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.
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Achiote: the natural colouring of Yucatecan cuisine
Discover achiote (Bixa orellana), the red seed at the base of cochinita pibil and Maya cuisine. Recados, colour, earthy flavour and traditional uses.
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Acuyo: the Veracruz name for hoja santa
Discover acuyo, the Veracruz name for hoja santa (Piper auritum), an aromatic large-leaf herb used in tamales, moles and fish dishes of the Gulf of Mexico.
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Agua de alfalfa: refreshing Mexican green drink
Agua de alfalfa: traditional Mexican green drink with fresh alfalfa juice, lime and pineapple. Refreshing, hydrating and rich in chlorophyll.
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Agua de chía with lime: hydrating Mexican drink
Agua de chía with lime: hydrating pre-Hispanic drink with Mexican chia seeds, lime juice and water. Rich in omega 3 and fibre.
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Agua de horchata: Mexican recipe of rice with cinnamon
Mexican agua de horchata: recipe with rice, cinnamon, milk and vanilla. A fresh, sweet and creamy drink that sets Mexico apart from other horchatas.
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Agua de jamaica: recipe, benefits and origin of the flower
Agua de jamaica: refreshing Mexican drink with Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces. Recipe, diuretic benefits and African origin of the flower.
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Agua de mango: agua fresca recipe with tropical fruit
Agua de mango: traditional Mexican agua fresca recipe with ripe mango, water and sugar. A refreshing tropical drink for the warm season.
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Agua de melón: refreshing recipe with optional chia
Mexican agua de melón: refreshing recipe with melon pulp, water and sugar. A hydrating drink for the warm season with an optional chia variant.
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Agua de pepino con limón: Mexican detox drink
Agua de pepino con limón: fresh, light and hydrating Mexican drink. Traditional recipe with mint notes, ideal for warm climates.
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Agua de tamarindo: traditional sweet-and-sour recipe
Agua de tamarindo: sweet-and-sour Mexican recipe with tamarind pulp, sugar and water. A fresh, digestive drink originally from Africa, popular in Mexico.
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Aguachile: what it is, history and recipe for Sinaloa's spicy seafood dish
What aguachile is, its origin in Sinaloa, ingredients (prawns, chile serrano, lime) and the difference from traditional Mexican ceviche.
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Aguascalentense cuisine: birria, San Marcos chicken and highland stews
Discover Aguascalentense cuisine: barbacoa birria, San Marcos chicken, condoches and stuffed gorditas, flavours of the Aguascalentense highlands.
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Ahuautle: the Mexican caviar of the lakes of the Valley of Mexico
Discover ahuautle, eggs of aquatic flies from Lake Texcoco. Known as Mexican caviar, it was Aztec food and lives on today in fritters and revoltijo.
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Alaches: a mucilaginous quelite from central Mexico
Alaches (Anoda cristata) are a traditional quelite of central Mexico with a mucilaginous texture, used in broths, soups and pre-Hispanic stews still alive today.
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Alegria: the pre-Hispanic amaranth sweet
Alegria: pre-Hispanic sweet of popped amaranth and piloncillo. Native to Tulyehualco, symbol of cultural resistance of the grain of the gods.
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Anona: tropical fruit with creamy flesh
Anona (Annona reticulata) is a tropical fruit of Central America and southeastern Mexico, with creamy white-pink flesh, sweet and aromatic. A relative of cherimoya and soursop.
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Artisanal totopos: dried Oaxacan and Isthmian tortilla
Discover artisanal Mexican totopos: crunchy dried tortillas of Oaxaca and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Long-preserving Zapotec tradition.
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Asado in maguey leaf: pre-Hispanic wrapping technique
Discover cooking in maguey leaf: pre-Hispanic technique of wrapping meats and vegetables in maguey leaves to roast them with herbal flavour.
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Ate de membrillo: traditional Morelia quince fruit sweet
Ate de membrillo from Morelia: Mexican colonial sweet of quince pulp and sugar. Michoacan tradition from the 16th century. Eat with fresh cheese.
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Atole de cajeta: recipe with goat-milk caramel from Celaya
Atole de cajeta: traditional Bajío recipe with Celaya cajeta, milk, cinnamon and cornflour. A creamy and sweet hot drink.
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Atole de chocolate: the pre-Hispanic hot drink
Atole de chocolate or champurrado: pre-Hispanic hot drink of cacao, maize dough, piloncillo and cinnamon. An ancestral Mexican tradition.
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Atole de elote: creamy recipe with tender maize
Atole de elote: traditional Mexican recipe of tender maize with milk, cinnamon and sugar. A creamy hot drink enjoyed throughout the country.
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Atole de fresa: sweet and creamy recipe with natural fruit
Atole de fresa: Mexican recipe for a creamy hot drink with natural strawberry, milk and cinnamon. Ideal for winter and December posadas.
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Atole de guayaba: the hot drink of the Mexican winter
Atole de guayaba: traditional Mexican winter recipe with fresh guava, maize dough, cinnamon and piloncillo. A creamy drink of intense aroma.
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Atole de masa: the base recipe of Mexican plain atole
Atole de masa: the base recipe of Mexican plain atole made with nixtamalised maize dough. A pre-Hispanic drink with a thick texture served sweet or savoury.
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Atole de pinole: recipe and pre-Hispanic origin of toasted maize
Atole de pinole: a hot Mexican drink of toasted maize with cinnamon and piloncillo. Pre-Hispanic origin, traditional recipe from central and northern Mexico.
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Atole for the Day of the Dead offering: traditional variants
Atoles for the Day of the Dead offering are hot ritual drinks made from nixtamalised maize: champurrado, plain atole, chocolate, strawberry or guava. A pre-Hispanic tradition.
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Avocado leaves: a Mexican aromatic seasoning
Avocado leaves (Persea americana) are a pre-Hispanic seasoning with an anise aroma, essential in beans, mixiotes, mole de olla and barbacoa.
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Axayácatl: aquatic bugs of the Valley of Mexico
Discover the axayácatl, an aquatic bug of Lake Texcoco eaten toasted or ground. Prawn-like flavour, ahuautle and survival in Chimalhuacán.
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Bacanora: the agave distillate of Sonora
Discover bacanora, the Sonoran distillate of Agave angustifolia with DO. History, the Porfirian prohibition, vinatas and differences with mezcal.
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Baja California cuisine: fish tacos, seafood and the wine route
Discover Baja California cuisine: Ensenada-style fish tacos, the wine route of Valle de Guadalupe, Baja Med cuisine and Pacific seafood.
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Baja California Sur cuisine: charred clams, fish machaca and desert meeting the sea
Discover Baja California Sur cuisine: charred clams, fish machaca, Pichilingue oysters and the meeting of the desert with the Sea of Cortez.
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Balche: the sacred Maya drink of fermented bark
Discover balche, the Maya ritual drink fermented with bark from the Lonchocarpus longistylus tree, virgin honey and water. Ceremonial uses in Yucatan.
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Birria: what it is, history and traditional Jalisco recipe
What birria is, its origin in Cocula, Jalisco, ingredients (goat or beef, chiles, spices) and the difference from barbacoa or quesabirria.
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Blue maize masa: pigments, flavour and altiplano traditions
Discover blue maize masa: native maize of Tlaxcala, State of Mexico and Puebla. Anthocyanin pigments, fruity flavour and antojitos such as tlacoyos and memelas.
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Borrachitos: the Mexican jelly sweet with liquor
Borrachitos are Mexican jelly sweets with a liquor filling (rum, brandy or tequila), a traditional sweet of Tenancingo, State of Mexico, since the nineteenth century.
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Bu'pu: the frothy Zapotec drink with flowers
Bu'pu: frothy Zapotec drink from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec with cacao, maize and aromatic flowers. An ancestral ritual Oaxacan tradition.
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Burnt milk sweet: traditional Mexican dessert
Burnt milk is a traditional Mexican sweet of milk caramelised with sugar until thickened and darkened, the base for cajetas, glorias and desserts of central Mexico.
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Cacahuazintle masa: large white maize for pozole and fine tamales
Discover cacahuazintle maize: variety of large white grains for pozole, fine tamales and special masa. Tradition of the Mexican altiplano.
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Cacao: the Mesoamerican food of the gods
Discover cacao (Theobroma cacao), a plant domesticated in Mesoamerica. Criollo varieties, Aztec currency, mole and chocolate from Tabasco, Chiapas and Oaxaca.
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Café de olla: traditional recipe with piloncillo and cinnamon
Café de olla: traditional Mexican recipe with ground coffee, piloncillo and cinnamon, cooked in a clay pot. An iconic hot drink of the country.
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Calabaza en tacha sweet: recipe for the Day of the Dead
Calabaza en tacha: traditional sweet of Castilla squash cooked with piloncillo and cinnamon. Essential in Day of the Dead offerings.
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Caldo de habas: the Lenten soup with nopales and mint
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.
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Caldo de mariscos: the coastal soup with prawns, fish and epazote
Mexican caldo de mariscos combines prawn, fish, clam and octopus in a tomato broth with chile guajillo and epazote. Typical of Veracruz, Sinaloa and Nayarit.
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Caldo de queso sonorense: the creamy soup with potato and green chilli
Sonoran caldo de queso is a soup of potato, tomato, Anaheim green chilli and ranchero or regional cheese, made milky with milk or cream. An emblematic dish of Sonora.
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Caldo de res or puchero: the Mexican stew with marrow and vegetables
Mexican caldo de res, also called puchero or cocido, is a broth of shin, marrow, sweetcorn, potato, carrot, courgette and chayote. A national Sunday family dish.
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Caldo tlalpeno: the Mexico City soup with chicken, chickpeas and chipotle
Caldo tlalpeno is a soup native to Tlalpan, Mexico City, with chicken stock, chickpeas, avocado, smoked chipotle and panela cheese. Comforting and emblematic of the highlands.
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Campeche cuisine: pan de cazon, pampano en escabeche and the Gulf sea
Discover Campeche cuisine: pan de cazon, pampano en escabeche, Campeche panuchos and the Mayan, pirate and mestizo heritage of the Gulf of Mexico.
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Capirotada: the Mexican Lenten pudding
Mexican capirotada: traditional Lenten pudding with stale bread, piloncillo syrup, cheese, dried fruits and spices. Colonial tradition and religious symbolism.
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Capulin: the Mexican cherry of the highlands
Capulin (Prunus serotina subsp. capuli) is the native Mexican cherry, a purple-reddish fruit with a sweet-and-sour flavour. Used in tamales, atoles, jams and traditional desserts.
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Chalupas poblanas: the Puebla fried masa antojito with green and red salsa
Chalupas poblanas are small oval tortillas, fried in lard and topped with green or red salsa, onion and shredded meat. An iconic antojito of Puebla.
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Chamoyada: the Mexican sweet-and-sour shaved ice with chamoy
The chamoyada is a Mexican shaved ice of mango or other fruit bathed with chamoy, chilli powder and tamarind. A sweet-sour street snack typical of summer.
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Champurrado: masa atole with chocolate, traditional recipe
Discover champurrado, a thick atole of maize masa with chocolate, piloncillo and cinnamon. Pre-Hispanic history and the emblematic drink of Christmas and the Day of the Dead.
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Chanchamitos: the round achiote tamales of Tabasco and Veracruz
Chanchamitos are small round tamales typical of Tabasco and Veracruz, made with achiote-tinted masa and chicken or pork filling in banana leaf.
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Chapulines: the edible insects that are the emblem of Oaxaca
Discover Oaxacan chapulines, grasshoppers toasted with garlic, lime and chilli. Pre-Hispanic origin, flavour and uses in tacos, mezcal and antojitos.
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Charape: the fermented Michoacan drink of pulque and piloncillo
Discover charape, the Purepecha fermented drink from Michoacan with pulque, piloncillo and spices. Pre-Hispanic origin and traditional recipe.
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Chaya: the Maya spinach of Yucatan
Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) is the Maya spinach of the Yucatan Peninsula, a nutritious herb essential in eggs with chaya, chaya water and tamales.
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Cherimoya: creamy fruit of temperate climates
Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) is a highland tropical fruit, with creamy white flesh and a sweet flavour with notes of banana, pineapple and vanilla. Grown in temperate Mexican zones.
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Chiapan cuisine: tamales, cocido and Zoque-Maya heritage
Discover Chiapan cuisine: oven-baked cochito, chipilín tamales, pozol and the Zoque, Tzotzil and Maya heritage on the southern border of Mexico.
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Chicatanas: the edible leaf-cutter ants of Oaxaca
Discover chicatanas, flying leaf-cutter ants from Oaxaca and Guerrero. Bacon-like flavour, harvest after the first rain and use in salsas and moles.
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Chicozapote: sweet fruit and the origin of chewing gum
Chicozapote (Manilkara zapota) is a tropical fruit from Yucatan and the origin of natural chewing gum. Sweet flesh with notes of brown sugar, vanilla and pear. Harvested from February to June.
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Chilango fried quesadillas: the street antojito with pumpkin flower and huitlacoche
Fried quesadillas are a chilango street antojito: maize masa filled with huitlacoche, pumpkin flower, mushrooms or cheese, fried in lard. A must in Mexico City.
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Chilaquiles: what they are, history and recipe for the Mexican breakfast
What chilaquiles are, their pre-Hispanic origin, the basic ingredients (totopos, salsa, crema, cheese) and the red, green, mole and divorciados variants.
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Chilate: cold drink of cacao, rice and cinnamon from Guerrero
Chilate: traditional cold drink of the Costa Chica of Guerrero with cacao, rice, cinnamon and piloncillo. A pre-Hispanic Afro-Mexican refresher.
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Chile amashito: the piquin of the south-east
Chile amashito is the wild chilli of south-eastern Mexico, the base of Tabascan salsas and Chiapas pickles. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
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Chile ancho: what it is, history and uses in Mexican cooking
Chile ancho is the dried red poblano and the base of moles, adobos and Mexican salsas. Discover its origin, fruity flavour and uses.
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Chile bola: the round chilli of the sierra
Chile bola is a round regional dried chilli of the sierras of Queretaro and Hidalgo. Discover its nutty flavour, heat and uses in traditional moles.
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Chile caribe: the hot guero of northern Mexico
Chile caribe is the hottest guero chilli of northern Mexico, the base of northern salsas, pickles and marinades. Discover its flavour and uses with carne asada.
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Chile cascabel: the round dried chilli that rattles when shaken
Chile cascabel is a round dried chilli that rattles when shaken because of its loose seeds. Discover its nutty flavour, moderate heat and uses in Mexican salsas.
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Chile catarina: the cascabel of Aguascalientes
Chile catarina is a regional dried chilli from Aguascalientes, similar to cascabel and guajillo. Discover its nutty flavour, heat and uses.
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Chile chilaca: the fresh chilli that becomes pasilla
Chile chilaca is the long fresh chilli of the Bajio that becomes chile pasilla when dried. Discover its flavour, heat and uses in rajas and salsas verdes.
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Chile chiltepin: the wild mother chilli of the north
Chile chiltepin is the round wild chilli of north-western Mexico, considered the mother chilli. Discover its origin, heat and uses in Sonoran cooking.
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Chile chipotle: the Mexican smoked jalapeño
Chile chipotle is the smoked jalapeño, the base of Mexican adobos, tinga and salsas. Pre-Hispanic history, meco and morita varieties, heat and uses in cooking.
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Chile comapeño: the fresh Veracruzan chilli
Learn about chile comapeño, a fresh variety from Comapa, Veracruz, used in regional salsas, pickles and stews of central Veracruz.
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Chile costeño amarillo: a key ingredient of yellow mole
Chile costeño amarillo is an Oaxacan dried chilli at the base of mole amarillo and chichilo. Discover its origin, citrus flavour and uses in regional cooking.
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Chile costeño rojo: the dried chilli of the Oaxacan coast
Chile costeño rojo is a dried chilli from the Oaxacan Costa Chica, indispensable in regional moles and salsas. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
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Chile de agua: the emblematic fresh chilli of Oaxaca
Chile de agua is the flagship fresh chilli of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, used in stuffed chillies, rajas and salsas. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
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Chile de arbol: small, fiery and unmistakably Mexican
Chile de arbol is slim, elongated and very hot. The base of salsa macha, salsa de arbol and chilli peanuts. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
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Chile guajillo: characteristics, origin and how to use it
Chile guajillo is the dried chile mirasol, essential in birria, red pozole and adobos. Learn about its flavour, heat and uses in Mexican cooking.
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Chile guero: the yellow fresh chilli of Mexico
Chile guero is the yellow fresh chilli of Mexican cooking, used in broths, pickles and Veracruz-style fish. Discover its flavour, heat and varieties.
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Chile habanero: the hottest chilli of the Yucatan Peninsula
The Yucatecan habanero is one of the hottest chillies in the world. Discover its fruity flavour, protected designation of origin, heat and uses in Mexican cooking.
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Chile jalapeño: history, varieties and uses of the best-known chilli
Chile jalapeño is the most internationally famous fresh Mexican chilli. Discover its history, varieties, heat and uses in pickles, nachos and stuffed dishes.
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Chile loco: the crossed chilli of Guerrero
Learn about chile loco, a hybrid variety from the state of Guerrero used in salsas, regional stews and Guerrero green mole.
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Chile manzano: the high-altitude fresh chilli with black seeds
Chile manzano is a fresh high-altitude chilli with black seeds and intense heat. Discover its flavour, habitat and how it is used in Mexican salsas and pickles.
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Chile max: the chiltepin of the Yucatan Peninsula
Chile max is the wild chiltepin of the Yucatan Peninsula, the base of xnipec and Maya salsas. Discover its origin, extreme heat and uses.
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Chile mirasol: the fresh chilli that looks at the sun
Chile mirasol is the fresh chilli that becomes guajillo when dried. Discover its origin, fruity flavour, heat and uses in Bajio cooking.
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Chile mora: the smoked jalapeño of central Mexico
The chile mora is the larger smoked jalapeño cousin of the morita, popular in roasted salsas and adobos of central Mexico. Flavour, heat and uses.
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Chile morita: the small smoked jalapeño
Chile morita is a small smoked jalapeño with sweet notes and moderate heat. Learn about its flavour, differences with chipotle and how to use it in salsas and adobos.
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Chile mulato: the dark ancho of Puebla moles
Chile mulato is the dark dried poblano, fundamental in mole poblano and the Mexican dark moles. Flavour, heat, differences with the ancho and uses.
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Chile nanche: the wild chilli of the Mexican tropics
Discover chile nanche, a wild variety of the Mexican tropics used in regional salsas, pickles and chilli-coated fruit of southern Mexico.
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Chile paradito: the upright chiltepín of the sierra
Discover chile paradito, a wild variety from north-west Mexico related to the chiltepín, base of northern salsas and sierra pickles.
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Chile pasilla oaxaqueño: the smoked chilli of the Oaxaca sierra
Chile pasilla oaxaqueño or pasilla mixe is a smoked chilli endemic to the Oaxaca sierra, the base of mole negro and pasilla salsa. Discover its flavour and origin.
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Chile pasilla: the dried chilaca in Mexican cooking
Chile pasilla is the dried chilaca, the base of mole negro, salsa borracha and adobos. Learn about its flavour, heat and differences from other dried chillies.
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Chile perrón: another name for chile manzano
Learn about chile perrón or chile manzano, a Capsicum pubescens unique in Mexico for its black seeds and characteristic fruity sierra heat.
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Chile piquin: the wild Mexican chilli
Chile piquin is a small, very hot wild chilli, the base of chilli powders and traditional salsas. Discover its flavour, habitat and uses.
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Chile poblano: the king of stuffed chillies
Chile poblano is the most widely used fresh chilli for stuffed chillies and chiles en nogada. Discover its history, heat and why it is the emblem of Puebla.
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Chile puya: the smaller, hotter guajillo
Chile puya is the smaller and hotter version of guajillo, used in birria and adobos. Discover its fruity flavour, heat and uses in Mexican cooking.
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Chile serrano: Mexico's most popular fresh chilli
Chile serrano is the most widely used fresh chilli in Mexican cooking. Discover its flavour, heat and why it is the base of pico de gallo, salsa verde and guacamole.
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Chile Simojovel: the chiltepin of Chiapas
Chile Simojovel is the chiltepin endemic to Chiapas, the base of chamoy and Chiapas salsas. Discover its origin, extreme heat and uses.
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Chile tabiche: the red chilli of the Valleys of Oaxaca
Chile tabiche is a regional chilli of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, used in regional moles and stuffed chillies. Discover its flavour, heat and uses.
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Chile tornachile: the historic güero of viceregal cuisine
Discover chile tornachile, a historic variety of chile güero key to Mexican viceregal cuisine and forerunner of today's chiles en escabeche.
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Chile trompa: the fresh chilli of the Huasteca
Discover chile trompa, a fresh Huasteca variety used in zacahuil, Huastec salsas and regional stews from Veracruz, Hidalgo and San Luis Potosí.
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Chile xcatic: the Yucatecan guero
Chile xcatic or x-catic is the Yucatecan guero chilli used in pescado tikin xic, pickles and Peninsular stews. Discover its flavour and Maya origin.
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Chileajo from Oaxaca: the Mixtec vegetable stew with chilli and garlic
Discover chileajo, the traditional Mixtec-Oaxacan stew with seasonal vegetables, chile guajillo and abundant garlic, an emblematic dish of Lent.
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Chileatole: what it is, history and recipe for the pre-Hispanic spicy atole
Chileatole is a thick maize, chilli and epazote drink-stew originating from central Mexico. Learn about its pre-Hispanic history and regional variants.
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Chiles en escabeche: the Mexican sweet-and-sour pickle
Discover chiles en escabeche, a jalapeño pickle with vinegar, carrot and onion that accompanies tortas, tacos and antojitos across the country.
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Chiles en nogada: Puebla's patriotic dish
Chiles en nogada are Mexico's patriotic dish: chile poblano filled with meat and fruit picadillo, bathed in walnut sauce with pomegranate and parsley.
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Chiles en vinagre: the essential pickle of Mexican cuisine
Learn about chiles en vinagre, the simple Mexican preserve with jalapeño, vinegar, salt and spices that accompanies antojitos, stews and tortas.
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Chiles rellenos: the poblano battered and bathed in tomato broth
Chiles rellenos are roasted poblano chillies, stuffed with cheese or picadillo, battered with egg and bathed in tomato broth. A classic Mexican home dish.
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Chiles toreados: the spicy side of Mexican cooking
Learn about chiles toreados, jalapeños or serranos charred and bruised, served with soy sauce and lime to accompany tacos, seafood and broths.
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Chilhuacle amarillo: the golden chilli of Oaxaca
Chilhuacle amarillo is an endemic Oaxacan chilli at the base of mole amarillo and chichilo. Discover its origin, citrus flavour and why it is at risk.
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Chilhuacle negro: the soul of Oaxacan mole negro
Chilhuacle negro is the endemic Oaxacan chilli that gives mole negro its colour and deep flavour. Discover its chocolate flavour and why it is at risk.
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Chilhuacle rojo: the essential Oaxacan chilli of mole negro
Chilhuacle rojo is a chilli endemic to the Oaxacan Canada, the base of mole negro and mole rojo. Discover its origin, chocolate flavour and why it is at risk.
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Chiltomate: the Yucatecan base sauce of chilli and tomato
Discover chiltomate, the Yucatecan mother sauce of charred tomato and habanero chilli that accompanies huevos motuleños, panuchos, salbutes and papadzules.
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Chimichanga: the Sonoran fried burrito born by accident
The chimichanga is a burrito fried in oil until golden and crisp, originating from Sonora and the border. Filled with meat, beans and cheese.
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Chinene: the giant avocado of Veracruz
Chinene (Persea schiedeana) is the giant avocado of Veracruz, a relative of the common avocado with larger fruits and a more fibrous, sweeter flavour.
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Chinicuil: what it is, history and how Mexico's red maguey worm is eaten
The chinicuil, or red maguey worm, is a pre-Hispanic edible larva from Mexico. Discover what it is, its history from the Aztec era and how it is prepared.
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Chipilín tamales: the Chiapaneco delicacy of a pre-Hispanic quelite
Chipilín tamales are a Chiapas speciality that mixes maize masa with fresh leaves of the chipilín quelite, a unique herbal flavour of Mesoamerica.
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Chipilin: the Chiapas herb of tamales and broths
Chipilin (Crotalaria longirostrata) is an aromatic Chiapas herb essential in tamales, broths and rice, with a herbal flavour between chard and green tea.
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Chipotle meco: the large and mature smoked chilli
Chipotle meco is the large and very smoked variety of the dried jalapeño. Learn about its flavour, heat, differences with the morita and how to use it in adobos and salsas.
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Chivitos: tender quelite of the Bajio
Chivitos (Calandrinia micrantha) are a spring quelite of the Mexican Bajio, with succulent leaves and a mild flavour, gathered in Guanajuato and Michoacan.
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Chochoyotes: masa dumplings sunk in Oaxacan stews
Discover chochoyotes: maize masa dumplings with a central dimple cooked in Oaxacan moles and stews. Zapotec and mestizo tradition.
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Cilantro criollo or cimarron: the herb of the south-east
Cilantro criollo or cimarron (Eryngium foetidum) is an aromatic herb of south-eastern Mexico with a flavour similar to coriander but more intense and longer-lasting.
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Cinnamon in Mexican cuisine: uses and varieties
Discover the role of Ceylon cinnamon in Mexican cuisine. History from the Manila Galleon, mole, atoles, sweets and the difference with cassia.
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Clavito: edible wild Mexican mushroom
Clavito (Lyophyllum decastes) is an edible wild Mexican mushroom of temperate forests, prized in the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla and Hidalgo.
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Clay cazuela: the mother vessel for moles, stews and rice
Discover the Mexican clay cazuela: wide and shallow vessel for moles, rice, pipianes and slow stews. Ancient Mesoamerican tradition.
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Clay chocolatera: the ceremonial vessel of Mexican chocolate
Discover the clay chocolatera: tall jug with handle to prepare water-chocolate with a molinillo. Tradition of Oaxaca, Tabasco and central Mexico.
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Clay comal: traditional surface for tortillas and toasting
Discover the Mexican clay comal: ceramic disc for tortillas, toasting chillies, tomatoes and spices. A tradition of Oaxaca and central Mexico.
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Clay pots: slow cooking and the flavour of traditional cuisine
Discover Mexican clay pots: pre-Hispanic utensils for beans, moles, atoles and rice. Types by region, curing and safe use.
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Coahuilan cuisine: cabrito, pulque bread and the northern desert
Discover Coahuilan cuisine: pastoral cabrito, pulque bread, northern pork roast and the wine-growing legacy of Parras of the Coahuilan desert.
- Guide
Cocada: the Mexican grated-coconut sweet
Mexican cocada: traditional sweet of grated coconut with milk, sugar and egg. Recipe from Guerrero, Colima and the tropical coasts.
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Cochinita pibil: what it is, history and the Yucatecan earth-oven recipe
What cochinita pibil is, its Maya origin, ingredients (achiote, sour orange, banana leaf) and how it was originally cooked in a pib.
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Colorín flower: the edible red flower of Lent
Learn about the colorín or gualumbo flower, an edible red flower of the Erythrina americana tree. Lent harvest and traditional stews.
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Coloured tortillas: blue, red, yellow and white maize
Discover Mexican coloured tortillas: blue, red, yellow, white and purple maize. Native races, flavours and the biodiversity of Mexican maize.
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Comiteco: the fermented and distilled drink of Chiapas
Discover comiteco, the Chiapan distillate of maguey aguamiel and panela. Colonial history, the La Bolsa factory and differences with mezcal and tequila.
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Corundas: the triangular Purepecha tamales from Michoacan
Discover corundas, Michoacan triangular tamales wrapped in fresh green maize-plant leaf, an emblematic dish of traditional Purepecha cuisine.
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Cuchamas: edible caterpillars of the Valley of Tehuacán
Discover cuchamas, edible huizache caterpillars in the Valley of Tehuacán and Oaxaca. Harvest in June, grassy flavour and use in tacos and salsas.
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Cuetla: edible caterpillar of the state of Puebla
Discover the cuetla, edible caterpillar of the Sierra Norte of Puebla. Bacon-like flavour, harvest in cuajinicuil and use in tacos and salsas in July.
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Cumin: key spice of Mexican adobos and stews
Learn about cumin (Cuminum cyminum), an essential spice for recado, adobos and Mexican barbacoa. History since the galleon, uses and difference with caraway.
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Day of Candelaria tamales: the 2 February tradition
The 2 February tamales in Mexico are the ritual payment of those who pulled the baby Jesus from the Rosca de Reyes. A syncretic tradition that closes the Christmas cycle.
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Day of the Dead tamales: traditional offering of 2 November
The tamales for Day of the Dead are a Mexican ritual offering: Oaxacan mole tamales, Yucatecan white tamales (mucbipollo), chipilín, ash and other regional varieties.
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Dried chile de árbol: pillar of salsa macha
Discover dried chile de árbol, slender and very hot, the base of salsa macha, salsa taquera and spicy peanuts in Mexican cooking.
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Dried chile piquin: the spicy powder of the north-east
Discover dried chile piquin, the small wild chilli of north-eastern Mexico that produces the spicy powder used on fruit, sweets and salsas.
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Dried-prawn fritters in romeritos: a Lenten recipe
Dried-prawn fritters are crisp little discs made of ground dried prawn and egg, dipped in romeritos with mole. A Lenten dish of central Mexico.
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Drying chillies: from fresh to dried, a flavour transformation
Discover the drying of Mexican chillies: how jalapeno becomes chipotle, poblano becomes ancho and mirasol becomes guajillo. Techniques and flavours.
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Encacahuatado: the peanut mole, deep and velvety in flavour
Learn about encacahuatado, a creamy Mexican sauce with peanuts, chile ancho and chipotle, a dish of central Mexico served with chicken, pork or turkey.
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Enchiladas mineras: the Guanajuato dish with guajillo and vegetables
Enchiladas mineras are tortillas passed through chile guajillo sauce, filled with cheese and served with chicken, potatoes and carrots. An emblematic dish of Guanajuato.
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Enchiladas potosinas: chilli-coloured tortilla filled with cheese
Enchiladas potosinas are maize-masa tortillas with chile guajillo integrated, filled with fresh cheese and folded. An emblematic antojito of San Luis Potosí.
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Enchiladas verdes: the Mexican classic with tomatillo and shredded chicken
Enchiladas verdes are maize tortillas filled with chicken and bathed in tomatillo and serrano chilli salsa, with cream, cheese and onion. An emblematic Mexican dish.
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Ensalada de Nochebuena: the Mexican Christmas Eve salad
The Mexican Nochebuena salad combines beetroot, apple, orange, jicama, lettuce, peanuts and pomegranate with a creamy dressing. An emblematic dish of 24 December.
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Epazote: an essential aromatic herb of Mexican cuisine
Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides) is a pre-Hispanic aromatic and digestive herb, essential in beans, huitlacoche, quesadillas and broths of Mexican cooking.
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Escamoles: what they are, history and why they are called "Mexican caviar"
Escamoles are larvae of the güijera ant, a pre-Hispanic delicacy from Hidalgo and Tlaxcala known as Mexican caviar. Discover their history and preparation.
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Escobeta: edible coral mushroom of Mexican forests
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.
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Esquites: what they are, history and the recipe for street-style kernel sweetcorn
What esquites are, their pre-Hispanic origin, ingredients (sweetcorn, epazote, chilli, mayonnaise, cheese) and the difference with sweetcorn in a cup.
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Flautas: golden chicken taquitos, the Mexican antojito on the table
Flautas are rolled tortillas fried until golden, filled with chicken, potato or beef. A classic Mexican antojito with cream, lettuce and salsa verde.
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Food for the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (12 December)
On the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe people eat tamales, atole, pozole, mole and antojitos at kermesses and pilgrimages. A nationwide religious-gastronomic tradition.
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Fresh chile piquín: the green version of the mother chilli
Learn about fresh chile piquín, the green version of the wild chilli of the north-east and Huasteca, used in green salsas, pickles and regional stews.
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Frying in pork lard: the noble fat of Mexican cuisine
Discover frying in pork lard: traditional Mexican technique that gives deep flavour to carnitas, tamales, refried beans and tortillas.
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Gaznates: the wafer sweet filled with meringue
Mexican gaznates: traditional sweet of crunchy wafers filled with sweet meringue. Colonial recipe from central Mexico.
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Glorias from Linares: the milk-caramel-and-walnut sweet of Nuevo León
Glorias are the typical sweet of Linares, Nuevo León: caramelised goat-milk paste with walnut, wrapped in cellophane. A regiomontano tradition since the nineteenth century.
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Granada china: sweet Mexican passion fruit
Granada china (Passiflora ligularis) is a sweet passion fruit with orange gelatinous flesh and edible seeds. Native to the Andes, popularised in Veracruz and Puebla.
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Green pipián: the pre-Hispanic sauce of pumpkin seed and hoja santa
Learn about green pipián, a pre-Hispanic sauce of pumpkin seed, miltomate, hoja santa and green chilli, native to Puebla and central Mexico.
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Grinding on the metate: the heart of masa and moles
Discover grinding on the metate: pre-Hispanic stone for grinding maize, cacao, chillies and spices. Ancient technique that gives texture and flavour to moles and masas.
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Guanajuatan cuisine: enchiladas mineras, fiambre and Bajío tradition
Discover Guanajuatan cuisine: enchiladas mineras, fiambre, charamuscas and the colonial and mining tradition of the Mexican Bajío.
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Guava roll: the Mexican rolled fruit sweet
The guava roll is a Mexican sweet of hardened guava paste rolled up, typical of Aguascalientes and Zacatecas, a relative of the ate from Morelia.
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Guava: a native Mexican fruit and its varieties
Guava (Psidium guajava) is an aromatic Mexican tropical fruit rich in vitamin C. White and pink varieties, a key ingredient of Christmas punch and traditional sweets.
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Guerrero cuisine: green pozole, chilate and Pacific coast
Discover Guerrero cuisine: green pumpkin-seed pozole, chilate, Acapulco-style ceviche and the Nahua and Afro-mestizo tradition of the southern Pacific state.
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Hanal Pixan: the food of the souls in Yucatan
Hanal Pixan is the Maya Yucatecan Day of the Dead: three days of offerings with mucbipollo, new atole, frijol con puerco and traditional sweets. Cultural heritage.
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Hibiscus flower: the red flower of Mexican agua fresca
Learn about the hibiscus flower (Hibiscus sabdariffa), the red calyx of Mexican agua fresca. Uses in drinks, jams, vegetarian tacos and benefits.
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Hidalgo cuisine: pit barbacoa, pastes and mixiotes
Discover Hidalgo cuisine: lamb barbacoa, Real del Monte pastes, mixiotes and pulques with the mining, Otomi and Welsh heritage.
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Hierba mora: wild quelite with edible berries
Hierba mora (Solanum americanum) is a wild quelite of central and southern Mexico with edible leaves and berries, used in broths, stews and traditional medicine.
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Hierbabuena: the traditional mint of Mexican cooking
Hierbabuena (Mentha spicata) is a Mediterranean aromatic herb naturalised in Mexico, essential in meatballs, hierbabuena water and traditional teas.
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Hoja santa: an aromatic herb of south-eastern Mexico
Hoja santa (Piper auritum), also called acuyo or hierbasanta, is a large anise-flavoured leaf central to moles, tamales and fish dishes of Veracruz and Oaxaca.
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Hongo de maguey or gachupin: a species tied to the agave
Hongo de maguey or gachupin (Pleurotus opuntiae) is a species tied to the agave in Hidalgo and Tlaxcala, a traditional ingredient of the Mexican highland cuisine.
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Hot chocolate with chilli: the spicy pre-Hispanic drink
Chocolate with chilli is the original Mesoamerican pre-Hispanic drink: ground cacao with chilli, cinnamon and water or milk. Maya and Mexica heritage of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco.
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Huauzontles: the pre-Hispanic quelite of inflorescences
Huauzontles (Chenopodium berlandieri subsp. nuttalliae) are green inflorescences related to amaranth, the base of battered fritters in tomato sauce.
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Huaya: the Yucatecan fruit with the hard skin
The huaya (Talisia olivaeformis) is a tropical Yucatecan fruit with a hard yellow-green skin and juicy orange flesh with a sweet-sour flavour, emblematic of Mérida.
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Huitlacoche: what it is, history and why it is called "Mexican truffle"
Huitlacoche is an edible fungus that grows on maize, considered a pre-Hispanic delicacy. Discover what it is, its Aztec origin and how it is prepared.
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Iron comal: the modern version for tortillas and grilling
Discover the iron or steel comal: a versatile surface for tortillas, quesadillas, roasted chillies and quesadillas in modern Mexican kitchens.
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Itacates: thick masa triangles of central Mexico
Discover itacates: thick nixtamalised masa triangles typical of Morelos and Tlaxcala. Market antojito to accompany stews.
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Izote flower: the edible flower of the Mexican yucca
Learn about the izote flower (Yucca elephantipes), an edible white flower of south-eastern Mexico. Bitter-sweet flavour, Lent harvesting and stews.
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Jalisco cuisine: birria, tortas ahogadas and the Guadalajaran soul
Explore Jalisco cuisine: goat birria, tortas ahogadas, pozole and tequila, the culinary heart of western Mexico and Tapatian culture.
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Jamoncillo: the traditional Mexican milk sweet
Jamoncillo: Mexican sweet made of milk, sugar and cinnamon cooked until caramelised. Colonial convent tradition of Puebla, Toluca and central Mexico.
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Jicama: refreshing Mexican tuber and its uses
Jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) is a round, crunchy tuber, refreshing because of its high water content. It is eaten raw with lime and chilli as a Mexican street snack.
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Jicara: pre-Hispanic vessel for chocolate, tejate and waters
Discover the jicara: vegetable vessel made from the fruit of the jicaro or calabash tree, used in Mexico to serve chocolate, tejate, pozol and fresh waters.
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Jumiles: the edible insects of Guerrero
Discover jumiles, edible stink bugs of Taxco used alive in salsas and tacos. Origin, cinnamon-iodine flavour and festival in Guerrero.
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Lengua de vaca: a traditional wild quelite
Lengua de vaca (Rumex crispus) is a wild Mexican quelite with elongated leaves and a slightly tart flavour, used in altiplano stews and fritters.
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Lomo navideño: the Mexican Christmas pork loin with prunes
Mexican Christmas pork loin is roasted in a sweet-savoury sauce of prunes, red wine and spices. An emblematic dish of the Christmas Eve supper.
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Macarrones de leche: the Mexican sweet of rolled milk caramel
Macarrones de leche are little rolls of caramelised milk sweet wrapped in coloured cellophane, a traditional sweet of Mexican markets.
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Mafafa: edible tuber and leaves of the tropics
Mafafa (Xanthosoma robustum) is a large Mexican tropical plant whose leaves and tuber are eaten in Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas and Oaxaca.
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Mamey: Mexican tropical fruit, history and culinary uses
Mamey (Pouteria sapota) is a Mexican tropical fruit with orange-red flesh and a sweet flavour. Used in ice creams, mameyate, antes and milkshakes. Harvested from March to July.
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Mamoncillo: the tropical fruit of the south-east
The mamoncillo (Melicoccus bijugatus) is a tropical fruit with a green skin and orange flesh, consumed in Veracruz, Tabasco and Yucatán.
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Manchamanteles: the fruity mole with pineapple and plantain from Puebla and Oaxaca
Learn about manchamanteles, a Mexican fruity mole with pineapple, plantain, apple and chile ancho, a baroque dish from Puebla and Oaxaca for celebrations.
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Menudo: northern tripe broth with guajillo and hominy
Northern menudo is a thick beef-tripe broth with hominy and chile guajillo. Sonora, Chihuahua and Sinaloa serve it on Sundays as a hangover cure.
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Meocuil: the white worm of the maguey
Discover the meocuil or white maguey worm, a buttery larva from Hidalgo and Tlaxcala. Its flavour, artisanal harvest and use in tacos and mixiotes.
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Metate: ancient grinding stone of Mexican cuisine
Discover the metate: rectangular stone for grinding maize, cacao, chillies and spices. Ancient symbol of traditional and indigenous Mexican cuisine.
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Mexican Bacalao a la Vizcaína: the Christmas dish
Mexican bacalao a la vizcaína is the star dish of Christmas Eve: dried salt cod with tomato, olives, potatoes, yellow chillies and almonds. National Christmas tradition.
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Mexican buñuelos: types, recipe and Christmas origin
Mexican buñuelos are crunchy discs of fried dough bathed in piloncillo syrup, a symbol of the Christmas and New Year festivities throughout Mexico.
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Mexican caldo de pollo: home remedy with vegetables from the milpa
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.
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Mexican chocolate de mesa: history, types and preparation
Mexican chocolate de mesa: artisanal tablet with cacao, cinnamon and sugar from Oaxaca, Tabasco and Chiapas. Brands, history and traditional uses.
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Mexican Christmas ponche: recipe with tejocotes and sugar cane
Mexican Christmas ponche: traditional posada recipe with tejocotes, sugar cane, guava, apple and piloncillo. A December hot drink.
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Mexican churros: recipe, history and variants
Mexican churros are strips of fried dough rolled in cinnamon sugar, served with hot chocolate. Learn their history, variants and typical fillings.
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Mexican Lenten food: fritters, romeritos and capirotada
Mexican Lenten cooking includes prawn fritters, romeritos in mole, capirotada, Veracruz-style fish and meat-free fasts. A 40-day religious tradition.
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Mexican meringues: the street egg-white sweet
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.
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Mexican oregano: the aromatic herb of northern Mexico
Learn about Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens), an endemic herb of the semi-desert. Citrus-menthol aroma, uses in pozole, beans and birria.
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Mexican pickling: red onions, chillies and carrots in vinegar
Discover Mexican pickling: preservation technique in vinegar and spices for red onions, chillies en escabeche and Yucatec carrots.
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Mexican plum: Pacific jocote and its varieties
The Mexican plum or jocote (Spondias purpurea) is a sweet-and-sour tropical fruit of the Mexican Pacific. Green for snacking with salt and chilli, ripe for jams and drinks.
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Mexican tostadas: the classic antojito of golden tortilla with tinga
Mexican tostadas are fried or crisped maize tortillas, a crunchy base for tinga, chicken, beans and seafood. A national antojito with regional variants.
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Mexican vanilla: the aromatic orchid of Papantla
Discover Papantla vanilla (Vanilla planifolia), a Veracruz orchid with denomination of origin. Totonac history, process and use.
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Mexican-style stuffed Christmas turkey
The Mexican Christmas turkey is stuffed with a meat, fruit and nut picadillo and baked with a marinade of chillies, spices and citrus. Star dish of 24 December.
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Mexico City cuisine: capital of mestizaje and street food
Discover Mexico City cuisine: tacos al pastor, tortas, tlacoyos, pulques, and the regional cuisines of Mexico converging in the country's capital.
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Mezcal: what it is, history and the difference with tequila
What mezcal is, its pre-Hispanic origin, the types of agave, denomination of origin and differences from Mexican tequila.
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Michelada: classic Mexican prepared beer recipe
Michelada: Mexican beer prepared with lime juice, sauces, salt and chilli on the rim. Classic recipe, variations and origin from San Luis Potosi.
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Michoacán cuisine: heritage of humanity and Purépecha tradition
Discover Michoacán cuisine: carnitas, corundas, uchepos and the Purépecha tradition that UNESCO recognised as a paradigm of world heritage.
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Mixiotes: the pre-Hispanic stew wrapped in maguey skin
Mixiotes are stews of meat marinated with chillies, steamed wrapped in maguey skin or banana leaves. A pre-Hispanic dish from Hidalgo and Tlaxcala.
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Molcajete: volcanic stone utensil for salsas and guacamole
Discover the molcajete: volcanic stone mortar inherited from the pre-Hispanic world for salsas, guacamole and pastes. How to cure it and use it well.
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Molcajeteado: salsas and guacamoles worked in volcanic stone
Discover molcajeteado: technique for making salsas and guacamole in a volcanic stone mortar. Textures, flavours and differences from the blender.
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Mole almendrado: the festive mole of San Pedro Atocpan
Learn about mole almendrado, a variant of mole with abundant almonds produced in San Pedro Atocpan, the capital of mole in Mexico City.
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Mole chichilo: the Oaxacan mourning mole with burnt chilhuacles
Discover mole chichilo, the rarest of the seven Oaxacan moles, a ritual mourning dish with burnt black chilhuacle, avocado leaf and chochoyotes.
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Mole coloradito: the sweet and spiced Oaxacan classic
Learn about mole coloradito, one of the seven Oaxacan moles, sweetish and spiced, ideal for chicken and traditional enchiladas of the Zapotec recipe book.
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Mole de novia: the white wedding mole created by Alicia Gironella
Discover mole de novia, a white mole created by chef Alicia Gironella inspired by the mole de Tlapa from Guerrero, ideal for weddings and festive banquets.
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Mole de olla: the traditional Mexican broth with xoconostle
Mole de olla is a Mexican beef broth with dried chillies, xoconostle, sweetcorn, courgette, green beans and chochoyones. A hearty, comforting dish of central Mexico.
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Mole de Xico: the sweet Veracruz mole with prune and plantain
Learn about mole de Xico, a sweet Veracruz mole with prunes, plantain and hazelnuts, an emblematic dish of the Xico mountains in Veracruz.
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Mole for Day of the Dead: the dish of the offering
Mole is the main dish of the Day of the Dead altar in central and southern Mexico: it is placed to feed the souls and shared with the family.
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Mole in cazuela: technique of toasting, grinding and long stewing
Discover the mole in cazuela technique: toasting of chillies and seeds, grinding on metate, slow stewing. The basis of traditional Mexican moles.
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Mole poblano: what it is, history, ingredients and traditional recipe
Mole poblano is Puebla's flagship dish with more than 25 ingredients. Learn its colonial history, its chiles and how it is traditionally prepared.
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Mole prieto from Tlaxcala: the ritual tlilmolli of central Mexico
Discover mole prieto from Tlaxcala or tlilmolli, a pre-Hispanic ritual dish with maize masa, chile guajillo and pork, associated with Tlaxcalan patron-saint festivities.
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Mole ranchero: the simple mole of Pueblan communities
Discover mole ranchero or mole de rancho, the simple, homemade version of mole poblano with fewer ingredients, popular in Pueblan villages.
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Mole tamales: the Mexican classic with chicken and mother sauce
Mole tamales with chicken are the heart of the chilango tamale cart: fluffy masa filled with chicken bathed in mole poblano or red mole, wrapped in maize husk.
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Molinillo: wooden utensil for frothing water-chocolate
Discover the Mexican molinillo: wooden whisk carved in a single piece to froth hot chocolate. Colonial and Oaxacan tradition.
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Molotes: the fried masa empanada of Oaxaca and Puebla
Molotes are elongated fried maize-masa pies filled with tinga, potato with chorizo or pumpkin flower. A classic antojito of Oaxaca and Puebla.
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Mondongo yucateco: the tripe broth with achiote and bitter orange
Mondongo kabik from Yucatan is a beef-tripe broth with red achiote seasoning, bitter orange, plantain and vegetables. It is served on Mondays as a hangover cure.
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Mostachones: the traditional sweet of Saltillo and Coahuila
Saltillo mostachones: traditional Coahuila biscuits with pecan, cinnamon and piloncillo. Living colonial recipe of northern Mexico.
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Mucbipollo: the buried Yucatecan pib of Hanal Pixán
The mucbipollo or pib is the great ceremonial Yucatecan tamale buried during Hanal Pixán to honour the dead: recipe, history and Maya meaning.
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Muégano: the Mexican sweet of fried dough with syrup
The muégano is a Mexican sweet of wheat-flour dough fried in little cubes stuck together with piloncillo syrup. Typical of Tehuacán (Puebla) and Huamantla (Tlaxcala).
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Mutton barbacoa: the Hidalgo ritual underground wrapped in maguey
Hidalgo barbacoa is mutton wrapped in maguey leaves and cooked in an earth oven. A Mexican Sunday dish accompanied by its consommé with chickpeas.
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Nance: the yellow tropical fruit of southeastern Mexico
Nance (Byrsonima crassifolia) is a small yellow tropical fruit, sweet-and-sour with an intense aroma. Typical of southeastern Mexico in ice creams, liqueurs and preserves.
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Nayarit cuisine: griddled fish, tlaxtihuilli and Cora-Huichol heritage
Discover Nayarit cuisine: griddled fish of Mexcaltitán, Huichol tlaxtihuilli, Nayarit sopes and the Cora-Huichol heritage of the Mexican Pacific.
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Nejayote: cooking water of nixtamal and its cultural value
Discover nejayote, the yellow water from maize nixtamalisation: its pre-Hispanic origin, culinary value, medicinal uses and environmental challenges.
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Nejo tamales: the ash tamales of Guerrero
Nejo tamales are a Guerrero speciality made from maize masa nixtamalised with wood ash, lard and beans, with no filling. A thousand-year-old tradition.
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Nixtamalisation: ancient technique of Mexican maize
Discover nixtamalisation: pre-Hispanic maize technique with lime that gives rise to tortillas, tamales and the entire Mexican culinary universe.
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Nixtamalised masa: the heart of Mexican tortillas and antojitos
Discover nixtamalised masa: the base of tortillas, tamales and antojitos. How it is made from nixtamal, its nutritional properties and techniques.
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Northern tamales: the small pork tamales in the Sinaloa style
Northern tamales are small, firm pieces of maize masa with pork in red chilli, typical of Sinaloa, Sonora and Chihuahua during the December season.
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Nuevo León cuisine: cabrito al pastor, machacado and northern table
Discover Nuevo León cuisine: cabrito al pastor, machacado with egg, frijoles a la charra and the Monterrey tradition of industrial northern Mexico.
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Oaxacan black mole: history, ingredients and recipe of the king of moles
Discover Oaxacan black mole, the most complex of the seven Oaxacan moles, with chilhuacle negro, chocolate and more than 30 traditional ingredients.
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Oaxacan cuisine: what it is, history and the seven traditional moles
Discover Oaxacan cuisine: the seven moles, tlayudas, mezcal and Zapotec-Mixtec tradition declared a Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
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Oaxacan green mole: traditional recipe with fresh herbs and miltomate
Learn about Oaxacan green mole, made with miltomate, hoja santa, parsley, epazote, mint and fresh green chillies, one of the seven Oaxacan moles.
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Oaxacan memelas: the maize-dough antojito with pork asiento
Memelas are Oaxacan antojitos of maize dough cooked on the comal and spread with pork asiento, refried beans, salsa, fresh cheese and coriander. A living pre-Hispanic tradition.
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Oaxacan red mole: recipe and secrets of a Zapotec classic
Discover Oaxacan red mole, a traditional dish with chilhuacle rojo, ancho, mulato and spices, one of the seven emblematic Oaxacan moles.
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Oaxacan tamales: the classic wrapped in banana leaf with mole negro
Discover Oaxacan tamales, wrapped in banana leaf with maize masa, chicken and mole negro, an emblematic ceremonial dish of the Oaxacan repertoire.
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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 the difference from a taco or Mexican pizza.
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Oreja de cantaria: wild Mexican oyster mushroom
Oreja de cantaria (Pleurotus djamor) is a wild oyster mushroom of Mexican tropical forests, known for its lamellar shape and characteristic pink colour.
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Palanqueta: Mexican peanut and honey sweet
Palanqueta: traditional Mexican sweet of peanuts, seeds or nuts with piloncillo or caramelised honey. Simple recipe from central Mexico.
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Paloma: the Mexican cocktail of tequila and grapefruit
Paloma: classic Mexican cocktail of tequila, grapefruit soda, lime juice and salt on the rim. Jalisco origin and traditional recipe.
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Pambazos: the chilli-bathed sandwich of potato and chorizo from Mexico City
The pambazo is a street sandwich of Mexico City made with white bread dipped in chile guajillo sauce, filled with potato and chorizo, lettuce, cheese and cream. An unmissable antojito.
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Pan de muerto: history, symbolism and regional variants
Pan de muerto is the ceremonial bread of the Day of the Dead in Mexico: circular shape with decorative bones and tears, flavoured with orange-blossom water and aniseed.
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Pancita: the Mexico City tripe broth with guajillo mole
Pancita is the chilango menudo: beef-tripe broth with chile guajillo or ancho mole, epazote and no hominy. It is sold at the tianguis and markets of Mexico City.
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Panza de ratón: wild mushroom from Puebla
The panza de ratón (Lycoperdon perlatum) is an edible wild mushroom of the Mexican highlands, harvested young in the pine forests of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Hidalgo.
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Papadzules: the Yucatecan tortillas in pumpkin seed and egg sauce
Papadzules are maize tortillas filled with chopped hard-boiled egg and bathed in pumpkin seed sauce, an emblematic dish of Maya Yucatecan cuisine.
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Papalo: the aromatic herb of Puebla
Papalo (Porophyllum macrocephalum) is a raw Pueblan aromatic herb with the flavour of strong coriander and rue, essential in cemitas, tlacoyos and broths.
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Papaloquelite: the butterfly quelite of Puebla
Papaloquelite (Porophyllum ruderale) is an aromatic herb of Pueblan cooking, fresh and intensely scented, essential in cemitas, tlacoyos and tacos.
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Papaya: Mexican tropical fruit and its varieties
Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit native to Mesoamerica with sweet orange pulp. Mexico is one of the leading world exporters.
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Patriotic-holidays pozole: the dish for 15 September
Pozole is the central dish of the Grito de Independencia on 15 September in Mexico: cacahuazintle maize broth with meat, chilli and fresh garnishes.
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Pepito: the Mexico City torta with steak, cheese and avocado
The pepito is a Mexican torta of toasted telera with griddled steak, melted cheese, avocado and chillies. A speciality of Mexico City torterías.
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Pepitorias: the traditional pumpkin-seed sweet
Pepitorias are sweet wafers of toasted pumpkin seeds and piloncillo caramel, a typical sweet of central Mexico and a pre-Hispanic heritage fused with the convent tradition.
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Pib: Mayan earth oven and buried cooking
Discover the pib, Mayan earth oven: how it is dug, heated with stones and used to cook cochinita pibil, mucbipollo and tamales in banana leaves.
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Pichancha: perforated vessel for draining the nixtamal
Discover the pichancha: perforated clay vessel for draining the nixtamal before grinding it. Key pre-Hispanic utensil in maize cuisine.
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Pierna adobada navideña: traditional recipe for Christmas supper
Mexican Christmas pierna adobada is a leg of pork marinated in guajillo, ancho and spices, slow-roasted. The centrepiece of the Christmas Eve supper.
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Pinuela: bromeliad fruit of southeastern Mexico
Pinuela (Bromelia pinguin) is the fruit of a wild bromeliad of southeastern Mexico, sweet-and-sour and aromatic. Used in refreshing drinks, atoles and traditional preserves.
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Pipicha: an Oaxacan aromatic herb
Pipicha (Porophyllum tagetoides) is an Oaxacan aromatic herb with slender leaves and a citrus-anise aroma, essential in chileatoles and sweetcorn dishes.
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Pit barbacoa: underground cooking in an earth pit with maguey leaves
Discover pit barbacoa: pre-Hispanic technique of cooking meat underground wrapped in maguey leaves, the soul of Mexican Sunday barbacoa.
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Pitahaya: the Mexican dragon fruit
The pitahaya (Hylocereus undatus) is a cactus fruit with a pink skin and scales and white or red flesh with small seeds, grown in Yucatán and Quintana Roo.
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Pitaya: cactus fruit, varieties and uses in Mexico
The pitaya is the fruit of columnar (Stenocereus spp.) and climbing (Hylocereus) cacti. Native to Mexico, it offers colourful pulp in pink, white, yellow and purple.
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Plantain: versatile fruit of south-eastern Mexico
The plantain (Musa paradisiaca) is a large and starchy variety eaten boiled, fried or grilled in Tabasco, Veracruz, Chiapas and Mexican cooking in general.
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Polvorones: the Mexican biscuits that melt in the mouth
Mexican polvorones: traditional lard biscuits with icing sugar. Pink, orange and butter variants. Adapted colonial Andalusian recipe.
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Popo: frothy cacao drink of the Sierra de Sotavento
Popo: pre-Hispanic frothy drink of cacao, maize, chupipi vine and sugar. Traditional of Tuxtepec, Acayucan and the Veracruz Sierra de Sotavento.
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Posadas food: ponche, tamales and Christmas antojitos
At Mexican posadas (16-24 December) people serve spiked ponche, tamales, atole, bunuelos, aguinaldos and antojitos. A syncretic colonial tradition.
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Potosi cuisine: enchiladas potosinas, asado de boda and Huastec zacahuil
Discover Potosi cuisine: enchiladas potosinas with chile ancho, Huastec zacahuil, asado de boda and the diversity of the four regions of San Luis Potosi.
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Pox: the ceremonial maize distillate of the Altos of Chiapas
Discover pox, the Tzotzil-Tzeltal distillate of maize, cane and wheat. A Maya ceremonial drink in San Juan Chamula, recipes and revaluation.
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Pozol: fermented cacao and maize drink of the southeast
Pozol: pre-Hispanic fermented drink of nixtamalised maize dough, cacao and water. Traditional of Tabasco and Chiapas, refreshes hours of fieldwork.
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Pozole: what it is, history and traditional Mexican recipe
What pozole is, its pre-Hispanic history, ingredients (cacahuazintle maize, meat, chiles) and the regional red, white and green recipes.
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Prickly pear (tuna): what it is, history and varieties of the cactus fruit
Tuna is the fruit of the nopal cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica), sweet and refreshing, native to Mexico. Eaten fresh, in agua fresca, ice cream or jam. Harvested from June to October.
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Puebla cuisine: mestizo baroque and emblematic dishes
Discover Puebla cuisine: mole poblano, chiles en nogada, cemitas and pipianes in a baroque tradition that defines Mexican identity.
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Pueblan sweet potatoes: the traditional sweet of Puebla
Santa Clara sweet potatoes: Pueblan convent sweet of cooked sweet potato with sugar, in fruity flavours. Tradition of Pueblan baroque confectionery.
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Pulque: what it is, history and the maguey fermentation process
Discover pulque, the pre-Hispanic fermented drink made from maguey aguamiel. Tlachiqueros, pulquerias and curados from Hidalgo and Tlaxcala.
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Pumpkin flower: the pre-Hispanic ingredient for quesadillas and soups
Learn about pumpkin flower, a pre-Hispanic ingredient in quesadillas, soups and crepes. Varieties, rainy season and techniques for cleaning it.
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Pumpkin seeds: emblematic seed of Mexican cuisine
Discover pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pre-Hispanic seeds at the base of pipianes, sikil pak and sweets. Varieties, nutritional value and uses in Mexico.
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Quelite cenizo: pre-Hispanic quelite with grey leaves
Quelite cenizo (Chenopodium berlandieri) is a pre-Hispanic edible herb of the Mexican highlands, the wild ancestor of huauzontle, with ashy-grey leaves.
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Quelites: a guide to Mexico's edible herbs
Quelites are wild and semi-cultivated edible herbs of the Mesoamerican tradition. Discover their varieties, culinary uses and cultural value in Mexico.
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Querétaro cuisine: gorditas, enchiladas and Bajío tradition
Discover Querétaro cuisine: Querétaro-style enchiladas, gorditas de migajas, nopales in maguey leaf and the tradition of the Mexican Bajío in the heart of the Sierra Gorda.
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Quintana Roo cuisine: tikin xic fish, Mayan cooking and the Mexican Caribbean
Discover Quintana Roo cuisine: tikin xic fish, lime soup, Caribbean lobsters, Mayan recados and the flavours of Tulum, Cozumel and the Riviera Maya.
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Quintoniles: the pre-Hispanic quelite with tender leaves
Quintoniles (Amaranthus hybridus) are tender leaves of wild amaranth, a nutritious pre-Hispanic quelite of central Mexico, a springtime milpa plant.
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Raicilla: the artisanal agave distillate from Jalisco
Discover raicilla, the Jaliscan distillate from Agave maximiliana and inaequidens with a Denomination of Origin. Sierra and coast, fruity and artisanal profile.
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Rajas and cheese tamales: the chilango classic with green salsa
Rajas with cheese tamales are the favourite vegetarian version of the Mexico City tamalera: fluffy masa, poblano rajas, panela cheese and green salsa.
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Red pipián: traditional recipe with pumpkin seed, guajillo and peanut
Learn about red pipián, the Mexican sauce with pumpkin seed, chile guajillo, sesame and peanut, a dish of central and southern Mexico.
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Romeritos in mole: the Christmas and Lent dish
Romeritos are wild Mexican quelites stewed with mole, dried prawn cakes and potatoes. A traditional dish of Lent and Christmas in central Mexico.
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Rosca de Reyes: tradition, symbolism and Mexican recipe
The Rosca de Reyes is the sweet oval bread of 6 January in Mexico: decorated with candied fruits, it hides little baby Jesus figures; whoever pulls them pays for the tamales.
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Salbutes: the puffed Yucatecan fried tortilla with chicken and red onion
Salbutes are Yucatecan antojitos of fresh tortilla fried in lard until puffed and topped with shredded chicken or turkey, pickled red onion, lettuce and habanero.
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Salting and curing: cecina, machaca and dried meats of Mexico
Discover the salting and curing of meats in Mexico: Yecapixtla cecina, northern machaca, dried beef and spiced cecina. Traditional northern techniques.
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Saramuyo: the sweet fruit of south-eastern Mexico
The saramuyo (Annona squamosa) is an Annonaceae fruit with a scaly green skin and very sweet creamy white pulp, a traditional fruit of the south-east and the Yucatán Peninsula.
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Sesame: essential seed of mole and Mexican cuisine
Learn about sesame (ajonjolí / Sesamum indicum), the aromatic seed at the base of mole poblano and Oaxacan mole. Varieties, Mexican production and culinary uses.
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Sinaloan cuisine: seafood, chilorio and aguachiles of the Pacific
Discover Sinaloan cuisine: aguachiles, chilorio, sierra ceviche and Sea of Cortez seafood in one of Mexico's most vibrant coastal cuisines.
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Sonoran cuisine: flour tortillas, grilled meat and ranching heritage
Discover Sonoran cuisine: sobaqueras flour tortillas, grilled meat, machaca and bacanora at the table of the desert and the ranching of the northwest.
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Sopa azteca or sopa de tortilla: the tomato broth with pasilla and cheese
Sopa azteca or sopa de tortilla is a Mexican tomato broth crowned with fried tortilla, chile pasilla, avocado, crema and panela cheese. Tlaxcala and Mexico City dispute its origin.
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Sopa de fideo: the Mexican table soup with roasted tomato
Sopa de fideo is the Mexican classic of everyday cooking: pasta toasted in oil and cooked in a tomato, garlic and onion broth. The lunch staple of fondas across the country.
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Sopa tarasca: the Michoacan soup of pinto beans and tortilla
Sopa tarasca is a Michoacan cream of blended pinto beans with tomato and chile pasilla, served with fried tortilla, crema and cheese. The flagship dish of Patzcuaro.
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Sopes: the pre-Hispanic antojito with a pinched rim
Sopes are Mexican antojitos of thick maize dough with a pinched rim, fried in lard, spread with refried beans and topped with stews, salsa, cheese and cream.
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Sotol: desert distillate with Denomination of Origin
Discover sotol, the Mexican distillate of the sereque (Dasylirion). Denomination of Origin, production in Chihuahua and Durango and differences with mezcal.
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Soursop: tropical fruit and refreshing drinks
Soursop (Annona muricata) is a large tropical fruit with spiny skin and creamy white flesh of sweet-and-sour flavour. The star of Mexican aguas frescas, ice creams and atoles.
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Star anise: aromatic spice of Mexican breads and atoles
Learn about star anise (Illicium verum), an Asian spice used in Mexican breads, atoles, Christmas punch and sweets. It flavours moles and cured meats.
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State of Mexico cuisine: barbacoa, green chorizo and the central altiplano
Discover State of Mexico cuisine: Capulhuac barbacoa, Toluca green chorizo, Lerma river fish and the tradition of the central Mexican altiplano.
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Stuffed gorditas: the puffed-dough antojito with stews from the centre and north
Gorditas are antojitos of thick maize dough cooked on a comal, split open on one side and stuffed with stews such as chicharrón, picadillo or curd cheese. A speciality of Aguascalientes and the north.
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Sweetcorn tamale: the Mexican sweet tamale of tender maize
The sweetcorn tamale is a sweet tamale made with fresh kernels of tender maize, butter, sugar and milk. A Michoacán and Guerrero tradition for an afternoon snack.
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Tabasco cuisine: pejelagarto, chipilin and tropical jungle
Discover Tabasco cuisine: roasted pejelagarto, chipilin tamales, cacao and the Olmec, Maya-Chontal fusion of the humid tropics of Mexico.
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Tacos al pastor: the Lebanese legacy that conquered Mexico City
Tacos al pastor are made with pork marinated in chillies and achiote, roasted on a vertical spit with pineapple on top. Heir of Lebanese shawarma and a chilango emblem.
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Tamal de cazuela: the unwrapped oven-baked tamale
Tamal de cazuela is a Veracruz and Durango dish that does without the leaf: masa, mole or sauce and meat are baked in a clay pot to serve in slices.
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Tamalera: traditional steamer pot for cooking tamales
Discover the Mexican tamalera: steamer pot with rack for cooking tamales. Types, capacity, and how to set up the cooking correctly.
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Tamales barbones: the prawn jewel of Escuinapa, Sinaloa
Tamales barbones are a speciality of Escuinapa, Sinaloa: tamales filled with whole prawns whose feelers stick out, guajillo-tinted masa and maize husk.
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Tamales canarios: the sweet rice-flour tamales from Michoacan
Discover tamales canarios, sweet Mexican tamales made with rice flour, butter, egg and raisins, originally from Michoacan.
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Tamales colados: the strained Yucatecan masa with recado rojo
Yucatecan tamales colados are tamales of fine strained masa with recado rojo, chicken and achiote wrapped in banana leaf. Recipe and Maya origin of the south-east.
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Tamarind sweets: Mexican chilli-spiced balls, sticks and pulp strips
Balls, sticks and pulparindos: discover Mexican tamarind sweets, their sweet-sour chilli flavour and their origin as a street snack.
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Tamaulipan cuisine: grilled meat, stuffed crabs and northern border
Discover Tamaulipan cuisine: Tampico-style grilled meat, stuffed crabs, mochomos and the northern fusion with the Gulf of Mexico.
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Tatemado: direct-fire roasting technique for chillies and vegetables
Discover tatemado: Mexican technique of roasting chillies, tomatoes and vegetables directly on fire or coals, the basis of the deep flavour of traditional salsas.
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Tecomate: edible Mexican wild mushroom
The tecomate (Amanita caesarea) is one of the most prized edible wild mushrooms of Mexico, known as the mushroom of kings for its delicate and elegant flavour.
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Tejate: the pre-Hispanic drink of the gods in Oaxaca
Oaxacan tejate: pre-Hispanic ritual drink of maize, cacao, cacao flower, pixtle and rosita. The drink of the gods of the Mixtec peoples.
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Tejocote: the yellow fruit of Christmas punch
Tejocote (Crataegus mexicana) is a yellow-orange, sweet-and-sour and aromatic fruit, an essential ingredient of Mexican Christmas punch and traditional sweets.
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Tejuino: fermented maize drink from Jalisco and Colima
Discover tejuino, a drink made from fermented nixtamalised maize masa, piloncillo and lime. Pre-Hispanic origin and popularity in Jalisco and Colima.
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Tepache: traditional recipe, history and pineapple fermentation
Discover tepache, a fermented drink of pineapple, piloncillo and cinnamon. Pre-Hispanic origin, traditional recipe and differences with Mexican kombucha.
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Tesguino: the Tarahumara maize beer
Discover tesguino, the fermented drink of germinated maize of the Raramuri people of the Sierra Tarahumara. Recipe, ritual use and ball races.
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Tetelas: filled masa triangles typical of Puebla and Oaxaca
Discover tetelas: triangles of nixtamalised masa filled with beans, cheese or asiento, typical of Puebla, Oaxaca and the Pueblan Mixteca.
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Tlacoyos: the pre-Hispanic blue-maize antojito stuffed with broad bean and bean
Tlacoyos are pre-Hispanic antojitos of blue maize dough stuffed with broad bean, bean or curd cheese, cooked on a comal. A speciality of central Mexico and of market antojito makers.
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Tlaxcalan cuisine: maize, insects and pre-Hispanic heritage
Discover Tlaxcalan cuisine: tlatlapas, mole prieto, muñeca tamales, edible insects and the millennia-old tradition of maize in the smallest state in Mexico.
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Toasting on the comal: the technique that awakens the flavour of chillies and seeds
Discover toasting on the comal: Mexican technique to enhance flavours of dried chillies, seeds, spices and tortillas on the pre-Hispanic utensil par excellence.
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Torta ahogada: the Guadalajara icon with birote, carnitas and chile de árbol
Torta ahogada is the street icon of Guadalajara: salty birote stuffed with carnitas and completely bathed in tomato sauce or chile de árbol salsa. An essential Jalisco dish.
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Torta cubana: the three-storey chilango torta from the Historic Centre
The torta cubana is the largest torta in Mexico: telera filled with milanesa, leg of pork, ham, sausage, chorizo, cheese, avocado and egg. A speciality of the Historic Centre of Mexico City.
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Tortilla press: utensil to shape the masa
Discover the tortilla press: Mexican utensil to give circular shape to maize masa. Types: wood, iron, aluminium.
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Traditional fermentation: tepache, pulque and pre-Hispanic drinks
Discover traditional Mexican fermentation: pineapple tepache, maguey pulque, tejuino and tesguino. Ancestral drinks from the altiplano and central Mexico.
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Traditional Mexican smoking: from chipotle to pejelagarto
Discover traditional Mexican smoking: chipotle, pejelagarto, smoked cheese and meats. Techniques with fruit woods and mesquite of the Mexican Southeast.
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Trompa de puerco: wild mushroom from Mexican pine forests
The trompa de puerco (Hypomyces lactifluorum) is a wild mushroom from Mexican pine forests, of intense orange colour, harvested in the State of Mexico and Veracruz.
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Tuba: the coconut-palm drink of Colima
Discover tuba, the fermented drink of coconut palm sap from Colima and Guerrero. Filipino origin, the tubero's technique and fruit variants.
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Uchepos: the fresh-corn tamales of Purepecha cuisine
Discover uchepos, Michoacan sweet tamales of tender corn, an emblematic dish of Purepecha cuisine during the fresh-corn season.
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Veracruz cuisine: meeting of sea, sierra and Caribbean
Discover Veracruz cuisine: red snapper Veracruz-style, arroz a la tumbada, picadas and the fusion of indigenous, Spanish and Afro-Caribbean cultures of the Gulf.
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Veracruzan garnachas: the Orizaban antojito with shredded meat
Veracruzan garnachas are small thick fried tortillas, topped with shredded meat, salsa, onion, dry cheese and potato. A classic antojito from Orizaba.
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Veracruzan picadas: the jarocho antojito of pinched masa
Veracruzan picadas are thick tortillas with pinched edges, bathed in red, green or bean salsa, with cheese and onion. A jarocho breakfast antojito.
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Verdolagas: the succulent quelite of Mexican cooking
Verdolagas (Portulaca oleracea) are a succulent Mexican quelite with fleshy leaves and a mild tart flavour, ideal in pork stews in salsa verde.
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Wafers with cajeta: the traditional typical Mexican sweet
Wafers with cajeta are discs of host bread filled with burnt cajeta, a traditional sweet of the Mexican Bajío and an emblem of the confectionery of Celaya and Guanajuato.
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Wrapping and cooking in banana leaf: aroma and technique of the southeast
Discover cooking in banana leaf of southeastern Mexico: tamales, fish, cochinita and mucbipollo wrapped to aromatise and retain moisture.
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Xamues: edible bugs of the Mexican highlands
Discover xamues, giant mesquite bugs from the highlands of Hidalgo, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí. Tart-apple flavour and use in salsas.
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Xoconostle: Mexico's traditional sour prickly pear
Xoconostle is the sour prickly pear (Opuntia matudae), with pinkish pulp and tart flavour. Used in salsas, mole de olla, preserves and traditional Mexican medicinal drinks.
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Yahualica chile de árbol: Jalisco's Denomination of Origin
Discover Yahualica chile de árbol, the first Denomination of Origin for a Mexican chilli, grown in the Altos de Jalisco with superior quality.
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Yellow mole: the Oaxacan mole with chilhuacle and hoja santa
Learn about yellow mole or 'amarillito', one of the seven Oaxacan moles, made with yellow chilhuacle, hoja santa and maize masa as a thickener.
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Yema de huevo: yellow mushroom of Mexican forests
Yema de huevo (Amanita basii) is a yellow wild mushroom of Mexican forests, an endemic species harvested in the State of Mexico, Tlaxcala and Puebla.
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Yucatecan cuisine: Maya heritage, recados and emblematic dishes
Discover Yucatecan cuisine: cochinita pibil, sopa de lima, red recado and the Maya, Spanish and Lebanese fusion of the Yucatán peninsula.
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Yucatecan marquesitas: the crispy wafer roll with Edam cheese
The marquesita is a crispy rolled wafer with grated Edam cheese and Nutella or cajeta, a typical street snack of Mérida and the Yucatán Peninsula.
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Yucatecan panuchos: the puffed tortilla with bean and cochinita pibil
Panuchos are Yucatecan antojitos: puffed tortillas filled with strained black bean, fried and topped with cochinita pibil or turkey, pickled red onion and avocado.
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Yucatecan sopa de lima: the citrus chicken broth with fried tortilla
Yucatecan sopa de lima is a chicken or turkey broth with endemic sour lime, coriander and fried tortilla. An emblematic dish of the Maya-Spanish peninsular cookbook.
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Yucatecan vaporcitos: the small patted tamales of the peninsula
Vaporcitos are small Yucatecan tamales of patted masa with achiote, chicken and banana leaf, steamed. Recipe, origin and how to serve them.
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Zacahuil: the giant Huasteca tamale that feeds 50 people
Discover the zacahuil, the giant Huasteca tamale wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in a wood-fired oven that feeds 50 diners from a single piece.
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Zacatecan cuisine: wedding roast, beef birria and mining tradition
Discover Zacatecan cuisine: Jerez wedding roast, Zacatecan birria, gorditas and the mining tradition of the Mexican northern highlands.
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Zapote blanco: sweet fruit and medicinal plant
Zapote blanco (Casimiroa edulis) is a Mexican tropical fruit with creamy white flesh, sweet and aromatic. Traditionally used as a natural sedative in folk medicine.
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Zapote negro: the Mexican fruit with dark flesh
Zapote negro (Diospyros nigra) is a Mexican tropical fruit with creamy dark flesh and a sweet flavour, ideal for desserts and mousses. Harvest from October to January in Veracruz and Chiapas.