How Important is Mexican Food to The United States?
Mexican cuisine is so important it should be its own food group
In The United States, we love Mexican food so much that it has become an integral part of what we consider American food. From nachos and quesadillas to tostadas and margaritas we can’t seem to get enough of this spicy goodness.
The influence that Mexican food and culture have had on American cuisine has been significantly widespread due in part to Mexico’s close proximity to The United States as well as the cultural exchange between our two countries.
Let’s get ready to explore how Mexican cuisine has influenced some of our favorite “American Foods”.
Offering an array of colors, flavors, and aromas, Mexican food is one of the most loved and diverse international cuisines in The United States. This cuisine not only offers a plethora of flavors and textures but also incorporates a variety of cooking styles and techniques all its own. Some of the traditional tools of Mexican cooking are the molcajete and the Comal.
The molcajete, which is used similarly to mortar and pestle, is made from volcanic stone and is used to grind spices and chilies, especially in making salsas and guacamole. In The United States, we love guacamole more than anything else in the world, we are obsessed with it. During Superbowl week the average American spent $13.50 on guacamole with a total national spending of 79.1 million dollars just on guac, that’s a whole lot of avocados.
The Comal is the ubiquitous flat round type of griddle made of either cast iron or clay that can be seen in kitchens all over Mexico. The Comal is used for cooking tortillas, toasting chilies, as well as roasting all kinds of delectable foods.
The influence that Mexican cuisine has had on the American diet has been profound, with ingredients such as tomatoes, avocados, and chilies becoming a staple, we would definitely be lost in the kitchen if it wasn’t for their culinary contributions.
What would America have done for fifteen years without chipotle in adobo (a smoked jalapeno pepper in a spicy sauce) and where would Bobby Flay be without the ancho chili or Guy Fieri without Guajillo peppers? He probably wouldn’t have become the mayor of Flavortown without it.
Mexican cuisine is known for its salsas, and in The United States, we have embraced this ever-present spicy condiment wholeheartedly. Salsas are typically made from fresh ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, chilies, garlic, and various spices.
Pico de Gallo a salsa fresca, literally means “beak of rooster” but thankfully this vibrant accompaniment bears no resemblance to its namesake. It is one of the most common salsas found in Mexican cuisine, in its basic form it is comprised of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime, and salt. Often Jalapeno or serrano peppers are added to give it a little heat.
Americans love spicy food, especially when it comes to salsa, and what comes to mind when I think of spicy salsa is the fiery habanero salsa, this salsa is not for the faint of heart but it will blow your mind, not to mention blow out your…., well you know, it’s going to hurt again the next morning. This salsa brings together habanero peppers, onions, garlic, and lime for a tangy and very spicy salsa.
It seems like there is a taco truck on every corner these days and for good reason, tacos are delicious, convenient, and fairly economical. Tacos have become insanely popular in The United States, this is probably because you can make a taco out of anything. From traditional carnitas and al pastor tacos to barbeque brisket tacos, I am sure that you can thank Texas for this one. Nothing beats the versatility of a taco.
Burritos have also become a staple cuisine for Americans on the go. The burrito originated in northern Mexico but has been adapted into various American versions, most notably the mission-style burrito. This burrito features rice, beans, your choice of meat, salsa, guacamole, and cheese all wrapped up in a giant tortilla. The taco truck that I worked in used a 14-inch tortilla and that’s not even as big as they come. This giant burrito can weigh in at over 2 pounds and is about the size of a newborn baby. Burritos are yet another example of Mexico’s finest creations being amalgamated into the American culinary landscape.
Most of us probably can’t even think about throwing a party without thinking about items like nachos and margaritas, or a build-your-own fajita bar, who doesn’t love a sizzling plate of steak fajitas on their birthday, I know I do.
I think that Americans have adopted more Mexican culture than they even realize. I have attended quite a few children’s birthday parties in the last year and most of them had a pinata for the kids, there always seems to be chips and salsa on the snack table at most gatherings and I think that it’s no coincidence that birria tacos are all over Tik Toc™ and YouTube™
I wasn’t kidding when I said that we love Mexican food so much that it should be its own food group, it really should. What would we do without these highly exceptional flavors? Well, our food would probably be pretty boring, In my opinion, American food has gotten a much-needed kick over the last two decades.
If I had to eat only one kind of food for the rest of my life, it would definitely be Mexican. The variety of flavors combined with the spicy versatility of Mexican food is an unbeatable combination that will never cease to amaze me. The culinary world definitely owes Mexican cuisine a debt of gratitude, after all this would be a pretty boring place without it.
Brian, do you ever watch "Somebody Feed Phil"? For whatever reason, all this talk of authentic Mexican cuisine conjured up a few episodes of that show. I really enjoyed watching that one with the family.
Mexican food is one of my favorites as well. I never really stopped to think how it has blended into our daily food culture on so many levels. Yay Margaritas! Thanks for sharing.