Mexican Food

Guide Note

Mexican food can refer to traditional Mexican cuisine as well as the more Americanized "Tex-Mex" cuisine found in many American restaurants. Most modern Mexican food is derivative of a hybrid of Spanish and Aztec cuisines, frequently using spices and chili peppers to enhance the flavors of meat. Corn and corn-related dishes are common, as it is one of the largest indigenous crops of the Americas.

Fast Facts

1. Incorporates native Central American, Spanish and Caribbean influences
2. Tortillas are a staple of many dishes
3. Most traditional dishes served with rice
4. Beans were widely eaten before the arrival of Spanish soldiers
5. Taco Bell is the largest Mexican fast food chain

Mexican food varies by region, just as American food is different from one state to the next. Northern Mexico has widespread cattle rearing, and it is much more common to eat meat with nearly every meal in the north than in the South. Some of the most common vegetable dishes are pico de gallo, guacamole and various salsas, which are the primary sauces in Mexico.

With notable exceptions in Texas and parts of the southwestern United States, most Mexican food served in America is of a generic nature. For example, though chalupas do exist in Mexico, they are far removed from the fried flat bread product at Taco Bell.