Mex vs Tex-Mex
“What will the cuisine be like?” is one of the most common questions our Booking Managers get asked, and one particular destination that’s cooking with curiosity at the moment is our Mexico trip.
Famously foul-mouthed celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsey said, ‘Mexico has one of the most complicated cuisines in the world.’
And you know what, he’s right! So, we decided to ask one of our team members, Kat, for her input. Kat lives in Mexico and has joined us to explain the basics of Mexican cuisine.
How long have you been living in Mexico and what drew you to make the shift from your home on Australia’s West Coast?
In 2024, I quit my job, sold my belongings and then told my parents I was going to Mexico! I’d never travelled internationally before, but something was calling me there.
I arrived in Mexico City from Cuba on a Sunday and caught a taxi into the main square ‘zocalo’ to the hostel, just observing how colourful everything was. There were people everywhere! Street vendors selling peanuts, cotton candy and sweet breads. And music! Trumpets and a mariachi band played on one side of the street. I thought ‘Where do I look?’ It was sensory overload.
As the taxi pulled up to the hostel I looked up and there was this huge Mexican flag fluttering overhead and it seemed like everyone was out on the street. I remember texting my Mum, ‘I’ve never smelt so many aromas at once. Everything is so colourful, and I love the organised madness of it!’ I was immediately captivated by it – the whole Mexican culture was on display.
What’s something about Mexican food that struck you when you first arrived that differed from what you had experienced previously at home?
On that first day I did a city tour with two other travelers and at the time, my favourite Mexican food was ‘enchiladas’. I loved the way my mum made them with chicken, cheddar cheese and sour cream. I ordered them for lunch and what arrived was this plate with three small tortillas swimming in a green salsa, almost soup-like. I was immediately surprised and humbled that for most of my life I had been eating an inauthentic version of enchiladas.
At that point, it was a realisation for me that, ‘Okay, the food is different here’. It wasn’t the ‘Tex-Mex’ version I’ve had at home. So, I thought to myself, ‘That version is going to stay at home in Australia and here is where I’ll find real Mexican food. It’s going to be completely different now. Lesson Number One! ‘
I was vegan at the time too and would stick to a vegan diet day-to-day, but without knowing how long I would be in Mexico for, I really wanted to stay open whilst traveling and not let my dietary preferences restrict me. In Mexico, if someone is making something for you to eat, it’s no small gesture. It’s actually a really big deal as it’s a way of having a lovely experience with a local and I didn’t want my diet to get in the way of that.
I wanted to try lamb tacos, so we went to a place my friends and I had heard about. There was a local girl in front of us who heard us talking and she spoke to us in English offering to help us order. She was lovely and so excited for us that we wanted to try really local tacos. Trying that slow-cooked lamb for the first time – it was so soft! It was one of my first interactions with someone that went out of their way for us to try her favourite local dish and was a really nice experience. I allowed myself (despite being vegan) to have that openness and try something new and I came away thinking, ‘Okay, that was cool!’.
What exactly is Tex-Mex cuisine and how did it come about?
Tex-Mex (and Cali-Mex) comes from residents in the bordering states of America adopting the parts of Mexican dishes they loved and blending it with ingredients loved by Americans. Things like cheddar cheese, sour cream and mincemeat. Those are lovely, comforting ingredients, but aren’t traditionally found in authentic Mexican dishes. I’ve never seen a mincemeat and cheddar cheese taco in Mexico. The meat is usually grilled on a barbecue and chopped or shredded finely.
Taco shells aren’t hard and crunchy in Mexico either – they’re still a corn tortilla but they’re soft. You can have them fried crispy if you want, but tortillas are all made by hand and placed on the grill as they’re ordered. Here, you’re not really going to see the tacos and enchiladas that Australians and New Zealanders are used to!
How does Mexican cuisine differ regionally?
‘Queso Oaxaca’ is a type of cheese that comes from the Oaxacan region and it’s like a firm ball, almost like a mozzarella that you pull apart. It’s very creamy. You can eat it with salt or just on its own. It goes in lots of dishes there. You’ll also find ‘tlayudas’ in Oaxaca which is either a circular or oblong shaped tortilla that is dried out for a few days, then grilled crunchy and eaten with a bean or mole-based Oaxacan cheese. They’re great for vegetarians!
Another very popular Oaxacan dish is ‘tinga-de-pollo’ – slow cooked chicken in a red sauce. It’s delicious! You’ll also get this in Mexico City and Merida in a taco or quesadilla.
In Merida, there’s a very popular dish called ‘Cochinita Pibil’ which is slow-cooked marinaded pulled pork. It’s served with a yummy red sauce marinade with tomatoes, spices and pineapple just to name a few ingredients. The meat is cooked just underneath the ground for 12 to 24 hours, so the meat is really tender.
I always joke that I initially came to Tijuana because of an ex-boyfriend, but stayed for the food!
Tell us how authentic Mexican food is prepared – what utensils are used and how is food cooked?
Mexicans are very hands-on – using mechanical appliances over electrical ones. Every household would have a stone grinder called a ‘molcajete’ (pron. mol-ca-he-te). It’s like having a toaster in Australia! The sauces are all made from scratch so this utensil helps to grind the chilis, herbs and spices. The ‘molcajete’ is where the sauce begins, and then a blender. Tortilla presses are also everywhere. You’ll find these at taco stalls and restaurants, it’s very common to see women making and pressing them by hand.
Mexicans cook with fire! Meat (‘carne’ – pron. carn-e) is usually barbecued on a grill over coals, on a heavy skillet or slow cooked. You know when you see ‘carne asada’ (grilled meat) on the menu, that it’s going to be delicious, as it has that wonderful grilled or smokey flavour to it.
What about the typical mealtimes in Mexico and what importance is placed on meals?
Mealtimes are late! This was a huge adjustment for me. When people go to work breakfast is at the normal time, but lunch is around 2 to 3pm and then dinner is 8 or 9pm. It’s a very communal time, lots of importance is placed on family and mealtimes together. Even if you don’t live with your parents but live with friends – it’s very common to make meals together and offer to share the dishes we make with each other.
What are some of the staple ingredients used in Mexican dishes?
Chillies are a big one! Red, green, yellow, there’s so many! You can have them in sauces or to make salsa. They have yellow ones that look like capsicums, and you have them grilled with cheese – just delicious!
Also ‘frijoles’ (pron. fri-hol-es’) which are beans. They’re a staple for sure. It’s Mexico’s ‘Vegemite’! You have them since you’re born. You grow up with them. They’re something you can put with almost every dish and are very satiating. You have them for breakfast with fresh cheese – either ‘queso fresco’ (fresh cheese) or ‘cotaje’ (cottage cheese). They come in different colours; black, brown or the lighter beige/creamy colour and they usually come as a paste and have an earthy taste and a soft texture.
Limes, coriander, red or white onions that are sliced and can sometimes be spicy are very common too. They’re fermented in water with vinegar and sugar and eaten as a topping or side dish. Mmm, so tasty!
A side dish you’ll also have is ‘Pico de Gallo’ (pron. pi-co de gay-o’) which is diced chili, white onion and tomato. It’s not necessarily spicy and usually comes with guacamole. It has a zesty taste to it, but it’s subtle and not swimming in fermentation.
The main staple though is corn which is revered here. You’ll find it in lots of dishes, and it’s cooked in so many ways. It’s very important, so much so that you’ll even find it in artworks and murals everywhere. Corn is Mexico!
And what are some of the more unusual vegetables you could expect to find?
You can find cactus as a side dish that you can order with tacos – it’s usually grilled, and radishes are very common to come as a side with tacos or just in general. At a restaurant, instead of bread you’ll be offered tortilla chips, radishes and salsas with different spice levels.
Cactus! What does it taste like?
Nothing. It takes like nothing! Think of how aloe vera looks – it’s a very moisture-loaded ingredient so has very little flavour. I love it with lots of salt and pepper. On its own it doesn’t have a taste, but it goes with lots of other ingredients and absorbs their flavours.
What kind of unusual meats have you tried?
One of my favourite dishes is a bone broth with beef tongue. Despite how it sounds, it’s delicious! I used to think of tongue as the most horrible texture in the world but it’s as soft as pulled pork and has a similar texture as it’s slow cooked. Imagine ribs that just fall off the bone, that’s what the texture is like.
Oh, and eyeballs! I tried eyeballs but that was just a ‘one-time’ thing. Mainly because I couldn’t get the image out of my mind. But the texture was better than I expected!
Beef tongue though – I love it! Come to Mexico with the mindset to try everything because meats really are their specialty. Take it from someone who had the most bland, sensible palate – I’ve come a long way in my food journey. I realised that if I wanted to completely immerse myself in Mexican culture, I needed to become open to tasting all kinds of meals – as the people and food are so closely linked to each other and I wanted to be part of that bond. My spice tolerance is also something I’m quite proud of – it’s right up there!
Are food intolerances and allergies a thing in Mexico?
Gluten intolerances – yes, but nut allergies, no. Nuts are everywhere and in everything. Children don’t have nut allergies. Restaurants can cater for nut allergies in the big cities – but only if you ask. It’s easy to find vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options. Taco street stalls and bigger restaurant style shops now offer vegetarian options that are more than just tomato and salad.
What’s a traditional drink you would have to wash down all this delicious food?
There are four I can recommend, and you can find them almost everywhere…
‘Horchata’ – it’s made from rice milk, sugar, cinnamon and cardamon. It has a light, milky sweet taste and that’s really refreshing. Another one is ‘Agua de Pepino’. This one is made with lemon, water, sugar and cucumber or sometimes pineapple and it’s a real thirst quencher on a hot day. ‘Jamaica’ (pron. Hamiaca) which comes from a plant. You soak the leaves overnight and add a little sugar. It goes great with breakfast, tacos, everything really and is also refreshing. My other favourite is ‘Coco con fresas’ which is coconut water and strawberries. It has that beautiful light milky flavour. It’s yum!
Tequila is very stereotypical when people think of Mexican alcoholic drinks, but mezcal is also made from the agave plant and comes in so many different flavours. It’s just as popular to the locals as tequila so I would try that instead.
For people reading this that might be thinking about going to Mexico – if you could pick just one thing for them to try for an authentic taste experience, what would it be?
It’s too hard to choose but tacos are a must! My best advice though is to just come with an open mind and an adventurous appetite. If you do, you’ll be rewarded with the most incredible experiences – not just with the cuisine but with Mexican people too, and you’ll return home with a brand new list of authentic recipes to share with your family and friends!
Now that we’ve busted open the pinata on authentic Mexican cuisine, here are some links we think you’ll like….
If you’re a fan of celebrity swear-bear Gordon Ramsey, check out this ‘National Geographic Unchartered’ episode where he explores the spiritual homeland of mole in the culinary capital of Mexico – Oaxaca, in a ‘cook-off’ with top female Mexican chef, Gabriela Camara.
Fancy yourself as a bit of a chef too? Here’s a Mexico Day of the Dead sweet bread recipe you can create in your own casa, by another renowned female Mexican chef, Elena Reygadas. Haven’t heard of her? No fear, she was only voted best female chef IN. THE. WORLD. in 2023!
Buen provecho!