While all of the above foods are an important part of Mexican cuisine as we know it today, this doesn’t necessarily mean that all of them are actually “native” to Mexico.  In fact, some of the foods that are today considered the most quintessentially “Mexican” are those that were imported by the Spanish((Kennedy, Diana. (1986). The Cuisines of Mexico (Revised Edition). New York, NY: Harper & Row.)). Only two of the above foods, corn((Corn stock photo- Francis Estanislao- All stock photos courtesy of http://sxc.hu. )) and beans((Beans pic-Mats Heyman)), are truly native to Mexico. Other native foods include chocolate, chiles, and avocado. Meanwhile, rice and cheese((Rice pic- David Guglielmo and cheese pic- Dominic Morel)) were both Spanish imports. Other Spanish imports include wheat and chicken.

Click on the picture of corn (above) to learn more about its important role in Mexican food culture.

The traditional Mexican dish mole is an excellent illustration of the influence that the Spanish had on Mexican cuisine. It also showcases the great variety of regional variation that exists within Mexican cuisine. Click on the picture of mole poblano (below) to learn more.

Ready to learn more about Mexican food “here”? Click on the chips and salsa below((Salsa pic- Shyle Zacharias)).