Mexico Connect's Mexican Food Page

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/recipes/foodindex.html

Also don't miss The Global Gourmet's main Mexico food and recipes page

Review by Debbie Mazo

Mexican cuisine is a rich merger of the country's history and regional preferences. From native Indian foods such as beans and chiles to the Spanish contribution of rice and meats, Mexican cuisine has caught the attention of food lovers around the world. Navigate the diverse terrain of the region and explore authentic Mexican dishes at the same time, when you visit Mexico Connect's Mexican Food Page.

Like other countries around the world, the cuisine of Mexico reflects the tastes of different regions of the nation. Taste here is influenced by the local climate as well as everyday rituals that have become important to a region's inhabitants. At Mexico Connect's Mexican Food Page, you'll uncover a comprehensive culinary guide written by the site's food writer, Karen Hursh Graber, including local recipes that you can experiment with. Find out, for example, about the sophisticated blending of flavors in the central region of Tlaxcala, famous for its fields of maguey, corn, and amaranth as well as setas, gourmet mushrooms formerly found only in the wild. Highlighting the region's specialties, you can also try selections like Pollo Tizatlan, chicken breasts seasoned with lightly toasted amaranth. Or, sample Codillo Aquiahuac, pork leg complemented with the flavor of paddle cactus and pursulane (a tropical plant native to the region).

 
Mexican cuisine is well known for the earthy intensity of its spices and herbs. Take a tour of the country's spices when you click on Las Hierbas de Cocina: A Culinary Guide to Mexican Herbs. Expand your cooking horizons with distinct herbs like cilantro, a tangy, almost pungent spice used in fresh green salsas and bean and rice dishes. Or, find out more about Mexican saffron featured primarily in chicken and seafood dishes, especially in combination with rice, soups, and stews. You can also learn about the integral part chocolate, originating from an Aztec word, has played in the culinary heritage of Mexico. Like the Aztecs, Mexicans regularly add chocolate to meat selections like mole, a turkey stew with a sauce made with chocolate and peppers.

If you can't get enough of Mexican cuisine, the site offers a varied collection of recipes listed by ingredients such as poultry, meat, and fish or by courses such as Side Dishes and Beverages. Start with a famous Baja street snack like Tacos de Pescado (or Fish Tacos) garnished with a thin avocado sauce, vinegar-marinated onion rings, shredded cabbage salad, and a selection of red and green salsas. Or, stir up Manchamanteles, a Chicken and Fruit Stew using plantains, pineapples, and tomatoes to make a deep red sauce.

You can also check out some of the featured chefs and restaurants that offer all the secrets of this ancient but enduring cuisine. Pay a visit to La Chiquita, a small bakery in Cholula, Puebla where customers load their trays daily with sweet bread, French rolls, and dinner loaves. Or, attend a cooking class in Oaxaca to learn about the culturally diverse cuisine of this southern Mexican state known as the Land of the Seven Moles. This section and all the other attractions at the site will definitely inspire you when it comes to adding a Mexican accent to your kitchen table.

 
About the Writer

Debbie Mazo is a writer and editor based in Vancouver, Canada. She's been writing the NetFood Digest column for the Global Gourmet since 1997. You can contact her at djmbc@[email-address-removed].

Copyright © 2001, Debbie Mazo. All rights reserved.

February 2001

02/05/01—BusyCooks.com

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