Part I - Mexican Food and Mexican Restaurants

Tex-Mex Cuisine

True Mexican dishes are not the mouth-burning, eye-watering foods that many of us imagine. Authentic Mexican food, such as enchiladas, tacos and tamales are cooked totally differently in Mexico to their North American equivalents, and chili sauce is added as a condiment to reach the required taste.

Chili, salsa, tortilla chips, quesadillas, nachos, corn chips, chimichangas and burritos are what most people think of as Mexican food, but these are actually American inventions. For example, most American-Mexican dishes have cheese on them in generous quantities. Cheese is rarely used in Mexico itself. Soft corn tortillas are a main ingredient in Tex-Mex dishes, but they are a side starch in Mexico and they are never fried to a crispy texture south of the border. However, in the world of food there are no rights and wrongs. Dishes are gradually developed over time and interpreted according to what suits the diner.

Popular Mexican Dishes

The national dish of Mexico is called “Mole Poblano de Gualote” and it is basically turkey cooked in mole sauce, a recipe dating back hundreds of years. The mole, or sauce, is created by blending dried nuts, chilis, anise, sesame, cloves and coriander into sweet Mexican chocolate to make Mole Poblano. Mole sauce is traditionally used in enchiladas and served with chicken on special holidays in Mexico.

Guacamole is a delicious creamy dip made from avocados, onions, chilis, spices and lime juice. In the Mexican language a stone mortar and pestle is called a molcajete, and it is used to grind the spices with salt before stirring into the avocado.

Salsas are prepared in a similar way and may include cooked tomatoes, chili peppers, onion, garlic and cilantro. Pico de Gallo or ‘rooster’s beak’ is another popular salsa which is based on raw tomatoes, lime juice, chili, onions, cilantro and other raw chopped vegetables may be added. It is usually very spicy.

Ceviche is a seafood based appetizer which is popular throughout South America as well as Mexico. Raw types of finfish and cooked shellfish are combined in a citrus marinade which pickles or ‘cooks’ the fish. It is usually served with crackers in Mexico. Shrimp, octopus, squid, tuna and mackerel are all used in the mix and tomatoes are sometimes added to the cocktail of flavors.

Frijoles or beans are widely used in Mexican dishes. Frijoles Charros is a warm dish combining charro beans, tomato, onion, ham, sausage, pork and chorizo. Frijoles negros are usually vegetarian dishes using small black beans. Pinto beans or painted beans are the most widely used beans in the USA. They are used in burrito fillings, added to broths or served as refried beans.

Desserts are always very sweet and include Dulce de leche, Pastel de tres leches (Three milk cake), Arroz con leche (rice pudding) and pastel de queso (cheesecake).