Mexican cuisine is tasty and unique. Here at El Chubby’s Fresh Mexican Grill in Aurora, we wanted to share a quick overview of delicious Mexican food. Mexico is a beautiful country and it has a diverse and delicious cuisine to match its pretty countryside.
If you have an opportunity to visit Mexico, you may notice that home-style cooking is incredibly important. Everything is made to be incredibly flavorful, rich in taste and color, and with enough spice to give the food a kick.
Mexican food is thought to be very similar to what was served many years ago. Many people believe that much of Mexico’s food today was developed by the Mayans, who lived 2000 years ago. Mayans are thought to have lived sustainably off the land enjoying many of the ingredients that are important to the Mexican cuisine today.
Mexican food is generally enjoyed worldwide. The food is hearty and delicious. It is also so colorful, fragrant, and appealing that you can find it almost everywhere you travel.
Regional Mexican Food
Mexican food has earthy and humble beginnings for its rich flavors. The richness of the flavors is due to the various ingredients from all over the county. Each region has its own indigenous food that helps to classify their flavors. The Northern region of Mexico is recognized for meats and cheeses while the North-Pacific coast is generally known for growing more fruits and vegetables.
The South Pacific coast contributes numerous varieties of peppers but is also known for its chicken and cheeses. The Gulf region uses a lot of corn and vanilla in dishes and the Bajio region uses more rice, sausage, and pork in its meals. The southern region is well known for its spices and corn.
Popular Savory Mexican Food
You can’t have a conversation about Mexican food without talking about tacos. Tacos have such amazing variety in Mexico: chipotle, chicken mole, fajita, carne asada, fish, chorizo and potato, beef, bean, and even more. The taco list is practically endless.
Enchiladas are another savory fan favorite. Chicken, beef, potato, beans, seafood, and other combinations are wrapped in tortilla rolls and served with a chili pepper sauce on top. In Mexico, soups and stews are the heart of many a delicious meal. There are pork and red chile stews, purslane stews, rebocado, and carne adobado. These are just a few of the heartier soups and stews you can commonly find. Fava bean soup is another common savory dish that includes potatoes, corn, fava beans, and tomatoes.
Additionally, many a savory meal is served with a delicious guacamole (healthy and good for you too) and pico de gallo (chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and peppers are common ingredients). Don’t forget savory snacks made of carnitas, which is simmered or braised pork. Carnitas is included in many main dishes as well.
Rice and cheeses are frequently staples at Mexican mealtimes. Often served as a part of side dishes, as well as main dishes. There are so many savory favorites to choose from in Mexico.
Sweet Mexican Dishes
Mexican desserts are pretty unique. Churros, which are delicious fried breads frequently coated in cinnamon and sugar, are a popular choice. Paletas de arroz con leche (rice pudding ice pops) are another popular but unique choice in Mexico. Rice pops are also available in pineapple, tamarind-chile, strawberry and cream, as well as other flavors.
Mexican Street Food
One of the great things about Mexican food is that as you travel around the country, there are vendors selling delicious street food for you to try. There are quesadillas, churros, tacos, chalupas, tamales, and more. These foods are considered informal in Mexico and so they are often not generally served at the dinner table. Additionally, they make great street food because they usually don’t require knives and forks to be enjoyed. Street foods are a worthy experience.
Mexican Holiday Foods
During Mexican holidays, you can enjoy some of Mexico’s unique holiday foods. These treats are delicious and enjoyable. They make good additions to Mexico’s holiday experiences.
- Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is celebrated on November 1st. The treat of the day is Pan de Muertos, which is a sweet bread, and sugar skulls, cookies, and other sweets. Pan de Muertos is served in a round and usually topped with sugar or sesame seeds. Other foods of the fall season include tamales. Mole negro is also popular around this time of year. Calabaza en Dulce is another favorite. It is yellow squash or pumpkin cooked and flavored with cinnamon and brown sugar.
- The Christmas season is filled with Galletas con Chonchitos. These delicious sugar cookies are shaped like Christmas wreaths and topped with red and green sprinkles.
- Cinco de Mayo is a great day to try churros with coconut sauce, pinto bean salsa salad, Mexican lasagna, as well as chicken mole enchiladas. The meals are so colorful and tasty that just the meal is something to celebrate.
A Little Something to Drink
Hot chocolate in Mexico comes with a little, unexpected spice which is nice. Other traditional Mexican drinks include horchata. Horchata is so popular that there are a number of different flavors to try. Horchata blanca is a white rice version. You can try a toasted version that is called horchata de arroz tostado. Horchata de arroz con almendas is an almond rice version. Another traditional Mexican drink to try is chico which is a blackberry liqueur.
Other Food Worth Exploring
Sautéed sweet plantains are unusual and delicious, as is green chile spinach quiche. No trip to Mexico can be complete without trying a chimichanga. Flan and sopapillas are also delicious options.
Now that you have a quick overview of delicious Mexican food, you might be craving some of these delicious dishes. Come see us at El Chubby’s Fresh Mexican Grill in Aurora for some delicious Mexican dishes without having to travel all the way to Mexico.