Mexico is the sixth most visited country in the world.
They usually go there to look at the Mayan pyramids and relax on the beaches. But if you can’t swim and visit historical monuments at a distance, then you’ll be able to get acquainted with the cuisine and traditional tastes.
Most of the tourists in Mexico are traditionally from the United States. Relations between neighboring countries are constantly changing from neutral to very bad, and now, due to problems with illegal emigration and drug trafficking, everything is difficult here, but this does not affect Mexico’s popularity. During Prohibition, Americans went to the border towns to hang out.
The slang term “Mexican breakfast” comes from Tijuana in the 1920s: a cigarette and coffee or a glass of water allegedly helped Californians on a spree from a severe hangover. Mexico was for many years a haven for those who struggled with the authorities back home (see “The Shawshank Redemption”), and today it is an obvious vacation spot.
But more and more often connoisseurs of gastronomy from all over the world come here to travel. The reason is the indescribable richness of Mexican cuisine, which is not limited to tacos and fajitas (which, by the way, can have a hundred regional varieties).
In 2019, Enrique Olvera’s Pujol was named Best in North America in The World 50 Best Restaurants, beating out all U.S. competitors, and that alone speaks to how well developed Mexico’s cuisine is. Moreover, any cuisine: without a strong national gastronomic culture, it is almost impossible to achieve such results in haute cuisine.
Gastronomic tourism is one of the main points of application of the efforts of tourist organizations in Mexico, therefore, many special routes have already been laid in the country. In addition to the obvious “tequila road” in the state of Jalisco, there is also the “mole road” in Oaxaca and neighboring states, the “cheese and wine trail” in Bernal and Querétaro, and the “coffee road” in Tapachula and Chiapas.
If you still decide to go to Mexico when the opportunity arises and the atmosphere is favorable, then we recommend that you save this list of places – from star restaurants to no less beautiful shops.
A feature of the national Mexican cuisine
is that it is included in the UNESCO heritage list, its ancient recipes are carefully guarded, and some are kept in the strictest confidence. In general, the traditional cuisine of Mexico is a mixture of ancient Aztec, Native American and Spanish cuisines.
The composition of the national dishes of Mexico includes products such as meat, legumes, vegetables, cereals, seafood and corn. The most popular Mexican dishes are made using cornmeal.
These include:
- Tacos – corn tortilla with a variety of fillings
- Tortilla – Mexican cornmeal tortilla
- Posoles – meat in cornmeal
- Tamales – corn tortillas with various sauces
- Nachos – flatbread with a variety of fillings
The famous tortilla has become a kind of visiting card of the country.
This cake is used not only as an independent dish, but also as an addition to others. It is impossible to imagine burritto, encinadas, fajita or papatzules without tortilla.
Mexican cuisine is famous for its spiciness and the use of a variety of spices and seasonings. Local chefs like to add various types of hot peppers, avocado leaves, onions, garlic and cumin seeds to traditional dishes. Local salsa and guacamole sauces have long gained fame all over the world.
Lovers of sweets will find in Mexico such dishes that they will like. Fruit desserts are especially popular here, as well as a variety of buns, puddings and muffins. Tequila is the most popular alcoholic drink in Mexico. It is presented in 300 different types. Among non-alcoholic drinks, cocoa, juices and hot chocolate are popular.