Hispanic World Gastronomy: Mexican Cuisine

Mexican food is a mix of Spanish and native cuisine. The variety of Mexican food is a representative of the diverse and varied Mexican culture. The story of their food is long and complicated. It started with the first civilization in Mexico, the Olmec, which used primitive hunting methods and cultivated corn.

After Olmecs, the Mayas came. They discovered cocoa and advanced agriculture methods. Finally, the last empire before the Conquest was the Aztec. They ate rabbits, dogs and tame turkeys, birds, fish, reptiles, insects and wild animals. When the Spanish arrived to Mexico, they brought changes in the culture and the diet. New foods from Spain were introduced and mixed with the native ones to develop later the Mexican food.

Mexican food is one of the richest, elaborate and most popular cuisines of the world. Its ingredients are familiar to everyone, and always can be replaced by others. Among the most common we can find tomato sauce, chillis, beans, lime, avocado and chocolate, all tastes from the new world. Some of the traditional dishes are: Guacamole, Nachos, Quesadillas, Enchiladas, Fajitas, Flutes, Burritos, Chicken Tacos and guacamole, Tamales, etc...