Traditional Meals in Mexico

Traditional Meals in MexicoThe Mexican dishes are very diverse and extremelydelicious. The influence of the Spanish and Indian cultures can be felt inthem. The roots of the Mexican cuisine go right into the depth of the IndianMaya and Aztec cultures. It is the Mayas and the Aztecs who have made theSpanish conquistadors aware of tomatoes, avocados, peanuts, squash vegetablemarrows , sweet and white potatoes, pineapples, papaya, vanilla, cocoa, certainstring bean and Chili pepper varieties.One good turn deserves another the Spaniards havebrought cattle, sheep, chickens, wheat, rice, nuts, oil, garlic, cinnamon, someother spices and fruit to the Americas.

The missioner nuns living in Mexicowere entrusted the responsibility for the development and distribution of newdishes. For their cooking they used the ingredients typical of the Indian aswell as Spanish cuisine.Step by step the Mexican cuisine was winning its everincreasing popularity, and the Latin American - Indian cooks were adaptingtheir traditional meals to the European palate and the European-originingredients.

The Mexican cuisine is characterized with the ingredients anddishes that have already become classics Chili pepper, tortillas, tacos, riceand string beans. And it is undoubtedly tequila that rates first among thespirits!It goes without saying that the only word describingthe Mexican Cuisine is chili, and especially chili peppers.It makes no difference are they eitherunbroken or cut into pieces, either pickled or fresh, either tinned or dried,chili peppers are integral part of the Mexican dishes.Chili seasoning is a clue to understanding of uniquetaste of the Mexican cuisine.Mexican legend about chili says that it protects fromcold and malaria, is good for digestion, cleanses blood and raises immunity.Tortilla substitutes for bread in Mexico.

It may befried, baked, sauced or with different fillings for example, with jelly . Youmay also eat it in itself.Tortilla is often used for tacos.Taco is the most popular appetizer in Mexico.

Theprincipal ingredient is a crisp corn cake, fried in the form of U. Taco shellsas a rule are filled with meat and seasoning or with string bean. Then it istopped with cut lettuce, onion, tomatoes and grated cheese. All this isenriched with red or green chili sauce. Variants of cooking taco sauce areendless.Taco sauce cooked of tomatoes, onion, chili pepper, garlic and otherseasoning creates a unique taste of the Mexican cuisine.Rice and string beans is considered to be the mosttraditional Mexican garnish.String beans usually are kneaded or whipped to filltaco.

As a garnish string beans may be served in whole. Fried string beans area string beans mash, fried in oil.Rice is another popular garnish for majority of theMexican dishes.Mexican rice may be cooked by different ways. Every Mexicanfamily has its own recipe, inherited from the ancestors.It goes without saying that Tequila is the most popularMexican strong drink. A half of lemon segment and a saucer with salt is servedfor pure tequila.

The lemon is put between thumb and forefinger. A pinch ofsalt is put on joint of thumb. At first you take a little salt, then you take asip of tequila and in the end you take the lemon.One of the favorite drinks made of tequila isMargarita, prepared on the basis of lemon. It is served in cold goblet.Brimsof the goblet should be sprinkled with salt. Cocktail Daiquiri may bealternative of Margarita . This drink is usually served almost frozen.Besides, liqueur with a smell of coffee is very spreadin Mexico.

It is also popular both incocktails and in desserts.