Real Food University

Hungry yet? Photo courtesy of Taco Blog

Whew! Finally done with this first installment. Perhaps one per week is a bit ambitious with all that I have going on. A Traditional Diets post every two weeks is probably more likely. Regardless, let’s get into it. Also, I’m still trying to figure out what format and content I really want to use for these. Please provide any comments that you have about what you’d like to see more of, whether it’s history, misconceptions, or otherwise.

History of Mexican Cooking:

Where better to start this journey through Traditional Diets than with our beloved southern neighbor, Mexico? Mexican-themed restaurants are possibly the most ubiquitous fare available in American cities other than fast food burger joints. Around here, you can’t swing a bat without hitting at least one Mexican-themed restaurant, whether that’s a fast food place, an Americanized version (like Tumbleweed), or one of the more authentic places. And who can resist the allure of free chips and salsa and burritos the size of your dome? I can attest that I am a huge fan of Mexican food. When it comes to cheat foods, I suppose I could do worse than the chips and salsa that I often jump to at home.

The Traditional Mexican menu is actually a mash-up of the foods that were available in Mexico to the Aztecs and the food brought by the Spanish conquerors.(1) To a diet of “corn-based dishes with chilis and herbs, usually complemented with beans and squash” the Spaniards added “rice, beef, pork, chicken, wine, garlic, and onions”. In fact, the Aztecs were so heavily corn-dependent that they worshipped Cinteotl and Chicomencoatl, the god and goddess of corn.(2) Other foods of pre-Hispanic influence are chocolate, tomatoes, tomatillos, vanilla, avocado, papaya, pineapple, sweet potatoes, peanuts and turkey.

Other foods of interest that were consumed by the Aztecs are dogs, pancakes stuffed with tadpoles, newts, and water fly eggs, along with frogs, ducks, amaranth, various beans, and manioc. Tortillas and tamales can trace their lineages all the way back to the Aztecs as well. A few fruits that grew natively in Mexico during the reign of the Aztecs were “mamey, white and black zapotes, chirimoyas, guavas, and custard apples.” Protein came chiefly from beans and their few domesticated animals, the afore-mentioned dogs, ducks, and turkeys. Archaeologists find little in the way of game animals, large or small, but do note that these foods contributed a small percentage of calories to the Aztec diet, along with numerous insects.

The Mayans of the Yucatan peninsula also had a corn-centric diet. Like the Aztecs, turkey was an important food source for the Mayans, but they also enjoyed armadillo, tapir, monkeys, and being a coastal civilization, various fish and sea creatures. And let’s not forget that the Mayans kept bees and also had chocolate. We also find squashes, pumpkins, beans, chili peppers, yucca, chaya, jicama, papaya, and avocado on the Mayan menu. These people were also hunters, taking down deer, wild turkeys, curassows, wild boar, rabbits, peccaries, fish, turtles, and insects.

Needless to say, many of the protein sources don’t make much of a contribution to the diet of either the average modern American or the modern Mexican. Let’s take a look at how the foods of these various cultures has come together to form today’s Mexican food. From here out, when I say “Mexican food,” I am speaking of Traditional Mexican; that is, the types of food you’d find in a restaurant in some small-town in Mexico today. I will use the term “Tex-Mex” as all encompassing for the many Americanized versions (i.e., Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex, New Mexican, etc). Also, there are definite regional variations through Mexico. I’m going to attempt to give a broad overview that encompasses these differences.

What It Is. What It Ain’t.

Given what you find in most Tex-Mex restaurants, it’s no wonder that Mexican food is highly misunderstood. The average American considers Mexican food to be spicy, heavy, and fried. Ask someone to describe Mexican food and you’re likely to hear one of several words: “taco,” “burrito,” or “nachos”. Let’s explore these a bit and expand on what Mexican food really is.

“All Mexican food is spicy” (3):

Not all Mexican food is spicy – although Mexican food does include some of the most intriguingly flavored foods you may ever enjoy. Although spicy sauces may likely be in the vicinity of the food you’re served, the truth is that many delicious Mexican dishes don’t include chile peppers among their ingredients.

And (4):

First, it should be noted that, Mexicans can be just as sensitive to chile heat as anyone else. So, a properly prepared Mexican dish should not require an antidote.

“All Mexican food is fried”: Actually I’m not sure if this is a commonly held belief or not. I heard it stated in a Qdoba commercial, which is what got this whole series kicking around in my head. I think you’ll discover soon enough that this is bunk.

And what about tacos… (5)

The taco most Westerns are used to, that hard U-shaped shell filled with seasoned ground beef, lettuce, yellow cheese, and sour cream, is NOT Mexican and you will not find that here, unless you find a restaurant serving American food.

and burritos? (6)

On a larger scale, Taco Bell’s vision of Mexico is something entirely alien south of the border. When the fast-food chain tried to establish a presence in Mexico City in the 1990s, consumers were so perplexed by the “burritos” that a leading newspaper helpfully included a definition.

Our discussion of what Mexican isn’t doesn’t mean that the words “taco” and “burrito” don’t have meaning in Mexican cuisine. For instance, a Mexican taco is always served on a corn tortilla (often two stacked corn tortillas), which is soft by definition. A traditional taqueria (7) serves tacos with several types of filling, many of which you won’t see too many Americans eating: carne asade (roasted/grilled meat), tacos de tripita (cow intestines), and chorizo sausage, along with “head tacos” (De Cabeza) filled with your choice of cow brains, cheeks, tongue, eyes, udders, lips, or muscles from the cow’s head. Basically, we eat tacos made with ground beef or shredded chicken. Mexican features many more adventurous options.

And the confusion over a Taco Bell burrito versus a Mexican burrito is likely from the size and filling differences. Everyone knows of a Tex-Mex restaurant serving “burritos as big as your head.” Burrito technically translates to “little donkey” and these items are much smaller in Mexico, usually consisting only of refried beans, spanish rice, and/or meat rather than meat, rice, beans, lettuce, tomato, salsa, guacamole, onions, cheese, and the kitchen sink. Further, you won’t find burritos outside of Northern Mexico and their “invention” was actually somewhat accidental, being the result of a taco salesman (circa 1910) rolling them to keep them warm.(7) And sorry, but nachos are a strictly American invention.

Basically, what you find in Tex-Mex restaurants are what are referred to in Mexico as antojitos mexicanos, or “little whims”.(4)

These are the corn and tortilla-based specialties that include dishes such as enchiladas, tacos, tamales, quesadillas, chalupas, and tostadas that evolved directly from the original Indian cooking. In Mexico today these antojitos mexicanos serve as inexpensive but delicious staples for those in the lower economic class, and are popular with the more affluent as informal snacks or light meals, much as we would eat hamburgers and hotdogs.

Here in America, we’ve only explored the snacks that Mexican cuisine has to offer. If you want to go really traditional, find a way to try something a bit more exotic.(3)

There are also more exotic dishes, cooked in the Aztec or Maya style, with ingredients ranging from iguana to rattlesnake, deer, spider monkey, and even some kinds of insects. This is usually known as comida prehispanica (or prehispanic food), and although not very common, is relatively well known.

Some restaurants are working to showcase this traditional fare though (6):

To keep her customers happy, Avila keeps two menus: one Tex-Mex, which includes the always-popular fajitas and margaritas, and a traditional menu that offers a dish of breaded pork feet dressed in egg and topped with ranchera sauce.

I don’t know if they serve spider monkey, but pork feet is quite a shift for a gringo!

Two other big differences to note: cheese and tortillas. Mexican cooks can be rather passionate about the types of cheese that they use and at least one restaurant proprietor has banned the use of our typical yellow cheeses like cheddar. Chihuahua, Asadero, Cotija, Panela, and Oaxaca are what you’ll find in a Mexican kitchen. As for tortillas, traditionally they were made by treating corn in a limestone mixture to cause the outer hull to separate from the grain. This process, called nixtamalization, has several benefits: “enabling the grain to be more effectively ground; increasing protein and vitamin content availability; improving flavor and aroma and reduction of mycotoxins.”(8) Niacin and tryptophan are freed up, helping to prevent pellagra. I doubt most of the corn tortillas that we eat are made in this traditional way, though Quaker does make a masa harina that is made the proper way.

The Good:

The word that really pops into my head when looking at Mexican cuisine is “fresh”. A Traditional Mexican menu features little in the way of processed foods. Mexicans aren’t afraid to include plenty of vegetables with their food, including broccoli, cauliflower, and radishes.(1) The table in a typical taqueria isn’t complete without several bowls of fresh sauces and herbs: onion, cilantro, limes, various salsas, guacamole, and if you’re feeling adventurous, habanero.(5)

I can’t think of anything quite as light, fresh, and refreshing as a bowl of fresh chopped pico de gallo or guacamole. Those jars of various salsas in the grocery are another part of what most of us know as Mexican, but there are plenty of other sauces used in Mexican cooking to add flavor. Moles consist of nuts, chocolate, chilis, spices, vegetables, and the like. There are also ranchero sauces of tomatoes, onions, chilis, and herbs, along with pipian sauce (made of pumpkin seeds), adobos, and any number of other sauces you can find in the World Foods aisle at your local store.

Mexican cuisine is also well-known for its herbs and spices. While “my mouth is on fire” is what many associate with Mexico, cilantro, epazote, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon are also main flavorings. I recall when I first used cumin in my own cooking several years back, not knowing what it was at the time. As soon as I caught a whiff of it, I thought “it smells like a Mexican [Tex-Mex] restaurant.”

Another good thing is the use of lard in cooking. While some decry it as “dangerous saturated fat,” people have been using lard and other saturated fats without problems for many millenia. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to get lard from a quality source in the United States. Most of our pigs are raised in feedlots just like most of our cows. You’ll have to check with your local farmer to secure some good lard. Also, I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that I’m a big fan of the use of organs and other non-traditional meats in Mexican cooking, given that organs are one of the most nutritious meats available.

There is a good deal of braised, roasted, and grilled meat in Mexican cooking. Carnitas, barbacoa, cochinita pibil, and numerous other types of meat are made exclusively by slow cooking meat with spices. While these meats are often served with tortillas and beans, you can see that it’s not too hard to get your fill of protein and fat without worry about what hidden grains are lying in wait for you.

And let’s not forget tequila, the wonderful elixir from the blue agave plant. Mmm tequila. I’m not sure anything else needs to be said about it. Mmm…tequila.

The Bad:

Now for the aspects of the Mexican diet that need to be limited to fit into a whole foods-based, Paleo diet. Mexican food is rather high in carbohydrates from the use of lots of corn, beans, and rice. Removing them from a meal obviously moves away from a truly Mexican meal, as beans are served at nearly every meal and tortillas are also a mainstay. Luckily, we’re not trying to replicate the Mexican ideal in our kitchens; we are trying to find delicious new foods to incorporate into our healthful lifestyles. And lucky for us, lots of Mexican dishes are already low in processed carbs.

Second, there is a bit of frying in Mexican cooking, so the Qdoba commercial isn’t completely off, though I’d say there is more grilling, baking, and roasting than frying. A few items to avoid are chimichangas, taquitos, and churros.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the profligate use of nightshades in all Mexican cooking. We’re talking about tomatoes, all of the various chili peppers, green and red peppers, and potatoes. There is some concern of inflammation and arthritis from the nightshade vegetables. I’ll have a post on nightshades at a later date, but I’d truly consider this more of a “neutral” than a “bad”. Tomatoes, chilis and bell peppers do contain quite a few vitamins and are not the most detrimental items in the typical person’s diet.

The Obscure:

Here are a few foods that you’ll find in Mexican (and other Hispanic cuisines) that you’ll not see in many American or Tex-Mex restaurants:

• Jicama – a winter root with a crunchy texture
• Achiote – used mainly as a flavorless food coloring
• Epazote – a pungent herb described as “citrus, petroleum, savory, mint and putty.” Toxic in large amounts
• Nopales – The leaves of the cactus
• Red Prickly Pears – The fruit of the cactus

I’ve included nopales in a recipe that I created (see below) quite some time ago. I’m not sure if it would ever appear in a Mexican kitchen, but it is Mexican-inspired. The others here I’ve never had, but I will be on the lookout.

The Takeaways:

So what can we take from here to spice up our healthful lifestyles? I think there are plenty of foods that we’ve discussed that fit nicely into a Paleo-style diet. One thing that I think was really exposed here is that traditional Mexican food is heavily focused on using whole foods. Eliminating the carbohydrate-laden tortillas, rice, and beans drastically reduces the carbohydrate load and leaves a plate full of meat, fresh sauces, and vegetables.

Another big takeaway is that what we know as “Mexican” in the United States is but one very small aspect of true Mexican cooking. Mexican features a much broader spectrum of foods than most of us have ever heard of. In fact, few Mexican dishes are served with sauce on them as they are in our Tex-Mex restaurants; the sauces are usually served alongside the main course.

Finally, as you’ll see in the recipes I’ll provide in the next section, there are plenty of low-carb Mexican dishes featuring no grains and no processed ingredients, just good wholesome meat, fat, and vegetables. And you can also look around for some of the obscure food items above to add a bit of variety to your diet. Hispanic markets in your area will likely carry some of them. Guess where I’m heading sometime in the next few weeks?

Feel free to post your favorite Mexican recipes in the comments.

A Few Recipes:

Note: Unless specifically noted, I haven’t used these recipes, though I will be trying them or variations of them eventually.

Meats

• Barbacoa – Slow-cooked meat (often cow cheeks) with spices. It doesn’t get any simpler than this; Recipe
• Carnitas – This one technically translates as “Little meats” and is braised or roasted pork; Recipe
• Ceviche – It’s fish and other seafood marinated in citrus juices to “cook” the meat; Here’s a recipe that I’ve used that is quite tasty.
• Cochinita pibil – Pork slow-roasted in banana leaves; Recipe
• Pork and Cactus Stew (my recipe) – Pork, tomatillos, nopales; it’s all in here.

Sauces

• Mojo Criollo – It’s technically a Cuban recipe, but has been adopted by the dwellers of the Yucatan peninsula; Recipe
• Guacamole – Mashed avocado with other stuff; Recipe
• Mole – Mole is an all-encompassing term, much like “salsa,” but this recipe looks easy and tasty; Recipe

You can find quite a few Mexican-inspired recipes here at Mex Grocer, including mole sauces and lamb enchiladas. This is also a great site if you’re looking to purchase some tasty products in the Mexican style of cooking. Mex Recipes also has quite a few recipes, though you’ll have to modify most to fit a low-carb lifestyle. If you decide to try your hand at home-made tortillas, Texas Cooking provides a recipe using real masa harina. Obviously these shouldn’t be a regular part of your low-carb diet, though the ingredients of corn and water aren’t too awful.

So there it is, a brief walk through Mexican cooking.

Citations:

(1) MexInsider – Mexican Cuisine
(2) The History and Use of Common Mexican Food Ingredients
(3) Myths and Misconceptions about Mexico
(4) Frequently Asked Questions on Mexican Cooking
(5) Truth on Tacos
(6) Is it real, or is it Tex-Mex?
(7) Taco – Wikipedia
(8) Nixtamalization – Wikipedia

Other Sources:

Tex-Mex Cuisine – Wikipedia
Mexican Cuisine – Wikipedia
Traditional Mexican Foods
Mexico: food
Aztec Food and Religion
Food Timeline – Aztec, Maya, and Inca foods

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