An Easy Recipe

It is not news that the cuisine of America and the cuisine of Mexico are quite different things. Mexican food recipes, for example are certainly not all that similar to those found in America. Strangely enough, Canadian food is rather similar to our own, as is often the case with neighboring countries - so why is the culinary tradition of our southern neighbor so different than ours? Mexican recipes use different ingredients than we commonly see in the average grocery store and create flavors, which seem exotic to American palates.

Historical Factors

One of the two biggest reasons for the differences between Mexican food and American food is historical. Mexico of course was once a Spanish territory; then again, so were parts of the United States! The difference is that Mexico remained a Spanish colony for a much longer time - and you can certainly see the influence of Spanish cooking in parts of the American southwest. These are regions, which were formerly held by the Spanish and of course, also bordering Mexico.

Most of the US was instead colonized by settlers from northern Europe, with cuisines, which differed greatly from Spanish cooking. These immigrants had a much greater influence on the culinary scene in the fledgling nation, accounting for much of the difference in Mexican recipes and those having their origin in points north.

Colonists who came to Mexico from Europe came by and large from Spain and had a deep and lasting influence on what is now the nation of Mexico. Many classic Mexican recipes are either Spanish and are made much the same way as they are in Europe or are adaptations of Spanish dishes using local ingredients as substitutes for those, which were unavailable in the Americas.

Mexico has of course had significant numbers of arrivals from outside of Spain since, especially settlers from Syria and Lebanon, who brought one of their traditional dishes - shawarma with them. This has been adapted into the Mexican classic al pastor. However, the Spanish influence is stronger than any other in the Mexican kitchen is.

While the US has had many immigrants from many different parts of the world, the diversity of the US population as compared to Mexico's has meant that the cuisine of Mexico has remained more distinct than that of its northern neighbor. This by no means, means that Mexico is a place where foods from other countries is not enjoyed and adapted to local tastes either.

The Differences Local Ingredients Make

The second reason for the difference between Mexican and American cooking has to do with geography. Just as the first European colonists in America learned to use the local produce as well as importing their own, early settlers in Mexico adapted to local ingredients and the native and Spanish cuisines melded into something all its own. Since the country has a warmer climate, different ingredients are easily available, with corn, chili peppers, pumpkins, and other crops, which have been cultivated there for millennia and imported crops, which grow easily in the country.

This fusion of ingredients native to Mexico and those brought from Spain and the cooking methods of both old world and new is what brought Mexican food to fruition. In fact, this is probably the most popular fusion cuisine in the world, though people rarely think of Mexican food as anything but its own distinctive cuisine, which of course it is as well. From Mexican food recipes like huaraches to menudo, mole to Mexican casserole recipes, Mexican food is something with a flavor which is uniquely its own.

If you like Mexican food, you can learn a lot about its history and preparation at MexicanFoodRecipes.org. From favorites like tamales to enchiladas to lesser known treats like posole and authentic Mexican rice recipes, you can find all sorts of great recipes here.

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