Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Some Interesting Facts about Mexican Food

By KC Kudra

Mexican food is popular all over the world and for great reasons. There is such a variety when it comes to Mexican dishes. You can taste combinations you never have before. Many people appreciate the great Mexican minds that created popular Mexican foods. The foods thrill our taste buds, the smells excite our minds, and the looks please our eyes, enrich, and inspire our souls.

Many of the Mexican foods of today are based from long ago when the Aztecs and Mayas first created them. Some dishes that are exotic and eaten long ago include iguana, spider monkeys, and rattlesnakes. It is not eaten most of the time in this century, but it is also not unheard of.

In addition, Mexican food evolved more when the Spanish colonists arrived, bringing new cookery ideas, methods, and different ingredients to incorporate in existing Mexican food dishes. Chili pepper has been a staple ingredient in Mexican recipes for thousands of years and is still very popular. Some Mexican dishes, especially those originating from the Yucatan and Vera Cruz, have a Caribbean influence. Other Mexican dishes, such as bolillo, have a French influence. Bolillo is a popular Mexican bread.

There are many health benefits when it comes to Mexican foods. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, with low fat and calories. You are not eating authentic Mexican food if you eat at Taco Bell. America has added many fats to the foods, which does not contain all the nutrients you would eat if you ate in Mexico. Mexican dishes contain many fresh ingredients that you may not be able to find in other types of cuisine. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, and others are very healthy for your body.

Foods differ in the different regions of Mexico. It depends on the climate and geography of the area along with ethnic differences. Northern Mexico is known for its dishes that contain meat, while in Southern Mexico, dishes popular include vegetable and chicken. Seafood is commonly served in the Mexican state of Vera Cruz. Vera Cruz is a Mexican state that is very long and tropical with lowlands that runs up and down the Gulf of Mexico. It is easy to get fish such as red snapper, snook, grouper, and mojarra. Mojarra is a prized fish in the area. Crab, lobsters, and oysters are abundant.

As well as the sea, this state has over forty rivers running through it, so there is an endless supply of shellfish and freshwater fish to use in their Mexican food recipes. Seafood is very nutritious, low in fat and carbohydrates and makes an interesting change when used in authentic Mexican recipes.

You can learn a lot of history and facts about Mexican food by the different regions. Trying new recipes will give you a taste as to why they differ. With Mexican culture rich in history, it is always nice to learn about how the foods came about and how they are nowadays. Once you are knowledgeable about the dishes, it makes it even more enjoyable when cooking and eating. - 15634

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