The International Cuisine

Have you ever been to a Mexican restaurant and wanted so badly to recreate the dish at home? Ethnic cuisine is an amazing combination of flavors and textures but can be a bit intimidating to try to prepare at home. The seasoning and the spices along with the main ingredients can seem to foreign to us and a bit scary to think about replicating.

Luckily, Mexican cuisine is not as difficult to prepare as you might think. Let’s take a look at some of the ubiquitous Mexican fare and how to prepare them at home.

The staple in Mexican cuisine is the tortilla. Tortillas are flat and can be served cold, warm or even fried. Tortillas can be made out of a variety of ingredients. Most commonly there are flour and corn tortillas. You can also find whole wheat tortillas in your local grocery store but these are not used in traditional cuisine.

Tacos are probably the most common type of Mexican food that we are familiar with. These can be hard tacos made out of fried corn tortillas and stuffed with a variety of meats and toppings. Soft tacos are made from flour tortillas with the same type of fillings. These are two very yummy and satisfying types of median fare.

Tostadas are another popular choice when it comes to Mexican food. They are similar to the hard shell taco except they are flat. It is similar to a sort of Mexican pizza. A completely flat corn tortilla deep fried with all the toppings piled on top. Although this type of Mexican food poses some difficulty when it comes to actually eating it, they are very tasty and worth the effort.

Taco Salad is a very popular entree for many ladies. This is a flour tortilla fried into the form of a fluted bowl and stuffed full of seasoned meat, dressing and salad. This is a somewhat lighter fare for those watching their calories and their waistline.

Burritos, enchiladas and chimichangas are all variation on the same dish. Take a flour tortilla, stuff it with your fillings and roll it up. Burritos are served plain, Chimichangas are deep fried and enchiladas are covered in sauce and cheese. No matter what your preference, you can’t go wrong with any of these choices.

Nachos, quesadillas and fajitas are other choices that you may have when visiting a Mexican restaurant or enjoying the cuisine.These dishes are vastly different but incredibly enjoyable. Nachos can be a wide variety of toppings served over tortilla chips. Quesadillas are a soft flour tortilla steamed and filled with meats, veggies and cheeses. Fajitas are a beautiful presentation of sizzling hot meat and veggies served with warm tortillas to wrap it up in.

Spice is the one thing that will discourage more cautious eaters from enjoying Mexican cuisine. Typically, Mexican food is rich with flavor and heavy on the spice. This can pose a bit of intimidation to those used to a bland palate. Just let your server or host know your taste preferences and they can adjust the meal accordingly. Don’t let your fear keep you from enjoying some of the most exciting cuisine around.