Mexican food and drink
If you've eaten fajitas or tasted a chicken burrito, you could be forgiven for thinking you've a good idea of what Mexican food is all about - but Mexican cuisine is as varied and diverse as it gets.
Fajitas and Tacos are seen as national dishes, but specialities tend to be more regional than countrywide, so wherever you go in Mexico you are almost certain to be tempted by a new local dish. However, these dishes often have many ingredients in common.
Mexican cuisine has been evolving and progressing for centuries. Before the Spaniards arrived, bringing with them flavoursome spices and new cooking methods, the natives cooked basic meals with the few ingredients they had. Meat dishes generally meant goat, and almost everything was cooked over an open fire (hence the nation's affection for barbecue grilling).
Modern day Mexico sees dishes bursting with flavours, so much so that mexican cuisine is popular in nations the world over.
Common ingredients include chilli peppers, corn (a staple of the mexican diet for hundreds of years), beans, onions, chicken and garlic - but all are complimented by an array of delicious and fragrant spices that bring such distinction to the taste of Mexico.
Cheese is also popular in Mexican food, as in Enchilladas for example, but ather than being an age-old traditional favourite, cheese has only recently become popular in cooking.
One further common ingredient in Mexican cooking - cacti! Not the easiest food to prepare, but special equipment helps clear the sharp spines before the cactus is sliced, diced and cooked in a number of dishes.
Drinks-wise, local beer is popular - but Tequila is the country's official drink. If you are serving up a mexican style feast at your next barbie, make sure there is a bottle on standby - as well as a few limes. The pinch of salt is optional - but its not really the authentic Mexican way to drink tequila - more a hollywood myth!
Mexicans are more likely to pour their tequila straight into a shot glass with their cut of lime., and enjoy it minus the salt.
|
