Mexican Food

Small | Medium | Large

Mexican food is known for its colorful cuisine and spicy flavors. Corn and rice, which was brought over by the Conquistadors, are the staples of Mexican food dishes. These dishes are based on Aztec and Mayan dishes. The Spanish colonist introduced culinary trends to the Mexican food also. These dishes will be colorful because of the vegetables that are added, such as bell peppers, radishes, and cauliflower. The French invasion of Mexico introduced sweets such as sweet bread and bolillo. There are also a few exotic dishes that have resulted from years of ship trading with Asia.

The cuisine of Mexico varies from the three different regions of Mexico. Northern Mexico is known for using beef, goat, and ostrich in their dishes. In central Mexico, the dishes are made up of food influenced by cooks from all over Mexico. The southern region has dishes based on using a lot of spices and chicken. Outside of Mexico, the cuisine is changed slightly by adding American influence, like Tex-Mex and Cal-Mex. In the states, Native American cuisine and food preparation can be confused with Mexican cuisine. There is a difference between the two, as Native American food is usually simpler and much milder in taste and spice. Mexican food can be found all over the United States, but in most places it is not the traditional Mexican food. To be able to get true Mexican food, one usually must stay in the Southwest.