Mexican cuisine
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Food is central to the Mexican way of life: like Mexico itself, it is colourful, rich, exciting and festive.
There is much more to Mexican cuisine than many people realise - each different region has its own traditions, ingredients and distinctive flavours. Whether you want street food and quick snacks, filling family meals or more complex dishes for entertaining, Mexican cookery provides it all. Corn, melon, pumpkin, beans, chillies, vanilla and chocolate all have their origins in Mexico.
History of...
Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, corn, beans, chillies, avocadoes, tomatoes, guavas, sweet potatoes and pineapples made up the staple Mexican diet. Other native vegetables, less familiar in the UK, were also eaten - such as jicama (a mildly sweet yam bean) and the crisp water chestnut-like chayote (which the French call christophene).
The Spanish arrived in 1492 and soon became fond of Mexican chillies, chocolate and vanilla. They brought livestock, most significantly pigs, and lard soon became a staple ingredient for frying. The Spanish settlers began to cook with local ingredients using European cooking methods, while native Indians adapted their cooking to include meat for the first time.
The later French occupation left a legacy of beautiful breads and pastries. These include comforting bunuelos (fried tortilla topped with cinnamon and sugar) and delicious pan dulce (prettily-shaped sweet rolls topped with vanilla, chocolate or lemon).
A melting pot of cultural influences, Mexican culture is truly a 'mestizo' (a mixture). As well as the French and Spanish effect, other influences include the introduction of brewing by the Germans and Chinese-style sweet and sour dishes. Germans settlers also introduced a cheese, now called queso de Chihuahua - a slightly stringy cheese, with a flavour like mild Cheddar; this was named after the area they occupied.
History of...
Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, corn, beans, chillies, avocadoes, tomatoes, guavas, sweet potatoes and pineapples made up the staple Mexican diet. Other native vegetables, less familiar in the UK, were also eaten - such as jicama (a mildly sweet yam bean) and the crisp water chestnut-like chayote (which the French call christophene).
The Spanish arrived in 1492 and soon became fond of Mexican chillies, chocolate and vanilla. They brought livestock, most significantly pigs, and lard soon became a staple ingredient for frying. The Spanish settlers began to cook with local ingredients using European cooking methods, while native Indians adapted their cooking to include meat for the first time.
The later French occupation left a legacy of beautiful breads and pastries. These include comforting bunuelos (fried tortilla topped with cinnamon and sugar) and delicious pan dulce (prettily-shaped sweet rolls topped with vanilla, chocolate or lemon).
A melting pot of cultural influences, Mexican culture is truly a 'mestizo' (a mixture). As well as the French and Spanish effect, other influences include the introduction of brewing by the Germans and Chinese-style sweet and sour dishes. Germans settlers also introduced a cheese, now called queso de Chihuahua - a slightly stringy cheese, with a flavour like mild Cheddar; this was named after the area they occupied.
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