Mexican food is well loved all over the globe. There is plenty of variety when it comes to Mexican food and you can find combinations you have never tried before. A lot of people delight in the smell, taste of authentic Mexican recipes, and admire the great Mexican minds responsible for these tantalizing combinations.
Many of the Mexican foods of today are based from long ago when the Aztecs and Mayas first created them. Some dishes that are exotic and eaten long ago include iguana, spider monkeys, and rattlesnakes. It is not eaten most of the time in this century, but it is also not unheard of.
In addition, Mexican food evolved more when the Spanish colonists arrived, bringing new cookery ideas, methods, and different ingredients to incorporate in existing Mexican food dishes. Chili pepper has been a staple ingredient in Mexican recipes for thousands of years and is still very popular. Some Mexican dishes, especially those originating from the Yucatan and Vera Cruz, have a Caribbean influence. Other Mexican dishes, such as bolillo, have a French influence. Bolillo is a popular Mexican bread.
Many Mexican foods are nutritionally well balanced. They contain plenty of vitamins and minerals and most dishes are low in calories and fat. Taco Bell does not use authentic Mexican recipes. America has added fats to traditional Mexican recipes, making them less healthy than they would be in Mexico if they were prepared in the authentic way. There are a lot of fresh vegetables used in Mexican food, such as peppers, beans, tomatoes, garlic, and onions.
Foods differ in the different regions of Mexico. It depends on the climate and geography of the area along with ethnic differences. Northern Mexico is known for its dishes that contain meat, while in Southern Mexico, dishes popular include vegetable and chicken. Seafood is commonly served in the Mexican state of Vera Cruz. Vera Cruz is a Mexican state that is very long and tropical with lowlands that runs up and down the Gulf of Mexico. It is easy to get fish such as red snapper, snook, grouper, and mojarra. Mojarra is a prized fish in the area. Crab, lobsters, and oysters are abundant.
As well as the sea, this state has over forty rivers running through it, so there is an endless supply of shellfish and freshwater fish to use in their Mexican food recipes. Seafood is very nutritious, low in fat and carbohydrates and makes an interesting change when used in authentic Mexican recipes.
You can learn a lot of history and facts about Mexican food by the different regions. Trying new recipes will give you a taste as to why they differ. With Mexican culture rich in history, it is always nice to learn about how the foods came about and how they are nowadays. Once you are knowledgeable about the dishes, it makes it even more enjoyable when cooking and eating.