Victor Aquilina
ND310
3-13-09
Mexican Food
Authentic Mexican food is believed to be derived from the Mayan Indians from Mexico. They were typically hunter gatherers and there staple foods consisted of maize, which is corn which they would make into tortillas, and bean paste. The Mayans also hunted wild game, ate fish, and tropical fruits. As the Mayan Empire started to decline the Aztec Empire began to take power. Located in modern day Mexico City the Aztecs were a very wealthy civilization. The Aztecs introduced honey, chocolate, chili peppers, and salt into their cooking, while keeping intact the Mayan staple foods. Much of the wild game that the Mayans hunted was now domesticated, such as the turkey and duck.
In 1521 Hernando Cortez and his Spanish Conquistadors landed in Mexico searching for gold. They soon invaded the Aztecs and took control of Mexico. With the Spanish came different kinds of meat and produce. New livestock that was introduced was meat such as sheep, pigs and cows. They also brought different spices, garlic, and wheat.
What we believe to be Mexican food in America is not exactly Mexican food. Many dishes such as burritos, enchiladas, and nachos are dishes which were created by other races. Also there is Tex-Mex food which takes food from both Texas and Mexico and implements them into dishes. Much of what we see today is how many different cultures have came into Mexico and left a footprint on their food.
Bibliography
http://www.world-food-and-wine.com/mexican-food-history.html
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I didn't know chocolate and honey was introduced from this country, but I am eternally grateful. I also, had the perception that their food was nachos, burritos etc. I thought it was interesting to learn that it wasn't through your report and mine on the types of wedding food they have!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting and new to me that the dishes that we all assume to be "mexican food" were created from other races. I'm curious to know what races/cultures developed some of these delicious "mexican dishes."
ReplyDeleteI love mexican food, but I never went out to eat in real mexican food restaurants other than taco bell. I am sure the taste are total different, less additives. I post this early, but it didn't go through. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteWow. The Aztecs introduced a lot of my favorite things to eat. You can't go wrong (in my opinion) with honey, chocolate, and chili peppers (the hotter, the better). I had heard that what we know as Mexican food is not what is really eaten in Mexico. My son has a friend who's family is from El Salvador, and they own a restaurant in Asheville. I have eaten there a couple of times, and they try to make is authentic.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting that a lot of "Mexican" food was really brought over by other countries. I guess it makes sense.
ReplyDeletemexican food is one of my favorites because it is spicy hot food. I never knew that burritos,enchiladas and nachos aren't real mexican food
ReplyDeleteI got to experience "true mexican food" last summer, and I did not care too much for it. We were served some sort of bean paste wrapped in corn shucks, and large white corn flour chips with fresh salsa. The salsa was the only thing I really liked, and it was because it was on the hot side. I think that true mexican food is really bland, and that when the mexicans found chili peppers or hot spices was a good day for them. They used the hot spices to doctor up their bland dishes. Most hispanic families that I know, and who have lived in the US for some time, do not like their native foods as well as they like the americanized mexican food.
ReplyDeleteMexican food is one of my favorites, and it was so neat hearing how it was founded and how the same techniques are still used today!
ReplyDeleteThis was very interesting. I love mexican food and I love cooking it, but I had no idea of its origin. I have been around "mexican food" because of my step-moms family and they cook what they call real mexican food and it is nothing like I read in here. This was very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI was suprised to find out that foods that everyone thinks are authentic mexian foods are really not. This was interesting!
ReplyDeleteI was interested to see that the Mayans used to hunt duck. I've seen wild turkey (I have a couple gaggles in my own neighborhood, actually), so hunting them was no surprise to me. But somehow ducks just have domesticated connotations to me. Kind of like, yes there are wild goats in some places; but when I think of goats, I think of those on farms. Thank you for helping me think of life before modern agriculture!
ReplyDeleteReally interesting to learn about Mexico in the days of Mayans and Aztecs and their traditional foods. That is what true Mexican food is and I would love to try some of it!
ReplyDeleteThe taking over of power in the region was interesting fact and what each power living there ate was interesting. I like that this article included a Spanish influence in it because that did change their food forever. This article was well thought through because they didn’t take what we know as Mexican today as true Mexican.
ReplyDeleteI love Mexican food and did not realize that what we consider Mexican food is truly not Mexican.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting how different countries introduced certain types of mexican foods.
ReplyDeleteMexican food is my favorite kind of cuisine, however, maybe "mexican" food as I thought it was is not really mexican. I always thought of it was burritos and tacos. But I am glad they introduced to us honey and chocolate into our cooking.
ReplyDeleteI never realized that not all mexican food was made in MEXICO!!! But then I guess we think of french fries as an american food and they are actually french, Im guessing:) And if we think about taco bell, yes they are tacos but they definitely aren't authentic! it was really good to learn new facts about things we really don't even think about on a day to day basis!
ReplyDeleteWhere ever it comes from it sure is good. With an icrease in the hispanic population, mexican food has become part of many american diets.
ReplyDeletewow. this was very enlightening. i can't believe that most commonly eaten mexican dishes eaten in the us arent even derived from their culture!
ReplyDelete