Yes, that is the Taco Bell dog((Stock photo of Taco Bell dog courtesy of Night Star Romanus, everystockphoto.com.)). He is a perfect illustration of how mainstream Mexican food has become in the United States. However, it is important to note that the “Mexican” food we enjoy in the United States is often far different from what the average Mexican in Mexico would be eating.

One primary difference is that in Mexico, although flour tortillas are produced, corn tortillas are far more of a staple than flour ones((Kennedy, D. (1986). The Cuisines of Mexico. New York, NY: Harper & Row.)). In contrast, because they are easier to produce, flour tortillas are far more common in the United States. The “hard-shell” taco is also an American invention, as tortillas in Mexico would not typically be deep-fried before being made into tacos((Olver, L. (2000). Food Timeline FAQs: Mexican and Tex-Mex foods. Retrieved from http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodmexican.html.)).

In addition, Mexican food in the United States has a much stronger emphasis on beef than in Mexico, because it was heavily influenced by Texas cattle culture (thus the term “Tex-Mex”).

Finally, while Mexican food does often feature cheese, Mexican food in Mexico would almost certainly not feature the grated Cheddar commonly found on the American plate((See footnote 2.)) . While there is one Mexican cheese, Chihuahua, that is somewhat similar to an American yellow cheese, there are many varieties of Mexican cheese that are very different from this. These include asadero (similar to a fresh mozzarella), panela (white, smooth, spongy cheese), and queso fresco (crumbly).

I learned this firsthand while dining at Poblanos Taco Mix((457 5 Avenue)), an authentic Mexican restaurant in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. My request for something cheesy was met with the results below . Although the fried pieces of tortilla I received were similar to American tortilla chips, the cheese on them was most likely similar to an asadero, as it had the texture, taste, and appearance of a fresh mozzarella.

Fajitas are a great example of a classic Tex-Mex food. Click the photo below to learn more (( Stock photo of fajitas courtesy of www.theedinburghblog.co.uk, everystockphoto.com.)) .