The History and Use of Common Mexican Food Ingredients

From Chihuahua Cheese to Habaneros

Speeding through a drive up window to grab a taco value meal doesn't seem to be an event of much historical significance, right? Not so, my friend! Mexican food ingredients, and their evolution into the Tex-Mex most Americans are familiar with, is brimming with history that dates back to the 1500s.

The history of Mexican food ingredients as we know them dates back to 1519 and the arrival of Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes in Mexico, which later resulted in the Conquest of Mexico in 1521. The arrival of Cortes marks a collision of cultures that resulted in the combining of Spanish and Aztec flavors and ingredients that eventually led to the creation of the foods we are familiar with today. Spanish influences on Mexican food ingredients include meats, citrus fruits, garlic, cheese, milk, and wine. Mexican food ingredients that came from the Aztecs include beans, corn, and squash. Through the centuries, Mexican food has continued to evolve as a result of the influences of other countries. These changes include the emergence of Tex-Mex food, which are the blended flavors and styles of Northern Mexico and the Southwest US. Many Americans believe that all Mexican is spicy, however this is not true.

Mexican food can be sweet, savory, and spicy as well. Let's take a closer look at the standby ingredients and spices contained in Mexican dishes.

Corn, a key Mexican food ingredient, and Aztec influence on Mexican cooking, is perhaps the most important ingredient in Mexican food. Corn was the main ingredient of the Aztec diet. Consequently, the Aztecs were very dependent on a successful corn harvest, and worshiped Cinteátl, the god of corn, and Chicomencáatl, the corn goddess. Today, the chief use of corn in Mexican cooking is in the making of tortillas. Tortillas are the bread of the Mexican kitchen.