When countless varieties of the freshest vegetables, fruit, meat,
and fish unite with prehispanic, colonial, and modern-day culinary
influences, the resulting cuisine is complex, diverse—and delicious.
Here’s a peek at the delights awaiting adventurous gourmands:
A
– Atole:
A traditional beverage dating back to prehispanic times,
atole can be made
sweet or bitter. Traditional ingredients include cornmeal, brown sugar, molasses,
water or milk, vanilla bean, and cinnamon. The chocolate version is
called champurrado. Antojitos: appetizers such as quesadillas
and tostadas. Achiote: A shrub whose
seeds produce a red pigment known as annatto or pimentao
doce; it's sold as a paste or powder for culinary use.
B
– Buñuelos:
Puffed fritters made with flour, milk, eggs and lard, then deep-fried.
Warm buñuelos are delicious when served with honey or sprinkled with
cinnamon. This treat is traditionally served during the holidays but
enjoyed year-round.
C
– Chiles:
An important Mexican staple with several varieties ranging from mild
to blazing hot. More than 200 chiles are available in Mexican cooking.
They are most often smoked, stuffed, stewed or pickled. Chiles en
nogada: Mexico’s signature dish, available August-October. The
poblano chile, Mexico’s spicy sister to the bell pepper, plays the key
role in this culinary masterpiece, which is stuffed with meat, served
with a white cream sauce and topped with red pomegranate seeds to echo
colors of the Mexican flag and symbolize Mexican independence.
D
– Dos Equis-XX:
One of Mexico’s most popular
beers
or cervezas. Mexico has been producing beer for generations, a
tradition brought over by the Spaniards in the mid sixteenth century.
Other top beer brands include Negra Modelo, Corona, Indio, and
Montejo.
E
– Escamoles:
Known informally as “Mexican caviar,” these eggs come from a special
ant found in the state of Hidalgo. Often served sautéed in butter and
onions and eaten in tortillas with guacamole, this expensive delicacy
is in high demand at chic restaurants nationwide. Escamoles were
formerly available only in spring, but recent high demand has caused
top restaurants to freeze supplies.
F
– Frijoles:
Beans are a Mexican staple, and several varieties exist. Frijoles
are commonly boiled and served with just about everything. Refritos
are mashed, and then fried in oil or lard. A popular dish, frijoles
negros a la veracruzana (Veracruz-style black beans), consists of
beans cooked with onion, garlic and a traditional herb called epazote.
G
– Guacamole:
The popular dip is made of mashed avocado mixed with onions, tomatoes,
lemon juice and chiles, and usually served with tortilla chips.
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H
– Huitlacoche:
Known familiarly as “corn smut,” this fungus
grows inside corn kernels to produce a taste that blends sweet corn
and mushroom. Huitlacoche can be used in anything calling for
mushrooms and is a popular ingredient in quesadillas, crepes, and
soups; it’s sometimes included in desserts such as flan. Although the
fresh fungus is a seasonal delight, it can be purchased year-round in
Mexico frozen or canned.
I
- Iguana:
A principal dish in some regions of Mexico, it’s served roasted, baked
with peanut or chile sauce in tamales, and also found in stews. Iguana
tastes something like chicken.
J
– Jumiles:
Most commonly found in the states of Oaxaca, Guerrero, Morelos and
Veracruz, these high-protein, grasshopper-like insects are served in a
variety of ways; raw or roasted, they’re found in traditional tacos;
crushed, when their aromatic flavor is similar to mint or cinnamon,
they’re used in sauces.
K
– Kahlua:
A Mexican coffee liqueur famous the world over, Kahlua is smooth and.jpg)
sweet; it’s served on ice, straight up, or over vanilla ice cream.
L
– Lengua:
Cow or pork tongue is a favorite dish in several regions, served stuffed or in tacos.
M
– Mole:
A dark, rich, complex sauce made with chiles, herbs, nuts, and, in the
case of Black Mole, chocolate. Mole is
often served over poultry or rolled tortillas, stuffed with cheese,
chicken or other ingredients. Don’t miss mole poblano; a
specialty from the state of Puebla, it contains more than 20
ingredients, including chiles, peanuts, chocolate and tomatoes. In
Oaxaca, try mole negro.
N
– Nopal:
A cactus that grows everywhere in Mexico, its
culinary
use dates back to prehispanic times. A common dish is sautéed nopal
with melted cheese.
O
- Oregano:
Dried Mexican oregano is an essential ingredient in many traditional
dishes such as pozole (a hominy pork soup) or huachinango a
la veracruzana (Veracruz-style red snapper—see
recipe).
P
– Pozole:
A hearty soup made of hominy, pork, garlic, chiles, and several
spices; most popular in Guerrero State. Puebla: Puebla is home
to what many Mexicans consider their country’s most refined dishes.
Q
- Quesadilla:
A flour or corn tortilla folded in half and stuffed with whatever your
heart desires (but usually cheese, meat, or mushrooms) and then fried.
R
– Rosca de Reyes:
A traditional fruit cake made with
candied
orange and served on January 6, the Day of the Epiphany. The cake
always contains a tiny figurine of Baby Jesus baked inside; according
to tradition, whoever gets lucky enough to find the figurine in
his/her slice must invite everyone for tamales on February 2,
Candlemas Day.
S
– Sopa:
Mexican cuisine is famous for its delicious soups. A favorite is
chicken soup, or sopa azteca, made with chicken chunks, broth,
rice, vegetables and avocado. Other popular soups: sopa de tortilla
(tortilla soup), sopa de frijol (black bean soup), and spicy
sopa de camaron (shrimp soup).
T
– Tequila:
There is nothing more Mexican than tequila. Made from the blue agave
plant, high-quality tequilas have long been popular in Mexico and have
recently become more widely known around the globe. Contrary to
popular belief, tequila should be savored and slowly sipped, often
accompanied by beer.
»»Read
our tequila primer
U
– Uvas:
Some people are surprised to learn that wine uvas (grapes) are grown
in Mexico. Mexico’s largest wineries can be found in Baja California,
with Guadalupe Valley one of the more popular destinations. This
region produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Ruby Cabernet, Zinfandel Grenache,
and Mission red varieties, and Chenin Blanc, Palomino, Riesling,
Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Saint Emilion, and Malaga whites.
V
– Vanilla:
Vanilla has thrived for centuries in Veracruz State, first cultivated
by the Totonac civilization. Today, vanilla is used in a variety of
dishes, from desserts to main courses. Mexican vanilla is still
considered the world’s most fragrant by food connoisseurs, and many
consider it to be an aphrodisiac.
W
– Whiskey:
If you hanker for a whiskey in Mexico, just say, ‘Un whiskey, por
favor.” Although not produced in Mexico, imported whiskey is widely
available at major hotels and fine restaurants. But may we suggest
tequila?
X
– Xtabentun:
An anise-flavored, honey-based liqueur from the Yucatan. Liqueurs are
popular after-dinner drinks among Mexicans, and are often made from
native fruit such as guanabana (sweetsop) or platano (bananas).
Y- Yucca:
A popular vegetable similar to the potato, it is commonly eaten in
the Mexican Caribbean. Yucca is often sliced, fried, and served like
French fries, or served stuffed with cheese and
minced
meat.
Z
– Zapote:
A fruit variety native to Mexico, zapotes come in many varieties but most are orange-sized, with
a creamy texture and sweet flavor (imagine a blend of peaches,
vanilla, and avocado). Zapotes are often used in smoothies (licuados),
as flavoring in sweets, and in chewing gum.
