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With over 150 varieties of chili, Mexican cuisine is rich, spicy, colorful and uniquely flavorful. Primarily a blend of Native Indian and Spanish influences, the food has evolved over time with many cultures adding their own touch.
A fundamental part of the national identity, food preparation in Mexico is elaborate and often tied to symbolism and festivals. Cooking is an integral social custom that is considered an investment to maintain social relationships within families and communities. Meals are prepared when the ingredients are considered tastiest and the ability to cook well is considered a gift coming from commitment to the diners.
Gather your friends together and make an investment in each other the Mexican way!
“Mexican food is not merely a food, nutritional or gastronomic issue, but rather a basically cultural phenomenon. Our cuisine has to do with prehistory, with history, with anthropology, with religion, with traditions and with the customs of the people. Without exaggeration we can say that Mexican cuisine is a fundamental element of the national identity”. - Jose N. Iturriaga de la Fuente
The Mayan Indians were nomadic hunters and gatherers. Their diet consisted of many species of animal and insect along with tropical fruits, beans and corn.
The Mayans told a story of a man named Quetzalcoatl who brought secret knowledge of agriculture. Other cultures fromthe same period tell remarkably similar myths, and many have hypothesized that these learned people were the surviving ancestors of a far older, technologically advanced civilization that was almost wiped out in the Younger Dryas impact 12,900 years ago.
Whether the Mayans developed the ability to cultivate corn themselves or inherited the knowledge, it remains a staple throughout Mexico until the present day.
The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City, was the largest in the world at the time with about 200,000 people and perhaps double that if the surrounding urban areas were included. The Aztecs found ingenious solutions, such as urban farming and aquaculture, to support the population with avocados, zucchini, tomatoes, squash, beans, chilies, maize, cashews, chocolate, salsa, tortilla, chipotle, fish and turkey.
Before the conquest, Mexico lacked many domesticated animals. No chickens meant no eggs, no cattle resulted in no cheese, butter or milk; no pigs resulted in no cooking fat, a staple of modern Mexican cooking. The Spanish settlers also introduced wine, onions, garlic, wheat, seeds, nuts and many herbs and spices. Rice and sugar cane allowed the development of sweets and syrups.
Nuns grew food in the convent gardens, and, with the help of local girls, the integration of Spanish and Aztec recipes and ingredients began. For feasts, the nuns developed many new pastries and sweets.
Modern Mexican cuisine is a fusion of cooking methods and ingredients from many traditional indigenous tribes with the contributions of numerous immigrants who have made their way over the centuries. The Spanish conquest brought influences from many other parts of the world such as French, Portuguese, Caribbean and West African cuisines. Over time, a broad range of culinary influences further evolved Mexican cuisine including South American, German, Italian, Lebanese, Filipino, Chinese and American cuisines.
The French brought a variety of breads and pastries. The Germans brought beer brewing techniques. The Americans developed Tex-Mex and the Chinese added their cuisine to certain areas creating new fusions.
Although irrigation techniques have helped, Northern Mexico doesn’t boast the largest variety of food due to its mainly desert climate. Instead, it has a ranch culture, with a dominance of meat, a culture of outdoor grilling over wood fires and the most varieties of cheese in Mexico, with 56 varieties of asadero (smoked cheese) alone. While corn is a staple throughout Mexico, the production of wheat in the north gave rise to 40 different types of wheat tortillas leading to the creation of burritos.
Western Mexico has the widest variety of seafood and many tropical fruit fields. The tequila name can only be used if produced in this region, primarily near Jalisco. Michoacan in the south of the region has 38 indigenous languages spoken and, unsurprisingly, this indigenous influence is particularly noticeable in their cuisine.
Moving to the south, Oaxaca’s food also has close ties to traditional indigenous Indian cuisine due to relatively less disruption to the region during the Spanish conquest. The mountain ranges create numerous microclimates which, along with tropical fruit, an abundance of vegetables, and seafood lead to an enormous variety of dishes. The region is particularly famous for its chocolate.
In the East, the Yucatan peninsula has a distinctive cuisine. While corn is also a staple here, the food has a heavy influence from Mayan culture, as well as Caribbean, French and Middle Eastern cultures. Fruit is abundant and bitter oranges are often found in salsas and marinades. Honey is used in many drinks in this region.
Moving north from Yucatan, located on the gulf coast, Veracruz was a main seafaring crossroads and saw an Afro-Cuban influence added to the indigenous and Spanish influences common in Mexico. Cargo ships and tourists are still a common sight in the area and naturally there is a large array of seafood. The Caribbean and West African influences make the region’s cuisine particularly vibrant. Vanilla is also native to the area.
Finally, Mexico City in the central plains has been a melting pot of culture and cuisine since pre-Hispanic times. Street food is found everywhere and is incredibly popular. Ingredients are brought in from all over Mexico for the 15,000 restaurants in the city. Some specialize in pre-Hispanic cuisine including dishes with insects.
Due to Spanish influence, meals in Mexico are a social event that can take several hours. Take your time and enjoy the company as it can be rude to try to speed things up. It is better to arrive late than early and wait until invited to sit. It is customary to wash your hands before eating and wait for the host to begin the meal as Mexicans often like to first say a blessing or toast their guests.
To say enjoy your meal, use “Buen Provecho!”. A typical response is “gracias” meaning thanks or “igualmente” meaning likewise. “Salud!” means to your health and is used for saying cheers. Hands are expected to be visible but rest your wrists rather than your elbows on the table.
The Mexican table is covered in color, which mimics the variety of vegetables found on the plates. Typically, you will find a solid tablecloth with a striped multi-color table runner with a fringe at the bottom. You can create your own by layering a couple of different colored table runners to create your own unique look. On the other hand, if you do not have an assortment of runners then consider using striped placemats or different colored plates that have a swirl of color. Any of these ideas will work. The key to this type of table setting is to make sure it is bright and colorful.
Since a Mexican tablescape is so bright, it is a good idea to create a simple centerpiece that allows all the colors to have time with the eye. When it comes to making your table decoration, consider using a single-colored vase to hold a simple floral arrangement. To keep the vibrant color theme going, select a bunch of flowers that have a variety of colors and textures. If instead you want to add some additional color then a Pinata would make a fun centerpiece!
Mariachi is a great choice for an upbeat dinner party. Ranchera and Corrido from the North are popular internationally. Son Jarocho from Veracruz is a fusion of indigenous, Spanish and African elements, first popularised internationally by Ritchie Valens adapting the traditional wedding song “La Bamba”. Grupera is another popular genre influenced by many Mexican styles but also rock and ballads. For a tropical feel, Cumbia which originated in Colombia has a long history in Mexico as well.
This article is taken from our free recipe ebook, Our Delicious World, available here.
