The richness of the Mexican Gastronomy

A country forged by the encounter of the old and the new world, México’s rich and vast culinary heritage is a rare but extraordinary mix of flavors derived from a combination of ancient native cultures. Like the Aztecs, Mayans, Olmecs and other, and the European, Asian and African influences that México has been exposed to since Spaniards arrived at the shorelines of the Gulf of México in the early XVI century.

It is not surprising since Mexican cuisine is so interwoven with the country’s centuries-old cultural traditions that it received UNESCO status as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” It is the only cuisine that has received this distinction due to its immense contribution to the world gastronomy.

Mexican cuisine is so rich in traditional dishes, some derived from old pre-Hispanic recipes, that it uses a lot of spices and ingredients. The Indian influence stands out in this field. The elements are numerous, abundant, vibrant, and tasty. Mexico is the birthplace of many foods from Pre-Hispanic time like corn, cacao, beans, pineapples, avocado, pumpkins, vanilla, tomatoes, and turkeys. Mexican cuisine is a mixture of various ingredients, spiced and sometimes hot, but spiced doesn’t always mean hot. You have to venture to the countryside, especially in the States of Hidalgo, Jalisco, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Yucatán, and Puebla, if you want to discover the centuries-old culinary art of México.

To appreciate the humble origins of Mexican cuisine, we must start with its majesty, the corn. Corn is a Mexican native and diet staple, which is inexorably linked to Mesoamerica’s creation myths as well as the harmonious management of the environment and ancient social expressions via festivals, the planting and harvesting of crops, funerary and other indigenous customs that provide for nutritional balance and an incredible variety of profoundly original traditional dishes which have been lovingly preserved over the centuries. Corn is the outmost basic of ingredients used to prepare hundreds, if not thousands of different types of dishes, like tamales, tacos, tostadas, atole, tortilla, empanadas, tlacoyos, sopes, tostadas, “flautas”, garnachas, and many, many more. Each region of México has its version of tamales, tacos, and other popular antojitos. For example, to prepare tacos, the most popular and well-known representative of Mexican foods, you can use many types and shapes of tortilla, from the famous white corn tortilla to the green or blue corn masa. The size and shape of the tortilla can change from region to region. There is small round-shaped tortilla to prepare delicious “tacos de Cecina,” or “tacos de carne asada,” or “tacos de chorizo” and many more. There is also the oval-shaped tortilla used to prepare traditional and delicious “flautas”. Flautas are a crispy, large taco filled with chicken, pork or beef meat and dressed with lettuce, white cheese, cream and green or red hot salsa.

But we can’t talk about Mexican cuisine without having a special mention of the king of all ingredients: Chile, or hot pepper. “Chile” is presented in a variety of sauces on every table between all corners of the country. México has a large variety of chile. Among them, the Chile Güero, which looks like a banana because of its appearance and color; also Chile de Arbol and Chile Piquín, small, round and very hot red peppers, which are used to prepare hot sauces; there is also Chile Poblano, green and sweet, served stuffed with meat; the chile Jalapeño, usually served with vinaigrette; and the serrano, green, thinner than the previous one. There are more than 150 varieties of peppers in México, all with unique flavors and aromas that contribute to making Mexican dishes so flavorful, colorful and delicious!

There is much more to talk about Mexican gastronomy, but the best way to learn about it is to try it, so go ahead and prepare your recipes of traditional Mexican food and enjoy!

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