KungFuPanda Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Help me out. I don’t live where I have access to “the best†or “real Mexican food.†(We do have a taco place that was on Diners, Drive Thrus, and Dives.) I’ve had countless conversations where person A mentions they like a restaurant and person B, dripping with disdain, will point out that it’s not REAL Mexican food, but Tex Mex. From where I’m standing, the menus overlap so greatly and they all seem to be playing with the same ten ingredients. There’s a lot deliciousness there. I’ve lived in Texas. I’ve lived in California. I’ve visited friends in Arizona who have strong opinions about this. Is it completely subjective? Is there a key menu item that outs them as one or the other? Help me out here. What’s the difference and should I pick a side? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Snobbery, plain and simple. Just like how some people will only patronize independent coffee shops and not chains like Starbucks or Peet's. 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 This is the first time that I have heard of it being inferior. It’s different than Mexican in some respects so I could see some people not wanting to conflate the two. But inferior? No. (But I don’t live in prime Tex Mex territory. ) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertBlossom Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Here's where I admit I spent the last few minutes googling the difference... lol. A couple sites suggested most all Mexican food north of the border is really Tex-Mex. And that's probably true. I think there are a few places around here that would be considered "real" Mexican food. There is a difference between the two though. I wouldn't say it's better. Different, yes. Tex-Mex has just been influenced enough by Americans that it's not food you'd actually find being prepared in Mexico. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk8ermaiden Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I live in Texas and good Tex-Mex and good Mex-Mex are both highly revered. :drool: I do see some people correct others when they call Tex Mex "Mexican food," but that's because they're pedantic. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 There is a definite difference, but if you can’t taste it, it probably doesn’t matter. I don’t like tex-mex and will go without Mexican food rather than eat (what I consider to be) bad Mexican food. Living in Louisiana and Florida were some hard times. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I think it has to do with the ingredients - Tex-Mex often uses flour tortillas, while "real Mexican food" would use corn. And it may use cumin, while the real stuff wouldn't, and cheddar cheese instead of local cheese, hard taco shells instead of soft, etc. I'm sure there are plenty of Americans who think that Tex-Mex is the food served alllll over Mexico, not even realizing that there are huge variances by location. I think it is hilarious when I travel and see "American" food. Like when we went to Costa Rica, and my son orderered a "perro caliente" (hot dog) which was covered in mayo and salad. In our Belgian grocery store, I can buy a prepackaged "American" hot dog with a cakey bun and a slice of processed cheese. I can also buy "American" condiment sauce which I think is a mix of ketchup, mustard, mayo & pickles, but I'm not brave enough to try it. So I can see why people who have experience with food from Mexico comment on the difference and are amused when people think that Mexicans eat taco bowls. Still, there's no reason for people to be rude about it. They should assume when Americans talk about going out to get Mexican food, they mean Tex-Mex unless they say otherwise. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) Tex-Mex uses a lot more beef and aged yellow (cheddar-type) cheeses, whereas Mex-Mex uses more chicken and pork and younger, white cheeses like cotija, asadero, queso fresco, etc. Tex-Mex tends to use the same set of spices for everything, and it includes a lot of cumin. New Mexican food is different from Tex-Mex but it's not really Mex-Mex either. New Mexican food uses a lot more green chile (and spells it with an e!), black beans, blue corn, cilantro, and lime. I think it actually has some similarities to Yucatan food. They use more authentic Mexican cheeses, too. (This assumes you're eating in a local restaurant, not a Chili's, although even Chili's will ask "red or green?" when you order.) Is posole a thing in Tex-Mex? It's common in New Mexico. I think the NM State Dish is probably green chile stew, made with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, roasted green chiles, and a little beef. Edited February 9, 2018 by Corraleno 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Here I have to search more for authentic Tex Mex food. The local Mexican places have what seems to me to be very different food than what I have had at Tex Mex restaurants. There are often some regional differences in what is served based on where in Mexico the owners come from. I like both Tex Mex and Mexican foods but I don’t equate the two and they taste different to me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El... Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I've heard that disdain before. Perhaps it is earned if Velveeta is the primary cheese and the meat is all ground beef. Usually, people are being snobs when they say that, but sometimes I think they are reacting to a bad bastardization of the culture's food. It's a sloppy cultural appropriation, in a way. I LOVE tex-mex. (I also love Pancho's from time to time. Anybody been to Pancho's? Spicy Velveeta sauce on white rice? Sopapillas? My pregnancy craving. Nope, not Mexican food, but whatever.) 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Not better or worse just different. There are places that do not great Tex mex and not great Mexican. But both can be done well and bad preparation does not mean the fence is not good it just means that particular restaurant is not good. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) I think the problem comes when many Americans call Tex-Mex food (or Cali-Mex, or whatever regional variation in the US) Mexican food. I like Tex-Mex, but I do cringe when people call it Mexican as if it represents Mexican food when it only gives a tiny glimpse of what some food is like near the northern border or without trying to experience anything beyond that. I’ve probably told this story here before, but an American friend of mine living in Guadalajara at the same time we were was making a meal for a group of Mexican teenagers. She decided to make tacos, but tacos like you’d expect north of the border. The Mexican teenagers saw the food and said she’d made American food. They liked it, but no one was under the impression it was Mexican food. It’s very hard to find Mexican food outside Mexico and certain parts of the US, in spite of the fact that you can find “Mexican†restaurants in almost every country. They’re almost always Tex-Mex. Edited February 9, 2018 by Amira 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I have eaten lots of Tex-Mex in Texas and I have eaten lots of typical Mexican dishes in Mexico. I think the meals in Mexico are much more wholesome and varied. Chicken, Fish, Meat, etc. The Tex-Mex I remember, often extremely delicious, is more what I think would be considered a "Snack" food in Mexico. When I say Mexico, I am not referring to cities near the international border, I am referring to cities deep within Mexico, such as the City, Guadalajra, Cancun, etc. I doubt that many people in cities like that would eat, for example, Tacos for Lunch or Dinner. More of a Snack. Or, a plate of Enchiladas. Tex-Mex is not bad. Tex-Mex is not typical of what is commonly eaten in Mexico. They can both be excellent and very enjoyable to eat. They are different. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Flour tortillas are commonly used in Tex-Mex, while they are rare in most parts of Mexico--corn tortillas are lower in fat and calories and higher in fiber than flour. Different regions of Mexico have different cuisines (depending on local ingredients); so areas of Mexico have a number of fish dishes--fish is rarely part of Tex-Mex. Mexican cuisine will often include more fresh vegetables and fruits. Tex-Mex tends to be based upon rice, refried beans, flour tortillas, (or fried corn tortillas), and inexpensive cuts of meat--often on ingredients which were relatively inexpensive 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I think the problem comes when many Americans call Tex-Mex food (or Cali-Mex, or whatever regional variation in the US) Mexican food. I like Tex-Mex, but I do cringe when people call it Mexican as if it represents Mexican food when it only gives a tiny glimpse of what some food is like near the northern border or without trying to experience anything beyond that. I’ve probably told this story here before, but an American friend of mine living in Guadalajara at the same time we were was making a meal for a group of Mexican teenagers. She decided to make tacos, but tacos like you’d expect north of the border. The Mexican teenagers saw the food and said she’d made American food. They liked it, but no one was under the impression it was Mexican food. It’s very hard to find Mexican food outside Mexico and certain parts of the US, in spite of the fact that you can find “Mexican†restaurants in almost every country. They’re almost always Tex-Mex. To be fair this is done with lots and lots of other foods. "I'm having Italian tonight." or "I'm eating Greek food." or "I ordered Chinese food for lunch." Etc..etc.. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Flour tortillas are commonly used in Tex-Mex, while they are rare in most parts of Mexico--corn tortillas are lower in fat and calories and higher in fiber than flour. Different regions of Mexico have different cuisines (depending on local ingredients); so areas of Mexico have a number of fish dishes--fish is rarely part of Tex-Mex. Mexican cuisine will often include more fresh vegetables and fruits. Tex-Mex tends to be based upon rice, refried beans, flour tortillas, (or fried corn tortillas), and inexpensive cuts of meat--often on ingredients which were relatively inexpensive It's weird too because I think (wheat) flour tortillas are gross. The corn ones have so much more flavor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I love the taste of whatever comes out of my box and is called "Mexican." I how no idea how delicious fresh would taste, but I think if would probably spoil me for the boxed stuff. :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 One factor might be is that there seem to be a lot of low-quality Tex-mex chains. We don't have much Mexican food of any kind here, but what we have is mostly at a fast-food kind of level and tex-mex. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Piffle. Don't pick a side. Eat the food you like. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 To be fair this is done with lots and lots of other foods. "I'm having Italian tonight." or "I'm eating Greek food." or "I ordered Chinese food for lunch." Etc..etc.. Definitely, and it goes both ways, like others mentioned above. There’s nothing I can do about it, but it just makes me sad to see any culture’s food reduced to something that doesn’t really represent it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I discuss it all as “Mexican†food and don’t differentiate. But in fairness, we live in a small town with two restaurants. The local Mexican restaurant is owned by a Mexican family and is called El Jalisco Mexican Restaurant. So if they don’t call it Tex Mex, it seems weird that I should. Unless the restaurant name specifies, I just refer to it as Mexican food. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I live in CA, and we have Taco Bell, Cal Mex, Tex Mex, and Mexican restaurants here. I find Tex Mex to be more of a blast of flavor, a little OTT for me--hotter and lacking the complex flavor of Mexican food. More one-dimensional. But it's good. Mexican is fantastic and more varied. Cal Mex is great and creative riffing off of several cuisines. Taco Bell is tasty fuel, vaguely related to Mexican food, kind of like 70s era casseroles are vaguely related to pastitio. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 The only time I hear it met with disdain is when people confuse the two. When dh and I met he had only had a very limited experience with what he called Mexican food. It was very jarring for him when I took him to a restaurant owned by a family from southern Mexico. And when he saw cactus being sold at the market he just about fainted. :lol: It was a far cry from what he was used to. BUT, there are regional differences all over Mexico. The food from Chihuahua will look different than that from Veracruz, just like coastal California favorites are much different than southern Alabama. Both American, but much different food. And if I go overseas, the only "American" I'm likely to get is a burger with local flavor - like one with an egg on top. Not bad, but different. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I miss my Tex-Mex!! :crying: For me the defining factor is the chili con carne on top of cheese enchiladas. (drool) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) Help me out. I don’t live where I have access to “the best†or “real Mexican food.†(We do have a taco place that was on Diners, Drive Thrus, and Dives.) I’ve had countless conversations where person A mentions they like a restaurant and person B, dripping with disdain, will point out that it’s not REAL Mexican food, but Tex Mex. From where I’m standing, the menus overlap so greatly and they all seem to be playing with the same ten ingredients. There’s a lot deliciousness there. I’ve lived in Texas. I’ve lived in California. I’ve visited friends in Arizona who have strong opinions about this. Is it completely subjective? Is there a key menu item that outs them as one or the other? Help me out here. What’s the difference and should I pick a side? Personally, I prefer Tex-Mex to "real Mexican food" Real Mexican food tends to be really spicy. Tex-Mex is happy to leave the spice out. Edited February 9, 2018 by vonfirmath 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Well now I want all of it. Any of it. I don’t care if it’s Tex Mex or Mexican — this thread is making me hungry! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) The history of Mexico and Texas is such that TexMex is an authentic regional cuisine of both Mexico and the United States. The haters can STFU. I agree that they are usually white people with no connection to NE Mexico or Texas. Edited February 9, 2018 by LucyStoner 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I have heard that it is inferior, but only from people who have no Hispanic/Mexican/or even Texan blood in them whatsoever, but are total and complete know-it-alls about everything. ETA: I live in Texas, and if Tex Mex is wrong, I don't wanna be right. My Mexican husband would disagree wth you. It’s mostly what you grew up with. Our friends from Texas truly miss Tex-mex. I get that. I will say that marrying into a coastal Mexican family opened my eyes to the variety of Mexican food beyond what we eat here. I think the biggest thing for me between superb Mexican food and bad is the greasiness. Good Mexican is not greasy. It’s fresh and light, with flavor but not grease. That’s hard to find anywhere outside of my MIL’s kitchen. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) Where we were in FL, we had a lot of migrant workers for s good portion of the year. Trust me, I am no snob...can’t afford to be, but the food they cooked was SO much better than the so called Mexican places. Fresher ingredients and their food wasn’t loaded with cumin and hot sauce. They had a way of seasoning things that didn’t leave you with a fiery mouth and equally as fiery stomach. The food stood alone well enough to not need all the extra condiments. I can’t explain it, but once you are spoiled with it, there’s a difference. Just like there are mediocre to terrible restaurants in every culinary tradition, there are mediocre Tex Mex places. That doesn’t make TexMex a bad food tradition. We don’t judge Italian food by the Olive Garden but many seem to judge TexMex by the various mediocre equivalents. Edited February 9, 2018 by LucyStoner 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Just like there are mediocre to terrible restaurants in every culinary tradition, there are mediocre Tex Mex places. That doesn’t make TexMex a bad food tradition. We don’t judge Italian food by the Olive Garden but many seem to judge TexMex by the various mediocre equivalents. It’s not a bad food tradition, I just don’t want to eat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) It’s not a bad food tradition, I just don’t want to eat it.I guess my issue is when people say it’s not Mexican food. It’s actually a regional cuisine, and not as some people think, merely fake Mexican food for white people. Edited to add: I do agree with you that some of it is too greasy. However, so is a lot of crappy restaurant food. It certainly doesn’t need to be greasy. There is a lot more red meat because of the ranching culture on both sides of the border in that area. Edited February 9, 2018 by LucyStoner 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellifera33 Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I think it is hilarious when I travel and see "American" food. Like when we went to Costa Rica, and my son orderered a "perro caliente" (hot dog) which was covered in mayo and salad. In our Belgian grocery store, I can buy a prepackaged "American" hot dog with a cakey bun and a slice of processed cheese. I can also buy "American" condiment sauce which I think is a mix of ketchup, mustard, mayo & pickles, but I'm not brave enough to try it. So I can see why people who have experience with food from Mexico comment on the difference and are amused when people think that Mexicans eat taco bowls. :) In Sweden, it seemed that the secret ingredient to make anything "American" was corn. American pizza? Cover it with corn! American pasta? Cover it with corn! American sandwich? Throw some corn in it! We were a bit puzzled, but, hey, it's corn, so it was all good. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 To be honest, I can't tell the difference. I mean, I see that there are different ingredients and whatnot, but I have never eaten anything that was identified as "TexMex." I don't like tacos made with flour tortillas instead of corn. That's just not right. Ditto enchiladas made with flour. Just...no. Once, in Virginia, I had Mexican rice that had *lima beans* in it. No. Just...no. I snicker when people who live elsewhere talk about having a "taco bar" at a party, but what they're really having is burritos (because flour tortillas). But what do I know? I grew up in southeastern Virginia (not counting two years in Texas) with western European ancestors in the South for many generations. I've lived in California and Texas most of my adult life; I only know the "Mexican" food I've had in restaurants, and my recipes from Trader Vic's Mexican cookbook. None of my friends (until recently) have been Mexican; they're all just folks like me who only know Mexican restaurants. We just eat it and enjoy it, whatever it's called. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Tex-Mex uses a lot more beef and aged yellow (cheddar-type) cheeses, whereas Mex-Mex uses more chicken and pork and younger, white cheeses like cotija, asadero, queso fresco, etc. Tex-Mex tends to use the same set of spices for everything, and it includes a lot of cumin. New Mexican food is different from Tex-Mex but it's not really Mex-Mex either. New Mexican food uses a lot more green chile (and spells it with an e!), black beans, blue corn, cilantro, and lime. I think it actually has some similarities to Yucatan food. They use more authentic Mexican cheeses, too. (This assumes you're eating in a local restaurant, not a Chili's, although even Chili's will ask "red or green?" when you order.) Is posole a thing in Tex-Mex? It's common in New Mexico. I think the NM State Dish is probably green chile stew, made with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, roasted green chiles, and a little beef. I don't know the difference between Mexican and Tex-Mex, but as a New Mexican (who grew up in OK, where they also serve Tex-Mex), I was going to explain the difference between New Mexican and Tex-Mex, but you did it perfectly. Have you lived in NM at some point? Posolé is definitely a bigger deal here, and, at least in my experience, carne adovada too. I don't think I'd ever had either one of those until I moved here. One little thing I can add: in Tex-Mex, a sopapilla was always served as a dessert, sprinkled with powdered sugar. Here, your sopapillas are served with the meal, because many people like to dip them in chile. But they're also served with honey, for those who prefer that. But never with powdered sugar, and a friend who is a native New Mexican once ranted about how when she was traveling out of state, they ruined her sopapilla by putting powdered sugar on it. She was pretty horrified! Oh, and NM food has some blending with American foods and traditions that I didn't see in TX/OK: of course there is the famous green chile cheeseburger, which I think has made it pretty far outside of NM now, the Albuquerque turkey (turkey sandwich with green chiles), pizza places here offer green chile as a topping, and for Thanksgiving you might see mashed potatoes with red chile instead of gravy, and of course the leftover turkey will be made into green chile stew. Basically, in NM, it's all about the chile! Now I'm hungry! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I don't like tacos made with flour tortillas instead of corn. That's just not right. Ditto enchiladas made with flour. Just...no. Once, in Virginia, I had Mexican rice that had *lima beans* in it. No. Just...no. I snicker when people who live elsewhere talk about having a "taco bar" at a party, but what they're really having is burritos (because flour tortillas). Neither do I. Dh eats only flour tortillas, the kids and I like our corn ones lightly warmed or fried. I tease him because flour tortillas aren't exactly Mexican food. They were an invention of Jewish Spaniards who settled there during the Inquisition. They didn't consider the corn to be kosher. So I guess they're really Span-Mex? :laugh: But I've never liked them and ds, who doesn't eat hardly any breads, won't touch them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 My daughter recommends the Mexico City episode of "Somebody Feed Phil" on Netflix. :001_smile: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 (edited) Neither do I. Dh eats only flour tortillas, the kids and I like our corn ones lightly warmed or fried. I tease him because flour tortillas aren't exactly Mexican food. They were an invention of Jewish Spaniards who settled there during the Inquisition. They didn't consider the corn to be kosher. So I guess they're really Span-Mex? :laugh: But I've never liked them and ds, who doesn't eat hardly any breads, won't touch them. Well, then there's the fact that a tortilla in Spain is a sort of egg omelette. I'm OK with the same word being used to mean different things by different people and in different places; that's just a reality of the way language naturally evolves. So I'm fine with whatever people want to call Mexican food. When I visited Mexico in 1984 I ate a sandwich sold as "hamburguesa americana" (American Hamburger)--it was made with shredded ham. Edited February 9, 2018 by maize 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Mexican, New Mexican and Tex-Mex are each a different cuisine. None are more “authentic†than the other, because they are different. Mexican food is very different from what we think it is because of problems with the terminology, when we Americans call Tex-Mex food “Mexicanâ€. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I was horrified at sopapillas at some restaurants! I want NO sugar, cinnamon, or powdered sugar on them! Just honey for dip! They are good with honey! Much better than sugar and cinnamon. But I think my favorite is the non-sweet version: dipped in red chile. So good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I think that it is snobbery to look down your nose at a cuisine from any region in the world just because you don’t like it. I’m talking about well made versions of that cuisine. I don’t like Scandinavian food but don’t say that Scandinavian food is inferior. It just isn’t a flavor profile that I personally like. I personally think that a lot of recipes are good when made with fresh ingredients and by good cooks. Our local Mexican restaurants are owned by Mexican families who provide freshly cooked food with fresh ingredients. Their menu is varied with items that show off their regional specialties. They might also have some dishes that appeal more to “American taste†(I can think if a few especially at one restaurant. ). I don’t begrudge them that - it’s hard to be successful in the restaurant business and of course they want to cater to their customers. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Here are some traditional Mexican foods: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/05/cochinita-pibil-yucatan-barbecue-mexican-smoked-pork-recipe.html http://rollybrook.com/ar-ench-potos.html https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Mexico-Salsa-Potato-Chorizo-Sandwich https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/2010/04/menudo-soup.html Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaCarter Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Neither do I. Dh eats only flour tortillas, the kids and I like our corn ones lightly warmed or fried. I tease him because flour tortillas aren't exactly Mexican food. They were an invention of Jewish Spaniards who settled there during the Inquisition. They didn't consider the corn to be kosher. So I guess they're really Span-Mex? :laugh: But I've never liked them and ds, who doesn't eat hardly any breads, won't touch them. A lot of traditional Mexican food has Spanish influence. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I guess my issue is when people say it’s not Mexican food. It’s actually a regional cuisine, and not as some people think, merely fake Mexican food for white people. Edited to add: I do agree with you that some of it is too greasy. However, so is a lot of crappy restaurant food. It certainly doesn’t need to be greasy. There is a lot more red meat because of the ranching culture on both sides of the border in that area. I will confess to having said that before. Probably because the only people that I’ve ever known to advocate for Tex-mex are white people who think velveta is an acceptable topping for Mexican food. I will concede that there is more to Tex mex than that (probably more intellectually than in my heart, if I’m being honest!). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinnia Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I love it all. We've had some memorably bad restaurant meals, but we keep trying. And I have cooked through a whole lot of Rick Bayless and Pati Jinich cookbooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I have never had Velveeta at a good quality Tex Mex restaurant. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I love "Indian" food, "Greek" food, "Italian" food, "Mexican" food, "French" food, and a lot of other food besides! But I am not under any misapprehension that it is the same food that would actually be served in those countries. Food will be different depending on who makes it and where - why must it be pigeon-holed??? Let's just eat - and enjoy - good food!! Anne (who is now feeling hungry!!) 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Some of this discussion is akin to saying that Maine lobster isn’t “American†because it isn’t a hamburger. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 I've never been in a Mexican restaurant that used Velveeta or any kind of yellow cheese. But our Mexican restaurants here are owned by Mexicans and seem to be pretty authentic. I've never known any person who used Velveeta for Mexican food at home, but I do know some who use cheddar. I may have been guilty of that myself a few. times, when it was all I had on hand. ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Neither do I. Dh eats only flour tortillas, the kids and I like our corn ones lightly warmed or fried. I tease him because flour tortillas aren't exactly Mexican food. They were an invention of Jewish Spaniards who settled there during the Inquisition. They didn't consider the corn to be kosher. So I guess they're really Span-Mex? :laugh: But I've never liked them and ds, who doesn't eat hardly any breads, won't touch them. I'd have still called that Mexican, the same way fish and chips are British. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted February 9, 2018 Share Posted February 9, 2018 Are we not allowed to call a chocolate sundae American because we got chocolate from the Mayans long ago? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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