Question:

Where does mexican food originate from?

by Guest61284  |  earlier

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Where does mexican food originate from?

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  1. Mexican Food is actually based upon old Aztec and Mayan culture. Corn was a popular staple in the native diet and Nixtamal was considered to be a very healthy item.

    Nixtamal is the treated corn that is used to make masa and hominy. First the corn is cooked and soaked in lime, rinsed and then the hulls may or may not be removed.

    In 1519, when the first Spanish conquistadors entered the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan, where today Mexico City stands, they found the Aztec emperor Montezuma excessively fond of a drink concocted from vanilla and chocolate, and sweetened with honey. This was a native Mexican-Indian dish -- probably invented by the Maya -- later to find worldwide acceptance. Vanilla is a substance derived from the fruit-pod of a certain species of Mexican orchid, and chocolate comes from the fruit of the Mexican cacao tree. The conquistadors were further impressed by the variety of foods enriching Aztec diets.

    You could say that corn and beans are the two main foods of indiginous Mexicans, and much of Mexican cuisine is based on these two ingredients. There's something interestings to think about here. That is, corn and beans have "complimentary amino acids."

    Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, which the body absolutely needs. If any one of several amino-acids is missing from a person's diet, then the production of protein is restricted; the body ceases functioning, or performs at a diminished level. It happens that neither corn nor beans supply the full complement of amino acids needed for protein synthesis. However, put the two together like parts of a puzzle, and you magically gain the full complement of amino acids needed. Put rice and corn together, or wheat and rice, or corn and potatoes, or potatoes and beans, and you don't. Put corn with beans, and you do.

    One wonders to what extent the ancient Aztec and Maya cultures owed their glory to the homey little fact that somewhere along the line they began eating corn tortillas smeared with bean paste...


  2. Most Mexican recipes originate from Spain, Mexico was conquered by Spain Cortez hence the population of Mexico speaks Spanish

  3. spanish i guess

    i love them

    really yummmy♥

  4. MEXICO.

  5. Strange wording. Mexican food originates in Mexico of course, but it is a melange of prehispanic and Spanish cuisine, later on it was stongly influenced by French cousine and that is what makes Mexican cuisine so original.

  6. Sumeria. Since Sumeria was the original first culture on earth to codify cooking, recipes, etc. it stands to reason that all other cooking and cuisine must come from there.

  7. Erm...Mexico?

  8. IT grows on Mexican farms. <}:-})

  9. Paladini and Mairead are right, but I must add that according to research, it is more apropriate to talk about Mexican Cuisines, because in Mexico there is a variety of climates, terrain and altitude that makes cooking from one area to another completely different with nothing in common.  It is said that China with it's vast territory has 4,000 basic dishes; Mexico has 2,000, and multiple variations of them. For example, just talking about tamales, they can be individual, wrapped in banana leaves, in spinach leaves, in dry corn husks, can ke stufed with assorted sweet stuffings, dark thick sauces, meats like pork, armadillo, iguana, venison, shrimp, chicken... there is a big tamal called Sacahuil, baked in a rectangular, deep clay didh wrapped in banana leaves, made for big parties; there are the little uchepos make from fresh corn, of triangular shape, served topped with salsa and crema... So you see, it has no end.  Therefore, real, authentic Mexican food, only comes from Mexico, and is NOT the same as TexMex or those so called mexican restaurants that you have in the US. There are very few real good restaurants of mexican food in foreign countries.  Why don't you visit Mexico and give it a try?  You may be nicely surprised.

  10. Well

    Here on earth and from all over the globe..

    Especially today,,,

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