mexicanfood

Mexican Food & History

By Denice Perez

Mexican Cuisine

Mayan Indians influence

The conquest of Mexico by Spain in 1521 had a great influence on Mexican cuisine.

Traditional ingredients include beans, chocolate, corn, squash, tomatoes, chocolate, avocado, vanilla, spices, and of course, chili peppers.

Regions in Mexico

The six regions of Mexico differ greatly in their cuisines

Central Mexico's cuisine is largely influenced by the rest of the country, but has unique and tasty dishes such as barbacoa, pozole, menudo, carnitas.

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History

Spanish Conquistadores arrived in Mexico City

Diet consists of corn-based dishes with chiles and herbs.

Beans, nopales and tomatoes

Indigenous people ate avocados, papaya, guava, jicama

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Classic Meals

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Tradition

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Chocolate

Chocolate played an important part in the history of Mexican cuisine

Chocolate was first drunk rather than eaten.

It was used as currency and for religious rituals.

he drink, called xocoatl, was often flavored with vanilla, chili pepper, and achiote

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Beverages

Tequila Beer Aguas Frescas

- Mango - Cantaloupe- Pineapple-Watermelon

Hot Chocolate- chocolatl means chocolate in Nahautl in an Aztec language

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Tortillas

The word tortilla Spanish denotes two different classes of foods, one basically an omelette which may have added ingredients, the other a flat thin cake of maize or flour.

The Aztecs used a lot of corn, both eaten straight from the cob and in recipes. They ground the corn, and used the cornmeal to make a dough called masa.

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