Viva la comida: A culinary display of Mexico’s rich and vibrant culture

A unique fusion of Meso-American and Spanish cuisine, Mexico is home to some of the most culturally diverse and flavoursome food in the western hemisphere. With delicacies such as deep-fried grasshoppers and eye tacos, the country’s various regions give rise to dishes that range from the sublime to the bizarre.

MAIZE: Mexico is known as the land of maize. Since before the land was even referred to as Mexico, maize was becoming a central feature in the diets of the locals, so much so that modern Mexico now consumes 38.7m tonnes of the crop every year. Maize comes in various forms, including quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, Nahuatl, or Aztec, word pozolli, which translates to foam. The dish was prevalent all over Meso-America at the time of Spain’s arrival in the 16th century, and was widely cited in the Florentine Codex, the ethnographic research study by the Spaniards of Meso-America. As with many Mexican foods, its origins are disputed, but its regional varieties are plentiful. White pozole, the most famous variety, comes from the central-western state of Jalisco. Green pozole is most common further south in Guerrero, and red pozole can be found in the state of Michoacán. Unsurprisingly, the last two varieties were named after the type of chilli used, which gave the pozole not only its colour, but also its flavour. It is almost impossible to avoid pozole in the lead up to Mexican Independence Day on September 16. An interesting claim about pozole is that it used to be made with human meat until cannibalism was banned by the invading Spaniards. It was then made with pork due to the taste supposedly being the most similar to human flesh.

MOLE: The story goes that mole (pronounced mol-eh), a thick sauce, was created by a group of nuns in the state of Puebla, who, upon hearing about an archbishop’s impending visit, prayed for inspiration about what to cook for him. An angel told them to combine all of their remaining ingredients, which included various chillies and spices, old bread, nuts and chocolate, among other things, and pour the mixture over some meat. Others claim that varieties of mole have been made since pre-Hispanic times, and that the Aztec king Montezuma served the sauce to Spanish conqueror Hernán Cortés, whom he thought was a god. Regardless of the origins, what remains undisputed is that this sauce, based on spices and chillies, and up to 30 additional ingredients, is Mexico’s national dish. Cities Puebla and Oaxaca both claim to have been the birthplace of mole, each region representing a different style of the sauce. Nevertheless, it is enjoyed by all Mexicans, as well as the Mexican diaspora abroad. The traditional and most famous version, mole poblano, is eponymously from Puebla, but green, yellow, red and black moles can also be found, especially in Oaxaca.

CHILES EN NOGADA: Yet another of Puebla’s gastronomic exports and another hearty Independence Day food is chiles en nogada. It is a green poblano chilli stuffed with picadillo (minced meat mixed with spices, fruit and vegetables), topped with a white walnut sauce and red pomegranate seeds – the three colours representing those of the Mexican flag. According to legend, the dish was first prepared by the inhabitants of Puebla for Mexico’s first emperor Agustín de Iturbide during his visit after signing the Independence Act in 1821.

ROMERITOS: Another festivity, another reason to eat delicious food. Christmas is the season to eat romerito, which means “little rosemary”. These small nutrition-packed balls taste more like spinach than herbs, and can be eaten as a standalone snack or used in a dish, such as a rich mole made from prawns, nopal and potatoes called romeritos en revoltijo.

TORTAS AHOGADAS: Literally meaning “drowned sandwiches”, the torta ahogada is a speciality from Jalisco, especially in its capital city of Guadalajara. The translation is an accurate one, given that it is a sandwich that is completely submerged in a pepper sauce. Due to a very thick crust, the bread becomes soggy, but it does not fall apart. Fillings vary, but they usually include a type of meat, typically chicken or pork, with cheese and/or refried beans. Attend a football match in Guadalajara and the food of choice during half-time will be the torta ahogoda, which is to be washed down with an icy cold Mexican beer.

HUACHINANGO A LA VERACRUZANA: This is a popular dish from the coastal state of Veracruz, a region well known for its seafood. The region is also where the Spanish first arrived, and for that the reason the dish combines indigenous and Spanish cooking techniques. A whole red snapper is soaked in a rich sauce made of tomatoes, onions and garlic, then baked until the fish is tender, to be served with a side of seasoned white rice.

BARBACOA: The word barbacoa originates from the Taíno people, who inhabited the Caribbean at the time of European contact. Although it is the etymology of the English word barbecue, in modern Mexico it refers to slowly steam cooking meat, which is typically a whole sheep or goat. After a starter of consommé soup made from the meat juices, the pulled lamb or mutton is then typically eaten with a wide array of Mexican salsas and wrapped in a maize tortilla, topped off with lime, coriander and raw onion. It is a dish saved for special occasions due to the significant amount of time and energy required to produce a top-quality barbacoa.

CHAPULINES: Translating to grasshopper, this dish is just that – a lightly fried insect flavoured with garlic, lime and salt. They can be eaten as a snack, much like peanuts, but the highly recommended way is to eat them in a tortilla filled with spicy salsa and guacamole.

ESCAMOLES: Derived from the Nahuatl words azcatl, which means ant, and molli, which means puree, escamoles are Mexico’s version of caviar. With a buttery or sometimes nutty taste, they are said to taste like fried cottage cheese or popcorn. Similar to caviar, escamoles are highly prized as ant eggs are only available between February and May, meaning they are traditionally eaten around Easter in tacos seasoned with spices and salsa.

CHINICUILES: These maguey worms can be eaten in many ways: raw, roasted, fried or – once again – in a taco with guacamole and homemade salsa. Despite their initially unappealing appearance, they are extremely healthy and, like many insects, very high in protein. As they are from the same plant from which mezcal is produced, they can be eaten in accompaniment to the drink, or added to the bottle for extra flavour.

HUITLACOCHE: Translated as maize smut, the huitlacoche is a fungus that grows on maize plants. It is a nuisance for most farmers, but in Mexico the fungus is a welcomed sight. Although it used to be food for the poor, it can now be found in fancy restaurants. Its taste has been described as a mix between black truffles and shiitake mushrooms, and it can be eaten in a soup, as a condiment or, as always, wrapped in a maize tortilla.