The Joys of True Mexican Food

Beautiful Tamales!

There’s no denying it—Americans love Mexican food.  That being said, there seems to be a lot of confusion north of the border (and throughout the world) regarding what Mexican food actually is.

But first, let’s be clear—we’re certainly not knocking Tex-Mex, a perfectly valid and frequently delicious cuisine.  However, what many foreigners assume to be Mexican food is only peripherally related to what’s really happening in the kitchens and on the streets of that country.

For example, the option of a “hard taco” simply doesn’t exist in Mexico—it’s a wholly American invention dating back to the early 20th century.  And burritos?  Their story is a bit less clear, but what’s certain is that they were popularized in Los Angeles and remain much more popular in the U.S. than in Mexico itself.

Woman Making Mole Negro

Now that we know what Mexican food isn’t, let’s take a look at some true Mexican cuisine that is less than well-known outside of the country:

Tamales
Plenty of non-Mexicans have heard of tamales, but considerably fewer are actually familiar with the dish.  Before we begin, let’s make something clear—in proper Spanish, a single unit of this dish is not a “tamale,” but rather a tamal.

The history of the tamal goes back thousands of years to pre-Hispanic times.  The dish consists of a corn-based dough steamed in either a banana leaf or a corn husk depending on regional tradition.  They are commonly filled with a meat, mixed vegetables, mushrooms, red or green sauce, or mole.  What’s mole?  Funny you should ask…

Mole
There are many variations on this traditional Mexican sauce whose roots can be traced back to the early Spanish colonial period.  All moles include chili peppers—frequently blends of many different varieties—and most include chocolate as an ingredient.  The end effect is a sweet and spicy sauce that can taste strange at first to foreign pallets but that in time is guaranteed to win over any foodie.

Delicious looking Tortas.

Tortas
If you plan to ask for a sandwich in Mexico, you’re going to have to be more specific.  Generally speaking, a sándwich refers to one served on bland white bread (“pan bimbo” in Mexico) while a torta refers to the version that you probably actually want to eat.  Tortas vary wildly by region, with one of our favorite takes being Guadalajara’s torta ahogada (“drowned sandwich”), a basic torta served completely doused in a spicy red sauce.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Mexico map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our Mexico GPS Map.

Screen Capture from our Mexico GPS Map.

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Misunderstood Mexico

A Street in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico

For those readers from the United States, Mexico is our next-door neighbor, the second-largest customer of our national exports, and the largest source of migrant/ seasonal labor to the United States.  Whether we as individuals think much about it or not, Mexico and the United States are more than just connected—they are hugely reliant upon each other.

Despite this, there may be no country more misunderstood by the average American than Mexico.  According to a poll undertaken by consulting firm Vianovo, here are some of the words that most frequently come to mind when Americans think of Mexico: “drugs,” “poverty,” “violence,” “dirty,” and, of course, “beaches.”

Temple of Inscriptions, Palenque, Mexico

Though there are certainly some truths behind these stereotypes, they have been hugely exaggerated in the American media—sensationalism sells.  Most Americans would be surprised to know that, outside the Border States and some urban areas that are of little interest to tourists anyway, crime rates in Mexico are generally lower than in the United States.  And many people would be equally surprised by the tourism opportunities in Mexico beyond the beaches of Cancún and Puerto Vallarta.

The southern Mexican state of Chiapas, for example, is one of the world’s prime adventure tourism destinations.  Most excursions into Chiapas start from San Cristóbal de las Casas, a colonial town situated in a mountain valley with a strong indigenous influence and an important regional market.  Many visitors head to Palenque, a Maya historic site that features some of the most well-preserved temple and pyramid

Sumidero Canyon, Mexico

ruins in the Americas, as well as the Sumidero Canyon, a geological wonder whose Grijalva River cuts through vertical rock faces that can exceed 3,200 feet.  The state’s 59 Montebello Lakes range in color from deep emerald greens to iridescent blues, making a wonderful destination for hikers and mountain bikers alike, and the myriad small indigenous towns that dot the mountainous landscape all charm visitors in unique ways.

And this is just a fraction of the sites to see in one of Mexico’s 31 states (and one federal district!).  We urge Americans to look past the CNN and Fox News headlines and head south.  Get to know your neighbor—whose culture is both ancient and modern, traditional and innovative, certainly proud, and one of the warmest to be found anywhere on this planet.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Mexico map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our Mexico GPS Map.

Screen Capture from our Mexico GPS Map.

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.