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It is claimed that Mexico has the most vast and varied cuisine in the world, after Chinese, which might be something of a shock to Mexican fast food fiends who thought that burritos and tacos were the only kinds of food Mexicans eat. Every area of Mexico has its own recipes and the Yucatan fare is especially flavorsome, with its Caribbean, Mexican, Mayan and Lebanese recipe influences.

Not all Mexican foods are spicy but some are and chili peppers are widely used in Mexican dishes. There are many kinds of chili peppers including jalapeo, pasilla, habanero, poblano, serrano and more. Mexicans eat a varied diet of fresh fish, meat, seafood, poultry, grains, fruit, and vegetables. Sauces, stews, and soups are common fare and Mexican cooking methods include slow roasting, deep-frying, and baking.

Most of the produce consumed is fresh and never more than two days old. Herbicide and pesticide are not used much, because of the cost, and fruit and vegetables are picked ripe. Mexicans prefer seasonal produce to imported fruit and vegetables and nearly everything grown is eaten locally, except in Mexico City where the goods which are unlikely to sell locally are exported.

Traditional Mexican Food

One of the main components of a Mexican typical meal has to be tortillas. These are balls of masa, or corn dough, flattened to a CD sized disc. They are so much of a staple food that the government maintains the price at five pesos a kilo! Authentic tortillas are made of corn and they are freshly made in the supermarket all day long. They are used to make tacos and traditional tacos are soft, rather than the prefab U-shaped ones you would see in Mexican fast food joints.

Corn is used to make tacos and tamales, as well as tortillas. Beans are included in many stews and soup and include fava beans, lentils, and kidney beans. Tomatoes are used in a lot of Mexican sauce recipes and they feature in salsa Mexicana.

Fruit is either eaten fresh or used in sauce and dessert recipes. Coconut, mango, pineapple, and papaya are all very popular and nopales are prickly pear cactus paddles, which are sauted and eaten like vegetables. You can also get sweetened nopales, which are used, in desserts.

Salsas and Condiments

Many people add lime, sour cream, or salsa to their Mexican food. You will also get little bowl of condiments served to you in a traditional Mexican restaurant. These will include chopped onion, fresh cilantro, lime, a hot chili salsa, a mild chili salsa and salsa Mexicana. Salsa Mexicana is made with chopped fresh tomatoes, chopped onion, habanero chili, and cilantro. You might also see a charred green onion, Worcestershire sauce (known in Mexico as salsa ingles) and limejuice dip. Guacamole is often served as well.

A lot of Mexican recipes are rich in color and flavor and Mexicans love to cook with fresh produce. Some people might confuse Tex Mex type food and fast food with real Mexican fare but authentic Mexican food cannot be compared to these poor quality imitations and, once you have tasted traditional Mexican recipes, you will understand the joy of Mexican cuisine.