It should not be a surprise to anyone to hear that the neighboring countries of the United States and Mexico have different cuisines. Nor is it surprising to hear that Mexican food recipes and recipes for traditional American dishes are quite different. What is surprising is that they are different - quite often, countries which border each other have somewhat similar culinary traditions, such as is the case between the US and Canada. So why is it that our food is so different from Mexican food anyway?

History

One of the two biggest reasons for the differences between Mexican food and American food is historical. Mexico of course was once a Spanish territory; then again, so were parts of the United States! The difference is that Mexico remained a Spanish colony for a much longer time - and you can certainly see the influence of Spanish cooking in parts of the American southwest. These are regions, which were formerly held by the Spanish and of course, also bordering Mexico.

Most of the US was instead colonized by settlers from northern Europe, with cuisines, which differed greatly from Spanish cooking. These immigrants had a much greater influence on the culinary scene in the fledgling nation, accounting for much of the difference in Mexican recipes and those having their origin in points north.

Colonists who came to Mexico from Europe came by and large from Spain and had a deep and lasting influence on what is now the nation of Mexico. Many classic Mexican recipes are either Spanish and are made much the same way as they are in Europe or are adaptations of Spanish dishes using local ingredients as substitutes for those, which were unavailable in the Americas.

Mexico has of course had significant numbers of arrivals from outside of Spain since, especially settlers from Syria and Lebanon, who brought one of their traditional dishes - shawarma with them. This has been adapted into the Mexican classic al pastor. However, the Spanish influence is stronger than any other in the Mexican kitchen is.

Since the US has a much more diverse population, no single nationality’s cuisine ever assumed quite the dominance over American cooking as can be seen in Mexico with Spanish influence. The development of Mexican food is largely the product of two cuisines rather than many melding together over time.

Different Ingredients

The other important factor in the difference between the cuisines of Mexico and the US is in the ingredients used. Just like in this country, Mexican cooks and Spanish colonists alike have always worked with the ingredients, which were widely available. In Mexico, of course that meant avocado, chili peppers, corn, pumpkins, pineapple, and other produce typical of the country’s warmer climate.

It is this adaptation of European recipes to the ingredients of the new world and the incorporation of Spanish ingredients and techniques into the indigenous cuisine that has made Mexican food the unique cuisine it is today. From Mexican food recipes like pozole to Mexican casserole recipes, tostadas to pumpkin recipes, Mexican food is one of the world’s greatest fusion cuisines that no one thinks of as a fusion cuisine.

There is something very special about Mexican food and a lot of people would love to find some free traditional Mexican recipes to try making themselves at home for the whole family to enjoy. From enchiladas to tacos and guacamole to mole sauce, flavorful Mexican recipes never fail to delight the senses.

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