Mexico

Objectives

1. Describe the impact of the Mayans and Aztecs on the Mexican cuisine
2. Discuss the influence of the Spanish on the cookery of Mexico
3. Explain how the topography of Mexico affected the cuisine
4. Name foods that the European explorers found in Mexico and then introduced to their countries
5. Name foods that the Europeans introduced to Mexico
6. Name foods and flavorings prevalent in the cuisine of Mexico
7. Prepare a variety of Mexican dishes

Review Questions

1. Name at least four foods commonly consumed by the Indians in Mexico before the European explorers arrived.
2. Name at least five foods introduced to Mexico by the Spaniards.
3. Describe the topography and climate found in Mexico. Explain how they influenced the regional cuisines.
4. What is salsa and how is it used in Mexico?
5. Name and describe several Mexican dishes including mole, burrito, and taco.
6. Which flavorings are most prevalent in Mexican cookery?
7. Describe the daily meal pattern for inhabitants of Mexico.

Topics for Discussion

1. Discuss influences on Mexico’s cuisine from the Mayans, Aztecs, and Spaniards.
2. How did the topography and isolation affect the cuisine of Mexico?
3. Discuss what explorers introduced to Mexico’s cuisine and what they adopted from the cookery they found in Mexico.
4. Discuss differences between European sauces and those used in Mexico.

Additional Projects

1. Assign each student a traditional dish from another country like coq au vin from France or Middle Eastern kibbeyet. Have each student rewrite the recipe replacing flavorings as needed to make the dish taste like it is made in Mexico. If desired, have the students cook their dishes.
2. Obtain a fresh cheese, a melting cheese, and a hard cheese. Place each cheese on top of a mound of rice and bake it until hot. Observe how each cheese reacts and tastes.

Mexico

Although it is very diverse among the various Mexican regions, Mexican food is rich in color and flavor. Areas along the ocean are famous for their abundant mariscos (seafood dishes).Inland and highland mountain areas are famous for stews, intricate sauces, and corn-based recipes. Desert areas have cultivated delicacies of different sorts. In some desert regions, for example, there are numerous dishes containing varieties of cactus plants. While Mexico is made up of thirty-one states and one federal district, the country can be divided into six regions: northern Mexico, central Mexico, southern Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, the Pacific Coast, and the Baja Peninsula.

Northern Mexico

The north is mostly desert—a vast, high, windswept plateau flanked by the Occidental and Oriental chains of the Sierra Madre Mountains. The states of Chihuahua, Coajuila, Durango, Nuevo Leon, Sonora, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas are part of this region.

Central Mexico

The Distrito Federal, or Mexico City as it is called in English, is the Mexican capital in every sense of the word. Michoacan, along with the states of Morelas, Puebla, Queretaro, and Tlaxcala, are known as “the Central Breadbasket,” and are one of Mexico’s most important agricultural regions. The state of Puebla has been considered the gastronomic capital of Mexico.

Southern Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico

This region lies between two major bodies of water—the Gulf and Mexico and the PacificOcean—and includes the states of Veracruz, Chiapas, and Tabasco. Veracruz is located on the eastern shore of Mexico known as the Gulf Lowlands as it stretches along the Gulf Coast.

The Yucatan Peninsula

This region comprises the states of Campeche, Yucatan, and Quintana Rol. The Yucatan was once an isolated region of Mexico due to the mountainous terrain surrounding it.

The Pacific Coast

Many of the traditions considered characteristically “Mexican” were created in Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco. The state of Oaxaca is one of the most mountainous states in Mexico. Most of the people today are farmers and the most common crops are mangoes and coffee. The states of Colima, Nayarit, and Sinoloa border the Pacific Ocean. Sinaloa is one of Mexico’s largest agricultural states, and also has one of the largest fishing fleets.

The Baja California Peninsula

This territory is divided into two states, Baja California and Baja California Sur. In Baja California, Tijuana is one of the most visited border cities in the world. Baja California Sur only became a state in 1974, when tourist resorts such as Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo were developed.