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Mexican Food 
TopThrow A Mexican Fiesta!
Inject some heat and excitement into your weekend with your very own Mexican fiesta at home! From the most delicate dishes to the spiciest, discover the varied colours and flavours of Mexican cuisine.
A Cuisine Steeped in Tradition
Une cuisine riche en traditions
- Mexico's culinary arts date back a thousand years. Spain's conquistadors arrived to discover two great cultures, the Aztec and the Mayan, both enjoying refined culinary traditions.
- Sumptuous banquets were laden with poultry, venison and fish cooked in tens of ways, exotic fruit, fermented drinks made from cactus and corn as well as chocolate beverages with honey or vanilla added.
- Corn, tomatoes, bean crops, squash, avocados and even chocolate and vanilla were unknown in Europe before Christopher Columbus returned with them.
- Spain's explorers introduced the new world to wheat, barley, rice, olives, lemons, vineyards and cattle. All found their way into Mexican recipes. Little by little, cultural traditions influenced Mexican cuisine as it flourishes today.
Tortillas, Tortillas!
- Synonymous with Mexico, tortillas are thin crêpes made from corn flour. They are the daily bread without which Mexican cuisine would not exist as we know it. Tortillas are corn-based but prepared and cooked in many ways, all named differently.
- Tacos, eaten with your fingers, are rolled tortillas filled with guacamole, tomatoes, peppers, meats, beans or even fish.
- Tostadas are fried tortillas served with sauces with an aperitif base.
- Stuffed, cooked in tomato sauce and occasionally served “au gratin”, tortillas become enchiladas.
- Sort of a turnover with melted cheese, quesadillas are often enjoyed with red or green salsa.
- Tamales are tortillas stuffed with meat or vegetables and cooked wrapped in corn or banana leaves. Food won't dry out—and takes on a characteristic flavour—following this approach.
Really, Truly Mexican!
- Corn has served as a staple for thousands of years. It is eaten cooked, boiled, in flour, cereals, as a vegetable with rice or in salads. You'll even find corn ice-cream!
- Peppers or chiles, form the second basic ingredient in Mexican cuisine. Fresh, dried or powdered, yellow, red, green or brown, peppers come in hundreds of varieties. Not all dishes necessarily have to be hot or spicy, though. Use as many or as few as you like!
- Beans or frijoles, basic to many dishes, are fried, boiled or sautéed and served in soup, as a side dish or garnish.
- Sauces or mole are essential. Creamy smooth, they need to simmer several hours to acquire all their flavour. Made from peppers and spices, almonds, peanuts, tomatoes, cinnamon or onions also are added, depending on the region.
- Nopal is a plant in the cactus family. Its tiny leaves are consumed cooked as a vegetable in salad or with eggs, after taking care to remove all the thorns, of course!
- Guacamole, widely considered the national sauce, calls for avocados, tomatoes, onions and coriander. It is served as a first course or to accompany meat dishes and tacos.
- Chocolate, drunk hot or cold, is popular at lunchtime. Bitter tasting, cinnamon and vanilla flavours are added.
- When it comes to alcohol, tequila is the national drink. It is taken straight with a little salt and lemon or mixed in a cocktail such as the well-known margarita.
- Beer or cerveza also has a following and is consumed very cold, often accompanied by a slice of lime slipped in the neck of the bottle.
Fiesta Time, Carumba!
- Mexico evokes sun, holidays and ... feasting! So a Mexican fiesta makes for an ideal way to celebrate a special occasion!
- A few props symbolic of old Mexico—a cactus, a sombrero, a poncho and lively colours are all you need to create just the right atmosphere for your fiesta!
- Music and dance are an integral to the Mexican way of life and mariachi bands are present almost everywhere in Mexico. To add some olé to the ambience, get out your guitar and trumpet or dance to rhythms of the some mariachi tunes.
- Children of all ages will welcome the piñata. The piñata, in the shape of an animal or other form, is made of paper mâché and decorated with coloured paper and ribbon. Fill it with prizes and candy, then hang it up in a spot where each guest can take a turn at trying to break it open with a stick.
- Go for a colourful table setting with a platter of tropical fruit such as mangoes, papayas, pineapples and figs. Include a basket of hot tortillas, nacho chips, salsa, guacamole—all of which will be heartily appreciated.
Home Fiesta Essentials
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