Mexican food guides
What is huitlacoche? Where does mole poblano come from? We answer the most common questions about Mexican dishes and ingredients, with history, origin and recipes to cook them at home in the US.
- Guide
Achiote: what it is, taste, uses and substitutes
Discover achiote (Bixa orellana), the red seed at the heart of cochinita pibil and Maya cooking. Recados, colour, earthy flavour and traditional uses.
- Guide
Acuyo: what it is, taste and uses in Mexican cooking
Discover acuyo, the Veracruz name for hoja santa (Piper auritum), a large-leaved aromatic herb used in tamales, moles and fish of the Gulf.
- Guide
Agua de alfalfa: what it is, how to make it and benefits
Agua de alfalfa: a traditional Mexican green drink with fresh alfalfa juice, lime and pineapple. Refreshing, hydrating and rich in chlorophyll.
- Guide
Agua de chía con limón: what it is, benefits and recipe
Agua de chía con limón: a pre-Hispanic hydrating drink with Mexican chia seeds, lime juice and water. Rich in omega-3 and fibre.
- Guide
Agua de horchata: what it is, how to make it and its taste
Mexican agua de horchata: a recipe with rice, cinnamon, milk and vanilla. A refreshing, sweet and creamy drink that sets Mexico apart from other horchatas.
- Guide
Agua de jamaica: what it is, recipe and benefits
Agua de jamaica: a refreshing Mexican drink with the calyces of Hibiscus sabdariffa. Recipe, diuretic benefits and African origin of the flower.
- Guide
Agua de mango: what it is, how to make it and when to drink it
Agua de mango: a traditional Mexican agua fresca recipe with ripe mango, water and sugar. A refreshing tropical drink for the warm season.
- Guide
Agua de melón: what's in it, recipe and a touch of chia
Mexican agua de melón: a refreshing recipe with melon pulp, water and sugar. A hydrating warm-season drink with an optional chia variant.
- Guide
Agua de pepino con limón: what it is, recipe and benefits
Agua de pepino con limón: a refreshing, light and hydrating Mexican drink. A traditional recipe with notes of mint, ideal for warm climates.
- Guide
Agua de tamarindo: what it is and how to make it
Agua de tamarindo: a sweet-and-sour Mexican recipe with tamarind pulp, sugar and water. A refreshing, digestive drink native to Africa and popular in Mexico.
- Guide
Aguachile: what it is, history and the spicy seafood recipe from Sinaloa
What aguachile is, its origin in Sinaloa, ingredients (prawn, serrano chilli, lime) and how it differs from traditional Mexican ceviche.
- Guide
Ahuautle: what it is, taste and how it's eaten
Discover ahuautle, the eggs of an aquatic fly from Lake Texcoco. Called Mexican caviar, it was an Aztec food and lives on in fritters and revoltijos.
- Guide
Mexican smoking: what it is, techniques and woods
Discover traditional Mexican smoking: chipotle, pejelagarto, smoked cheese and meats. Techniques with fruit woods and mesquite of the Mexican south-east.
- Guide
Sesame (ajonjolí): what it is, taste and uses in Mexican food
Discover ajonjolí (Sesamum indicum), the aromatic seed at the base of mole poblano and Oaxacan mole. Varieties, Mexican production and culinary uses.
- Guide
Alaches: what they are, benefits and how to cook them
Alaches (Anoda cristata) are a traditional quelite of central Mexico with a mucilaginous texture, used in broths, soups and pre-Hispanic stews still made today.
- Guide
Alegría: what the amaranth sweet is and how it's made
Alegría: a pre-Hispanic sweet of popped amaranth and piloncillo. Originating in Tulyehualco, a symbol of cultural resistance of the grain of the gods.
- Guide
Star anise: what it is, aroma and uses in Mexican cooking
Discover star anise (Illicium verum), an Asian spice used in Mexican breads, atoles, Christmas punch and sweets. It flavours moles and cured meats.
- Guide
Anona: what it is, taste and benefits of the fruit
The anona (Annona reticulata) is a tropical fruit of Central America and south-eastern Mexico, with creamy whitish-pink pulp, sweet and aromatic. A relative of the cherimoya and soursop.
- Guide
Asado en penca: what it is and how maguey roasting works
Discover cooking in maguey leaf: the pre-Hispanic technique of wrapping meats and vegetables in maguey leaves to roast them with a herbal flavour.
- Guide
Ate de membrillo: what it is, how it's made and how to eat it
Ate de membrillo of Morelia: a colonial Mexican sweet of quince pulp and sugar. A Michoacán tradition of the sixteenth century. Eat it with fresh cheese.
- Guide
Atole de cajeta: what it is and how to make it
Atole de cajeta: a traditional Bajío recipe with cajeta from Celaya, milk, cinnamon and cornflour. A creamy and sweet hot drink.
- Guide
Atole de chocolate: what it is and how to make champurrado
Atole de chocolate or champurrado: a pre-Hispanic hot drink of cacao, maize masa, piloncillo and cinnamon. An ancestral Mexican tradition.
- Guide
Atole de elote: what it is and how to make it step by step
Atole de elote: a traditional Mexican recipe of tender maize with milk, cinnamon and sugar. A creamy hot drink enjoyed across the country.
- Guide
Atole de fresa: what it is and how to make the creamy drink
Atole de fresa: a Mexican recipe for a creamy hot drink with natural strawberry, milk and cinnamon. Ideal for winter and the December posadas.
- Guide
Atole de guayaba: what it is, ingredients and how to make it
Atole de guayaba: a traditional Mexican winter recipe with fresh guava, maize masa, cinnamon and piloncillo. A creamy drink with an intense aroma.
- Guide
Atole de masa: what it is, how to make it and its uses
Atole de masa: the base recipe of Mexican atole blanco made with nixtamalised maize masa. A pre-Hispanic drink of thick texture served sweet or savoury.
- Guide
Atole de pinole: what it is, origin and how to make it
Atole de pinole: a hot Mexican drink of toasted maize with cinnamon and piloncillo. Pre-Hispanic origin, a traditional recipe of central and northern Mexico.
- Guide
Day of the Dead atole: what it is and how to make it
Atoles for the Day of the Dead offering are hot ritual drinks of nixtamalised maize: champurrado, white atole, chocolate, strawberry or guava. A pre-Hispanic tradition.
- Guide
Axayácatl: what it is, taste and how it's eaten
Discover the axayácatl, an aquatic fly of Lake Texcoco eaten toasted or ground. Prawn flavour, ahuautle and survival in Chimalhuacán.
- Guide
Bacalao a la vizcaína: what's in it and how it's made
Mexican bacalao a la vizcaina is a star dish of Christmas Eve: dried cod with tomato, olives, potatoes, guero chillies and almonds. A national Christmas tradition.
- Guide
Bacanora: what it is and how it differs from mezcal
Discover bacanora, the Sonoran spirit from Agave angustifolia with DO. History, Porfirian prohibition, distilleries and difference from mezcal.
- Guide
Balché: what it is, how it's made and its Maya ritual use
Discover balché, a Maya ritual drink fermented with the bark of the tree Lonchocarpus longistylus, virgin honey and water. Ceremonial uses in Yucatán.
- Guide
Pit barbacoa: what it is and how it's cooked underground
Discover pit barbacoa: the pre-Hispanic technique of cooking meat underground wrapped in maguey leaves, the soul of Mexico's Sunday barbacoa.
- Guide
Barbacoa: what it is, how it's made and why it's buried
Hidalgo barbacoa is mutton wrapped in maguey leaves and cooked in an earth oven. A Mexican Sunday dish served with its consommé and chickpeas.
- Guide
Birria: what it is, history and the traditional recipe from Jalisco
What birria is, its origin in Cocula, Jalisco, ingredients (goat or beef, chillies, spices) and how it differs from barbacoa or quesabirria.
- Guide
Borrachitos: what they are and how to make them
Borrachitos are Mexican gummies with a liqueur filling (rum, brandy or tequila), a traditional sweet of Tenancingo, State of Mexico, since the 19th century.
- Guide
Bu'pu: what it is and how the Zapotec drink is made
Bu'pu: a frothy Zapotec drink from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec with cacao, maize and aromatic flowers. An ancestral ritual tradition of Oaxaca.
- Guide
Mexican buñuelos: what they are, types and recipe
Mexican bunuelos are crisp discs of fried dough bathed in piloncillo syrup, a symbol of the Christmas and New Year festivities throughout Mexico.
- Guide
Cacao: what it is, origin, varieties and uses in cooking
Discover cacao (Theobroma cacao), a plant domesticated in Mesoamerica. Criollo varieties, Aztec currency, mole and chocolate from Tabasco, Chiapas and Oaxaca.
- Guide
Café de olla: what it is, ingredients and how to make it
Café de olla: traditional Mexican recipe with ground coffee, piloncillo and cinnamon, brewed in a clay pot. The country's iconic hot drink.
- Guide
Caldo de habas: what it is and how to make it
Caldo de habas is a Mexican Lenten soup with dried broad beans, tomato, nopales and mint. A vegetarian dish of central Mexico, especially Hidalgo and Tlaxcala.
- Guide
Caldo de mariscos: what's in it, recipe and origin
Mexican caldo de mariscos combines prawn, fish, clam and octopus in a tomato broth with guajillo chilli and epazote. Typical of Veracruz, Sinaloa and Nayarit.
- Guide
Mexican caldo de pollo: what's in it and how to make it
Mexican caldo de pollo is a golden broth with bone-in pieces, carrot, courgette, chayote, potato and rice. A comforting dish and a classic home remedy.
- Guide
Sonoran caldo de queso: what it is and how to make it
Sonoran caldo de queso is a soup of potato, tomato, Anaheim green chilli and ranchero or regional cheese, milky from milk or cream. An emblematic dish of Sonora.
- Guide
Caldo de res: what's in it and how to make the puchero
Mexican caldo de res — also called puchero or cocido — is a broth of shank, marrow, corn, potato, carrot, courgette and chayote. A national family Sunday dish.
- Guide
Caldo tlalpeño: what it is and how to make the soup
Caldo tlalpeño is a soup originating in Tlalpan, CDMX, with chicken broth, chickpeas, avocado, smoky chipotle and panela cheese. Comforting and emblematic of the highlands.
- Guide
Camotes poblanos: what they are and how they're made
Camotes de Santa Clara: a Puebla convent sweet of cooked sweet potato with sugar, in fruity flavour varieties. A tradition of Puebla Baroque confectionery.
- Guide
Cinnamon: what it is, uses in Mexico and vs cassia
Discover the role of Ceylon cinnamon in Mexican cooking. History from the Manila Galleon, mole, atoles, sweets and the difference with cassia.
- Guide
Capirotada: what it is, what's in it and how to make it
Mexican capirotada: a traditional Lenten dessert with stale bread, piloncillo syrup, cheese, dried fruits and spices. Colonial tradition and religious symbolism.
- Guide
Capulín: what it is, taste and uses of the Mexican cherry
Capulín (Prunus serotina subsp. capuli) is Mexico's native cherry, a purple-red fruit with a bittersweet flavour. Used in tamales, atoles, jams and traditional desserts.
- Guide
Clay cazuela: what it is, what it is for and how to use it
Meet the Mexican clay cazuela: a wide, shallow vessel for moles, rice dishes, pipianes and slow braises. A millennia-old Mesoamerican tradition.
- Guide
Chalupas poblanas: what they are and how to make them
Chalupas poblanas are small oval tortillas, fried in lard and topped with green or red salsa, sprinkled with onion and shredded meat. An iconic snack from Puebla.
- Guide
Chamoyada: what it is, what's in it and how to make it
The chamoyada is a Mexican frozen treat of mango or other fruit bathed in chamoy, chilli powder and tamarind. A typical sweet-and-sour summer street snack.
- Guide
Champurrado: what it is, recipe and how it differs from atole
Discover champurrado, a thick maize masa atole with chocolate, piloncillo and cinnamon. Pre-Hispanic history and an emblematic drink of Christmas and the Day of the Dead.
- Guide
Chanchamitos: what they are and how to make them
Chanchamitos are small, round tamales typical of Tabasco and Veracruz, made with achiote-dyed dough and a chicken or pork filling in banana leaf.
- Guide
Chapulines: what they are, taste and how to eat them
Discover the chapulines of Oaxaca, grasshoppers toasted with garlic, lime and chilli. Pre-Hispanic origin, flavour and uses in tacos, mezcal and antojitos.
- Guide
Charape: what it is and how to make the fermented drink
Discover charape, a Purépecha fermented drink from Michoacán made with pulque, piloncillo and spices. Pre-Hispanic origin and traditional recipe.
- Guide
Chaya: what it is, benefits and uses of Maya spinach
Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) is the Maya spinach of the Yucatán Peninsula, a nutritious herb essential in eggs with chaya, chaya water and tamales.
- Guide
Chicatanas: what they are, taste and how they're eaten
Discover chicatanas, flying leafcutter ants of Oaxaca and Guerrero. Bacon flavour, gathering after the first rain and use in salsas and moles.
- Guide
Chicozapote: what it is, taste and its link to chewing gum
The chicozapote (Manilkara zapota) is a tropical fruit of Yucatán and the origin of natural chicle. Sweet pulp with flavours of brown sugar, vanilla and pear. Harvested February to June.
- Guide
Chilaquiles: what they are, history and the Mexican breakfast recipe
What chilaquiles are, their pre-Hispanic origin, the basic ingredients (totopos, salsa, cream, cheese) and the red, green, mole and divorciados variants.
- Guide
Chilate: what it is and how to make the cacao drink
Chilate: a traditional cold drink of the Costa Chica of Guerrero with cacao, rice, cinnamon and piloncillo. A pre-Hispanic Afro-Mexican refreshment.
- Guide
Amashito chilli: what it is, heat, taste and uses
The amashito chilli is the wild chilli of south-east Mexico, the base of Tabasco salsas and Chiapas pickles. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
- Guide
Chile ancho: what it is, history and uses in Mexican cooking
Chile ancho is the dried red poblano and the base of Mexican moles, adobos and salsas. Discover its origin, fruity flavour and uses.
- Guide
Chile bola: what it is, taste, uses and substitutes
The chile bola is a round regional dried chilli of the sierra of Querétaro and Hidalgo. Discover its dried-fruit flavour, heat and uses in traditional moles.
- Guide
Caribe chilli: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
The caribe chilli is the spiciest güero chilli of northern Mexico, the base of northern salsas, pickles and marinades. Discover its flavour and uses in carne asada.
- Guide
Cascabel chilli: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
The cascabel chilli is a dried ball chilli that rattles when shaken thanks to its loose seeds. Discover its nutty flavour, moderate heat and uses in Mexican salsas.
- Guide
Catarina chilli: what it is, taste, uses and substitutes
The catarina chilli is a regional dried chilli of Aguascalientes, similar to the cascabel and the guajillo. Discover its nutty flavour, heat and uses.
- Guide
Chilaca chilli: what it is, heat and how it becomes pasilla
The chilaca chilli is the long fresh chilli of the Bajío that becomes the pasilla chilli when dried. Discover its flavour, heat and uses in rajas and green salsas.
- Guide
Chiltepín chilli: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
The chiltepín chilli is the round wild chilli of north-west Mexico, considered the mother chilli. Discover its origin, heat and uses in Sonoran cuisine.
- Guide
Chipotle meco: what it is, heat and uses vs morita
The chipotle meco chilli is the large, heavily smoked variety of the dried jalapeño. Discover its flavour, heat, how it differs from the morita and how to use it in adobos and salsas.
- Guide
Chipotle chilli: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
The chipotle chilli is the smoked jalapeño, the base of Mexican adobos, tinga and salsas. Pre-Hispanic history, meco and morita varieties, heat and uses in cooking.
- Guide
Chile comapeño: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
Discover the chile comapeño, a fresh variety native to Comapa, Veracruz, used in regional salsas, pickles and stews of central Veracruz.
- Guide
Yellow costeño chilli: what it is, heat and uses in mole
The yellow costeño chilli is an Oaxacan dried chilli, the base of mole amarillo and chichilo. Discover its origin, citrusy flavour and uses in regional cuisine.
- Guide
Red costeño chilli: what it is, heat and uses in moles
The red costeño chilli is a dried chilli from the Costa Chica of Oaxaca, indispensable in regional moles and salsas. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
- Guide
Chile de agua: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
Chile de agua is the emblematic fresh chilli of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, used in stuffed chillies, rajas and salsas. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
- Guide
Dried chile de árbol: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
Discover the dried de arbol chilli, fine and very spicy, the base of salsa macha, taquera salsa and chilli-coated peanuts of Mexican cuisine.
- Guide
Yahualica chile de árbol: what it is, heat and uses
Discover the Yahualica chile de árbol, the first designation of origin for a Mexican chilli, grown in the Altos de Jalisco with superior quality.
- Guide
Chile de árbol: what it is, heat and uses in salsas
The chile de árbol is thin, elongated and very hot. The base of salsa macha, árbol salsa and chilli-coated peanuts. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
- Guide
Guajillo chilli: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
Chile guajillo is the dried mirasol chilli, essential in birria, red pozole and adobos. Learn its flavour, heat and uses in Mexican cooking.
- Guide
Güero chilli: what it is, taste, heat and substitutes
The güero chilli is the fresh yellow chilli of Mexican cuisine, used in broths, pickles and Veracruz-style fish. Discover its flavour, heat and varieties.
- Guide
Habanero chilli: what it is, heat, taste and substitutes
The Yucatecan habanero chilli is one of the hottest chillies in the world. Discover its fruity flavour, denomination of origin, heat and uses in Mexican cuisine.
- Guide
Jalapeño chilli: what it is, heat and uses vs serrano
The jalapeño chilli is the most famous Mexican fresh chilli in the world. Discover its history, varieties, heat and uses in escabeche, nachos and stuffed dishes.
- Guide
Chile loco: what it is, uses and what to substitute
Learn about the chile loco, a hybrid variety from the state of Guerrero used in salsas, regional stews and Guerrero-style green mole.
- Guide
Manzano chilli: what it is, heat, taste and uses
The manzano chilli is a highland fresh chilli with black seeds and an intense heat. Discover its flavour, habitat and how it is used in Mexican salsas and pickles.
- Guide
Max chilli: what it is, heat and uses of the Maya chilli
The max chilli is the wild chiltepin of the Yucatán Peninsula, the base of xnipec and Maya salsas. Discover its origin, extreme heat and uses.
- Guide
Mirasol chilli: what it is, taste and link to the guajillo
The mirasol chilli is the fresh chilli that becomes the guajillo when dried. Discover its origin, fruity flavour, heat and uses in Bajío cuisine.
- Guide
Mora chilli: what it is, heat and uses vs morita
The mora chilli is the smoked jalapeño larger than the morita, popular in charred salsas and adobos of central Mexico. Flavour, heat and uses.
- Guide
Morita chilli: what it is, heat and uses vs chipotle
The morita chilli is a small smoked jalapeño with sweet notes and moderate heat. Discover its flavour, how it differs from the chipotle, and how to use it in salsas and adobos.
- Guide
Mulato chilli: what it is, heat and how it differs from ancho
The mulato chilli is the dark dried poblano, fundamental to mole poblano and to Mexico's dark moles. Flavour, heat, differences from the ancho and uses.
- Guide
Chile nanche: what it is, heat and where it's used
Discover the chile nanche, a wild variety from the Mexican tropics used in regional salsas, pickles and chilli-dusted fruit in the south of the country.
- Guide
Paradito chilli: what it is, heat and uses in salsas
Discover the paradito chilli, a wild variety of north-west Mexico related to the chiltepin, the base of northern salsas and sierra pickles.
- Guide
Oaxacan pasilla: what it is, heat and uses in mole
The Oaxacan pasilla or pasilla mixe is a smoked chilli endemic to the Oaxacan sierra, the base of mole negro and pasilla salsa. Discover its flavour and origin.
- Guide
Pasilla chilli: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
Chile pasilla is the dried chilaca, the base of black mole, salsa borracha and adobos. Learn its flavour, heat and differences with other dried chillies.
- Guide
Chile perrón: what it is, its fruity heat and uses
Discover the chile perrón or chile manzano, a Capsicum pubescens unique in Mexico for its black seeds and its characteristic fruity sierra heat.
- Guide
Fresh piquín chilli: what it is, heat and how it's used
Discover the fresh chile piquín, the green version of the wild chilli of the north-east and the Huasteca, used in green salsas, pickles and regional stews.
- Guide
Dried piquín chilli: what it is, heat and uses of the powder
Discover the dried piquin chilli, the wild little chilli of north-east Mexico that gives rise to the spicy powder used on fruit, sweets and salsas.
- Guide
Piquín chilli: what it is, taste, heat and uses
The piquín chilli is a small, very hot wild chilli, the base of chilli powder and traditional salsas. Discover its flavour, habitat and uses.
- Guide
Poblano chilli: what it is, heat, taste and uses
The poblano chilli is the fresh chilli most used in stuffed chillies and chiles en nogada. Discover its history, heat and why it is an emblem of Puebla.
- Guide
Puya chilli: what it is, heat, uses and substitutes
The puya chilli is the smaller, spicier version of the guajillo, used in birria and adobos. Discover its fruity flavour, heat and uses in Mexican cuisine.
- Guide
Serrano chilli: what it is, heat and uses vs jalapeño
The serrano chilli is the most used fresh chilli in Mexican cuisine. Discover its flavour, heat and why it is the base of pico de gallo, green salsa and guacamole.
- Guide
Simojovel chilli: what it is, heat and uses
The Simojovel chilli is the chiltepin endemic to Chiapas, the base of chamoy and Chiapas salsas. Discover its origin, extreme heat and uses.
- Guide
Tabiche chilli: what it is, heat and uses in Oaxaca
The tabiche chilli is a regional chilli of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca used in regional moles and stuffed chillies. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
- Guide
Tornachile: what it is, its history and uses of the güero
Discover the tornachile chilli, a historic variety of güero chilli key to viceregal Mexican cuisine and a precursor of today's chiles en escabeche.
- Guide
Chile trompa: what it is, heat and uses in the Huasteca
Discover the chile trompa, a fresh variety from the Huasteca used in zacahuil, Huastec salsas and regional stews of Veracruz, Hidalgo and San Luis Potosí.
- Guide
Xcatic chilli: what it is, taste, heat and substitutes
The xcatic or x-catic chilli is the Yucatecan güero chilli used in tikin xic fish, pickles and peninsular dishes. Discover its flavour and Maya origin.
- Guide
Chileajo: what it is, what's in it and how to make it
Discover chileajo, a traditional Mixtec-Oaxacan stew with seasonal vegetables, guajillo chilli and abundant garlic, an emblematic Lenten dish.
- Guide
Chileatole: what is it, history and recipe of the pre-Hispanic spicy atole
Chileatole is a thick maize, chilli and epazote drink-stew from central Mexico. Learn its pre-Hispanic history and regional variations.
- Guide
Chiles en escabeche: what they are, how to make them and uses
Discover chiles en escabeche, a jalapeño pickle with vinegar, carrot and onion that accompanies tortas, tacos and antojitos across the country.
- Guide
Chiles en nogada: what they are, origin and recipe
Chiles en nogada are Mexico's patriotic dish: poblano chilli stuffed with a meat-and-fruit picadillo, bathed in a walnut sauce with pomegranate and parsley.
- Guide
Chiles en vinagre: what they are, how to make them and uses
Learn about chiles en vinagre, the simple Mexican pickle with jalapeño, vinegar, salt and spices that accompanies antojitos, dishes and tortas.
- Guide
Chiles rellenos: what they are and how to make poblano ones
Chiles rellenos are roasted poblano chillies, stuffed with cheese or picadillo, battered with egg and bathed in tomato broth. A classic Mexican home-cooked dish.
- Guide
Chiles toreados: what they are, how to make them and uses
Discover chiles toreados, jalapeños or serranos roasted and bruised, served with soy sauce and lime to accompany tacos, seafood and broths.
- Guide
Chilhuacle amarillo: what it is, taste and uses in mole
The chilhuacle amarillo is an endemic Oaxacan chilli, the base of mole amarillo and chichilo. Discover its origin, citrus flavour and why it is endangered.
- Guide
Chilhuacle negro: what it is, taste and uses in mole negro
The chilhuacle negro is the endemic Oaxacan chilli that gives mole negro its colour and deep flavour. Discover its chocolate flavour and why it is endangered.
- Guide
Chilhuacle rojo: what it is, taste and substitutes
The chilhuacle rojo is a chilli endemic to the Oaxacan Cañada, the base of mole negro and mole rojo. Discover its origin, chocolate flavour and why it is endangered.
- Guide
Chiltomate: what it is, how it's made and uses in Yucatán
Discover chiltomate, the Yucatecan mother sauce of roasted tomato and habanero chilli that accompanies huevos motuleños, panuchos, salbutes and papadzules.
- Guide
Chimichanga: what it is, origin and how it differs from a burrito
The chimichanga is a burrito fried in oil until golden and crisp, originally from Sonora and the border. Filled with meat, beans and cheese.
- Guide
Chinene: what it is, taste and how it differs from avocado
The chinene (Persea schiedeana) is the giant avocado of Veracruz, a relative of the common avocado with larger fruits and a more fibrous, sweeter flavour.
- Guide
Chinicuil: what is it, history and how to eat the red maguey worm
Chinicuil is the edible red maguey worm of Mexico, a pre-Hispanic delicacy. Discover what it is, its Aztec origins and how it is prepared.
- Guide
Chipilín: what it is, taste and uses in tamales
Chipilín (Crotalaria longirostrata) is an aromatic Chiapas herb essential in tamales, broths and rice, with a herbal flavour between chard and green tea.
- Guide
Cherimoya: what it is, taste, benefits and how to eat it
The cherimoya (Annona cherimola) is a highland tropical fruit, with creamy white pulp and a sweet flavour with notes of banana, pineapple and vanilla. Grown in temperate Mexican areas.
- Guide
Chivitos: what they are, taste and how they're eaten
Chivitos (Calandrinia micrantha) are a spring quelite of the Mexican Bajío, with succulent leaves and a mild flavour, gathered in Guanajuato and Michoacán.
- Guide
Chochoyotes: what they are and how to make them step by step
Discover chochoyotes: little maize-dough dumplings with a central dimple, simmered in Oaxacan moles and stews. A Zapotec and mestizo tradition.
- Guide
Chocolate with chilli: what it is, origin and how to make it
Chocolate with chilli is the original Mesoamerican pre-Hispanic drink: ground cacao with chilli, cinnamon and water or milk. A Maya and Mexica heritage of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco.
- Guide
Mexican table chocolate: what it is, types and how to make it
Mexican table chocolate: an artisanal tablet with cacao, cinnamon and sugar from Oaxaca, Tabasco and Chiapas. Brands, history and traditional uses.
- Guide
Clay chocolatera: what it is and what it is used for
Discover the clay chocolatera: a tall jug with a handle for whisking hot chocolate with a molinillo. A tradition of Oaxaca, Tabasco and central Mexico.
- Guide
Mexican churros: what they are, how to make them and types
Mexican churros are strips of fried dough coated in cinnamon sugar, served with hot chocolate. Learn their history, variants and typical fillings.
- Guide
Cilantro criollo: what it is, taste and uses
Cilantro criollo or cimarrón (Eryngium foetidum) is an aromatic herb of south-east Mexico with a flavour similar to coriander but more intense and longer-lasting.
- Guide
Mexican plum (jocote): what it is, taste and how to eat it
The Mexican plum, or jocote (Spondias purpurea), is a bittersweet tropical fruit of the Mexican Pacific. Green as a snack with salt and chilli, ripe in jams and drinks.
- Guide
Clavito: what it is and uses of the Mexican wild mushroom
The clavito (Lyophyllum decastes) is a Mexican wild edible mushroom of the temperate forests, prized in the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla and Hidalgo.
- Guide
Cocada: what it is, recipe and origin of the coconut sweet
Mexican cocada: a traditional sweet of grated coconut with milk, sugar and egg. A recipe from Guerrero, Colima and the tropical coasts.
- Guide
Banana leaf cooking: what it is, how it's done and uses
Discover cooking in banana leaf in the Mexican south-east: tamales, fish, cochinita and mucbipollo wrapped to add aroma and retain moisture.
- Guide
Cochinita pibil: what it is, history and the Yucatecan earth-oven recipe
What cochinita pibil is, its Maya origin, ingredients (achiote, bitter orange, banana leaf) and how it was originally cooked in a pib.
- Guide
Aguascalientes cuisine: what it is and typical dishes
Discover Aguascalientes cuisine: barbacoa birria, pollo San Marcos, condoches and filled gorditas, flavours of the Aguascalientes highlands.
- Guide
Baja California cuisine: what defines it and what to eat
Discover Baja Californian cuisine: Ensenada fish tacos, the Valle de Guadalupe wine route, Baja Med cooking and Pacific seafood.
- Guide
Campeche cuisine: what it is, pan de cazón and dishes
Discover Campeche cuisine: pan de cazón, pámpano en escabeche, Campeche panuchos and the Maya, pirate and mestizo heritage of the Gulf of Mexico.
- Guide
Chiapas cuisine: what it is and its Maya heritage dishes
Discover Chiapas cuisine: cochito al horno, chipilín tamales, pozol and the Zoque, Tzotzil and Maya heritage of Mexico's southern border.
- Guide
Coahuila cuisine: typical dishes and what to eat
Discover Coahuila cuisine: cabrito al pastor, pulque bread, northern asado de puerco and the wine-making legacy of Parras in the Coahuila desert.
- Guide
Mexico City cuisine: typical dishes and what to eat
Discover Mexico City cuisine: tacos al pastor, tortas, tlacoyos, pulques, the cuisines of Mexico converging in the country's capital.
- Guide
Guanajuato cuisine: what to eat and dishes of the Bajío
Discover Guanajuato cuisine: enchiladas mineras, fiambre, charamuscas and the colonial and mining tradition of the Mexican Bajío.
- Guide
Guerrero cuisine: what it is and typical dishes to try
Discover Guerrero cuisine: green pumpkin-seed pozole, chilate, Acapulco-style ceviche and the Nahua and Afro-mestizo tradition of the southern Pacific state.
- Guide
Hidalgo cuisine: what it is and typical dishes to try
Get to know Hidalgo cuisine: lamb barbacoa, Real del Monte pastes, mixiotes and pulques with Mining, Otomí and Welsh heritage.
- Guide
Jalisco cuisine: what it is, typical dishes and drinks
Explore Jalisco cuisine: goat birria, tortas ahogadas, pozole and tequila, the culinary heart of western Mexico and Guadalajaran culture.
- Guide
State of Mexico cuisine: what it is and typical dishes
Discover State of Mexico cuisine: Capulhuac barbacoa, Toluca green chorizo, Lerma river mosquitos and the tradition of Mexico's central highlands.
- Guide
Michoacán cuisine: what it is and why it's world heritage
Discover Michoacán cuisine: carnitas, corundas, uchepos and the Purépecha tradition that UNESCO recognised as a paradigm of world heritage.
- Guide
Nayarit cuisine: what it is and its typical dishes
Discover Nayarit cuisine: Mexcaltitán pescado zarandeado, Huichol tlaxtihuilli, Nayarit sopes and the Cora-Huichol heritage of the Mexican Pacific.
- Guide
Nuevo León cuisine: typical dishes and what to eat
Discover Nuevo León cuisine: cabrito al pastor, machacado with egg, frijoles a la charra and the Monterrey tradition of Mexico's industrial north.
- Guide
Oaxacan cuisine: what it is, its history and the seven traditional moles
Discover Oaxacan cuisine: the seven moles, tlayudas, mezcal and the Zapotec-Mixtec tradition declared World Heritage by UNESCO.
- Guide
Pueblan cuisine: what it is, key dishes and its history
Discover Pueblan cuisine: mole poblano, chiles en nogada, cemitas and pipianes in a baroque tradition that defines Mexican identity.
- Guide
San Luis Potosí cuisine: what it is and typical dishes
Discover San Luis Potosí cuisine: enchiladas potosinas with ancho chilli, Huastec zacahuil, asado de boda and the diversity of the four regions of San Luis Potosí.
- Guide
Querétaro cuisine: enchiladas, gorditas and what to eat
Get to know Querétaro cuisine: Querétaro enchiladas, crumb gorditas, nopales in maguey leaf and the tradition of the Mexican Bajío in the heart of the Sierra Gorda.
- Guide
Quintana Roo cuisine: Maya dishes and what to eat
Discover Quintana Roo cuisine: pescado tikin xic, sopa de lima, Caribbean lobster, Maya recados and the flavours of Tulum, Cozumel and the Riviera Maya.
- Guide
Sinaloan cuisine: what it is, seafood and aguachiles
Discover Sinaloan cuisine: aguachiles, chilorio, sierra ceviches and seafood of the Sea of Cortez in one of Mexico's most vibrant coastal cuisines.
- Guide
Sonoran cuisine: what it is and typical northern dishes
Get to know Sonoran cuisine: large sobaquera flour tortillas, grilled beef, machaca and bacanora at the table of the desert and ranching of the north-west.
- Guide
Southern Baja California cuisine: what it is and its dishes
Discover Southern Baja California cuisine: roasted clams, fish machaca, Pichilingue oysters and the meeting of the desert with the Sea of Cortez.
- Guide
Tabasco cuisine: what it is and its typical dishes
Discover Tabasco cuisine: grilled pejelagarto, chipilín tamales, cacao and the Olmec, Maya-Chontal fusion of Mexico's humid tropics.
- Guide
Tamaulipas cuisine: what it is and typical dishes to try
Discover Tamaulipas cuisine: carne asada a la tampiqueña, stuffed crab, mochomos and the northern fusion with the Gulf of Mexico.
- Guide
Tlaxcala cuisine: what defines it and typical dishes
Get to know Tlaxcala cuisine: tlatlapas, mole prieto, muñeca tamales, edible insects and the millennia-old maize tradition in the smallest state in Mexico.
- Guide
Veracruz cuisine: what it is and its traditional dishes
Get to know Veracruz cuisine: huachinango a la veracruzana, arroz a la tumbada, picadas and the fusion of indigenous, Spanish and Afro-Caribbean cultures of the Gulf.
- Guide
Yucatecan cuisine: what it is, typical dishes and influences
Get to know Yucatecan cuisine: cochinita pibil, sopa de lima, recado rojo and the Maya, Spanish and Lebanese fusion of the Yucatán peninsula.
- Guide
Zacatecas cuisine: what it is and its typical dishes
Discover Zacatecas cuisine: Jerez asado de boda, Zacatecas birria, gorditas and the mining tradition of the northern Mexican highlands.
- Guide
Clay comal: what it is, its uses and tradition
Discover the Mexican clay comal: a ceramic disc for tortillas and for toasting chillies, tomatoes and spices. A tradition of Oaxaca and central Mexico.
- Guide
Iron comal: what it is and how it is used in the kitchen
Discover the iron or steel comal: a versatile surface for tortillas, quesadillas, roasted chillies and antojitos in modern Mexican kitchens.
- Guide
Mexican Lenten food: what is eaten and why
Mexican Lenten cuisine includes prawn fritters, romeritos in mole, capirotada, Veracruz-style fish and fasting without red meat. A 40-day religious tradition.
- Guide
Posada food: what is served at the Mexican posadas
At the Mexican posadas (16-24 December), spiked ponche, tamales, atole, buñuelos, aguinaldos and antojitos are served. A syncretic colonial tradition.
- Guide
Virgin of Guadalupe food: what is eaten on 12 December
On the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, tamales, atole, pozole, mole and antojitos are eaten at fairs and pilgrimages. A national religious-gastronomic tradition.
- Guide
Cumin: what it is, uses in Mexican stews and substitutes
Discover cumin (Cuminum cyminum), an essential spice of recado, marinades and Mexican barbacoa. History from the galleon, uses and difference with caraway.
- Guide
Comiteco: what it is and how it differs from mezcal and tequila
Discover comiteco, the Chiapas spirit from maguey aguamiel and panela. Colonial history, the La Bolsa factory and differences from mezcal and tequila.
- Guide
Corundas: what they are, how they're made and how to eat them
Discover corundas, triangular Michoacán tamales wrapped in green milpa leaf, an emblematic dish of traditional Purépecha cuisine.
- Guide
Cuchamas: what they are, taste and how they're prepared
Discover cuchamas, edible worms of the huizache in the Tehuacán Valley and Oaxaca. Gathering in June, herbal flavour and use in tacos and salsas.
- Guide
Cueritos: what they are, what they taste like and how to eat them
Cueritos are pork rind cured in vinegar, soft and gelatinous. Discover what they are, how they taste, how to eat them and how they differ from chicharrón.
- Guide
Cuetla: what it is, taste and how the worm is eaten
Discover the cuetla, an edible caterpillar of the Sierra Norte of Puebla. Bacon flavour, gathering on cuajinicuil and use in tacos and salsas in July.
- Guide
Calabaza en tacha: what it is and how to make it
Calabaza en tacha: a traditional sweet of Castilla squash cooked with piloncillo and cinnamon. Indispensable on Day of the Dead altars.
- Guide
Tamarind sweets: what they are, types and how to make them
Little balls, sticks and pulparindos: discover Mexican tamarind sweets, their chilli-laced sweet-and-sour flavour and their origin as a street snack.
- Guide
Encacahuatado: what it is and how the peanut mole is made
Discover encacahuatado, the creamy Mexican salsa with peanut, ancho and chipotle chilli, a dish of central Mexico served with chicken, pork or turkey.
- Guide
Enchiladas mineras: what they are, origin and recipe
Enchiladas mineras are tortillas passed through guajillo chilli salsa, filled with cheese and served with chicken, potatoes and carrots. An emblematic dish of Guanajuato.
- Guide
Enchiladas potosinas: what they are and how to make them
Enchiladas potosinas are maize-masa tortillas with guajillo chilli worked into the dough, filled with fresh cheese and folded. An emblematic snack of San Luis Potosí.
- Guide
Green enchiladas: what they are, what's in them and recipe
Green enchiladas are maize tortillas filled with chicken and bathed in tomatillo salsa with serrano chilli, cream, cheese and onion. An emblematic Mexican dish.
- Guide
Mexican pickles: what they are and how to make them
Discover Mexican pickles: the technique of preserving in vinegar and spices for red onions, pickled chillies and Yucatecan carrots.
- Guide
Christmas Eve salad: what it is and how to make it
The Mexican Christmas Eve salad combines beetroot, apple, orange, jicama, lettuce, peanut and pomegranate with a cream dressing. An emblematic dish of 24 December.
- Guide
Epazote: what it is, taste, uses and substitutes
Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) is a pre-Hispanic aromatic and digestive herb, essential in beans, huitlacoche, quesadillas and broths of Mexican cuisine.
- Guide
Escamoles: what they are, history and why they are called Mexican caviar
Escamoles are ant larvae, a pre-Hispanic delicacy from Hidalgo and Tlaxcala known as Mexican caviar. Discover their history and preparation.
- Guide
Escobeta: what it is and how it's used in Mexican cooking
The escobeta (Ramaria spp.) is an edible coral mushroom that grows in temperate Mexican forests. It is gathered in the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla and Veracruz.
- Guide
Esquites: what they are, history and the street-corn-in-a-cup recipe
What esquites are, their pre-Hispanic origin, ingredients (sweetcorn, epazote, chilli, mayonnaise, cheese) and how they differ from corn in a cup.
- Guide
Traditional fermentation: what it is, techniques and drinks
Discover traditional Mexican fermentation: pineapple tepache, maguey pulque, tejuino and tesgüino. Ancestral drinks of the highlands and central Mexico.
- Guide
Flautas: what they are and how to make golden taquitos
Flautas are rolled tortillas fried until golden, filled with chicken, potato or beef. A classic Mexican antojito with cream, lettuce and green salsa.
- Guide
Squash blossom: what it is, its season and how to clean it
Discover squash blossom, a pre-Hispanic ingredient of quesadillas, soups and crêpes. Varieties, the rainy season and techniques for cleaning it.
- Guide
Colorín flower: what it is, how to cook it and its season
Discover the colorín or gualumbo flower, an edible red flower of the tree Erythrina americana. Lenten gathering and traditional stews.
- Guide
Izote flower: what it is and how to cook it
Discover the izote flower (Yucca elephantipes), an edible white flower of south-eastern Mexico. Bitter-sweet flavour, gathered in Lent and used in stews.
- Guide
Hibiscus flower (jamaica): what it is, uses and benefits
Discover the hibiscus flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa), the red calyx of Mexican agua fresca. Uses in waters, jams, vegetarian tacos and benefits.
- Guide
Frying in lard: what it is and how it's used in Mexican food
Discover frying in pork lard: a traditional Mexican technique that gives deep flavour to carnitas, tamales, refried beans and tortillas.
- Guide
Veracruz garnachas: what they are and how to make them
Veracruz garnachas are small thick fried tortillas, topped with shredded meat, salsa, onion, dry cheese and potato. A typical antojito of Orizaba.
- Guide
Gaznates: what they are and the traditional sweet recipe
Mexican gaznates: a traditional sweet of crisp wafers filled with sweet meringue. A colonial recipe from central Mexico.
- Guide
Glorias de Linares: what they are and what's in them
Glorias are the typical sweet of Linares, Nuevo Leon: caramelised goat's-milk paste with walnut, wrapped in cellophane. A Monterrey-region tradition since the 19th century.
- Guide
Gorditas: what they are, how to make them and fillings
Gorditas are antojitos of thick maize masa cooked on a comal, split along one side and stuffed with stews such as chicharrón, picadillo or curd cheese. A speciality of Aguascalientes and the north.
- Guide
Granadilla: what it is, taste and how it differs from maracuyá
The granadilla (Passiflora ligularis) is a sweet passion fruit with gelatinous orange pulp and edible seeds. Native to the Andes, popularised in Veracruz and Puebla.
- Guide
Soursop (guanábana): what it is, taste and how to eat it
The soursop (Annona muricata) is a large tropical fruit with spiny skin and creamy white pulp with a bittersweet flavour. The star of Mexican aguas frescas, ice creams and atoles.
- Guide
Guava: what it is, benefits, varieties and uses in cooking
The guava (Psidium guajava) is a Mexican tropical fruit, aromatic and rich in vitamin C. White and pink varieties, a key ingredient of Christmas punch and traditional sweets.
- Guide
Hanal Pixán: what it is and what is eaten in the offering
Hanal Pixán is the Yucatecan Maya Day of the Dead: three days of offerings with mucbipollo, new atole, beans with pork and traditional sweets. Cultural heritage.
- Guide
Hierba mora: what it is, taste and how to cook it
Black nightshade (Solanum americanum) is a wild quelite of central and southern Mexico with edible leaves and berries, used in broths, stews and traditional medicine.
- Guide
Hierbabuena: what it is, uses and how it differs from mint
Hierbabuena (Mentha spicata) is a Mediterranean aromatic herb naturalised in Mexico, essential in meatballs, hierbabuena water and traditional tea.
- Guide
Hoja santa: what it is, taste, uses and substitutes
Hoja santa (Piper auritum), also called acuyo or hierbasanta, is a large leaf with an aniseed flavour, key to moles, tamales and fish dishes of Veracruz and Oaxaca.
- Guide
Avocado leaves: what they are, taste and substitutes
Avocado leaves (Persea americana) are a pre-Hispanic seasoning with an aniseed aroma, essential in beans, mixiotes, mole de olla and barbacoa.
- Guide
Maguey mushroom: what it is, season and how to cook it
The hongo de maguey or gachupín (Pleurotus opuntiae) is a species tied to the agave in Hidalgo and Tlaxcala, a traditional ingredient of central Mexican highland cooking.
- Guide
Huauzontles: what they are, taste and how to cook them
Huauzontles (Chenopodium berlandieri subsp. nuttalliae) are green flower heads related to amaranth, the base of battered fritters in tomato broth.
- Guide
Huaya: what it is, taste and benefits of the fruit
Huaya (Talisia olivaeformis) is a Yucatecan tropical fruit with a hard yellow-green skin and juicy orange pulp of a sweet-and-sour flavour, emblematic of Merida.
- Guide
Huitlacoche: what is it, history and why it is called Mexican truffle
Huitlacoche is an edible corn fungus considered a pre-Hispanic delicacy. Discover what it is, its Aztec origin and how it is prepared.
- Guide
Itacates: what they are, how they are made and what to eat them with
Discover itacates: thick triangles of nixtamalised maize dough typical of Morelos and Tlaxcala. A market antojito to accompany stews.
- Guide
Jamoncillo: what it is, how it's made and where it's from
Jamoncillo: a Mexican sweet of milk, sugar and cinnamon cooked until caramelised. A colonial convent tradition of Puebla, Toluca and central Mexico.
- Guide
Jicama: what it is, taste, benefits and how to eat it
The jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) is a round, crunchy tuber, refreshing for its water content. Eaten raw with lime and chilli as a Mexican street snack.
- Guide
Jícara: what it is, what it is made from and what it is used for
Discover the jícara: a natural vessel made from the calabash fruit, used in Mexico to serve chocolate, tejate, pozol and aguas frescas.
- Guide
Jocoque: what it is, what it tastes like and what to substitute for it
Jocoque is a tangy, creamy Mexican fermented dairy product. Discover what it is, its types (dry and sour), what it tastes like and what to use instead.
- Guide
Jumiles: what they are and why they're eaten alive in Taxco
Discover jumiles, edible stink bugs from Taxco eaten alive in salsas and tacos. Origin, cinnamon-iodine flavour and festival in Guerrero.
- Guide
Leche quemada: what it is and how the Oaxacan sweet is made
Leche quemada is a traditional Mexican sweet of milk with sugar caramelised until thick and dark, the base of cajetas, glorias and desserts of central Mexico.
- Guide
Lengua de vaca: what this quelite is, taste and uses
Lengua de vaca (Rumex crispus) is a wild Mexican quelite with elongated leaves and a slightly tart flavour, used in stews and fritters of the high plateau.
- Guide
Mexican Christmas pork loin: what it is and how to make it
The Mexican Christmas pork loin is pork loin baked in a sweet-savoury sauce of prunes, red wine and spices. An emblematic dish of the Christmas Eve dinner.
- Guide
Macarrones de leche: what they are and how to make them
Macarrones de leche are little rolls of caramelised milk sweet wrapped in coloured cellophane, a traditional sweet of Mexican markets.
- Guide
Mafafa: what it is, which parts are eaten and how to cook it
The mafafa (Xanthosoma robustum) is a large Mexican tropical plant whose leaves and tuber are eaten in Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas and Oaxaca.
- Guide
Mamey: what it is, taste, benefits and how to eat it
The mamey (Pouteria sapota) is a Mexican tropical fruit with orange-red pulp and a sweet flavour. Used in ice creams, mameyate, antes and shakes. Harvested March to July.
- Guide
Mamoncillo: what it is, taste and how to eat it
Mamoncillo (Melicoccus bijugatus) is a tropical fruit with a green skin and orange pulp eaten in Veracruz, Tabasco and Yucatan.
- Guide
Manchamanteles: what it is and what's in the fruity mole
Learn about manchamanteles, a Mexican fruity mole with pineapple, plantain, apple and ancho chilli, a baroque dish of Puebla and Oaxaca for celebrations.
- Guide
Marquesitas: what they are and how to make them
The marquesita is a crisp rolled wafer with grated Edam ball cheese and Nutella or cajeta, a typical street snack of Merida and the Yucatan Peninsula.
- Guide
Cacahuazintle masa: what it is, its uses in pozole and tamales
Discover cacahuazintle maize: a variety with large white kernels for pozole, fine tamales and special masa. A tradition of the Mexican highlands.
- Guide
Blue maize masa: what it is, its flavour and uses in antojitos
Meet blue maize masa: native maize from Tlaxcala, the State of Mexico and Puebla. Anthocyanin pigments, fruity flavour and antojitos like tlacoyos.
- Guide
Nixtamalised masa: what it is, how it is made and its uses
Meet nixtamalised masa: the base of tortillas, tamales and antojitos. How it is made from nixtamal, its nutritional properties and techniques.
- Guide
Oaxacan memelas: what they are and how to make them
Memelas are Oaxacan antojitos of maize masa cooked on a comal and spread with pork asiento, refried beans, salsa, fresh cheese and coriander. A living pre-Hispanic tradition.
- Guide
Menudo: what it is, how to make it and when it's eaten
Northern menudo is a thick beef tripe broth with hominy and guajillo chilli. Sonora, Chihuahua and Sinaloa serve it on Sundays as a hangover cure.
- Guide
Meocuil: what it is, taste and how the maguey worm is eaten
Discover the meocuil or white maguey worm, a buttery larva from Hidalgo and Tlaxcala. Its flavour, artisanal gathering and use in tacos and mixiotes.
- Guide
Mexican meringues: what they are and how to make them
Mexican meringues are airy sweets of egg white and sugar, sold in markets and squares, white or coloured, a symbol of the national street snack.
- Guide
Metate: what it is, what it is for and how it is used
Discover the metate: a rectangular stone for grinding maize, cacao, chillies and spices. A millennia-old symbol of traditional Mexican cooking.
- Guide
Mezcal: what it is, history and how it differs from tequila
What mezcal is, its pre-Hispanic origin, the types of agave, denomination of origin and the differences with Mexican tequila.
- Guide
Michelada: what's in it, recipe and variations
Michelada: Mexican beer prepared with lime juice, sauces, salt and chilli on the rim. Classic recipe, variants and San Luis Potosí origin.
- Guide
Mixiotes: what they are, how they're made and their origin
Mixiotes are stews of meat marinated with chillies, steamed wrapped in the cuticle of the maguey or in banana leaves. A pre-Hispanic dish of Hidalgo and Tlaxcala.
- Guide
Molcajete: what it is, what it is for and how to season it
Discover the molcajete: a volcanic stone mortar from the pre-Hispanic world for salsas, guacamole and pastes. How to season and use it properly.
- Guide
Molcajeteado: what it is, the technique and how it differs from a blender
Discover molcajeteado: the technique of making salsas and guacamole in a volcanic stone mortar. Textures, flavours and how it differs from a blender.
- Guide
Mole almendrado: what it is and how it's made
Discover mole almendrado, a variant of mole with abundant almonds produced in San Pedro Atocpan, the mole capital of Mexico City.
- Guide
Mole amarillo: what it is, ingredients and how to make it
Discover yellow mole or 'amarillito', one of the seven Oaxacan moles, made with yellow chilhuacle, hoja santa and maize masa as a thickener.
- Guide
Mole chichilo: what it is, taste and how it's made
Discover mole chichilo, the rarest of the seven Oaxacan moles, a ritual dish of mourning with charred black chilhuacle, avocado leaf and chochoyotes.
- Guide
Mole coloradito: what it is, taste and how it's used
Discover mole coloradito, one of the seven Oaxacan moles, sweetish and spiced, ideal for chicken and traditional enchiladas of the Zapotec recipe book.
- Guide
Mole de cazuela: what it is and how to make it step by step
Discover the mole de cazuela technique: toasting chillies and seeds, grinding on a metate, slow simmering. The basis of traditional Mexican moles.
- Guide
Mole de novia: what it is and how the white mole is made
Discover mole de novia, a white mole created by chef Alicia Gironella inspired by the mole of Tlapa, Guerrero, ideal for weddings and festive banquets.
- Guide
Mole de olla: what it is, what's in it and where it's from
Mole de olla is a Mexican beef broth with dried chillies, xoconostle, corn, courgette, green beans and chochoyones. A traditional, hearty, comforting dish from central Mexico.
- Guide
Mole de Xico: what it is, what's in it and what it tastes like
Discover mole de Xico, a sweet Veracruz mole with prune, plantain and hazelnuts, an emblematic dish of the sierra of Xico, Veracruz.
- Guide
Oaxacan mole negro: what it is, ingredients and recipe
Discover Oaxacan black mole, the most complex of the seven moles of Oaxaca, with chilhuacle negro, chocolate and more than 30 traditional ingredients.
- Guide
Day of the Dead mole: what it means and why it's offered
Mole is the main dish of the Day of the Dead offering in central and southern Mexico: it is placed to feed the souls and shared with the family.
- Guide
Mole poblano: what it is, history, ingredients and traditional recipe
Mole poblano is the emblematic dish of Puebla with over 25 ingredients. Learn its colonial history, its chillies and how it is traditionally prepared.
- Guide
Mole prieto: what it is and how the tlilmolli is made
Discover mole prieto from Tlaxcala, or tlilmolli, a pre-Hispanic ritual dish made with maize masa, guajillo chilli and pork, tied to Tlaxcalan patron saint feasts.
- Guide
Mole ranchero: what it is and how it differs from poblano
Discover mole ranchero, or mole de rancho, the simple, home-style version of mole poblano with fewer ingredients, popular in the villages of Puebla.
- Guide
Oaxacan mole rojo: what's in it, recipe and secrets
Discover Oaxacan red mole, a traditional dish with red chilhuacle, ancho, mulato and spices, one of the seven emblematic Oaxacan moles.
- Guide
Oaxacan mole verde: what's in it, taste and how to make it
Learn about Oaxacan green mole, made with miltomate, hoja santa, parsley, epazote, mint and fresh green chillies, one of the seven Oaxacan moles.
- Guide
Metate grinding: what it is, how it's done and its uses
Discover grinding on a metate: a pre-Hispanic stone for grinding maize, cacao, chillies and spices. An ancient technique that gives texture and flavour to moles and doughs.
- Guide
Molinillo: what it is, what it is for and how to use it
Meet the Mexican molinillo: a wooden whisk carved from a single piece for frothing hot chocolate. A colonial and Oaxacan tradition.
- Guide
Molotes: what they are, fillings and how to make them
Molotes are elongated fried maize-masa pasties, filled with tinga, potato with chorizo or squash blossom. A classic antojito of Oaxaca and Puebla.
- Guide
Yucatecan mondongo: what it is and how the broth is made
Yucatecan mondongo kabik is a beef tripe broth with red achiote recado, sour orange, plantain and vegetables. It is served on Mondays as a cure.
- Guide
Mostachones: what they are, ingredients and how to make them
Mostachones de Saltillo: traditional Coahuila biscuits with walnut, cinnamon and piloncillo. A living colonial recipe of northern Mexico.
- Guide
Mucbipollo: what it is and how the Yucatecan pib is made
The mucbipollo or pib is the great ceremonial tamale of Yucatan, buried during Hanal Pixan to honour the dead: recipe, history and Maya meaning.
- Guide
Muéganos: what they are and how to make the sweet
The muegano is a Mexican sweet of fried flour dough in little cubes joined with piloncillo syrup. Typical of Tehuacan (Puebla) and Huamantla (Tlaxcala).
- Guide
Nance: what it is, taste and uses of the fruit
The nance (Byrsonima crassifolia) is a small yellow tropical fruit, bittersweet and intensely aromatic. Typical of south-eastern Mexico in ice creams, liqueurs and preserves.
- Guide
Nejayote: what it is and what nixtamal water is used for
Discover nejayote, the yellow water from maize nixtamalisation: its pre-Hispanic origin, culinary value, medicinal uses and environmental challenges.
- Guide
Nixtamalisation: what it is, how it's done and why it matters
Discover nixtamalisation: the pre-Hispanic technique of treating maize with lime that gives rise to tortillas, tamales and the whole Mexican culinary universe.
- Guide
Obleas con cajeta: what they are, origin and recipe
Wafers with cajeta are discs of Host-style wafer filled with burnt cajeta, a traditional sweet of the Mexican Bajio and an emblem of the confectionery of Celaya and Guanajuato.
- Guide
Clay pots: the types, how to season them and what they are for
Discover Mexican clay pots: pre-Hispanic vessels for beans, moles, atoles and rice. Regional types, seasoning and safe, lead-free use.
- Guide
Mexican oregano: what it is, taste and uses
Discover Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens), a herb endemic to the semi-desert. Citrus-menthol aroma, uses in pozole, beans and birria.
- Guide
Oreja de cantaria: what it is and where the mushroom grows
The oreja de cantaria (Pleurotus djamor) is a wild oyster mushroom of Mexican tropical forests, known for its gilled shape and characteristic pinkish colour.
- Guide
Palanqueta: what it is and how the Mexican sweet is made
Palanqueta: a traditional Mexican sweet of peanuts, seeds or walnut with piloncillo or caramelised honey. A simple recipe from central Mexico.
- Guide
Paloma: what's in the cocktail, recipe and origin
Paloma: a classic Mexican cocktail of tequila, grapefruit soda, lime juice and salt on the rim. Jalisco origin and traditional recipe.
- Guide
Pambazos: what they are, origin and how to make them
The pambazo is a Mexico City street torta made with white bread dipped in guajillo chilli salsa, filled with potato and chorizo, lettuce, cheese and cream. An unmissable antojito.
- Guide
Pan de muerto: what it is, symbolism and regional types
Pan de muerto is the ceremonial bread of the Day of the Dead in Mexico: a circular shape with decorative bones and tears, flavoured with orange blossom and aniseed.
- Guide
Pancita: what it is, recipe and how it differs from menudo
Pancita is the Mexico City menudo: beef tripe broth with guajillo or ancho chilli mole, epazote and no hominy. It is sold in tianguis and markets of CDMX.
- Guide
Panuchos: what they are and how to make them
Panuchos are Yucatecan antojitos: puffed tortillas filled with strained black bean, fried and topped with cochinita pibil or turkey, pickled red onion and avocado.
- Guide
Panza de ratón: what it is, taste and how to cook it
The panza de ratón (Lycoperdon perlatum) is a wild edible mushroom of the Mexican highlands, gathered while tender in the pine forests of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Hidalgo.
- Guide
Papadzules: what they are, Yucatecan origin and recipe
Papadzules are maize tortillas filled with chopped boiled egg and bathed in pumpkin-seed sauce, an emblematic dish of Yucatecan Maya cuisine.
- Guide
Pápalo: what it is, taste and uses in Puebla cooking
Pápalo (Porophyllum macrocephalum) is a raw aromatic Puebla herb with a flavour of strong coriander and rue, essential in cemitas, tlacoyos and broths.
- Guide
Papaloquelite: what it is, taste and uses in cemitas
Papaloquelite (Porophyllum ruderale) is an aromatic herb of Puebla cuisine, fresh and intensely scented, essential in cemitas, tlacoyos and tacos.
- Guide
Papaya: what it is, benefits, varieties and how to eat it
The papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit native to Mesoamerica with sweet orange flesh; Mexico is one of the world's leading exporters.
- Guide
Mexican Christmas turkey: what it is, stuffing and marinade
The Mexican Christmas turkey is stuffed with a meat, fruit and nut picadillo, and roasted with a marinade of chillies, spices and citrus. The star dish of 24 December.
- Guide
Pepitas: what they are, benefits and uses in cooking
Discover pepitas (pumpkin seeds), pre-Hispanic seeds at the base of pipianes, sikil pak and sweets. Varieties, nutritional value and uses in Mexico.
- Guide
Pepito: what it is and what's in the Mexico City torta
The pepito is a Mexican torta of toasted telera bread with griddled steak, melted cheese, avocado and chillies. A speciality of Mexico City torta shops.
- Guide
Pepitorias: what they are and how to make the sweet
Pepitorias are sweet wafers of toasted pumpkin seeds and piloncillo caramel, a typical sweet of central Mexico and a pre-Hispanic legacy fused with convent tradition.
- Guide
Pib: what the Maya earth oven is and how it's used
Discover the pib, the Maya earth oven: how it is dug, heated with stones and used to cook cochinita pibil, mucbipollo and tamales in banana leaves.
- Guide
Veracruz picadas: what they are and how to make them
Veracruz picadas are thick tortillas with pinched edges, bathed in red, green or bean salsa, with cheese and onion. A jarocho breakfast antojito.
- Guide
Pichancha: what it is and its role in making nixtamal
Meet the pichancha: a perforated clay vessel for draining nixtamal before grinding. A pre-Hispanic utensil at the heart of Mexico's maize cookery.
- Guide
Christmas adobo pork leg: what it is and how to roast it
The Mexican Christmas marinated pork leg is pork leg marinated in guajillo and ancho chillies and spices, slowly baked. A central dish of the Christmas Eve dinner.
- Guide
Piñuela: what it is, taste and uses of the fruit
The piñuela (Bromelia pinguin) is the fruit of a wild bromeliad of south-eastern Mexico, bittersweet and aromatic. Used in refreshing drinks, atoles and traditional preserves.
- Guide
Red pipián: what it is, ingredients and how to make it
Learn about red pipián, the Mexican salsa with pumpkin seed, guajillo chilli, sesame and peanut, a dish of central and southern Mexico.
- Guide
Green pipián: what it is and how to make the salsa
Discover green pipián, a pre-Hispanic salsa of pumpkin seed, miltomate, hoja santa and green chilli, native to Puebla and central Mexico.
- Guide
Pipicha: what it is, taste and uses in cooking
Pipicha (Porophyllum tagetoides) is an aromatic Oaxacan herb with slender leaves and a citrus-aniseed aroma, essential in chileatoles and corn dishes.
- Guide
Pitahaya: what it is, taste and health benefits
Pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus) is a cactus fruit with a pink scaly skin and white or red pulp with small seeds, grown in Yucatan and Quintana Roo.
- Guide
Pitaya: what it is, types, taste and how to eat it
The pitaya is the fruit of columnar cacti (Stenocereus spp.) and climbing cacti (Hylocereus). Native to Mexico, it offers colourful pulp in pink, white, yellow and purple.
- Guide
Plantain: what it is, how to cook it and its uses
The plantain (Musa paradisiaca) is a large, starchy variety eaten cooked, fried or roasted in Tabasco, Veracruz, Chiapas and Mexican cuisine in general.
- Guide
Polvorones: what they are, recipe and Mexican variants
Mexican polvorones: traditional lard biscuits with icing sugar. Pink, orange and butter variants. An adapted Andalusian colonial recipe.
- Guide
Mexican Christmas ponche: what's in it and how to make it
Mexican Christmas ponche: traditional posada recipe with tejocotes, sugar cane, guava, apple and piloncillo. A hot December drink.
- Guide
Popo: what it is and how the frothy Veracruz drink is made
Popo: a pre-Hispanic frothy drink of cacao, maize, chupipi vine and sugar. Traditional of Tuxtepec, Acayucan and the Veracruz Sierra de Sotavento.
- Guide
Pox: what it is, how it's drunk and the spirit's origin
Discover pox, the Tzotzil-Tzeltal spirit of maize, cane and wheat. A Maya ceremonial drink in San Juan Chamula, recipes and revaluation.
- Guide
Pozol: what it is, ingredients and how it's drunk
Pozol: a pre-Hispanic fermented drink of nixtamalised maize dough, cacao and water. Traditional of Tabasco and Chiapas, it refreshes field work for hours.
- Guide
Independence Day pozole: what it is and why it's eaten
Pozole is the centrepiece of Mexico's Independence Cry on 15 September: a cacahuazintle maize broth with meat, chilli and fresh garnishes.
- Guide
Pozole: what it is, history and traditional Mexican recipe
What pozole is, its pre-Hispanic history, ingredients (cacahuazintle maize, meat, chillies) and the regional red, white and green recipes.
- Guide
Pulque: what it is, history and the process of the fermented maguey drink
Discover pulque, a pre-Hispanic fermented drink made from maguey aguamiel. Tlachiqueros, pulquerías and curados of Hidalgo and Tlaxcala.
- Guide
Cenizo quelite: what it is, taste and how to cook it
Cenizo quelite (Chenopodium berlandieri) is a pre-Hispanic edible herb of the Mexican highlands, the wild ancestor of huauzontle, with ash-grey leaves.
- Guide
Quelites: what they are, types and how to cook them
Quelites are wild and semi-cultivated edible herbs of the Mesoamerican tradition. Discover their varieties, culinary uses and cultural value in Mexico.
- Guide
Fried quesadillas: what they are, fillings and recipe
Fried quesadillas are a Mexico City street snack: maize masa filled with huitlacoche, squash blossom, mushrooms or cheese, fried in lard. A must-try in Mexico City.
- Guide
Quintoniles: what they are, benefits and how to cook them
Quintoniles (Amaranthus hybridus) are the tender leaves of wild amaranth, a nutritious pre-Hispanic quelite of central Mexico, a spring crop of the milpa.
- Guide
Raicilla: what it is and what the agave spirit tastes like
Discover raicilla, the Jalisco spirit from Agave maximiliana and inaequidens with Denomination of Origin. Sierra and coast, fruity and artisanal profile.
- Guide
Guava roll: what it is, how it's made and its origin
The guava roll is a Mexican sweet of hardened, rolled guava paste, typical of Aguascalientes and Zacatecas, a relative of the ate of Morelia.
- Guide
Romeritos: what they are, how to cook them and when
Romeritos are Mexican wild quelites stewed with mole, dried-prawn fritters and potatoes. A traditional dish of Lent and Christmas in central Mexico.
- Guide
Rosca de Reyes: what it is, meaning and when it's eaten
The Rosca de Reyes is the sweet bread of 6 January in Mexico: decorated with candied fruit, it hides figures of the baby Jesus; whoever finds them pays for the tamales.
- Guide
Salting and curing meat: what it is and how it's done
Discover the salting and curing of meats in Mexico: Yecapixtla cecina, northern machaca, dried meat and chilli-rubbed cecina. Traditional northern techniques.
- Guide
Salbutes: what they are, what's on them and how to make them
Salbutes are Yucatecan antojitos of freshly made tortilla fried in lard until it puffs up and topped with shredded chicken or turkey, pickled red onion, lettuce and habanero.
- Guide
Saramuyo: what it is, taste and how to eat it
The saramuyo (Annona squamosa) is an annona with a scaly green skin and creamy, very sweet white flesh, a traditional fruit of south-east Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula.
- Guide
Drying chillies: what it is, techniques and equivalents
Discover the drying of Mexican chillies: how the jalapeño becomes chipotle, the poblano becomes ancho and the mirasol becomes guajillo. Techniques and flavours.
- Guide
Sopa azteca: what tortilla soup is and how to make it
Sopa azteca, or tortilla soup, is a Mexican roasted-tomato broth topped with fried tortilla, pasilla chilli, avocado, cream and panela cheese. Tlaxcala and CDMX dispute it.
- Guide
Sopa de fideo: what's in it and how to make it at home
Sopa de fideo is the Mexican everyday-meal classic: pasta toasted in oil and cooked in a broth of tomato, garlic and onion. An eatery lunch across the country.
- Guide
Sopa de lima: what it is and how to make it
Yucatecan sopa de lima is a chicken or turkey broth with the endemic sour lime, coriander and fried tortilla. An emblematic dish of the Maya-Spanish peninsular repertoire.
- Guide
Sopa tarasca: what it is, what's in it and how to make it
Sopa tarasca is a Michoacán cream of blended pinto bean with tomato and pasilla chilli, served with fried tortilla, cream and cheese. An emblematic dish of Pátzcuaro.
- Guide
Sopes: what they are, how to make them and toppings
Sopes are Mexican antojitos of thick maize masa with a pinched rim, fried in lard, spread with refried beans and topped with stews, salsa, cheese and cream.
- Guide
Sotol: what it is, how it's made and how it differs from mezcal
Discover sotol, the Mexican spirit made from sereque (Dasylirion). Denomination of Origin, production in Chihuahua and Durango, and differences from mezcal.
- Guide
Tacos al pastor: what they are, origin and how they're made
Tacos al pastor are pork marinated with chillies and achiote, roasted on a vertical spit with pineapple on top. Heir to the Lebanese shawarma and a Mexico City emblem.
- Guide
Tamal de cazuela: what it is and how to make it without leaves
The tamal de cazuela is a dish from Veracruz and Durango that dispenses with the leaf: masa, mole or salsa and meat are baked in a dish to be served in slices.
- Guide
Tamal de elote: what it is and how to make it
The sweetcorn tamale is a sweet tamale made with fresh kernels of tender maize, butter, sugar and milk. A Michoacan and Guerrero tradition for an afternoon treat.
- Guide
Tamalera: what it is, the types and how to use it for tamales
Meet the Mexican tamalera: a tall steamer pot with a rack for cooking tamales. Types, capacities and how to set it up for perfect steaming.
- Guide
Tamales barbones: what they are and how to make them
Barbon tamales are a speciality of Escuinapa, Sinaloa: tamales filled with whole prawns whose whiskers poke out, guajillo-chilli dough and maize husk.
- Guide
Tamales canarios: what they are, recipe and origin
Discover tamales canarios, sweet Mexican tamales made with rice flour, butter, egg and raisins, originating in Michoacán.
- Guide
Tamales colados: what they are and how the masa is made
Yucatecan strained tamales are tamales of fine sieved dough with red recado, chicken and achiote wrapped in banana leaf. Recipe and Maya origin of the south-east.
- Guide
Chipilín tamales: what they are, taste and recipe
Chipilin tamales are a Chiapas speciality that mixes maize dough with fresh leaves of the chipilin quelite, a herbal flavour unique to Mesoamerica.
- Guide
Mole tamales: what they are and how to make them
Mole tamales with chicken are the heart of the chilango tamale cart: fluffy dough filled with chicken bathed in mole poblano or red mole, wrapped in maize husk.
- Guide
Day of the Dead tamales: what they are and their meaning
Day of the Dead tamales are a Mexican ritual offering: Oaxacan mole tamales, white Yucatecan ones (mucbipollo), chipilín, ash and other regional varieties.
- Guide
Rajas con queso tamales: what they are and how to make them
Rajas con queso tamales are the vegetarian favourite of the capital's tamalera: fluffy dough, poblano rajas, panela cheese and green salsa.
- Guide
Candlemas tamales: the 2 February tradition explained
The 2 February tamales in Mexico are the ritual payment owed by whoever found the Baby Jesus in the Kings' Day ring. A syncretic tradition that closes the Christmas cycle.
- Guide
Nejo tamales: what they are and how ash is used
Nejo tamales are a Guerrero speciality made with maize dough nixtamalised in wood ash, lard and beans, with no filling. A thousand-year-old tradition.
- Guide
Northern tamales: what they are and where they're typical
Northern tamales are small, firm pieces of maize dough with pork in red chilli, typical of Sinaloa, Sonora and Chihuahua during the Christmas season.
- Guide
Oaxacan tamales: what they are and how they're made
Discover Oaxacan tamales, wrapped in banana leaf with maize masa, chicken and mole negro, an emblematic ceremonial dish of the Oaxacan repertoire.
- Guide
Tatemado: what it is, how it's done and what it's for
Discover tatemado: the Mexican technique of charring chillies, tomatoes and vegetables directly over fire or embers, the basis of the deep flavour of traditional salsas.
- Guide
Tecomate: what it is and how it's used in Mexican cooking
The tecomate (Amanita caesarea) is one of the most prized wild edible mushrooms in Mexico, known as the mushroom of kings for its delicate, elegant flavour.
- Guide
Tejate: what it is, what's in it and how it's made
Oaxacan tejate: a pre-Hispanic ritual drink of maize, cacao, cacao flower, pixtle and rosita. The drink of the gods of the Mixtec peoples.
- Guide
Tejocote: what it is, taste and uses in Christmas ponche
The tejocote (Crataegus mexicana) is a yellow-orange, bittersweet and aromatic fruit, an essential ingredient of Mexican Christmas punch and traditional sweets.
- Guide
Tejuino: what it is, how it's made and where to drink it
Discover tejuino, a drink of fermented nixtamalised maize masa, piloncillo and lime. Pre-Hispanic origin and popularity in Jalisco and Colima.
- Guide
Tepache: what it is, how it's made and how it differs from kombucha
Discover tepache, a fermented drink of pineapple, piloncillo and cinnamon. Pre-Hispanic origin, traditional recipe and differences with the Mexican kombucha.
- Guide
Tesgüino: what it is and how the maize beer is made
Discover tesgüino, a fermented drink of sprouted maize from the rarámuri of the Sierra Tarahumara. Recipe, ritual use and ball races.
- Guide
Tetelas: what they are, what they are filled with and how they are made
Discover tetelas: triangles of nixtamalised maize dough filled with beans, cheese or asiento, typical of Puebla, Oaxaca and the Mixteca region.
- Guide
Tlacoyos: what they are, fillings and how to make them
Tlacoyos are pre-Hispanic antojitos of blue maize masa stuffed with broad bean, bean or curd cheese, cooked on a comal. A speciality of central Mexico and of market cooks.
- Guide
Oaxacan tlayuda: what it is, history and how to prepare the giant tortilla
What a tlayuda is, its origin in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, ingredients (asiento, beans, tasajo, quesillo) and how it differs from a taco or Mexican pizza.
- Guide
Torta ahogada: what it is and how to eat the Guadalajara icon
The torta ahogada is the street icon of Guadalajara: salty birote filled with carnitas and completely bathed in tomato or chile de árbol salsa. An essential dish of Jalisco.
- Guide
Torta cubana: what's in it, origin and how to make it
The torta cubana is the largest torta in Mexico: telera bread filled with milanesa, ham hock, ham, sausage, chorizo, cheese, avocado and egg. A speciality of the Centro Histórico of Mexico City.
- Guide
Coloured tortillas: what they are and which maize they are made from
Discover Mexico's coloured tortillas: blue, red, yellow, white and purple maize. Native landraces, flavours and the biodiversity of Mexican maize.
- Guide
Tortillera: what it is, the types and how to use the press
Discover the tortillera, or tortilla press: the Mexican utensil that shapes nixtamalised maize dough into perfect discs. Wood, iron or aluminium.
- Guide
Tortitas de camarón: what they are and how to make them
Dried prawn fritters are crisp discs made from ground dried prawns and egg, simmered in romeritos with mole. A Lenten dish from central Mexico.
- Guide
Mexican tostadas: what they are, toppings and how to eat them
Mexican tostadas are fried or toasted maize tortillas, a crisp base for tinga, chicken, beans and seafood. A national antojito with regional variations.
- Guide
Comal toasting: what it is and how it's done
Discover toasting on a comal: the Mexican technique for enhancing the flavours of dried chillies, seeds, spices and tortillas on the quintessential pre-Hispanic utensil.
- Guide
Artisanal totopos: what they are and how they are made
Discover Mexican artisanal totopos: crisp dried tortillas from Oaxaca and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. A long-keeping Zapotec tradition.
- Guide
Trompa de puerco: what the mushroom is and how to cook it
The trompa de puerco (Hypomyces lactifluorum) is a wild mushroom of Mexican pine forests, of intense orange colour, gathered in the State of Mexico and Veracruz.
- Guide
Tuba: what it is, origin and how the palm drink is made
Discover tuba, a fermented drink of coconut palm sap from Colima and Guerrero. Filipino origin, the tubero's technique and variants with fruit.
- Guide
Tuna (prickly pear): what it is, history and varieties of the nopal fruit
The tuna is the fruit of the nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica), sweet and refreshing, native to Mexico. Eaten fresh, in water, ice cream or jam. Harvested June to October.
- Guide
Uchepos: what they are and how the sweetcorn tamales are made
Discover uchepos, sweet Michoacán tamales of tender sweetcorn, an emblematic dish of Purépecha cuisine during the fresh sweetcorn season.
- Guide
Mexican vanilla: what it is, how it's grown and its uses
Discover the vanilla of Papantla (Vanilla planifolia), an orchid endemic to Veracruz with a designation of origin. Totonac history, process and use.
- Guide
Vaporcitos: what they are, origin and recipe
Vaporcitos are small Yucatecan tamales of patted dough with achiote, chicken and banana leaf, steamed. Recipe, origin and how to serve them.
- Guide
Purslane (verdolagas): what it is, taste and how to cook it
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a Mexican succulent quelite with fleshy leaves and a mild tangy flavour, ideal in stews with pork in green salsa.
- Guide
Xamues: what they are, taste and how they're eaten
Discover xamues, giant mesquite bugs of the high plateau of Hidalgo, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí. Sour-apple flavour and use in salsas.
- Guide
Xoconostle: what it is, benefits and uses in cooking
The xoconostle is the tart prickly pear (Opuntia matudae), with pinkish pulp and a sour flavour. Used in salsas, mole de olla, preserves and traditional Mexican medicinal drinks.
- Guide
Yema de huevo: what the wild mushroom is and how to use it
The yema de huevo (Amanita basii) is a yellow wild mushroom of the Mexican forests, an endemic species gathered in the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala and Puebla.
- Guide
Zacahuil: what it is and how the giant tamale is made
Discover the zacahuil, the giant Huasteca tamale wrapped in banana leaf and cooked in a wood-fired oven that feeds 50 diners in a single piece.
- Guide
White sapote: what it is, taste, benefits and how to eat it
The white sapote (Casimiroa edulis) is a Mexican tropical fruit with creamy white pulp, sweet and aromatic. Traditionally used as a natural sedative in traditional medicine.
- Guide
Black sapote: what it is, taste and uses in desserts
The black sapote (Diospyros nigra) is a Mexican tropical fruit with dark, creamy, sweet pulp, ideal for desserts and mousses. Harvested from October to January in Veracruz and Chiapas.