Intangible Mexico

"perhaps the most misunderstood country and cuisine on Earth."

Anthony Bourdain

Mexican food is huge. It is one of just four cuisines designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Besides you only have to visit your local supermarket to see a similar sized section of Mexican food to the Italian section. Half an aisle almost for each - in our local supermarkets anyway. Now whether the Mexican food on offer is Mexican or Tex-Mex is another question. It has also travelled the world - witness the today tradition of Taco Fridays in Sweden - a country so far removed both geographically and culturally from Mexico - or even Texas - that it demonstrates how far Mexican food has travelled.

Whether what we think of as Mexican food is really Mexican is a question that I'm not sure I have answered to my own satisfaction really. This is Chilli con carne for example, which many might think is Mexican - but no, this is definitely Tex-Mex. As are those crispy taco shells and nachos - a fact that Anthony Bourdain - a lover of Mexico, the country and the food - pointed out:

"As Americans, we tend to look at Mexican food as nachos, which is not Mexican food really - they don't eat them." Anthony Bourdain

Tex-Mex is indeed a real cuisine in its own right, as is Italian/American or Anglo-Indian. The good sides of the result of culture clash or culture fusion - call it what you may. Well I suppose there are some, maybe even many who would consider it a bad thing. If you are interested in the detailed differences, then Alicia's Mexican Grille has a pretty inclusive list. Perhaps I should look at Tex-Mex someday - but today it's Mexico itself.

Traditional Mexican food itself, has, of course, changed over the centuries, and will doubtless continue to do so, as do all food cultures. It began with the various mesoamerican cultures - most notably the Mayans whose cuisine was based on corn, beans, fruit and vegetables; and the Aztecs who introduced chocolate, honey, salt and chilli. The big change came, of course, with the Spanish conquistadores who brought meat - chicken, pork and beef and therefore dairy products, as well as garlic, onion, wine and rice. The French too had a little influence with baked goods.

Today Mexican Michelin starred chefs are doing the modern thing of taking traditional dishes and transforming them into high end creations in expensive restaurants around the world. An example of the kind of food served in such establishements is this Beetroot tostado as served at Kol a London Michelin starred Mexican restaurant which describes itself as serving British ingredients with ‘Mexican soul’. And there are many more such examples around the world. Food evolution continues as cultures merge in our globalised world. Although it is interesting, how Mexican came to be one of the 'big' cuisines of the world. Maybe it's that Tex-Mex thing, and its geographic connection to the USA.

The history of the country itself has been turbulent - conquests, wars, revolutions and currently major problems with its northern neighbour America. It is a very large country - the 13th largest in the world, with a population of over 130 million - the 10th largest in the world. And many of those Mexicans have, of course as we all know, made their way into America - and still try to do so. It's topography and climate are varied - mountains, deserts, dense forests and wetlands can all be found there as well as a very long coastline on two sides.

As I said it is a very large country, and so, of course there are regional cuisines and variations. What you would eat in a desert would be very different from what you would eat in a tropical forest. But here are a few dishes that I found cropped up on the half a dozen or so lists that I perused.

Mole - almost everyone seemed to agree that this was the national dish. In fact it's a sauce rather than a dish - the version shown here is chicken although the recipe from Joshua Bousel on the Serious Eats website is for Mole Poblano  - the sauce. I'm tempted to say, don't try this at home, because the author, who was determined to make it in a truly authentic way said:

"I got what I asked for, completing the recipe over two days and a total of seven hours ... The range and depth of this sauce was nothing short of spectacular. It was hard to point out any one ingredient, but instead everything came together as one harmonious sauce that ranged from earthy to spicy, fruity, nutty, sweet, and sometimes even bitter."

Seven hours over two days! Which is the complete opposite to what is probably a commonly held view that Mexican food is fast food - on your plate in less than half an hour. And indeed when I return to my list, I find that several of the things on that list are indeed street foods - which one tends to think of as fast food, but may well not be.

"Let’s get one thing straight: Mexican food takes a certain amount of time to cook. If you don’t have the time, don’t cook it. You can rush a Mexican meal, but you will pay in some way. You can buy so-called Mexican food at too many restaurants that say they cook Mexican food. But the real food, the most savory food, is prepared with time and love and at home. So, give up the illusion that you can throw Mexican food together. Just understand that you are going to have to make and take the time." Denise Chavez

Tacos and Tostades - are they the same or different you may ask? The answer is different, but they both involve tortillas - the ubiquitous flat bread, made with either cornmeal or flour depending on region and what you are going to do with them. So what is the difference?

On the left above are Tacos al pastor - which seems to be the most mentioned variety. The version shown here is from Rick Martinez on the Bon Appétit website - and described as 'almost authentic'. Tacos are soft tortillas and they are folded around the filling - to varying degrees according to the pictures I found. Al pastor means 'of the shepherd' which probably is some indication of the origins of the dish - a portable lunch for the shepherds. Tostadas - on the right - as the name implies are toasted crisp tortillas, topped with various things, and often served for breakfast. They can be toasted, fried, baked, grilled - but they are definitely crisp.

Chilaliques - some time ago now I wrote about chilaliques. In a way they are like tostades. Also a breakfast dish, and also using old tortillas, which in this case are torn into pieces, toasted or fried and then topped with a red chilli sauce, and various other things plus fried eggs.

Chiles en nogada - are green capsicum stuffed with meat and covered with a creamy walnut sauce sprinkled with parsley and pomegranates. It's a dish often served on Independence Day, and is said to represent the colours of the Mexican flag.

"Chiles en nogada were first made by Augustinian nuns who were asked to create a patriotic dish to celebrate Mexican independence and the arrival of Mexican Emperor Agustín de Iturbide." Wikipedia

Now this is a dish I had never heard of, but virtually all of the lists I sited included it. The version above is from Mexican Food Journal - and is pretty representative of all the versions that I saw.

Tamales - stuffing within stuffing in a way. A corn based dough is wrapped around a stuffing of meat or beans and cheese. This is then wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and then steamed. You don't eat the outer wrapping

The version above is from a website called Tastes Better From Scratch

Burritos - the Mexican version differs from the American one, mostly, unsurprisingly in the quantity of the filling:

Typically, the average Mexican burrito contains just refried beans, one type of meat, and maybe a sprinkling of cheese, while certain regions have been known to fill their wraps with potatoes, chorizo, grilled cactus, or roasted peppers. Don't expect to find any massive burritos loaded with rice, lettuce, and salsa." Erich Barganier/Mashed

Quesadillas - the link is to my own piece on the topic, but I see, from a quick glance I didn't mention Mexico at all. I guess I assumed that everyone knew these were Mexican. These are Jamie's and moreover a COVID lunch made with what was to hand. So probably not very Mexican. Apparently the main difference between an American quesadilla and a Mexican one, is that in Mexico the tortilla is corn - in America -flour. Also in Mexico the filling is mostly just a melty cheese, whilst the Americans, of course go for the lot. Apparently they date back to the 16th century, so of Spanish origin? The cheese would have come from the Spanish anyway.

Enchiladas - I'm pretty sure I've written about these as well - which perhaps demonstrates that I am very aware of the popularity of all of these Mexican street food kind of things. The ones shown here are from Denise Favela of Kitchn who is from Mexico, but it's really hard to tell, when looking for any of these dishes online, whether they are in fact genuinely Mexican or an American version of a Mexican dish. Anyway more tortillas, more stuffing - this time doused with a red chilli sauce. A sort of Mexican cannelloni.

Pozole roja -

"Mexico’s nourishing soup of tender pork, puréed chiles, and plump kernels of hominy" Octavio Peña

This is one of those slow-cooked dishes of ancient origin - Aztec in this instance - based on corn, but with varying additions that vary from region, to region and family to family.

Churros - for dessert from the Spanish. Choux pastry fried, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and sometimes with a chocolate sauce. Not good for you.

Other things?

Elote - very fashionable barbecued corn with sprinkles of this and that. Guacamole - how could we forget guacamole? Salsa - that too. Refried beans, tequila and a whole host of cocktails. It's a massive roll call of dishes, that just somehow seem to have appealed to the tastes of the western world. It would be interesting to see if, in the future, the Mexicans themselves change their traditions to match outside changes.

“If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food. It’s a plus for everybody.” Anthony Bourdain

Next time Belize - a country about which I know nothing at all.

YEARS GONE BY

May 26

2024 - Nothing

2023 - Old things

2022 - An ordinary day

2021 - The power of photographs

2020 - Deleted

2019 - Nothing

2018 - Staffordshire oatcakes

2017 - Nothing