As a resident of California, I was widely exposed to Mexican food. I first began eating Mexican food in middle school and was introduced to the cuisine through my friends. I developed a love instantly for tacos and quesadillas, but I know Mexican food is much more than that. Through this blog post, I will take a journey through the history behind one of the most beloved cuisine in the world.
Mexican food has a long history and studies show that the Mayan Indians may have been the creators of authentic Mexican food. The Mayans were known for their hunting skills and some of the most used ingredient in Mexican food such as tortilla and beans were amongst the Mayan diet. Even during the Aztec Empire, Mayans were still using salt, honey, and even chili peppers. As we may remember, Spain had control over Mexico for a long period of time. Important to note, the Mexican people speak Spanish as derived from Spain. We can see how much of an influence Spain had on the region, especially in Mexican cuisine. During the rule of Spain in Mexico, trade brought in new goods such as dairy, garlic, herbs, wheat, and even spices. The trading system also drew in different cultures and their cuisines such as the French, Portuguese, Caribbean, and West African.
In the past, the people of Mexico had to cook their food over an open fire because they did not have the resources others had such as ovens or stoves. Their most common ways of cooking was either steaming, frying, or grilling on iron skillets. They also used specific rocks to grind their food. As we may know, Mexican cuisine is rich in sauces. They make pastes and sauces such as salsa through a small bowl and pestle called a molcajete. Fun fact: Salsa is the spanish word for sauce!
