Mexican Spice Mix

Mexican Spice Mix

Our seasoning for Mexican dishes is a composition of vegetables, spices and herbs most often used in Tex-Mex cuisine: garlic, onions, tomatoes, chili, peppers, oregano and cumin, as well as coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon. Garlic, chili and paprika will add spicy and spicy flavor to the dish. Cumin and coriander will enrich the dish with expressive notes, nutmeg and cinnamon will give the spicy flavor and aroma so valued in Mexican cuisine.

Rich in flavors and aromas, Tex-Mex cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines around the world. Traditional dishes of this cuisine include: garlic, various types of spicy peppers and tomatoes - these ingredients give the dish a distinctive, distinctive and spicy flavor. Equally popular in Mexican cuisine are aromatic additives such as coriander, oregano, cumin and spices: nutmeg and cinnamon.

Culinary recipe with this product: Chili Con Carne

Ingredients: hot pepper, sweet pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, coriander, onion, ginger, garlic, sugar, cumin.

There is something special about this Central American blend of explosive flavors, colors and textures. It is difficult to find a person who will remain indifferent to her.

Tex-Mex, or Texan cuisine. History of Texas Food

American cuisine is not homogeneous, and the proof of this is Tex Mex. It is the culinary crossroads of Mexico and Texas. You can also risk a statement that this is Americanized Mexican cuisine. It is worth taking a closer look at it, because it has many delicacies to offer.

Texas is a state that definitely stands out on the US map. Everything is bigger there, including houses, cars, portions and spaces, and grilling is a form of religion. It was in Texas that Tex-Mex cuisine was born, by some people simply called Texan. Simply put, it can be said that it is an Americanized version of Mexican cuisine. Although Tex-Mex food is now readily available throughout the United States, it is nowhere celebrated more than at its birthplace.

Where did the name Tex-Mex come from?

The term Tex-Mex, which we commonly use today for culinary delicacies, was not named after regional Texas cuisine. It was an acronym for the Texas Mexican Railway, which began operating in the south of Texas in 1877. Later, the abbreviation was used by some to describe the Tejanos - Texans of Mexican origin - and eventually their cuisine as well.

The history of Tex-Mex cuisine

To understand what Tex-Mex is, it is worth looking at the history of Texas, and a distant history at that. Texas was part of Mexico when it was invaded by the Spaniards in the 16th century. The newcomers started to instill their culinary culture in the locals. When Mexico regained its independence in 1821, it was difficult to tell what in its cuisine was Mexican and what was Spanish. In 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico and joined the United States. The new political position resulted in an influx of people from the east, and also allowed easy access to hitherto unknown spices, ingredients and even kitchen appliances. Cheddar cheese, beef, wheat and turmeric were culinary novelties welcomed by Texans with open arms. These ingredients were more than willingly incorporated into traditional Mexican recipes in home cooking by Tejanos.

The opening up of Texas to the rest of the US started the career of wheat tortillas, nachos, chili con carne, burritos, and barbacoa. Over time, new dishes began to appear in restaurants and gain popularity. In 1972, English culinary author Diana Kennedy published a comprehensive publication on Mexican cuisine in which she stated that Mexican Mexican cuisine was not authentic. She referred to it as Tex-Mex, popularizing the term. Although Kennedy used the term in a negative context, such categorization legitimized the cuisine in the USA. Now, Tex-Mex was seen as a variation of American cuisine and gained respect at the same time.

Tex-Mex contemporary cuisine

More and more publications in the media meant that Tex-Mex cuisine gained not only prestige but also popularity. Her fame has also spread far beyond the USA. The first Tex-Mex restaurant in Paris opened in March 1983. Business was not going very well, according to restaurateur Claude Benayoun. Only in 1986, after the premiere of the movie "Betty Blue", in which the characters drank tequila and ate chili con carne, the madness began. According to Benayoun, "Betty Blue was like an Easy Rider." The film gained incredible popularity in France. After its premiere, every Parisian wanted a glass of tequila and a bowl of chili.

Tex-Mex cuisine was also gaining popularity in India, Argentina, Oman, Japan and the Netherlands. In the USA, more and more restaurant chains began to emerge, specializing in TexMex cuisine and popularizing it. The most famous are Taco Bell, Chili's and Chipotle. The fame of Tex-Mex cuisine also reached Ireland. In Dublin, they are promoted by Acapulco Mexican, Cactus Jack's and The Hungry Mexican restaurants.

Tex-Mex cuisine Just like in Mexican cuisine, in Tex-Mex we have enchiladas, taco, burritos, chili and quesadillas. In the Texas version, however, they will certainly be larger, with a lot of American cheese and additional ingredients that are not available in Mexican dishes. For example, if a dish uses black beans instead of Pinto beans, it is Tex-Mex. Mexican burritos are smaller and have fewer ingredients, unlike large, ingredient-packed Texas burritos. Also in the Mexican quesadilla we find only cheese and eggs among tortillas, while in the American one we find a number of different ingredients, with meat at the fore.

Overall, Tex-Mex is full of cheese (especially cheddar, but also jack and pimento), meat (especially beef, pork and chicken), beans, peppers and spices, and of course, wheat tortillas.

Tex-Mex dishes that do not belong to Mexican cuisine are mainly:

• Nachos - Corn (or wheat) chips are derived from Mexican totopos, i.e. pieces of fried tortilla served with black bean paste. Koeli nachos are served with cheese, tomato salsa and sometimes meat.
• Chilli con carne - this is a strictly Texas dish. There is no equivalent in Mexico.
• Fajitas - it is grilled meat, usually beef or chicken, served sliced into thin strips with grilled vegetables - pepper and onion.
• Queso - The full name is Chile con queso. It is a dip made of melted cheese and chili peppers. It is often served with nachos.
• Puffy Tacos - are a San Antonio specialty. They are simply "swollen" tacos that get their shape during frying. They are served with the usual toppings for tacos.

So what is Tex Mex?

It is a blend of ingredients, spices and preparation methods, reflecting the close proximity and interpenetration of Mexican and Texas cultures. And there are also elements of French, Spanish and American cuisine. Very timely, because thanks to the mixing of various influences, and in the case of cuisine, flavors, aromas, spices, herbs and other ingredients, new products appear on our tables. Tex Mex cuisine does not necessarily have to be spicy beyond measure. It all depends on our tastes, because you can easily regulate the amount of chili peppers, Cayenne pepper or other fire-generating spices added.

And the recipes are simple and almost instant. Such for a quick dinner or lunch during the week. In fact, most Mexican dishes can be served wrapped in tortillas. They also act as bread and allow you to thoroughly mash the delicious sauces that usually accompany Mexican meat dishes.