THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT MEXICAN FOOD

MEXICAN CUISINE IS MORE ANCIENT THAN YOU

MIGHT THINK; MANY OF MEXICO’S MORE TRADITIONAL

RECIPES HAIL STRAIGHT FROM THE AZTECS

AND MAYANS

HOWEVER, IT IS THE SPANIARDS WHO INFLUENCED

MEXICAN FOOD AS WE KNOW IT TODAY. THE

TRADITIONAL MEXICAN FOODS (INHERITED FROM

MAYAN AND AZTEC RECIPES) WERE CHANGED

AS THE SPANISH COLONIZED MEXICO, BRINGING

THEIR OWN COOKING IDEAS, METHODS

AND INGREDIENTS

IN THE 1520’S, THE SPANIARDS IMPORTED TO

MEXICO PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT NO

MEXICAN HAD EVER SEEN. THESE INCLUDED

HORSES, CATTLE, PIGS, SHEEP, GOATS AND

CHICKENS. AMONG THE CONDIMENTS THAT

WERE INTRODUCED WERE OLIVE OIL, CINNAMON,

PARSLEY, CORIANDER, OREGANO, AND BLACK

PEPPER. THE SPANIARDS ALSO INTRODUCED NUTS

AND GRAINS SUCH AS ALMONDS, RICE, WHEAT

AND BARLEY; AND FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

INCLUDING APPLES, ORANGES, GRAPES, LETTUCE,

CARROTS, CAULIFLOWER, POTATOES (BROUGHT

FROM PERU), AND SUGARCANE (FROM WHENCE

COMES SUGAR)

TRADITIONAL MEXICAN FOOD USES ALL PARTS OF

THE COW INCLUDING THE UDDER, STOMACH, TONGUE,

EVEN THE UTERUS AND TESTICLES

MEXICAN CUISINE IS ALSO FAMOUS FOR ITS VARIETY

OF FRESH JUICES. THE ABUNDANCE OF TROPICAL

AND EXOTIC FRUITS PROVIDES THE BASE FOR

ICE-COLD DRINKS SOLD AT ROADSIDE STANDS

TORTILLAS ARE THE STAPLE FOOD OF MEXICO. THEY

ARE MADE OF CORN OR FLOUR, AND THE PREFERRED

VARIETY DIFFERS FROM ONE PART OF THE COUNTRY

TO ANOTHER. TORTILLAS ARE USED IN MANY

DISHES AND CAN BE SOFT OR CRUNCHY

TEQUILA IS MEXICO’S MOST FAMOUS DRINK BY FAR.

IT IS MADE FROM THE AGAVE PLANT AND MUCH OF

IT IS PRODUCED IN THE MEXICAN CITY OF

THE SAME NAME

BETWEEN 1864 AND 1867, MEXICO WAS RULED BY

THE FORMER AUSTRIAN ARCHDUKE FERDINAND

MAXIMILIAN, WHO WAS KEPT IN POWER BY FRENCH

TROOPS. THOUGH MAXIMILIAN’S REIGN WAS BRIEF

AND TRAGIC, FRENCH COOKING LEFT ITS MARK

ON MANY MEXICAN-STYLE DISHES. FRENCH-INSPIRED

MEXICAN DISHES INCLUDE CHILES EN NOGADA

(STUFFED CHILIES IN WALNUT SAUCE) AND CONEJO

EN MOSTAZA (RABBIT IN MUSTARD SAUCE)

DURING COLONIAL TIMES, EXPERIMENTALLY MINDED

SPANISH WOMEN AND MEMBERS OF SPANISH

RELIGIOUS ORDERS INVENTED MUCH OF TODAY’S

MORE SOPHISTICATED MEXICAN GASTRONOMY.

NUNS PIONEERED SUCH TRADITIONAL MEXICAN FARE

AS THE CANDY CALLED CAJETA, FRITTER-LIKE

BUÑUELOS, AND THE EGG-BASED LIQUEUR ROMPOPE