Traditional Mexican Food an Inside Look at This Tasty Cuisine

It might surprise you to know that Mexican food is considered to be the most varied in the world after Chinese food. Every region of the country has its own food style and Mexican cuisine in vast. The Mexican food eaten in the Yucatan is especially exciting, since it is a unique mixture of Mexican, Mayan, Caribbean and Lebanese influences.

A Look at Mexican Cuisine

Some Mexican dishes are spicy but not everything is. Chili peppers are widely used in Mexican cookery and there are lots of variations of them, including pasilla, habanero, serrano, poblano, and jalapeo. Mexicans like to vary their diets by eating meat, fish, poultry, seafood, fruit, vegetables and grains, or at least the ones who can afford to. Stews, soups, and sauces are common Mexican foods and cooking methods include baking, deep-frying and slow roasting.

Mexicans like to eat fresh fruit and vegetables and anything older than two days is not considered fresh. Costly pesticides and herbicides are hardly used and produce is picked when ripe or very nearly ripe. Imported food is usually shunned in favor of locally grown produce and everything is grown nearby. The exception would be Mexico City, where produce that is not likely to be sold is exported.

Traditional Mexican Food it's Not What You Think

One of the main components of a Mexican typical meal has to be tortillas. These are balls of masa, or corn dough, flattened to a CD sized disc. They are so much of a staple food that the government maintains the price at five pesos a kilo! Authentic tortillas are made of corn and they are freshly made in the supermarket all day long. They are used to make tacos and traditional tacos are soft, rather than the prefab U-shaped ones you would see in Mexican fast food joints.

Tamales, tortillas, and tacos are traditionally made from corn. A lot of soups and stews include fava beans, kidney beans, and lentils. Tomatoes are used in various Mexican food recipes and especially in salsa recipes.

Fruit is popular in Mexico and is eaten fresh or used in desserts and sauces. Papaya, coconut, mango, and pineapple are all favorites. Nopales, which are prickly pear cactus paddles, are sauted and eaten like a vegetable. You can also get them sweetened and used in Mexican dessert recipes.

Mexican Condiments Mean More than Just Salsas

A lot of people favor the addition of salsa, lime, or sour cream to their food. In a traditional Mexican restaurant, you will also get small bowls of condiments. These are likely to include chopped onion, cilantro, a mild chili salsa, a hot chili salsa, salsa Mexicana and lime. Salsa Mexicana is made from chopped onion, chopped fresh tomato, cilantro and habanero chili. You might also get guacamole, which is an avocado and lime sauce. Charred green onion mixed with salsa ingles (Worcestershire sauce) and limejuice is another well-liked Mexican condiment.

Many Mexican food recipes are rich in flavor and color and the use of fresh produce is important. A lot of people make the mistake of confusing Mexican fast food and Tex Mex style Mexican cooking for real, traditional Mexican food but authentic Mexican cuisine is a true delight.

If you would like to find out just how simple it is to create colorful, flavorful, fresh Mexican meals, have a look at MexicanFoodRecipes.org for the tastiest recipes. The rich Aztec and Mayan heritage shines through Mexican cookery, as well as Spanish flavors, making it an absolutely delicious cuisine.

If you are looking for some great recipes or tips on cooking Mexican food and recipes of your own, the site will be very helpful. Whether you want a quick and spicy burrito, mild salad, or sweet and spicy salsa we have a wonderful selection of Mexican food recipes to choose from.

If you are in the mood for Mexican food tonight why not give one of our recipes like our Crockpot Chipotle and Beef Burritos a try. Just one of the many delicious Mexican treats on our site.

While there take some time to learn more about the extraordinary history, culture and cooking methods used to make this wonderful blend of old and new world cuisine. We also have a full Mexican Cooking Glossary complete with phonetic pronunciations for the none Spanish speaking Mexican food lover.

A Healthy Heart - Could Traditional Mexican Food Be the Answer?

A lot of Americans consider Mexican food as being one of their favorite cuisines and many Americans consume Mexican food at least once a week. Mexican recipes are well loved throughout the United States but Americanized Mexican recipes and authentic Mexican recipes often differ greatly. Americans are fond of adding extra fat and super-sizing their portions. If you visit Mexico, you might not even find the same dishes because Americans have created their own versions of a lot of them. Traditional Mexican food contains a lot of fresh vegetables, vitamins, spices, and proteins, the portion sizes are smaller, and a lot less fat is added.

Healthy Mexican Food versus Unhealthy Mexican Fast Food

Traditional Mexican dishes are usually healthy Mexican food. Tomatoes, which are used in a lot of traditional Mexican recipes contain lycopene, which fights cancer, and are rich in vitamins. This does not mean you should not enjoy American style Mexican food but you can make it healthier if you make your own or visit Mexican fast food outlets less often.

The Makings of Healthy Mexican Food?

Beans are high in protein and fiber and can be added whole to recipes rather than refried because this cuts back on fat. Corn is a common Mexican food addition, which can maintain a healthy heart. It contains fiber and is high in vitamin content. Adding such ingredients as corn, whole beans and tomatoes to your Mexican recipes can promote health and cut back on fat while maintaining a great Mexican flavor in your dishes.

So, do Mexicans eat healthily? Well, there are plenty of health food stores in America where we can buy healthy food alternatives and there are also health food stores in Mexico. In fact, over $500 million is spent on health foods yearly in Mexico. Not everybody can afford to pay more for health foods however.

Five percent of the population of Mexico regularly consumes health foods. They range from twenty to fifty in age and normally live in metropolitan areas where health food shops are located. Even Mexicans with less money eat more healthily than most Americans. Traditional Mexican recipes are healthier than a lot of American recipes and Americanized Mexican dishes. In addition, Mexicans use different cooking methods and do not use fattening cooking methods such as deep-frying as often as Americans do.

Mexican Food Pyramid Food for a Healthy You

You are probably wondering again, is Mexican food healthy for me. Authentic Mexican dishes are, because they carry many vitamins and are generally low in fat. America has fattened up the Mexican dishes making them not a good choice. If you want to go out to eat, try avoiding the major Mexican food chain restaurants. Find a restaurant that serves authentic dishes. It is healthier and will taste even better knowing you are giving your body good foods.

Discover the truth about Mexican food history and find out more about the wonderful spices that make Mexican recipes a favorite with the whole family.

So What Makes Traditional Mexican Food So Fascinating?

The food of Mexico has a long and varied history. This diverse history is rich with a fusion of influences that has created a cuisine that is enjoyed all over the world. True Mexican cuisine is made of fresh foods that are prepared from scratch. The results are delicious and very good for you.

Mexican cuisine is the result of Spanish, Mayan and Aztec influences. Add in a dash of French and you have today's Mexican cuisine. Although it has a reputation for being spicy, not all Mexican dishes are hot. Some are creamy and sweet. Depending on the area of Mexico a recipe is from, the food could be based more on beans, fruit, or seafood.

The European Discover of Mexico and its Influence

In 1521, when Cortez arrived in Mexico from Spain, he and his fellow explorers found many foods they had never seen before. Peanuts, chocolate, squash, beans, vanilla, avocados, corn, tomatoes, and coconuts were all new flavors that flooded their taste buds. In turn, the Spanish introduced many foods into Mexico like pork, beef, lamb, cheese, garlic, citrus, vinegar, wine, and milk. The native Mexicans quickly assimilated these foods into their cuisine, blending them with their staples easily.

Every cuisine has a foundation of ingredients. In Mexico, it was squash, corn, and beans. Each region then added their specialties to this foundation. In the Yucatan Peninsula, seafood was the primary addition along with fruit-based sauces. In northern Mexico, the meat was almost always grilled over an open charcoal fire. Oaxaca is thought to be the place corn was first domesticated. Even today, there are many varieties of corn grown in this area that can be found nowhere else. Chiles are another staple in this area. They make seven different varieties of mole sauce in Oaxaca.

Regional Mexican Cuisine

In Veracruz and its area, most recipes contain fresh fish. Fish is found in tamales, tacos, burritos and more due to the abundance of this ingredient. They also use a lot of olives, chili peppers, and tomatoes in this area. True Mexican food is very different from what you get in the United States.

The Mexican food we eat in the United States tends to be more Tex-Mex than Mexican. In Mexico, rice and beans would rarely be served together in the same meal, let alone the same course. Here, we get both on the same plate at most Mexican restaurants. Mexicans hardly ever make salads, either. This is the influence of the United States that has added these dishes.

You can easily find traditional Mexican recipes in books or online, but do not expect them to be like what you eat at Mexican restaurants. Authentic Mexican cuisine is a delicious tradition you should try. Maybe you can try some of the regional recipes that use fresh ingredients like seafood or fruit. They are really amazing.

Sitting down to a Mexican meal does not necessarily mean tacos and enchiladas, but this certainly is a wonderful way to enjoy it. The real cuisine of Mexico is rich and full of flavor. Enjoy some at your own table and see all it has to offer. You will be very surprised.

Mexican food makes a great change from our usual staples and if you want to surprise your family with something deliciously different tonight. authentic Mexican recipes are nutritious and flavorful and sure to become a family favorite. Mexican recipes are as easy to make as they are great tasting. As the father of four boys Mexican food is a favorite in our house.

MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food