime juice is the most delicious weapon in a Mexican cook’s arsenal. It’s a must-have finishing ingredient that is squeezed over tacos, into salsa, and on just about anything that could use a bright, acidic pop of flavor.Mexican avocados give a unique flavor to practically any Mexican food, even the most basic of food such as sandwiches and salads.Mexican chocolate has a bitter and earthy taste that complements other elements in meals ranging from mousses and flans to roasted turkey breast with mole sauce.Home Cooking And Street FoodsIn Mexico, home-cooked meals and street foods are considered to be very different from each other. While a home-cooked meal is generally considered to be cooked by women in order for it to be consumed at home, street food, on the other hand, includes those foods that can’t be cooked at home. Home-cooked food in Mexico is a big part of Mexican culture, while Mexican street food is famous around the world for its variety, abundance, and good taste.Continue reading to learn some facts about home cooking and street foods in Mexico.Breakfast options in a traditional Mexican home include meat in broth (pancita), tacos, enchiladas, and meat with eggs. This is typically accompanied by beans, corn tortillas, coffee, or juice. Moreover, breakfast in Mexico is also synonymous with hot chocolate and pan dulce. French immigrants impacted several of Mexico’s sweetbreads.Comida is the primary meal of the day in a traditional Mexican home. Dinner or supper usually starts with soup. The main meal is beef in a cooked caramel sauce with salsa on the side, served with beans and tortillas, and typically accompanied by tropical fruits drink.It is customary to eat leftovers from the comida or sweet bread in the evening, followed by coffee or chocolate.Tacos, quesadillas, pambazos, tamales, huaraches, alambres, and al pastor are examples of Mexican street cuisine.Tacos are the most popular street food in Mexico. It consists of meat or other components wrapped in a taco shell and is frequently served with cheese. Mushrooms, potatoes, grains, and beans are examples of vegetarian fillings in it.The torta is another famous street food in Mexico and the surrounding area. It’s a sort of roll that’s been packed with a variety of ingredients. This dates back to the 19th century when the French developed a variety of different types of bread. The torta was made by splitting the roll and filling it with beans.Desserts And Festive FoodsMexican food is intricate and frequently associated with symbolism and festivals, which is one of the reasons it was designated by UNESCO as an example of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Many Mexican meals are problematic because of their relationship to the country’s socioeconomic system. Food preparation, particularly for family and social occasions, is regarded as an investment in maintaining social bonds. Even the concept of flavor is considered social, with meals prepared for specific evenings and situations when they are thought to be the most delicious.There is a large variety of Mexican desserts and festive foods.The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has agreed to declare the ‘Cinco de Mayo’ as a historical and festive event. This declaration was made on September 16, 2004, by decree number 137 published in the Official Journal of the Federation.It is also known that celebrations marking this date began more than 150 years ago with drinking and dancing amongst residents of Puebla and Mexico City. These festivities continued again the following year on May 5 along with competitions such as horse races and jousting matches throughout many cities of central Mexico.Mexican desserts are very sweet and rich in flavor. This is due to the use of ingredients such as cream, condensed milk, evaporated milk, honey, sugar cane, fruits, and nuts. However, the ingredients in the desserts can often be substituted with healthier ones such as applesauce or agave syrup.Mexican desserts also include a wide variety of traditional cakes, cookies, and pies, both homemade and commercialized that have been adapted over the years to suit the tastes of every region in Mexico. Some examples of well-known Mexican pastries include alfajor, coconut borrachitos, polvorones de nuez (Mexican wedding cookies), and bunuelos.Mexican Foods Outside MexicoMexican food is popular all over the world and in certain places such as Western Europe, North America, Australia, and Western Africa it’s considered a must when planning to eat out. Many Mexican restaurants were created outside Mexico because Mexican people like to eat out at least once a week. It has become very fashionable to open restaurants serving this type of food not only because Mexicans who live abroad have created an increased demand for it but also because people are fascinated with the idea that they can now eat something so tasty without having to travel all the way to Mexico.Tacos, fajitas, and burritos are some of the most representative dishes that can be found everywhere in the world.Some more Mexican dishes that are very popular abroad include dishes such as enchiladas, tortillas, guacamole, and chili con carne. They are so tasty that some people have been known to hire Mexican cooks in order to prepare these dishes for them on special occasions such as birthdays or family reunions.Chicken tikka masala is a well-known Indian dish that was created based on an Indian recipe containing local spices but instead of using chicken pieces they incorporated marinated cubes of boneless chicken fillet.Pizza was brought to Mexico by Italian immigrants who made it so popular among Mexicans that today there are Mexican-style pizzas available in every corner of the country; they contain more cheese than regular pizzas. Many people now use tortillas instead of bread dough for making pizzas.Another popular Mexican cuisine that you can find outside Mexico is the torta, which was brought to Mexico by french immigrants. This sandwich is served on a special kind of bread called ‘bolillo’ that has a slightly crunchy texture and hard crust. Tortas are usually filled with meat, cheese, refried beans, avocado, tomato slices, and mayonnaise.
Have you ever wondered why people say that Mexican food is something that you should try at least once in your lifetime?
