Mexican cuisine has a long and proud tradition that draws on a long heritage of early North American civilizations, Spanish colonialists, and international cuisine.Interestingly, most Mexican cuisine is created mostly with ingredients native to Mexico, with some late additions from Spanish conquistadors. In addition to common staples, Mexican cuisine draws on some unique ingredients you may not see in other cuisines, such as edible flowers, huauzontle, papaloquelite, and criollo avocados.
Interestingly, most Mexican cuisine is created mostly with ingredients native to Mexico, with some late additions from Spanish conquistadors. In addition to common staples, Mexican cuisine draws on some unique ingredients you may not see in other cuisines, such as edible flowers, huauzontle, papaloquelite, and criollo avocados.
Corn
Let’s start off with probably the most important ingredient in Mexican cooking: corn. This vegetable is the basic starch in almost areas of Mexico and is consumed in a huge variety of ways, from fresh corn elotes to dried corn ground into tortilla flour or masa dough.
Most commonly, corn is consumed in the form of tortillas, which accompany almost every dish in Mexican cosine. You’ll also see corn in tamales, sopes, atole, pozol, and many more.Chile peppers
Chile Peppers
Where would Mexican cuisine be without the strong capsicum, the chile pepper? Dating all the way back to the Mesoamerican period, the chile is as much a staple as corn in terms of dishes. The popularity of chile peppers grew thanks to the Portugese, who brought it to the people of Europe.
Necessary for rich and spicy heat so beloved in Mexico, chiles add a fresh and savory edge to anything from sauces to fruits and sweets.
Chocolate
Cocoa is an old and delicious aspect of Mexican cuisine that only made its way to the chocolatiers of Belgium and Switzerland via Spanish conquistadors who saw how the Aztecs used it in their cooking.Today, hot chocolate is a common breakfast drink, and chocolate appears in breads and sweet breads across the country. Chocolate is especially important in Oaxacan cuisine, where it is typically hand ground and mixed with almonds, cinnamon, and other ingredients to create a popular regional drink.
Today, hot chocolate is a common breakfast drink, and chocolate appears in breads and sweet breads across the country. Chocolate is especially important in Oaxacan cuisine, where it is typically hand ground and mixed with almonds, cinnamon, and other ingredients to create a popular regional drink.
Tomatillo
Tomatillos are an ancient fruit whose name means “round and plump” in the Aztec language. Domesticated by the Aztecs, the tomatillo is a nightshade plant that adds tartness to green sauces. Interestingly, the tomatillo never quite caught on with Europeans the way chocolate did, except in Italy, where it can still be found in regional cuisine today.
Vanilla
Derived from the fruit pod of a Mexican orchid, Mexican vanilla is deservedly famous as the best of the best when it comes to baking and sweetening, and you can find vanilla in most Mexican sweet breads and hot beverages. In fact, when the Spanish first encountered the Aztec emperor Montezuma, he was reportedly obsessed with a drink of chocolate, vanilla, and honey.
Today, Mexican cuisine draws on this rich heritage to create some of the most delicious and satisfying foods in the world. Despite the incredibly long heritage of Mexican cuisine, today’s culture continues to adapt and innovate when it comes to food science.
Still, if you want to get an appreciation for the classics, stop by El Jalisco and sample some authentic Mexican food!
