Mexican herbs and spices truly make the meal. Without these ingredients, a Mexican recipe would be no different than many others. These herbs and spices give their all to make Mexican food the culinary delight that it is. It pays to learn a bit about them.

Probably the most well known seasoning in Mexico is chile powder. This is made by mixing many different chilies that have been dried and ground. Chilies are also used fresh or roasted. Chipotle is made from jalapeno peppers that have been smoked and dried. Ancho is made from a chile with a sweet, fruity flavor. Many commercial chile powders that are found at the store are made of a combination of chilies, salt, oregano, garlic, coriander, and cumin.

Epazote is a green herb that grows fairly tall. Also known as, Mexican tea, this herb is used in bean dishes to add flavor and relieve digestive problems that beans may cause. Epazote is potent and should only be used in small quantities. Large quantities can be toxic. Just add a couple of leaves to your bean dish as it cooks.

Annatto seeds give food a distinctive flavor and a yellow coloring. It is often used in rice dishes and sauces. The seeds should be soaked in water for at least an hour. After soaking, they are crushed. Sometimes recipes call for the water that the seeds were soaked in; others call for the seeds themselves. They are often used in marinades along with other spices.

You see cilantro at a lot of Mexican restaurants used as garnish or added to tacos and salads. It looks a lot like flat leaf parsley. Cilantro is what they call the leaves of the coriander plant. It should always be used when fresh. Cilantro has a tangy, pungent flavor that it imparts easily to salsa, rice, moles, beans, soups, and stews. It has a way of brightening up a dish.

Cumin is often used in Mexican food. This is a spice made from the seeds of the cumin plant. These seeds can be used whole or powdered. It is often added to chile powder to create a nice balance. Cumin can be added to stews, soups and many other dishes. Azafran is also known as Mexican saffron. It is also called safflower. Azafran is used very sparingly because it can be bitter. It gives dishes a beautiful yellow color and is most frequently used in rice or seafood.

If you study authentic Mexican food recipes you will see these spices used frequently, along with others such as thyme and oregano. In Mexico, they have a unique type of oregano that is earthier in flavor than Italian oregano. You can find this Mexican oregano in some herb catalogs. Unless you live in an area with a large Mexican population, it may be difficult to find it in local nurseries or grocery stores.

Take time to learn the familiar flavors of Mexico by paying attention to the spices and herbs they use every day. An authentic Mexican taste is impossible without them. Make the most out of your Mexican cooking by learning the correct way to use these spices. Your meals will be amazingly good once you learn the secrets of these seasonings.

If you are going to try making some delicious enchiladas, tamales, tacos or another kind of Mexican food, it is always useful to have some handy cooking tips under your belt. Good cooking tips save you time and help to ensure that your homemade fare comes out cooked perfectly.

When most people think of Mexican food, they do not usually include seafood. Mexico is full of seafood, however. With six thousand miles of coastline, how could they not include seafood? Mexico is located in between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The Gulf of Mexico provides many miles of coastal fishing. Mexican seafood is a staple that those of us unfamiliar with the country do not often think about.

Ceviche is something you should try if you go to Mexico. This is a dish made of raw seafood that is mixed up with salt, onion, chili peppers, and cilantro. The juice of a lime or a lemon is added and allowed to marinate. The acidity of the citrus juice changes the protein in the fish just like cooking does. Of course, sometimes some ingredients are cooked first due to safety reasons. You can enjoy ceviche by itself, as a topping for crackers or as a filling for tacos.

The Veracruzana style is popular around the city of Veracruz. This term means the seafood is cooked in a tomato sauce seasoned with olives, chilies, and capers. The dish is spicy with a nice tangy quality. It is most frequently served with shrimp or red snapper. This is only one popular way to prepare seafood in this region of Mexico.

Another popular method of cooking seafood in Mexico is known as “a la Plancha.” This is a Spanish cooking method that uses a metal plate set over an open flame. The fish is grilled on this plate. The fish gets the wonderful taste of grilling, but it does not tend to stick like it does on the grill.

Winter is the most prolific season for fishing in Mexico. Many people follow the edicts of the Catholic Church in Mexico, and so they do not eat meat on Fridays or for Lent. Seafood comes to the rescue on these days since the Church exempts it from being classified as meat. Due to this, seafood plays a big part in Mexican religious celebrations. Every family has their own recipes for making the most of whatever type of seafood they can afford to buy, no matter if it is something humble or something luxurious.

When you are looking for dishes to make at home, do not forget to look for those that contain seafood. You may be surprised just how versatile it really is. Chilies stuffed with shrimp, spicy clams and delicious snapper await your eager taste buds when you prepare them like they are served in Mexico.

Choosing a Mexican food recipe like one of those described here will increase your enjoyment of the cuisine. Make seafood stews, soups, and fillings. Put fish or shrimp in enchiladas, chimichangas and many more of your favorite recipes. Around Veracruz, one popular dish is known as seafood and rice. This delectable meal is made with crab, clams, octopus, shrimp, and fish. You could also try seafood frittatas. You will love it when you bite into these eggs full of crab, fish, clams, mussels, and octopus.

Do not skip Mexican recipes just because they are for seafood. Mexican cuisine really knows how to make seafood taste amazing. Explore Mexican culture through the use of seafood and see what you discover. It will give you a new perspective and respect for this diverse country. Seafood really provides the perfect foil for the many spices used in Mexican cuisine.

If you are new to cooking international recipes, you might be wondering about the common ingredients used in Mexican cuisine and similar cuisines. What is a chili pepper, you might be asking. Every question is a good question for a beginner cook and you can learn the basics while you learn the easy recipes first.

Most of us in the US have not had much, if any exposure to Mexican cheeses. When we see cheese in Mexican dishes, it is usually familiar types like cheddar or Monterey Jack rather than a queso fresco or cotija. While these common cheeses may indeed pair well with some dishes, they are by no means the only options out there for cooks looking to add a little something to their Mexican recipes.

However, Mexico has many cheeses to try for yourself and thankfully; many of these products are becoming increasingly available here as well. Ever since Mexican farmers began making cheese, it has been an important part of the country’s culinary heritage, just as it is in the US; but of course, with its own unique spin.

Cheese (or queso as it is known in Spanish) came to the New World along with the conquistadors. The European colonists brought cows and goats before long, dairy products began being produced in the country, which were uniquely Mexican. There are now a wide variety of different Mexican cheeses, each with its own character and flavor. You will find these cheeses used in many different authentic Mexican recipes, which showcase them with ingredients, which complement their flavors and textures perfectly.

Quesadillas are something, which are familiar to most Americans, though the cheese used in making these popular snacks in Mexico is less so. Queso Oaxaco is the cheese of choice for this dish in Mexico. It is a type of cheese, which is similar to string cheese and has a mild flavor, which suits it for use in quesadillas and other recipes where a mild melting cheese is called for as well as eaten on its own as a snack. Queso Oaxaca is becoming easier to find in the states and cooks looking to add an authentic flavor to their quesadillas will find this cheese well worth seeking out.

Cotija cheese is named for the town in Michoacn state where it was first made and has often been called the Mexican version of Parmesan or Romano. This hard, salty cheese has an assertive flavor which makes it a great match for salads and refried beans – try crumbling or grating a little into salads and soups. It can also be an excellent stand in for Romano in pasta dishes.

Queso criollo is a mild, nutty yellow cheese, which is not dissimilar to Munster. This cheese hails from the Mexican state of Guererro, is excellent on tortas (Mexican sandwiches), and grated for use in quesadillas and other Mexican recipes where cheese is to be melted. Try it anywhere you would use Munster cheese as well as in Mexican dishes.

Queso fresco is a cheese, which originates in Spain but has been enthusiastically adopted by Mexican cooks. This is a mild, soft cheese made from both cow’s and goat’s milk. Try queso fresco crumbled on salads or tacos, as a filling for chiles rellenos, or serve it with fruit; berries and pears make especially wonderful pairings with this mild cheese.

The world of Mexican cheeses is much broader than what we have room to go into here. However, this is good news since it means there are many wonderful cheeses to add to your own cooking. Before you cook your favorite Mexican recipes, try finding some of these authentic Mexican cheeses to add something new to some of your all time favorite recipes.

What do you think of when you think of salsa? If you are like most Americans, the first thing, which comes to mind, is probably the very mild sauces which are available in a jar at any grocery store or convenience store. This tomato-based, mild flavored salsa is indeed a type which you may see in Mexico, but there is a lot more to Mexican salsas than the Americanized variety you can find just about anywhere.

Salsa is actually the best-selling condiment in the United States; while the type discussed above is the one you will tend to see the most often, salsa is something in which there is nearly endless variety available. If you have a low tolerance for spice and heat, do not worry Mexican salsa recipes run the gamut from the mild and flavorful to the fiery, so there is at least one out there, which is certain to become a new favorite.

As it happens, salsa refers to a great number of different condiments and sauces. In fact, the word salsa is simply the Spanish word for sauce. However, when most of use the word, we are thinking of a specific type of condiment used largely in Mexican, southwestern and Tex-Mex cuisines. The world of Mexican salsas is a lot bigger than many of us think, with salsa recipes including a lot of different ingredients and some being quite a bit different than what we usually think of as salsa.

There are the familiar red-colored tomato based sauces with jalapenos and other chili peppers and herbs, green salsas made from tomatillos; and for those who want something with a little more kick, even green salsas made mostly from hot peppers rather than tomatoes! Some salsas are based on other ingredients such as ground pumpkin seeds or ground dried peppers like pasilla and guajillo peppers.

For those looking for Mexican recipes like a milder Mexican salsa recipe, which offer something, a little bit different, a fruit salsa may be in order. Peach salsas are especially popular, with the sweetness and tartness of the peaches and tomatoes complimenting each other perfectly.

You can also make your own fruit salsas at home. While mangoes and peaches are both great choices, do not be afraid to experiment and find your own combinations. Pineapple, avocado, and other fruits can all be used in salsa with delicious results.

One of the easiest salsas to make is pico de gallo. The name means “rooster’s beak” in Spanish and can be made in almost no time at all. You may have tried this salsa yourself in a restaurant; but it is easy and quick to make at home and it is an ideal complement for many Mexican dishes as well as being a great dip for tortilla chips. The recipe is very simple, calling for diced tomato, onion and jalapeno along with cilantro and a little limejuice. It is simplicity itself, but incredibly good.

Since the space we have here is not enough to cover all of the different delicious Mexican salsas and salsa recipes, which there are to try, we hope that this introduction has sparked your interest in exploring these condiments further. It’s easy to make your own salsas at home and with some experimentation and a little of your own creative touch, you’re certain to come up with some new salsa recipes which can bring an entirely new dimension to your Mexican recipes and any other dishes you choose to serve them with.

Food is an essential component in Mexican holidays and no self-respecting Mexican would celebrate one of his national holidays without enjoying the very best Mexican cuisine and Mexican drinks. One holiday that you might have heard about is Day of the Dead, which is on November 1 and 2. This holiday is when families get together to remember their dead loved ones.

Day of the Dead traditions include honoring the deceased by building altars and visiting graves with gifts such as the favorite Mexican foods and favorite Mexican drinks of the deceased.

Cinco de Mayo is another famous holiday in Mexico. This is a regional holiday and especially close to the hearts of Mexicans living in Puebla because, Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory over the French in 1862, at the Battle of Puebla.

A lot of people are under the impression than Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day but that is another holiday altogether and it is on September 16. Mexicans would say that Independence Day is their most important national holiday.

Favorite Mexican Holiday Foods

Certain foods are enjoyed on certain Mexican holidays but with a lot of holidays, such as Cinco de Mayo, Mexicans just prepare their favorite dishes rather than being limited to a specific meal. Mexican cookery combines Aztec, Mayan, traditional Mexical, Caribbean, French and Spanish influences amongst others and Mexicans are understandably proud of their culinary heritage.

Often, the women will get together and prepare plenty of food for their Mexican holidays. Tamales are associated with Mexican celebrations because they take a long time to make. This is the reason why tamales are often made just a few times a year, in big batches. Steamed tamales often feature at Mexican parties.

Mexican wedding cakes and Mexican wedding cookies are enjoyed at Mexican holidays and not just weddings. Rosca de Reyes is the name given to the festive bread made for January 6. The bread is shaped like a wreath and decorated with lemon, cherries, candied figs, and mango. A tiny baby Jesus doll figure is baked into the bread and whoever gets the figure in their slice must prepare the food for the next Mexican holiday, which is Candlemas on February 2.

Delicious Mexican Drinks

You might think the answer is Coronita and tequila but there are other drinks, which are popular in Mexico. Rompope is a good example and this thick, frothy beverage is a big like eggnog with rum, almond, and cinnamon flavors.

Another thick, luxurious drink is atole, which can be, drank with breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It contains fruit slices, cinnamon and brown sugar.

Many people are sadly unaware of what authentic Mexican recipes entail, partly because of the popularity of Mexican fast food and partly because not many people outside of Mexico really grasp what this exciting cuisine is all about. You do not have to wait for a Mexican holiday to try making some delicious Mexican inspired dishes!

Mexican food is vast and varied. Mexico is actually said to have the second most varied foods in the world, after Chinese cuisine. Each part of Mexico has its own Mexican food recipes. The Yucatan area of the country is especially fascinating because the food there is a wonderful combination of Mayan, Mexican, Lebanese, and Caribbean 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.

Mexicans like to eat fresh fruit and vegetables and anything older than two days is not considered fresh. Costly pesticides and herbicides are hardly used and produce is picked when ripe or very nearly ripe. Imported food is usually shunned in favor of locally grown produce and everything is grown nearby. The exception would be Mexico City, where produce that is not likely to be sold is exported.

What is a Mexican Typical Meal?

Tortillas are eaten daily in a lot of households, making them a real staple, much like bread is to us. Tortillas are balls of corn dough, or masa, which are flatted to a disc the size of a CD. The government maintains tortilla prices at five pesos per kilo because they are so much of a Mexican staple! Traditional tortillas are made from corn and supermarkets bake them fresh all day. Tortillas are used to make tacos because authentic tacos are soft, not hard like the Taco Bell interpretation.

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 enjoyed fresh or used to make desserts and sauces. Mango, papaya, pineapple, and coconut are all popular with Mexicans and nopales, prickly pear cactus paddles, are sauted and eaten like vegetables. Alternatively, they can be sweetened and used in Mexican dessert recipes.

Condiments and Salsas

A lot of people favor the addition of salsa, lime, or sour cream to their food. In a traditional Mexican restaurant, you will also get small bowls of condiments. These are likely to include chopped onion, cilantro, a mild chili salsa, a hot chili salsa, salsa Mexicana and lime. Salsa Mexicana is made from chopped onion, chopped fresh tomato, cilantro and habanero chili. You might also get guacamole, which is an avocado and lime sauce. Charred green onion mixed with salsa ingles (Worcestershire sauce) and limejuice is another well-liked Mexican condiment.

Many Mexican food recipes are rich in flavor and color and the use of fresh produce is important. A lot of people make the mistake of confusing Mexican fast food and Tex Mex style Mexican cooking for real, traditional Mexican food but authentic Mexican cuisine is a true delight.

Mexican culture is a unique combination of pre-Hispanic, colonial, and postcolonial Mexico. The Mexican people are rightly proud of their history, ethnicity, and culture.

Mexican city life is not all that different from life in Europe or in the United States, although some Mexican villages still have more traditional ways. Most Mexicans live in large cities and there are more Spanish speaking people in Mexico than in any other country. The Mexican government recognizes over sixty other languages as indigenous Mexican languages.

Mexico is the second largest catholic country in the world, after Brazil. Spanish colonists introduced Catholicism and ninety five percent of present day, Mexicans are catholic.

Mexican Holidays and Celebrations

Every town, village, and city in Mexico has its own patron saint and there is a party held once a year in each place to celebrate the saint days. Independence Day in Mexico is celebrated on September 16. Parties, fireworks, dance contests, and parades are popular during celebrations and you might see cockfighting, bullfighting, or football too. The people burn candles and decorate the churches with colorful utensils and flower arrangements.

Piatas are seen at Mexican fiestas and these are paper mache shapes made to resemble well-known people, animals or fictional characters. They are filled with candy and small toys and hung from the ceiling. The kids take it in turns to hit the piata until it breaks, then they gather up the candy and toys and share them.

Mexican Food and Drink

Mexican food can be described as a perfectly balanced and flavorful blend of European and indigenous foods, including Mayan and Aztec influences. Popular Mexican foods are known all over the world and these include enchiladas, pozole, tamales, mole sauce, and tacos. Unfortunately, more people probably know about Mexican fast food joints rather than authentic Mexican restaurants but nothing beats using authentic Mexican recipes to make your own Mexican food if there is no traditional Mexican restaurant near you.

Beef, beans, chicken, maize, peanuts, tomatoes, avocados, potatoes, and guavas feature in many Mexican recipes. Fruit juice, Mexican beer, cinnamon flavored hot chocolate, and mescal are all favored by Mexicans too. There are also several Mexican wineries, which have won awards for their great quality wine, which is enjoyed in Mexico and exported as well.

Corn and chili both feature in Mexican recipes and you can get soups, stews, and salads in a Mexican style as well as the more well known dishes. Mexican desserts are excellent and they combine sweet and hot elements for maximum flavor sensation.

Chili is used to flavor candy sometimes and corn flavor candy is a favorite snack. The sugar skulls made for Da de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, are called Calaveras de Azcar.

Mexican food is all about using clever combinations of herbs and spices as well as the best fresh produce. It is easy to make your own traditional Mexican recipes and find out why Mexican food is so popular all over the globe.

Mexico has a unique cuisine that is both healthy and colorful. Mexico was home to the Aztec, Zapotec, and Mayan civilizations, and as such, had a well developed agricultural society. They ate staples like corn, beans, peppers, avocados, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and squashes. Meat sources included turkey, venison, and small animals like rabbit and quail. Chocolate is also native to this area, and was originally prepared as a bitter beverage served to the Aztec royalty.

When the Spanish arrived in Mexico, they brought their favorite foods with them. Pork, beef, cheese, and cream were added and combined with the native foods. The Spanish brought sheep, chickens, wheat, and sugar. Three hundred years later when Spain finally gave up control of Mexico, their influence on Mexican food was well established.

A major component of the typical Mexican meal is corn. Masa, or cornmeal, is made into dough that is then used for empanadas, tamales, and tortillas. Corn is also used in stews, soups, and other traditional foods. In northern Mexico, tortillas are usually made of flour instead of corn. Chili peppers also are an important staple in the Mexican diet. They frequently choose jalapeno, Serrano and poblano chilies.

Another food source that is used daily in Mexico is beans. Different regions of Mexico have their own favorite beans, such as the black beans that are favored in the Yucatan. Beans are used to make frijoles, or refried beans or filling for tacos, burritos, and other favorites.

Other regional favorites in Mexico include beef in the north, due to the vast grazing lands; coffee and corn stew on the Pacific Coast; and seafood, fish and tropical fruits on the Gulf Coast. Central Mexico has the most Spanish influence due to the fact that this is where most of the Spanish settled. The Yucatan Peninsula is known for its shellfish, seafood, and black beans. Herbs are used all over Mexico.

When making a typical Mexican meal at home, there are many recipes you can try. Mexican chicken enchiladas recipe can be easily replicated at home, and it uses many of the most common ingredients found in Mexico. Once you have tried making them at home, you will see how tasty an authentic Mexican meal can be.

Do not be afraid to experiment and try new things. A new variety of bean may add a different texture or flavor to your meal. Serve tortillas and salsa with a meal, or try something completely new like ceviche. Even the kids can get busy in the kitchen and make quesadillas or tacos.

For something different, try a Mexican breakfast. Mix some tropical fruit in a bowl for an easy meal. Scramble some eggs and salsa for heurvos rancheros. Alternatively, you can top a tortilla with an egg and add some bacon or ham, chilies, tomatoes and cheese. Serve it with some refried beans for a traditional breakfast.

You might have been lucky enough to try real authentic Mexican food and, if so, perhaps some traditional Mexican pots or utensils were used in its preparation. Mexicans use different cooking methods, such as baking, deep-frying and slow roasting and they have pots and pans for these purposes. They also use a lot of fresh produce, including herbs and spices, so any Mexican kitchen will have plenty of sharp knives and a mortar and pestle.

Authentic Mexican Cooking Pots

Ollas, also known as Barros, are deep clay cooking pots. They are perfect for simmering beans, stew or soup and clay is a great medium for cookware because it distributes the heat evenly to avoid burnt spots. Barro means clay or mud and olla means pot. These cooking pots are fine to put over a direct flame all day long.

You do need to warm clay before using it else; it might crack if you suddenly expose it to a high heat. If you are baking, you can let the pot warm up as the oven does. Your Mexican food will have a subtle earthy taste if you cook it in a clay pot.

A Comal is a big, round griddle, which can be made of cast iron, aluminum, or clay. Modern Comals are usually coated with a non-stick finish. Comals are used to roast chilies and warm tortillas.

A cazuela is used for simmering mole and other sauces. This is a large, round clay dish, which is between five and seven inches deep. The outside might be painted in bright colors and the inside is glazed. A cazuela has handles so you can put it over an open fire.

A tortillero is a Mexican tortilla press. They are made traditionally from wood or, in modern times, cast iron. Some are made from aluminum but these tend not to last long. A tortillero has two round plates and you put a ball of masa between them to make a tortilla.

Popular Mexican Cooking Utensils

A metate y mano is a well-known Mexican implement. It is platter sized, usually made of rock or stone and is a bit concave and sits on three legs. There is a big round stone, which is rolled on the surface to mix or grind ingredients.

A Mexican mortar and pestle is called a molcajete y tejolote and this is a small clay, wood or stone bowl with a long cylinder made of the same material. The cylinder is rounded on each end and you use it to pulverize the ingredients in the bowl by rolling the cylinder in a circular motion.

A molinillo is a wooden whisk, which is spun between your hands in hot chocolate to make it foamy on top. These can be highly ornate or plain. Most typical Mexican food can be made with regular equipment and utensils but using traditional Mexican cooking pots makes the cooking process more enjoyable and authentic and they look great displayed in a Mexican themed kitchen.