The Territorial Differences Of Mexican Cooking

If you look at the geography of Mexico you'll see various individual districts. In the middle of the country you will spot quite a few different mountain ranges which, essentially, separate the western part of the country from the eastern sections. The central, mountainous plains are home to a substantial share of the population, while both the Gulf and the Pacific shores are well-known tourist areas. If we look at the southeast compared to the northwest, the Yucatán Peninsula is extremely different to Baja California. This mix is demonstrated in the customs of the people, the different climates and microclimates and eating habits of the locals.

Let's consider some of these varying localised eating habits and try and understand how some of these Mexican recipes appeared. In the central plains, locals celebrate homegrown flavors, the local versions of Spanish tapas and they are renowned for their salsa recipes. Salsa is used in various different ways when cooking enchiladas, tacos and in tortilla stuffing.

On the shores of the Gulf, as you might figure, dinner ideas are mostly based upon seafood, such as snapper, crawfish, crab and shrimp. A popular breakfast dish is Tamales - which here is fish wrapped in a banana leaf. Tamales are also popular over on the Pacific shore, where crayfish and shrimp are commonly grilled over charcoal.

You might think that fish would participate in the daily diet of the Yucatán Peninsula as well, but here you will find strong customs associated with Spanish influences and Mayan culture. Pork is often used in dishes served with a tangy yet sweet sauce and you will see the use of limes, lemons and oranges added to fish dishes with octopus, squid and crab to create a flavor that is absolutely delicious.

If we travel to the North side of Mexico we find that red meats are most popular. This is cattle breeding area after all and the locals passionately cook beef and prepare it simply grilled, spiced and fried or in a stew like chili, accompanied by salsas and side dishes. Here again fish is imported into the region as another choice for dinner and flour tortillas are served alongside dishes regualrly.

In Mexico the natives genuinely love to cook fresh food but really stress the importance of variety, color, spice and flavor. Mexican chefs are habitually keen to ensure that the food is aesthetically pleasing as we should always remember that we eat with our eyes as well as our stomachs. If you should wish you can wash your dinner down with some of the special local beverages. Tequila is of course famous but there are a great variety of homegrown breweries that expertly produce beers that are enjoyed the world over, as well.

When you're looking for Mexican food you can definitely find a diverse range of options based on regional delicacies. Indeed, you could rustle up a varying style for each day of the week and still enjoy a range of foods incorporating many ingredients well known in North American culture but with that special, Mexican twist to ensure that you'll recollect it very fondly.