The Mexican spices which most of us think of first are cumin and chili peppers; however, cumin is actually a relative newcomer to Mexican cuisine, which was introduced by the Spaniards along with a few others, which we now think of as integral to Mexican cooking. Other spices including chilies, however, have been a part of the country's culinary scene for many centuries, long predating the arrival or Europeans in the new world.
Chilies of all sorts have been in use as spices for thousands of years in Mexico; peppers of all varieties (as are tomatoes and potatoes, which are related members of the nightshade family) are native to the Americas and these vegetables were one of the dietary staples in Mexico before the arrival of Europeans, as they are to this day.
Jalapenos are the most familiar of these peppers to people in the US. They are commonly used in salsas and pickled for use as a condiment as well as diced for use fresh. The Serrano pepper, a smaller, slightly hotter pepper is also seen relatively often in the US. Many Mexican food recipe are nearly unthinkable without these fiery vegetables. Other peppers such as pasillas and anchos are commonly dried and then ground; others are smoked, such as chipotle peppers (which are actually smoked jalapenos).
Mexican herbs, which are native to the new world such as culantro, epazote, and Mexican oregano, are essential ingredients in a great many Mexican recipes. Culantro is a commonly used herb in both Mexican and Caribbean cuisines, though it is not seen often in the US and is largely unavailable except from Mexican groceries. However, the flavor of culantro is similar enough (though not identical) to cilantro that you may substitute cilantro for culantro in Mexican recipes if you are unable to obtain culantro.
Mexican oregano is another herb which is unrelated to its old world counterpart (it is actually related to lemon verbena, but has a flavor which is similar to oregano). Just as with culantro and cilantro, regular oregano may be substituted if Mexican oregano is unavailable.
Epazote, on the other hand, is an herb for which there is no real substitute. This herb is used to flavor beans in traditional Mexican recipes. While its flavor is something like that of tarragon, it is not recommended to substitute this or any other herb in a Mexican recipe, which calls for epazote. It has a flavor which is all its own.
While we often think of cumin when we think of Mexican food, this spice is one, which came across the Atlantic with the conquistadors, being a common herb in Spanish cooking and other Mediterranean cuisines. However, cumin works so well with many of the ingredients native to the new world that this spice quickly became an integral part of many Mexican recipes.
You might say that Mexican food is among the world's first fusion cuisines, with its blending of old world and new world flavors. Using ingredients from both Europe and the Americas, Mexican cooks created something unique, new and distinctively Mexican. It is a cuisine which has a flavor all its own and thanks in part to Mexican spices, it has become popular in nearly every part of the world.
Chilies of all sorts have been in use as spices for thousands of years in Mexico; peppers of all varieties (as are tomatoes and potatoes, which are related members of the nightshade family) are native to the Americas and these vegetables were one of the dietary staples in Mexico before the arrival of Europeans, as they are to this day.
Jalapenos are the most familiar of these peppers to people in the US. They are commonly used in salsas and pickled for use as a condiment as well as diced for use fresh. The Serrano pepper, a smaller, slightly hotter pepper is also seen relatively often in the US. Many Mexican food recipe are nearly unthinkable without these fiery vegetables. Other peppers such as pasillas and anchos are commonly dried and then ground; others are smoked, such as chipotle peppers (which are actually smoked jalapenos).
Mexican herbs, which are native to the new world such as culantro, epazote, and Mexican oregano, are essential ingredients in a great many Mexican recipes. Culantro is a commonly used herb in both Mexican and Caribbean cuisines, though it is not seen often in the US and is largely unavailable except from Mexican groceries. However, the flavor of culantro is similar enough (though not identical) to cilantro that you may substitute cilantro for culantro in Mexican recipes if you are unable to obtain culantro.
Mexican oregano is another herb which is unrelated to its old world counterpart (it is actually related to lemon verbena, but has a flavor which is similar to oregano). Just as with culantro and cilantro, regular oregano may be substituted if Mexican oregano is unavailable.
Epazote, on the other hand, is an herb for which there is no real substitute. This herb is used to flavor beans in traditional Mexican recipes. While its flavor is something like that of tarragon, it is not recommended to substitute this or any other herb in a Mexican recipe, which calls for epazote. It has a flavor which is all its own.
While we often think of cumin when we think of Mexican food, this spice is one, which came across the Atlantic with the conquistadors, being a common herb in Spanish cooking and other Mediterranean cuisines. However, cumin works so well with many of the ingredients native to the new world that this spice quickly became an integral part of many Mexican recipes.
You might say that Mexican food is among the world's first fusion cuisines, with its blending of old world and new world flavors. Using ingredients from both Europe and the Americas, Mexican cooks created something unique, new and distinctively Mexican. It is a cuisine which has a flavor all its own and thanks in part to Mexican spices, it has become popular in nearly every part of the world.
About the Author:
Mexican salad is a healthy meal and Mexicans enjoy it either as an appetizer or for lunch or dinner. Mexicans prefer heavy lunches and light dinners and making a Mexican salad makes a wonderful summertime dinner, with its exciting ingredients of kidney beans, flavorful cheese, fresh tomatoes, onion, avocado and more.
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