National cuisine of Mexico for gourmets

Colorful, sunny Mexico boasts excellent cuisine consisting of a variety of dishes popular all over the world. Most of the recipes are a mix of Spanish and local culinary traditions, some of which date back to the days of the bloodthirsty Aztecs. Mexican diet is based on corn, which is cooked in a variety of ways, like boiling or making corn dough. Mexicans also like green tomatoes, mangoes, potatoes, papaya, preferring chicken and pork. Cumin, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, and cilantro are used as seasonings.

Even desserts are often seasoned in Mexico. For example, fried ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon. Cinnamon tortillas and chips are eaten with fruit salsa. A very common dish is “huevos rancheros”, a tortilla with fried eggs, beans and potatoes, sometimes seasoned with chili, which is eaten with a fork and knife. Seafood is quite rare in Mexican cuisine, being mostly eaten in coastal regions. As for soft drinks, very popular are Coca-Cola and other fruit sodas. People drink fresh juices sold at every corner, spices are added to coffee. "Horchata" that looks like a milkshake or yogurt is based on ground almonds, rice, and barley. When it comes to alcohol, Mexicans prefer beer.

Being mostly Christians, locals celebrate Christmas and New Year with noisy feasts and a great variety of dishes. On the December and January holidays, they eat sweet “Three Kings Bread” - Rosca de reyes baked in the shape of a wreath and decorated with candied fruits, cherries and other berries and fruits, as well as another kind of sweet bread, “Pan dulce” - on holidays it can be found in any bakery. "Champurrado" - warm chocolate - is also popular. During the Holy Week before Easter, religious Mexicans do not eat meat. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Mexicans dine slowly, often with the whole family or with friends, actively communicating. Eating too fast is considered ban manners - this can be regarded as a sign of unwillingness to communicate. If you are going to have lunch or dinner in a restaurant or cafe with a group of Mexican friends, keep in mind that it is normal for them to be half an hour, sometimes an hour late. Usually, they drink and talk for half an hour before eating. The same applies to those invited to dinner at a Mexican home - you should not be there exactly on time - this may confuse unprepared hosts.

At home, guests can only sit at the table when they're invited by the hosts. Hands shouldn't be hidden under the table, hands (but not elbows!) should be put on the table. Guests begin to eat only after the host. It is considered rude to finish the dish to the last crumb. Bread is put on the edge of the plate or next to it. Leaving the table before others is considered disrespectful. In restaurants, tips should make up 10-15% of the bill. In bars - 10 pesos for a drink. The one inviting to a restaurant or bar usually pays, in other cases, everything depends on the rank.

Food plays an important role in Mexican culture, so it's not surprising that restaurants and cafes are found at every turn in Mexico. Traditional Azul Histórico Restaurant in Mexico City is housed in Downtown Mexico Hotel. Here you can taste all the colors of Mexican cuisine: guacamole, tamales, tacos, various salads and soups, orange muffins, delicate chocolate cakes, and much more. "Pujol" included in the list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants serves fine rice with scallops, mushroom soup with beans, and fried pineapples.

In Ciudad Juarez, there is "Maria Chuchena", a top-class restaurant known for excellent Latin American food. Fresh fruit drinks, tacos, excellent wine, and octopus tacos are served here. In Guadalajara you'll find Allium, an inexpensive restaurant with excellent service suitable for vegans, although it serves meat and fish, all products are local. The restaurant has its own greenhouse and roof garden. All dishes are beautifully presented.