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History
The Spaniards
thought they had found a land of plenty when they landed on the
shores of the Yucatan in 1521, much to the dismay of the Aztec, Maya,
Zapotec and other natives populating this vast stretch of land.
Hernan Cortes and his crew set the stage for three centuries of
Spanish rule which finally started to unravel in 1810, when a village
priest, Miguel Hidalgo, uttered his famous grito, or cry: "Mexicanos!
Viva Mexico! Viva la Independencia!" The ensuing hundred
years were filled with invasions (most notably from the U.S.) and
fitful leadership, whereas the dawn of the twentieth century saw the
beginning of the Mexican Revolution in earnest, with the likes of
Pancho Villa battling it out with his countrymen.
Cuisine
Undoubtedly
an important part of Mexican culture is its varied cuisine. When
Christopher Columbus started his search for valuable species in 1492,
instead of arriving in India, he found America, sparking off the
conquest of countries which like México opened the world to
new culinary horizons with its universal donation of vanilla,
avocado, corn, tomato and chocolate, among others.
In
México there are great regions which have their own
gastronomic art. Due to their variety and deliciousness the cuisine
of Puebla, Oaxaca and Yucatán stand out, however one must not
forget the recipes from Bajío (central part of the country) or
the cuisine of the border states. However, it is not the objective of
this homepage to give a paper on the very varied and rich Mexican
cuisine, but to present the basic recipes with the understanding that
the elements needed for their preparation are easily available in
Denmark, which is not the case of the ingredients needed for more
sophisticated dishes.
Mexican food
is popular throughout the world. But the kind you're probably used to
-tacos with guacamole, quesadillas, enchiladas and carnitas- is only
a small part of this country's culinary repertoire. With it's variety
of indigenous civilisations, each region in México is marked
by a distinct aroma, taste and texture.
In central
México you'll find a blend of Aztec and Spanish. Typical is
the centuries old "mole poblano", a thick, dark sauce made
with dried chiles, nuts, seeds, spices, cocoa and other ingredients.
Southern
México, with its variety of dried peppers, is famous for its
savoury herbed stews and sauces.
Seafood,
garnished with tomatoes and herbs followed by rich coffee is the
basic meal along the Pacific Coast. And in the Yucatán
Península, dinner is likely to be a Mayan delicacy like
"pork pibil" cooked in banana leaves with the famed
"achiote" sauce.
In food, as
in everything else, the Mexican people have found a way to raise the
everyday basics to an art form.
It is also
pertinent to point out that the fundamental Mexican food is based on
corn, black beans and Chile. With these considerations in mind, some
easy recipes for Mexican food are presented.
Typical Dishes:
Ceviche
- Raw fish marinated in lime juice, often in a chopped salad.
Chiles Renellos
- Large Poblano chilies stuffed with cheese or spicy meat
(picadillo). The chilies are mild, though the sauce may not be.
Enchiladas
Tortillas - flatbreads, coated in a
tomato and chili sauce, stuffed with vegetables, chicken or pork then
folded and baked. Despite the chili content, enchiladas are often
fairly mild. Enchiladas suizas are topped with sour cream.
Huachinango
- Red Snapper, a common feature on the menus at coastal resorts.
Often available 'al gusto' or cooked in a choice of methods.
Quesadillas
- Tortillas stuffed with cheese, folded and grilled. A simple dish
often served with beans or a little salad and suitable for those
avoiding anything spicy.
Mole sauce
- A wonderful rich sauce made with the unlikely combination of
chocolate, chilies and many spices. It can be red or green depending
on the ingredients and the moles of Puebla and Oaxaca are
particularly famous, hence 'mole poblano' or 'mole oaxaqeño'.
The sauce is often served over chicken, though turkey is more
traditional. Mulli sauce, a concoction of various chilies originally
made by the Nahua Indians, was transformed one day when Maria del
Perpetuo Socorro of the Puebla convent decided to add chocolate,
peanuts, sesame seeds and cinnamon in order to tone down the sauce to
suit the delicate palate of Archbishop Manuel Fernández de
Santa Cruz. Thus the famous mole sauce was born.;Pipían
sauce Another of Oaxaca's specialties, pipían sauce is green
and made from pumpkin seeds. It is often served over chicken.
Poc Chuc
- Another Yucatecan specialty, where pork fillet is cooked with
tomatoes, onions and spices.
Pollo Pibil
- A Yucatecan specialty, not often found outside this region. It
traditionally consists of chicken marinated in orange and spices then
barbecued in banana leaves.
Tacos
- Tortillas fried until they are crispy and served with various fillings.
Tamales
- Cornmeal paste wrapped in corn or banana husks and often stuffed
with chicken, pork or turkey and/or vegetables, then steamed.
Tortas
- Mexican sandwiches, often large rolls with generous fillings.
Tostadas
- Thin and crisp tortillas served loaded with guacamole, sour cream,
chilies, chicken etc.
Drink:
On November
2, the day of the dead, tortillas, candies, drinks, tobacco and cane
alcohol are still left on the altars for their ancestors. For
Mexicans everything is an excuse for celebration. In cook books
you'll commonly find recipes to feed 40 or 80!
While men
drink tequila or cerveza, women prefer flavoured waters that they
serve in big earthenware bowls placed in a large basin full of ice,
decorated with banana leaves and flowers. Among these very sweet
drinks there is tamarind water, pitahaya (dragon fruit), tascalate
with chocolate, etc. There is also a drink called "tears of the
virgin," made with raw beets, served during the feast of Our
Lady of Sorrows and placed on the altars.
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