One of the finest cuisines that satiate the gastronomic desires of people worldwide is Mexican food. Mexican food refers to a style of food that originated from Mexico. You will love Mexican cuisine due to its varied flavours, colourful decoration, variety of ingredients and its enticing
spicy taste.

The history of Mexican food can be traced back to pre-Hispanic traditions. The Aztecs and the Spanish colonists contributed handsomely to the evolution of the cuisine. It has taken thousands of years of blending all the indigenous cultures with foreign elements added later after the 16th century. In November 2010, Mexican cuisine was added by UNESCO to its lists of the world’s “intangible
cultural heritage”.

Beef, chicken, pork etc. are some of the chief non-vegetarian ingredients. Pepper, broccoli, cauliflower, radish etc. are some of the vegetarian ingredients that are used in abundance. It is said that Mexican gastronomy is also to some extent influenced by the Caribbean and the French.

Mexican food varies in taste and style from region to region in the country. Climatic conditions, and ethnic differences have cast their impact on Mexican gastronomy. In northern Mexico, you will find beef and meat items aplenty. To the contrary, the south-eastern part of the country is famous for its spicy vegetable and chicken items. Now let us taste virtually a few well-known Mexican delicacies.

“Aquas frescas” is a refreshing beverage formed of fruits, cereals or seeds, sugar and water. The beverage is not only popular in Mexico, but also in Central America and the Caribbean islands. Aquas frescas has some highly sought-after flavours. Agua de tamarindo is a popular variety of Aquas frescas that includes tamarind pods. Agua de jamaica is prepared with Roselle and agua de horchata includes rice. Ask for it at your favourite Mexican restaurant here.

Another popular Mexican cuisine that will tickle your taste buds is “Arroz con Pollo”. This is a dish comprising rice and chicken in Spanish. This item is considered to be a traditional delicacy. The highly luscious dish is prepared from rice, sofrito – a mixture of vegetables and fresh herbs, saffron and off course chicken.

Next, let’s have a taste of “Barbacoa”. From historical times till date, Barbacoa is perceived to be the original barbecue. Barbacoa refers to meat slowly cooked over an open fire. Barbacoa de cabeza, a North Mexican delicacy, is slowly cooked cow head. Barbacoa percolated into Texan cuisine where it was gradually transformed to the highly admired barbeque.

After Barbacoa, let’s introduce “Pico de gallo” to our taste buds. The name is derived from Spanish meaning rooster’s beak. Pico de gallo is actually a fruit salad with lime juice spread all over. Salty white chili powder is sprinkled before serving.

Our last Mexican platter of the day is Taco. Taco is a traditional Mexican offering comprising rolled maize tortilla with meat feelings. Generally grilled beef, picadillo, fish, pork or chicken is used for the filling. Taco tastes even yummier with chopped onion, chili salsa, and other garnishes. In Mexico, you will find several varieties of Taco. The serving of a Taco is quite interesting. It is traditionally served flat on a tortilla and the tortilla itself is being warmed up on a comal. The tortilla being soft, it can be folded into a U-shape for ease of consumption. Cheese, lettuce and beef- all contribute to make Taco a mouth-watering dish.

Mexican gastronomy relate to rich variety of tastes. The food is considered to provide you a handsome dose of proteins, vitamins and minerals. However to some, Mexican food appears greasy and too much spicy.

Try some of this cuisine at Carlos & Martin’s Tex-Mex Cantina in 7 Mile Shops.