MEXICAN CUISINE III MAY-AUGUST 2024

JUAN CARLOS JUAREZ DIAZ.

The story of Mexican food
history and culture is
MEXICAN CUISINE IS THE SEVENTH learn
BEST CUISINE IN THE WORLD,
fundamentally
colonization,
about
agriculture,
ACCORDING TO TASTE ATLAS about
geography,
philosophy!
and even
Mexican gastronomy transcends borders
the
November 16, 2010, UNESCO declared history
due to its immense cultural value. On
There are many reasons you
may want to learn more about
how Mexican food has
changed over time. Maybe
Mexican gastronomy as Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity. of
you want to learn more about
your culture. Maybe you’re a
Traditional Mexican cuisine is a reflection
Mexica
history buff! Or maybe you’re
a foodie who wants to know
of a diverse and ancestral community. A
cultural legacy of thousands of years,
n
why Mexican food today is
the way it is.
which converges here today, as part of our
national identity. Cuisin
 MISCEGENATION (MESTIZAJE)
WHAT It is the result of the mixture and interaction between various communities.
MAKE Miscegenation opened the door to the cultural exchange of ingredients,
techniques and knowledge.
S OUR Major influences on Mexican food culture
GASTR  Indigenous Food: we have the most historical data on the Aztecs and the
Maya. responsible for many of the hallmarks of Mexican food today:
ONOM corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, avocados, chocolate, chilies, the list goes
on and on (and on). Also, a lot of the tools we associate with Mexican
Y SO food like the metate and the molcajete were originally part of the
Indigenous tradition.
SPECI
AL?
 MISCEGENATION.
WHAT
MAKE The Spanish food
It introduced most of the common proteins you see in Mexican food today,
S OUR including beef, pork, chicken, and goat. Spanish colonization is also
responsible for dairy in Mexican food, as well as almost all use of added fats
GASTR and oils.

ONOM
Y SO
SPECI
AL?
 Other major influences:
WHAT
African Food
MAKE While rice originated in Asia, Mexican rice is strongly influenced by African
cooking techniques. The use of plantains in Mexico is also strongly influenced by
S OUR African food. Sesame, lentils, banana and melon. The stewing technique

GASTR Middle Eastern Food

Middle Eastern food contributed sugar, coffee, and al pastor to Mexican food.

ONOM French and German Food

You can thank France and Germany for pan dulce and Mexican beer,

Y SO respectively.

The Catholic religion

SPECI It was also part of this cultural development and through syncretism we obtained
a Mexican culture, therefore a Mexican gastronomy.
AL?
Gastronomic regions:
Highlands and Gulf of Mexico: Estado de México, Mexico city. Morelos, Puebla,
Tamaulipas.
South: Oaxaca
Southeast: Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.
 Historical keys of Mexican food
The Origins
The basics of Mexican cuisine can be traced back to 7000 BCE, when
Mexico and Central America had yet to be colonized. Back then
indigenous people roamed the area and survived by hunting animals
and gathering plants. One of the most common plants in the area was
the wild chile pepper, which they ate frequently.
Corn first entered their diet 500 years later in 1200 BCE. It was
domesticated through a system called Nixtamalization where the
corn would be treated with lye to soften it for grinding.
Nixtamalization lead to the use of tortillas and other types of corn
based breads.
The indigenous people had a very hard time collecting sufficient
protein, as meat was scare around the area. To try to make up for this
they ate a lot of beans, which would be served as a side of most meals
with corn.
Food from this era used many of the same staple
ingredients we see in Mexican food today. Corn,
beans, squash, tomato, chiles, and avocado were
the main staples. Of course there were many fruits
and vegetables native to Mexico that were also
eaten. Examples include nopales, jicama, pitaya,
guava, chayote, and many more.
Proteins from this era included small wild animals
like birds, fish, small mammals, and insects.
Plant-based proteins were also common, such as
chia seeds, beans, pumpkin seeds, and more.
Importantly, turkey was especially common in
Mayan food at this time. Turkey is still one of the
most authentic foods to serve with mole.
Most Ancient Mexican Dishes: Corn tortillas,
tamales, mole, salsa, guacamole, tacos, pozole,
atole among others.
 Historical keys of Mexican food- SPANISH
COLONIZATION
Colonization
The Spanish introduced many of their own
recipes and dishes into the indigenous
culture, like rice, olive oil, garlic,
coriander, cinnamon, and many other
spices. They also brought many
domesticated animals like pigs, sheep,
cows, chickens, goats, and more for a
reliable source of protein. The cows, goats,
and sheep were used for dairy as well, with
cheese becoming a main ingredient in
many dishes.
The Spanish were very intentional about introducing wheat to
Latin America for their own religious and health purposes.
Perhaps most interestingly, the Spanish introduced the concept of
frying food in oil to the Americas. This means all frying
techniques, olive oil, and lard were all introduced by the Spanish.
This is when we start to see Indigenous Mexican food start to
look a little more like the Mexican food we recognize today.
Tostadas (fried in oil)
Refried beans (sautéed in lard)
Flour tortillas
Certain Indigenous foods were outlawed for religious reasons.
Since colonization, mills have been introduced and are much
more common now. Although you will still see plenty of hand
grinding on the metate or molcajete.
 Historical keys of Mexican food- Post
Revolutionary Period
Since the colonization many cuisines have influenced
Mexican Food, including French. The French intervened in
Mexico in the 19th century, and their food was enjoyed by
After the Mexican revolution, many the upper class even after they left.
immigrants arrived in Mexico. This period
is responsible for Mexican foods like:

Pan dulce
Mexican beer
Mexican cheeses
Al pastor
Historical keys of Mexican food- MODERN
Period
Don’t forget that history is still happening!

The modern period of Mexican food history is characterized by a shift in labor. More people
are moving into cities and fewer people work in agriculture.

This means we are seeing more processed and convenience foods as there is less time to
prepare meals at home. (Note: I’m NOT saying this is a bad thing. This happens to most
societies over time).

There’s also been an increase in trade with the United States and other countries. Mexican
foods that come from this era include:

Processed snacks (like chips, Cheetos, etc.)

Instant masa harina (“maseca”)
Sodas
 Regional Differences
WHAT
MAKE
S OUR
GASTR
ONOM
Y SO
SPECI
AL?
 Regional Differences
WHAT
MAKE
S OUR
GASTR
ONOM
Y SO
SPECI
AL?
 Regional Differences
WHAT
MAKE
S OUR
GASTR
ONOM
Y SO
SPECI
AL?
THE 8 GASTRONOMIC REGIONS
 THE 8 GASTRONOMIC REGIONS

The mixture of ingredients and the difference in their preparations is what has divided into several
gastronomic regions in Mexico.

Northeast Region: Coahuila and Nuevo León.

Throughout the northeast, three elements are characteristic of its gastronomy: laurel, oregano… and the
famous cumin.

Northwest Region: Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Sinaloa. This gastronomic region offers
fish- and seafood-based dishes as well as chili and wine.
Chihuahua and Durango. Fine cuts of beef, pork, and dried meats.
Pork stews, made with pasilla chili, garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt are also classics.

Northcentral Region: Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi, Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, and Queretaro. that combine
indigenous and Spanish influence, so there are many dishes that are based on corn, beef, pork, chicken, and
goat meat. https://vibeadventures.com/regions-of-mexico-food/#chapter1
 THE 8 GASTRONOMIC REGIONS
Western Region: Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, and Michoacan. dishes with shellfish as well as famous carnitas
and birria, without leaving behind corn, wheat, and beans.

Southcentral region: State of Mexico, Morelos, and Mexico City. beef, pork, chicken, fish, seafood, fruits,
and vegetables.

East Region: Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, and Veracruz. this region have substantial mestizo, Spanish and pre-
Hispanic influences. Among the most typical dishes are mole poblano, chiles en nogada (nogada chili),
barbacoa, pasta, and products of corn, and maguey.

Southeast Region: Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo. This region’s cuisine is a mixture of
Mayan, Spanish, and European dishes. seafood, pork soups, rice, tomatoes, achiote, sour orange, and chili.

Southwest Region: Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. mestizo, Spanish, French, pre-Hispanic, and colonial
influences. The tamales, beans, chili, seafood, corn, mole, and exotic meats such as iguana and armadillo
stand out.

https://vibeadventures.com/regions-of-mexico-food/#chapter1
 THE 8 GASTRONOMIC REGIONS

Which regions are in

the course?
PLATEAU AND GULF OF MEXICO REGION: Estado de México, México city, Morelos,Puebla,
Tamaulipas and Veracruz.

SOUTH Region: Oaxaca

SOUTHEAST Region: Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Roo. This region’s cuisine is a
mixture of Mayan, Spanish, and European dishes. seafood, pork soups, rice, tomatoes, achiote, sour orange,
and chili.

https://vibeadventures.com/regions-of-mexico-food/#chapter1
 Mexican cuisine is based on the Matlazinca, Mazahua, Nahua, Otomí and Tlahuica
gastronomic traditions that live there.
One of the most typical products of the Toluca Valley is pork, inherited from the
Spanish who settled in the region to raise this animal.

Main products: pork, carnitas, chicharrón, Various local sausages are obtained from
Estado the pork, such as sausages, moronga, ham, the green chorizo or the almond chorizo
from Toluca, the bishop from Tenancingo, or the pork cheese.
de The State of Mexico shares a gastronomy with other neighboring states, for example; the

México ximbó, the gualumbos and the carnero barbacoa that are also part of the gastronomy of the
state of Hidalgo.

In the past, freshwater fish were the basis of the Mexican diet. Edomex is a national leader
in the production of corn and beans, essential ingredients of the Mexican diet, which
together with chili is known as "the Holy Trinity of Mexican cuisine." Of Mexican
heritage is the consumption of insects: acociles, chinicuiles, escamoles or grasshoppers. In
the rainy season, mushrooms and quelites are consumed.
 Main products:
Corn is the greatest protagonist

Pork, carnitas, chicharrón, Various local sausages are obtained from the
pork, such as sausages, moronga, ham, the green chorizo or the almond
chorizo from Toluca, the bishop from Tenancingo, or the pork cheese.

Estado Mushrooms

de Insects: chapulines, escamoles, maguey worms. Chilocuil, chinicuil or

roofol, called "chili worm“
México Freshwater fish and shellfish: acociles, charales, trucha,

Quelites

Salsa borracha

Dairy
 Snacks and dishes:
Tacos
Xocoatole

Estado Barbacoa
Chileatole
Conejo en adobo
de Mextlapique
Huevos rancheros
México Mixiote
Pambazos
Wheat Pozole
Quesadillas
Ximbó
 Drinks
Garañona
Garapiña, is alike tepache
Estado Mosco, Mosquito. Toluca
Pinole
de Pulque
Tecui, alike ponche, Christmas
México Torito
Zendecho
 Mixiote 5 pax
Mixiote is a dish of pre-Hispanic origin. Today there are multiple
versions of this recipe, depending on the region in which they are
cooked.
Estado •
•
5 chiles guajillos
5 piernas o muslo de pollo
• 3 chiles anchos
de •
•
1/4 de cebolla blanca
2 dientes de ajo grandes
México •
•
Una pizca de canela
1 cucharadita de orégano en polvo
• Sal
• Pimienta molida
• 1/2 cucharadita de comino
• 2 de jitomates
• 5 hojas de maguey para mixiote/papel mixiote
• 5 nopales
• 5 hojas de aguacate
 Mixiote 5 pax

Let's cook!
Blend
1. Cooking thread

Estado 2. Blend the chiles with the onion, garlic, vinegar, tomate, cumin, oregano,
tomatoes and water; strain. Pour the mixture over the chicken and nopales,
de marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

México Place
3. On a maguey leaf, place a leg with thigh, strips of cactus and a little of the
sauce; form small packages and tie with cooking thread. Repeat the process
with the rest of the ingredients.

Offer
4. Place them in a pressure cooker and cook in a bain-marie for 25 to 30
minutes after the valve sounds. Offers.
 Michmole
6 pax
Traditional michmole includes axolotls, but due to the precarious state of conservation
in which they are currently found, they have been omitted from the recipe. This dish is
prepared for family and traditional parties in some lake towns in the Mexican basin. On
certain non-traditional occasions, the carp is replaced with catfish or some white fish
Estado and other aquatic products are added, such as charales and frogs.

de ¼ de cebolla
500 g de carpa

México 250 g de acociles

12 tomates verdes
2 chiles cuaresmeños
½ taza de masa de maíz nixtamalizada
⅓ de taza de manteca de cerdo
2 ramas de epazote
2 ramas de acelga
5 nopales grandes, picados y cocidos
sal al gusto
 Michmole
Procedure
1. Place a saucepan over the heat with enough water and salt to taste to
Estado cook the onion, carp and acociles, between 7 and 15 minutes. Remove
the ingredients from the heat and set them aside.
de 2. Boil the tomatoes with the chilies and the dough in the fish cooking
water for 10 minutes. Remove dough and set aside; blend the rest of
México the ingredients. Place a saucepan with the lard on the heat and lightly
fry the epazote and chard branches.
3. Add the ground tomatoes and let it boil. Add the dough and salt to
taste, lower the heat and let everything boil for 10 minutes.
4. Add the carp, the acociles and the nopales. Check the amount of salt
and serve.
 Chilanga cuisine (nickname for the people of Mexico City) is
part of the Gastronomy of Mexico, which is a World Heritage
Site. Due to the large migrations from other Mexican regions,
Ciudad the capital's gastronomy reflects that of the entire country.
de
México History
The Lake as its main source of food
Mallards and pumpkin guides
fish from the lake, axolotls, frogs or tadpoles, charales and
mexcalpiques.
 PRESENT

The gastronomic proposal hides an endless number of

Ciudad culinary secrets from the most varied origins, ranging from
delicious national snacks to exotic dishes prepared by an
de international chef.
México On the other hand, the city is home to gastronomic events of
national importance, such as the National Mole Fair, which is
held during the first three weeks of October in San Pedro
Atocpan (Milpa Alta). Approximately 90% of the inhabitants
of Atocpan are dedicated to the production of mole, which is
about 30 tons per year.
 PRESENT
In recent decades, Mexico has experienced a renaissance of its
Ciudad haute cuisine and internalization of its gastronomy:

de Monica Patiño
Enrique Olvera Daniela Soto Innes Ricardo Muñoz Zurita Patricia Quintana

Méxic
o

Edgar Nunez Margarita Carrillo Alfredo Oropeza Yuri de Gortary Krauss

 Appetizers (snacks) and dishes from CDMX
 Al pastor tacos. Created by lebanese immigrants in the XIX th century
 Tacos de canasta- from Tlaxcala
 Tlacoyos. originally from ancient Tenochtitlan
 Huarache. Created in 1935 by the Jamaica Market seller Carmen Gómez.
 Caldo de indianilla
Ciudad 

Caldo Tlalpeño
Flauta- origin unknown
de 

Guajolota, from Puebla
Pancita (Menudo). The Mexican variant originated in colonial-era Mexico City.

México 

Mextlapique
Michmole
 Caldo de Migas (migas de tepito) for originating in this neighborhood,28 simple
broth with bones and bread crumbs.
 Quintoniles . Consumed since before Cortés
 Mole de Tláhuac
 Mole de olla
 Pozole
 Tortas, Corn -elotes, esquites, enchiladas (300 kind of), chilaquiles. Nopales salad.
 Quesadilla Debate
The Mexican capital is the only
place in the entire country where
you can order quesadillas with or
without cheese, since it is generally
understood that cheese is included
Ciudad per se, since it is its main
characteristic (hence its name).

de However, in Mexico City customers

must specify whether they want it
with or without cheese. This
México particularity is a source of ridicule
by the rest of the country.
Apparently, this debate dates back
decades,32​and even centuries.33​
 Drinks
Michelada

Fruit water

Tlachique (Pulque)
Ciudad Tequila

de Mezcal

México Sodas (in a plastic bag) for kinds

 Caldo Tlapeño
indicates that the soup is from a
place called “Tlalpan”, but there
are several regions that claim to
be the place where the soup
originated.
 Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
Ciudad  Tlalpan subway, at the
beginning of 20th century,
de when food sellers were
famous, one of them because
México of his soup.

Caldo de indianilla

It is a dish originating from the

Doctores neighborhood.
 Mextlapique

Ciuda
d de
Méxi Mole verde de Tláhuac
The origin of this delicious food dates
back to pre-Hispanic times when the
co Aztecs prepared “mulli” for the lords,
which means mixture, which basically
consisted of an elaborate chocolate
sauce.