It should not be a surprise to anyone to hear that the neighboring countries of the United States and Mexico have different cuisines. Nor is it surprising to hear that Mexican food recipes and recipes for traditional American dishes are quite different. What is surprising is that they are different - quite often, countries which border each other have somewhat similar culinary traditions, such as is the case between the US and Canada. So why is it that our food is so different from Mexican food anyway?
Some Mexican Food History
One of the two biggest reasons for the differences between Mexican food and American food is historical. Mexico of course was once a Spanish territory; then again, so were parts of the United States! The difference is that Mexico remained a Spanish colony for a much longer time - and you can certainly see the influence of Spanish cooking in parts of the American southwest. These are regions, which were formerly held by the Spanish and of course, also bordering Mexico.
By contrast, what is now the United States was largely colonized by immigrants from Northern Europe, especially the English, Dutch and Germans, with French settlers in some areas and later on, immigrants from eastern Europe and Scandinavia - and to a lesser extent, literally every other part of the globe.
For a long time, however, immigrants to Mexico from the old world hailed, for the most part, from Spain, leaving an indelible stamp on the new nation's cuisine. Many Mexican recipes are adaptations of Spanish dishes, with some classic recipes from Spain surviving more or less intact. This led to a distinctive blend of culinary traditions drawn from Spanish and indigenous ingredients and cooking methods.
Mexico has of course had significant numbers of arrivals from outside of Spain since, especially settlers from Syria and Lebanon, who brought one of their traditional dishes - shawarma with them. This has been adapted into the Mexican classic al pastor. However, the Spanish influence is stronger than any other in the Mexican kitchen is.
The US has had a much more diverse population historically, meaning that American cuisine is more of a patchwork quilt of different influences and ingredients, which is characterized by constant change. By contrast, Mexico has been able to develop its own style of cooking; but Mexican cooks do of course adapt the foods of other countries to local tastes as well as enjoying them as they are.
Locally Available Ingredients
The other important factor behind the difference in the cuisines of the two countries is geographical. The Spanish had to adapt to the ingredients, which were available in Mexico, just like the pilgrims learned to cook the local produce in Massachusetts. In Mexico, ingredients like corn, chilies, avocados, pumpkins, tomatoes and others which were new to the conquistadores quickly became staples and were cooked along with old world ones like rice, coriander and olives.
This blend of native ingredients and recipes with those brought over by the Spanish is what made Mexican food what it is today and many of the most famous Mexican food recipes clearly show this marriage of old world and new world cuisines. From tacos to soups to Mexican casserole recipes, this is one very successful - and very popular type of fusion cuisine.
Some Mexican Food History
One of the two biggest reasons for the differences between Mexican food and American food is historical. Mexico of course was once a Spanish territory; then again, so were parts of the United States! The difference is that Mexico remained a Spanish colony for a much longer time - and you can certainly see the influence of Spanish cooking in parts of the American southwest. These are regions, which were formerly held by the Spanish and of course, also bordering Mexico.
By contrast, what is now the United States was largely colonized by immigrants from Northern Europe, especially the English, Dutch and Germans, with French settlers in some areas and later on, immigrants from eastern Europe and Scandinavia - and to a lesser extent, literally every other part of the globe.
For a long time, however, immigrants to Mexico from the old world hailed, for the most part, from Spain, leaving an indelible stamp on the new nation's cuisine. Many Mexican recipes are adaptations of Spanish dishes, with some classic recipes from Spain surviving more or less intact. This led to a distinctive blend of culinary traditions drawn from Spanish and indigenous ingredients and cooking methods.
Mexico has of course had significant numbers of arrivals from outside of Spain since, especially settlers from Syria and Lebanon, who brought one of their traditional dishes - shawarma with them. This has been adapted into the Mexican classic al pastor. However, the Spanish influence is stronger than any other in the Mexican kitchen is.
The US has had a much more diverse population historically, meaning that American cuisine is more of a patchwork quilt of different influences and ingredients, which is characterized by constant change. By contrast, Mexico has been able to develop its own style of cooking; but Mexican cooks do of course adapt the foods of other countries to local tastes as well as enjoying them as they are.
Locally Available Ingredients
The other important factor behind the difference in the cuisines of the two countries is geographical. The Spanish had to adapt to the ingredients, which were available in Mexico, just like the pilgrims learned to cook the local produce in Massachusetts. In Mexico, ingredients like corn, chilies, avocados, pumpkins, tomatoes and others which were new to the conquistadores quickly became staples and were cooked along with old world ones like rice, coriander and olives.
This blend of native ingredients and recipes with those brought over by the Spanish is what made Mexican food what it is today and many of the most famous Mexican food recipes clearly show this marriage of old world and new world cuisines. From tacos to soups to Mexican casserole recipes, this is one very successful - and very popular type of fusion cuisine.
About the Author:
Most of us know what fresh chilies look like but what do dried ancho chilies look like? Actually, they are very dark brown, almost black in fact, and wrinkly looking. If you cannot find ancho chilies, you can substitute pasilla, California, New Mexico, or mulato chilies instead because they are all similar.
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