Mexican Food: 5 Interesting Facts About This Legendary Cuisine

Mexican food is one of the most celebrated cuisines on Earth, with foodies around the world flocking to food hotspots around Mexico, such as Oaxaca and Mexico City. However, as we here at Latin Post previously talked about, Mexican cuisine is much more than just tacos.

From mole to tamales to tortas, Mexican food varies from region to region. Each regional flavor is unique with its own unique ingredients, making Mexican cuisine much more diverse than most other national cuisines.

Interesting Facts Regarding Mexican Food

With the uniqueness of Mexican food, we have gathered five interesting facts that many Americans may or may not know about Mexican cuisine, and here they are:

Caesar's Salad Is Mexican Food

While Caesar's Salad may sound Roman and therefore Italian, the dish was actually not invented in Europe, but in North America. To be exact, it was invented in Tijuana of all places, at the Hotel Caesars, according to Lola's Cocina.

The story goes that it was created in 1924 when the hotel's chefs were running low on ingredients to serve guests. To make up for this, they came up with a salad with the only available ingredients they had at that time, namely romaine lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese, and a dressing made with olive oil, lime (not lemon) juice, garlic, and anchovies. The salad has since become a classic, though people have mostly forgotten its Mexican roots.

Chocolate Originated in Mexico

When the Spaniards arrived in the New World, they were offered a brown-colored beverage that they immediately fell in love with. This was chocolate and as many already know, it comes from the cacao plant that grows all over Mexico.

However, in Mexico, chocolate is not just used as a dessert but also an ingredient in savory meals. Of course, the most popular example is mole, which uses chocolate as an important base.

The Interesting Origins of Nachos

While many view nachos as more of an Americanized dish, this one actually does originate in Mexico. According to On the Border, it was invented by a man named Ignacio Anaya Garcia, whose nickname, was "Nacho." He made the dish with crispy fried corn tortillas, cheese, and jalapenos. However, much like Caesar's Salad, the dish exploded more outside Mexico, particularly in the US.

Chiles en Nogada Reflect the Mexican Flag

During Mexico's Independence Day, they often serve chiles en nogada, which is a green chili pepper stuffed with ground meat. However, it is smothered with a white nutty sauce, pomegranate seeds, and some greens. This makes the dish white, green, and red, which are, of course, the colors of the Mexican flag.

Insects Are Regularly Eaten in Mexico

In Mexico, eating bugs is not an uncommon practice. According to Villa del Palmar, grasshoppers are a common ingredient in some regions. They are often served with lime juice and chili peppers and added to tacos. Grubs and mezcal worms are commonly eaten around Mexico as well.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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