One
of the best ways to navigate through a foreign culture is to allow your mind,
your appetite, and your taste buds to guide you from one signature taste to
another. When someone mentions "authentic Mexican food", some of the
most instantaneous responses you are likely to encounter in the U.S. include,
among others: Taco Bell, Hacienda, nachos, burritos, enchiladas, tacos,
guacamole, and anything associated with the rapidly growing Tex-Mex fast food
chains. In Mexico, however, the culturally accepted determination of what
constitutes "fast food" might be perceived as abnormal through the
eyes of the visiting travelers as they roam the crowded streets of some of the
most visited cities in the country. Most “fast food” in Mexico comes from
street vendors as opposed to large chains, a trend seen from the Federal
District of Mexico City to Puebla and Oaxaca City. The astounding and unique
ingredients that most commonly constitute fast food in Mexico not only
represent the Mexican culture, but also symbolize the distinctive ethnography
of a particular geographical region.
Mexico
is one of the fastest-growing, economically developed countries in Latin
America, and travelers can expect to experience many interesting things. The
first thing that stood out to me, for example, other than the smell of gasoline
and the terrifying driving style that seemed to be a constant among the various
cities I visited, is the smell of street food and the sight of street vendors.
Rather than sitting down in a restaurant to enjoy their meal, as tends to be
the norm in the United States, street food has become the fast food for many
developing countries such as Mexico. Over a million working class people reside
in Mexico City, alone, and tortas, taquitos and tacos vendors serve as
convenient and comforting food for both the hardworking people in the city as
well as those who are struggling to maintain a family. It is interesting to
note that this food does not greatly differ from the food served centuries ago
in the same areas. In present day Mexico, for example, the food is still served
the same way it was decades ago when agriculturalists brought their lunch to
the field: typically these meals consisted of a simple form of protein wrapped
with corn tortillas. With corn, or maize, being native to Central and South
America, a typical Mexican meal is almost always accompanied by corn products
of some sort such as tortillas or tostadas. Nowadays, however, with special
dietary needs and also to accommodate visitors, flour tortillas are also
available for serving upon request.
Before
the Spanish Conquest in the 16th century, the indigenous
population’s basic protein was derived from colorful beans as well as “turkeys,
quails and plump little dogs [known as Xoloitzcuintle,
Mexican hairless dog] bred especially for table cooking”. Upon the arrival of the early
settlers, the Spaniards introduced domesticated animals such as cattle,
chicken, and pigs to the New World – introductions that have since enriched the
indigenous cuisines with exceptional flavors, most notably the in meat fillings
consumed with corn tortillas otherwise known as tacos. One of the most common
taco ingredients, by Mexican standards, is tripa,
also known as tripe. Whether the intestine is taken from a cow or a pig, its
preparation is the same: the animal intestine is cleaned, seasoned and cooked
before consumption. In addition, animal hearts, stomachs, tongues, livers, and
even brains can be eaten when cooked properly and served on a plate. Why? Because
all parts of the animal are comestible and nothing should be wasted, according
to traditional practices. For as long as I have lived, growing up in the
Chinese culture has allowed me to include the consumption of animal intestine
as part of my nutritional intake. The thought of eating animal intestines did
not bother me until I moved to the U.S. It is thought-provoking that Northern
Americans believe that only certain parts of the animal is “good” for eating, and
that, because of this idea, the thought of partaking in any part of the intestine
is either gross or dirty. Because these parts are considered inedible, this
cultural perception completely eliminates the parts and discards the fact that
intestines are also a source of nutrients. In Oaxaca, insects, larva or worm
known as chapulines, or grasshoppers,
gusanos, or larva are commonly eaten
and served as local favorites because it is a source of protein. As part of the
indigenous practice of hunting and gathering before the beginning of
agriculture and animal domestication, insects were often collected as a source
of protein for centuries across the globe throughout different cultures. People
have been consuming insects to meet their basic nutritional needs in order to
survive in underdeveloped regions. However, the process of westernization has
deceived, mislead, brainwashed and imposed later generations with their
egocentric ideology. Fortunately, despite the growing influence of the West,
ancient methods and traditional practices have continued to prevail in dominant
civilizations such as Mexico as individual states recognize both their
indigenous language and culture and Spanish influence as part of their national
identity.
The
indigenous people of Mexico utilized the wealth of flora and fauna as culinary
ingredients that have formed fusion cuisine as diverse as the number of
indigenous language spoken all around in the world. Not only have they embraced
the European influence, they have transformed their traditional recipes into a
distinctive taste that can only be acquired through the blending of regional
and European roots. Based on the tropical climate of Mexico, fruits such as
mangos, guava, papaya, pitaya (dragon
fruit), cacao, tuna (fruit), and
other fruits native to the area have flourished since the pre-Colombian period.
It is not only these native plants, fruits, and trees provided, however, that
have had a profound impact of the culinary arts in Mexico: tropical plants and
fruit trees of Asiatic origins, for example, have also thrived in the region. More
specific examples include rambutan: a red, soft spikey peel with sweet white
flesh for eating and a single seed that resembles the lychee native to
Southeast Asia; chicozapote, a brown fruit the size of a fist with orange
colored flesh for eating with a black seed in the center; negrozapote, a green
colored fruit with black flesh that can grow to be up to the size of a
grapefruit, commonly used for making refreshments; and pomegranate, a red/orange
fruit with honeycomb style compartments of small red seed. This impressive
cultural culinary fusion can be found in one of the signature dishes in Puebla:
Chile en nogada, poblano chile
stuffed with either meat or cheese inside coated with egg batter, deep fried,
with a sweet fruity peanut cream sauce garnished with pomegranate seeds and
fresh herbs. Huauzontle, a Mexican
vegetable related to the common American weed goosefoot that vaguely resembles
broccoli, prepared the same way as chile relleno, stuffed with cheese and
baked with tomato sauce on top. Another indigenous delicacy that many
westerners would turn down upon would be a traditional dish called huitlacoche, charcoal colored corn
fungus that grows spontaneously on crops are harvest and collected to be stirred
fried along with onions, tomatoes and chilies served as a main entrée or as a side
dish based on availability. Nopal,
cactus plant, with the spines cut and pickled in vinegar to soften the over
texture, can also be found on the restaurant menu as a salad or as an appetizer
baked with cheese on top with a side of guacamole and pico de gallo as shown in one of the pictures. Amongst the
ingredients that are included in a restaurant, the great Mother Nature also
have a way to provide for those who are outdoors, if you know what you’re
looking for. While hiking up Mount Picacho in Teotitlán del Valle, our guide Luis picked and
showed us an natural herb that smells faintly like lemongrass but tastes like
fresh squeezed lime juice when you chew on the stalk and the leaf of the plant.
The sour liquid of the plant stimulates large amount of saliva at first contact
that quenches the thirst almost immediately. As we slowly approach the peak,
Luis says that the herbal plant only pertains in the Southern region of Mexico
where altitude is above 1,500km or higher. While visiting Cholula in Puebla, another
native plant called Cuajiniquil- a
species of legume in the Fabaceae family, or, in my opinion, an
oversize peapod-like plantain looking fruit with cotton-like flesh for eating
contains a unique blend of mild sweet taste that also generates saliva in your
mouth is also known for soothing thirst is available on the path up to the
church sold by a local Aztec vendor. From natural plants that relieves the
thirst, to agua de Jamaica- a common
drink made from boiled dried hibiscus flowers, horchata- delicious milky beverage made from ground nuts, seeds,
and grains originate from Spain that has now embedded in
the Mexican, and other Latin American culture, as it is infused with regional
ingredients that becomes an essential beverage that is distinctly Mexican, pulque- an indigenous fermented drink
made from the maguey plant that typically contains the alcohol content
equivalent to a craft beer, and to mescal-
the distilled liquor successfully created from agave plants through methods
introduced by the Spaniards during the colonial period that the state of Oaxaca
takes pride in celebrating the economic phenomenon by sponsoring an annual
mescal festival since 1997 to accompany the annual Guelaguetza festivity in the month of July. Since the pre-Hispanic period, to
post-Colonial times, and contemporary Mexican society, culinary inspiration continues
to originate from both the wealth of the flora and fauna as well as the
cultural infusion.
The overnight stay in Teotitlán del Valle under the wonderful hospitality of our host,
Michelle, was a remarkable evening that best exemplifies the core value of food
in culture. The conversation corresponded over traditional hot chocolate
accompany by artisan bread- made by a local Zapotec family illustrating just
one of the ancient traditions closely followed today- and chocolate chip with
walnut cookies freshly baked from the western style oven, filled the kitchen
with the aroma of cacao that continues to provoke the best intercultural
moments at the exchange of languages, culture and traditions over the dining
table.
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| Tripa/cecina (tripe/dried meat), intestines commonly eaten as a type of tacos. Mexico City. 7-12-2014 |
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| Cuahiniquil, (fruta de vaina), cotton like sweet tasting pods. Cholula, Puebla. 7-12-2014. |
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| Carne de res y chilaquiles. Homestay lunch. Oaxaca City. 7-15-2014. |
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| Chapulines (grasshoppers) on Guacamole, local delicacy served at a restaurant, Oaxaca City. 7-16-2014 |
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| Sopa Azteca. Homestay meal. 7-18-2014. |
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| Arbol de guayaba (guava tree) in Monte Albán site, 7-19-2014. |
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| Gusanos en mezcal in the display area in the Mezcal Festival in Oaxaca City. 7-25-2014. |
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| Piña de agave ready for roasting in the pit as the primary step into making mezcal. 7-26-2014. |
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Fresh sliced mangos with chile y sal and a squeeze a lime, outside of Hierve el Agua.
Traditional hot chocolate served with artisan bread made by a local Zapotec family in Teotitlán. 7-26-2014. |
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| Tuna (prickly pear), Mt. Picacho, Teotitlán del Valle. 7-27-2014. |
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| Citrus flavored herb to quench thirst introduced by Luis, the hiking guide to Mt. Picacho in Teotitlán. 7-27-2014. |
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| Rambutan, tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia sold in the Zócalo in Oaxaca City, 8-1-2014. |
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| Chicozapote, sold near the zócalo, Oaxaca City. 8-1-2014 |
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| Nopales (cactus) baked with cheese served at a local restaurant in Oaxaca City. 8-4-2014. |
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| Huitlacoche (maize fungus) on the left, Carne asada, Cuacamole. Restaurant in Puebla. 8-5-2014. |
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| Chiles en nogada, stuffed pepper with sweet creamy sauce and pomegranate, signature dish of Puebla. 8-5-2014. |
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| Flor de Jamaica (hibiscus flower) for making beverages that is commonly served in restaurants. Market in Puebla. 8-5-2014. |
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| Xoloitzcuintle (Mexican hairless dog) commonly bred for consumption during the pre-Hispanic time, Teotihuacan, 8-6-2014 |
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| Huauzontle, an edible Mexican vegetable related to the "goosefoot" family commonly served at restaurants. Wikipedia. |
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