essay on mexican food

Food Culture in Mexican Cuisine Report

Food cultures and science in mexico.

Mexico is a country located south of North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States, on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean, and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. The country has a moderate climate characterized by low-lying coastal areas and has pleasant summers and mild winters.

The country’s rainy season falls between May and September while the hurricane seasons occur between May and November. The country has 113 million inhabitants and was originally under the reign of Spain.

Food availability in Mexico

According to GAIN (2010), we can only talk about food security when every single individual has access to food. Although research generally indicates that food availability in Mexico does not present a serious danger, there are places in Mexico where food access has been a real concern.

In 2008 for example, close to 20% of the Mexican people could not access food due to lack of sufficient income and this greatly affected productivity (GAIN, 2010). Despite food being available to feed all, access has always been dependent on an individual’s purchasing power.

As noted by Gilman (2011), some of the best foods in Mexico are accessed from stalls along the streets and in the market places. Although eating food obtained from the streets may appear strange to some visitors, it is quite normal for an average Mexican. This notwithstanding, Mexicans are content with food obtained from the streets and the market. They are, therefore, not about to stop getting food from these locations (Ochoa, 2001).

For many citizens, these foods are fresh and dealers are equally considered healthy and very neat. Restaurant owners are known to conduct their food businesses with so much care and integrity to the delight their customers. In addition, most people prefer eating processed foods though they still go after fresh food as has been the tradition from the early days.

Locally produced foods include peas, dry beans, walnut, sunflower, sweet pepper, and tomatoes. Mexicans import foods such as honey, dried herbs and mushrooms, roasted coffee, and cheese, to name but a few.

Staple food, how it is served and what are the common food sources?

According to Gilman (2011), the most common food source in Mexico is corn or what is commonly known as maize. It is normally prepared either as flat bread also known as tortilla or as corn stew, usually referred to as pozole. Also available are fruits and vegetables such as green tomatoes, mangoes, papaya, and avocado.

These are eaten alongside the main meals. Meat is also obtained from chicken and pigs as well as from breeds of cattle including Corrientes and French Charolais.

In their cooking, Mexicans use garlic, chili, almond, clove, and cumin to add flavor to their cookery. This is further improved using various natural ingredients. Other familiar foods are seafood, frijoles or beans, and frijoles refritos or refried beans, and spiced coffee which is made using a mixture of spices.

What are the common food preparation methods?

In preparing their food, Mexicans tend to use a combination of methods. Deep and stir frying are the most common. Deep frying involves placing the food in a deep pot filled with cooking oil. Among fried foods are dessert puffs and chicken cheese crisp.

What spice is commonly used in food preparation?

Mexican food is made using spices such as almond, cumin, and chili. As has been mentioned elsewhere in this paper, Mexican food is traditionally made out of maize or corn and beans and is mainly prepared by deep or stir frying. Although many other types of food are available and can be accessed at will, the limitation is usually the purchasing power (Tucker and Buranapin, 2001).

What are the main macro and micronutrients and what sources?

Different foods contain different nutrients. Macronutrients such as protein and carbohydrates are obtained from corn, pigs, and meat from Corrientes or French Charolais breeds of cattle. Micronutrients on the other hand are obtained through fruits and vegetables such as verdolaga and huazontle. Common fruits include guava, mango, and guanabana.

Although most Mexicans have stuck with traditional foods for so long, many people also enjoy eating fast foods which mostly supply carbohydrates and fats. Other foods such as chicken soup are prepared specifically for those the sick. Some people have, however, argued that the preparation of Mexican food depends on what one wants to prepare. The preparation is also tied to the historical origins of the Mexican people.

What is their food culture and health implication?

According to Geddes and Paloma (2000), Mexicans suffer from a number of ailments as a result of their food culture and traditional beliefs that have been carried forward from generation to generation. It is common to come by people dying from illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and obesity caused by poor eating habits. It is absolutely necessary for people to change their eating habits and drop some of the unhealthy eating practices.

Apparently, poverty is also to blame for the bad food culture in Mexico (Long & Vargas, 2005). In most cases, lack of money compels average income earners in Mexico to go after unhealthy food stuffs from fast food restaurants. Save for the fact that these foods help to meet their immediate needs, they are responsible for poor health among the Mexicans.

What is their way of presenting their food, serving, and table manners?

Typically, Mexicans serve their food hot and eat it using forks, spoons and knives. Food is taken into the mouth in small chunks, chewed, and the swallowed. Also made during meals are tacos which involve wrapping what is to be eaten in a corn tortilla before it can be eaten (Burckhardt, 1996). Generally, Mexicans eat three meals a day though this may vary slightly with others taking four.

Desayuno or breakfast in Mexico is any form of food that one can take to start his or her day. While this may be large for people, others prefer lighter meals during this time of the day (Gilman, 2011). Comida, the most important meal on any day, is usually eaten in the afternoon and includes the main dish accompanied with other types of foods. Some Mexicans also enjoy almuerzo, a meal taken slightly later after breakfast.

What food education tools are used in Mexico?

Mexicans use MyPlate and Food Pyramids to educate people on healthy eating habits (Fox, 1993). Though considered quite abstract by some people, the food pyramid has been hailed for giving a clear indication of the foods in the various categories. MyPlate on the other hand comes with added information allowing consumers to make informed food choices.

Burckhardt, A. (1996). The People of Mexico and Their Food . Mankato, MI: Capstone.

Fox, J. (1993). The Politics of Food in Mexico: State Power and Social Mobilization . London: Cornell University Press.

Geddes, B. & Paloma, G. (2000). Lonely Planet World Food: Mexico. Australia: Lonely Planet Publications.

Gilman, N. (2011). Good Food in Mexico City: Food Stalls, Fondas and Fine Dining . Bloomington, IN: iUniverse.

Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN). (2010). Food Security and Nutrition in Mexico. Mexico: Global Agricultural Information Network.

Long, L. T. & Vargas, L. A. (2005). Food Culture in Mexico . Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.

Ochoa, E. C. (2001). Feeding Mexico: The Political Uses of Food Since 1910 . Wilmington, DE: Rowman & Littlefield.

Tucker, K. L. & Buranapin, S. (2001). Nutrition and Aging in Developing Countries. Journal of Nutrition, 131:2417 – 2423.

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Mexican-American Cuisine

Introduction, general overviews.

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Mexican-American Cuisine by Sarah Portnoy LAST REVIEWED: 14 January 2021 LAST MODIFIED: 27 March 2014 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199913701-0076

“Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are,” quipped Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, author of The Physiology of Taste , in 1825. While nearly two centuries have passed since his meditations on gastronomy, in the 21st century food remains just as closely linked to one’s identity and social status. One’s culinary practices continue to identify religious, national, and regional origins. For the diverse Latino population of the United States, food has always been and still remains a valuable affirmation of identity. Latino cuisine has been a part of United States food habits for centuries, but the representations of Latino cuisine found in most major cities were once far fewer and much more standardized than they have become in 21st-century American cities. The recent growth of the Latino population in the form of documented and undocumented immigrants and refugees has given rise to a rich and flavorful pan-Latino cuisine across the United States, with a concentration in cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and Houston. Despite several generations of immigration, United States Latinos have maintained their heritage by simultaneously preserving the food culture of their homeland and adapting to the available ingredients and culinary practices in the United States. Given the diversity of nations represented by Latino immigrants in the United States, as well as the fact that the population includes a mix of both recent immigrants and families that have resided in the United States for multiple generations, Latino cuisine cannot be categorized as homogeneous or uniform.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2011 Hispanics made up 16.7 percent of the population, an estimated 52 million people. Of the overall Latino population, persons of Mexican origin form the largest Latino population group, 63 percent. Therefore Mexican cuisine is an essential component of Latino cuisine, and a general overview of Mexican cuisine along with its historical background is vital to understanding the development of Mexican food and Latino food in general in the United States. Long-Solis and Vargas 2005 offers a general overview of Mexican food culture, while Pilcher 1998 examines the cultural history of Mexican cuisine in a study that explores the food-related conflicts between Europeans and Mexican natives. Albala 2012 compares Mexico’s culinary history, key ingredients, and cooking tools with those of China and Italy. Janer 2008 offers a broad overview of the foods of all the different Latino groups in the United States, along with chapters on foods for special occasions, eating out, etc. Gabaccia 1998 provides a broad discussion of ethnic foods in the United States, while Anderson 2005 discusses how to define cuisines by nationality or region and makes references to the exchange of food and culinary traditions that has historically taken place between the United States and Mexico.

Albala, Ken. Three World Cuisines: Italian, Mexican, Chinese . Lanham, MD: AltaMira, 2012.

Albala discusses the parallel culinary histories of Italy, Mexico, and China. While Latino cuisine in the United States is not the focus of his work, Albala’s study provides important historical background to understanding the contributions of Mexico to global cuisine today. He briefly discusses the incorporation and adaptation of Mexican cuisine into mainstream American cuisine in the final decades of the 20th century.

Anderson, E. N. Everyone Eats: Understanding Food and Culture . New York: New York University Press, 2005.

Anderson’s study, particularly the chapter “Foods and Borders,” (chapter 12, pp. 186–208) discusses defining cuisines by nationalities or even regions and the value of food in representing the identities of ethnic groups. He analyzes the development of the United States’ culinary landscape and the influence of the United States-Mexico border on this evolution and discusses why Mexicans in California have preserved their culinary culture for centuries.

Gabaccia, Donna. We Are What We Eat: Ethnic Food and the Making of Americans . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1998.

Discusses how food choices reflect American consumers’ evolving identities, how Americans are willing to “eat the other,” (p. 9) as well as the history and development of popular ethnic foods, such as Tex-Mex, and early entrepreneurs of these foods.

Janer, Zilkia. Latino Food Culture . Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2008.

Janer provides a broad historical overview of the diverse Latino groups; their presence in the United States; and their cuisine, including Mexican, Caribbean Latino, Central American, and South American. She includes chapters on major ingredients, eating out, diet and health, and special occasions, as well as a useful glossary of terms.

Long-Solis, Janet, and Luis A. Vargas. Food Culture in Mexico . Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2005.

Although the focus is Mexico and not the United States, this book gives a historical overview and introduces readers to the major foods and ingredients, regional differences, etc. Provides readers with a background vital to understanding Mexican cuisine in the United States.

Pilcher, Jeffrey. ¡Qué Vivan los tamales! : Food and the Making of Mexican Identity . Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1998.

Pilcher’s cultural history of food in Mexico traces the influence of gender, race, and class on food preferences from Aztec times to the present and relates cuisine to the formation of national identity. He describes the “tortilla discourse”—the colonial conflict between the Mexican natives’ use of corn and the Europeans’ use of wheat—and how that influenced regional and socioeconomic differences in Mexican cuisine.

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Life & Letters Magazine

The Taco Truck: Author Takes His Research to the Streets

By Rachel White November 19, 2019 facebook twitter email

Photos by Robert Lemon

Much like the government, the railroads, farmland and cities, the United States food truck industry was built on the backs of immigrants.  

“The Mexican food truck changed how we looked at our cities,” argues Robert Lemon, an expert in urban geography with a bachelor’s and doctorate from The University of Texas at Austin.

Lemon’s book, The Taco Truck: How Mexican Street Food is Transforming the American City , examines the evolution of the taco truck, from its humble beginnings as fast food for the immigrant working class to today’s millennial-driven, multibillion-dollar mobile food industry.

It is a culmination of five years of research on taco trucks and insightful interviews with taqueros , or taco chefs, and communities across the U.S. While that may sound delicious, Lemon’s interest in the subject actually piqued after a taco truck in Columbus, Ohio, left a bad taste in someone’s mouth.

“Some people saw them as eyesores, claiming they would attract crime,” explains Lemon, who worked with Columbus neighborhood services while earning his master’s at Ohio State University. “Taco trucks can spark a range of debates, from cultural perceptions of how public and semi-public space should be used to aspects of restaurant competition.” 

To help incorporate the trucks, Lemon began visiting and getting to know their immigrant owners, how they were adapting to life in the U.S., and, most importantly, why they chose to sell tacos. Through his research, he unraveled the ethnic, class and cultural threads woven into the taco truck’s history and the public spaces they occupy across the U.S. 

“Food has no meaning; the people around food give it meaning,” he says. “Our sociology around food shapes our cities — who our populations are, what they eat, how they talk about it. Those perceptions shape policy. They change who can eat what, where.”

Taco ’bout History

The taco truck first arrived on the American scene by way of migration — Mexican laborers traveling to regions such as Los Angeles in the early 20th century. Taking notes from mobile food vendors that came before — chuck wagons serving cowboys on cattle drives; lunch trucks serving workers at construction sites — the taquero would drive around to agricultural sites, serving up quick, affordable eats to laborers in the field.

“In this way, the trucks exemplify an aspect of foodways; estranged emigrants search for fond memories of home through food and through the taquero, who knows how to make such food,” Lemon explains.

Over time, the cost for taco delivery — gas, maintenance, driving time — began to add up. So, trucks began settling within and near California’s Latino neighborhoods, a change welcomed by working-class immigrants familiar with the idea of street food and hungry for a taste of home. 

“Taco truck owners have produced a space to provide inexpensive comfort cuisine to an immigrant clientele. In so doing, they have found an economic avenue to tap into,” Lemon writes. “The taco truck’s design and function allows it to seamlessly integrate into the social fabric of Mexican immigrant communities.”

He adds: “Unfortunately, its practice does not always fit into the ways that many Americans wish to perceive their neighborhood spaces.”

A Beautiful City

Street food has been a part of Mexican lives for centuries, with roots as far back as the market of Tlatelolco in the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) where ancient people munched on tamales while sipping pulque — booze made from agave sap. 

And although street food was widespread throughout the American Southwest in the 18th and 19th centuries, the U.S. has a long history of pushing out informal commerce. In his book, Lemon points to the San Antonio “chili queens” — “the most mystical Mexican street food vendors in the United States” — as a prime example. 

In the late 1800s, a group of Mexican women cooked up some of the best chili around, dishing it out to crowds of tourists in downtown San Antonio. As their popularity grew — wide enough to be featured at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair — so did the efforts to disband them through excessive health regulations and criminalization. Eventually, “eating Mexican chili in front of the Alamo was deemed an indecent practice.” 

“Cities sought to sanitize things,” says Lemon, describing the City Beautiful Movement, when city planning became more orderly and grand in hopes of promoting civic virtue. 

Street vendors, however, had no place among the aesthetic: “Street food was a little bit of a mess — cluttered, busy, maybe a little unsanitary too. So, instead of regulating, they just wiped it out.”

Highways paved over slums, car traffic replaced foot traffic, and cities built tree-lined baroque boulevards to drive up property values and create the perception of a high quality through order and control. The practice was reinforced in 1982 by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling’s “broken windows” theory, which postulated that minor forms of disorder, such as broken windows or informal commerce, underwrite neighborhood decline and reduce quality of life — a notion city officials have followed blindly without consideration as to what quality of life could mean for different people, Lemon argues.

“For most Mexican immigrants, traditional street food practices represent who they are as migrants from the developing world trying to make ends meet in a capitalism-driven society,” Lemon writes. “At the same time, vending tacos from a truck along the street may be seen by community members as threatening their own social identity. It is ultimately a cultural debate, and almost always an uneven one.”

Follow the Food

Like the chili queens, taco trucks became subject to a variety of rules, regulations and requirements in an effort to push them out of the city. At one point, Sacramento and Los Angeles required trucks “stay mobile” and move a half-mile every half-hour. Failure to do so would result in a fine or even jail time. 

Though stringent for immigrant taco truck owners who were already feeling economically pressed and socially ostracized, these regulations created a unique opportunity for a younger generation looking to leave their mark on the streets. 

“We’re seeing this renaissance, or resurgence, of people wanting to use their streetscapes.” Robert Lemon

Enter Kogi, a Koreatown-born food truck business that fought against the discriminatory regulations with Twitter and trend-hungry millennials. At the end of its first year in 2008, Kogi grossed $2 million in sales by tweeting the truck’s location and dishing out hybridized Korean barbecue tacos to its tech-savvy clientele.

“People really took to it. They thought it was so cool to find and follow their favorite truck,” says Lemon. “This is how the food trucks could resist being zoned out of the city.”

While taco truck owners didn’t follow suit due to lack of technology and funds for more expensive, trendy foods, Kogi improved the food truck’s overall image, paving the road for the gourmet food truck movement. According to Forbes , the size of the food truck industry in the U.S. alone is estimated to grow up to 20% in 2019.

“We’re seeing this renaissance, or resurgence, of people wanting to use their streetscapes,” says Lemon, describing how taco trucks continue to reflect and contribute to the evolving character of their neighborhoods.

“The taco truck’s spontaneity makes the street a serendipitous urban landscape that harks back to the ways city streets originally functioned, before the advent of the car,” Lemon writes. “The street becomes pedestrian again, ironically through the socio-spatial practices of a motorized truck. But the taco truck’s nonconforming uses, its unpredictable qualities, and the chaos it supposedly induces disrupt, disturb and challenge the contemporary conformist concepts of the street and to whom the street belongs.”

Recognizing the value of such spaces, today’s city planners have begun “manipulating things to their advantage” by planning pockets of perceived spontaneity where food trucks can operate legally and attract free-flowing capital, while still maintaining control through heightened permit costs and increased regulations. 

“Foodways, which were traditionally sluggish processes of social integration, are quickly becoming ways to sell a city as a multicultural playground,” Lemon writes. “Now that urban developers and city councils select culinary narratives to sell their communities, city planners and elected officials must be mindful for whom these narratives benefit.” 

Essay on Mexican Culture

Students are often asked to write an essay on Mexican Culture in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Mexican Culture

Introduction to mexican culture.

Mexican culture is rich with history and color. It comes from ancient civilizations like the Aztecs and Mayans. Today, it’s a mix of those traditions with influences from Spain and other countries. People in Mexico are known for their love of family, music, and food.

Festivals and Holidays

Mexico is famous for its lively festivals. One of the biggest is the Day of the Dead, where families remember loved ones who have passed away. They decorate altars and graves with bright flowers and offer favorite foods.

Traditional Mexican Food

Mexican food is known worldwide. Tacos, enchiladas, and guacamole come from here. Corn, beans, and chili peppers are important ingredients. Meals are often shared with family, making eating a social event.

Music and Dance

Music and dance are key parts of Mexican culture. Mariachi bands play guitars, violins, and trumpets. Folk dances tell stories of Mexico’s history. The colorful costumes and lively rhythms are enjoyed by people of all ages.

Art and Craft

Mexican art is famous for its bright colors and patterns. Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo are well-known artists. Crafts like pottery, weaving, and silverwork show Mexico’s creativity and skill.

Mexican culture is a tapestry of traditions that celebrate life. It’s a blend of history, art, food, and music that brings joy to people and makes Mexico unique.

250 Words Essay on Mexican Culture

Mexican culture is a rich blend of native traditions and Spanish influence. It is known for its colorful art, lively music, and strong family values. Mexico’s history shapes its culture, from ancient civilizations like the Maya and Aztecs to the Spanish conquest.

Traditional Food

Mexican food is famous worldwide. Tacos, enchiladas, and tamales are just a few examples of the tasty dishes. Ingredients like corn, beans, and chili peppers are common. Families often gather to enjoy meals together, making food a central part of social life.

Festivals and Celebrations

Mexicans love to celebrate. One of the most famous events is the Day of the Dead, when people honor their loved ones who have passed away. There are also colorful parades, dances, and music. Christmas and Cinco de Mayo are other big celebrations full of joy and traditions.

Music and dance are vital in Mexican culture. Mariachi bands play lively tunes with violins, trumpets, and guitars. Folk dances tell stories of Mexico’s history and people. Young and old enjoy the rhythms and movements that make up Mexico’s musical heritage.

Family Values

In Mexico, family is everything. Relatives are very close and support each other. Big family gatherings with lots of food and laughter are common. Respect for parents and elders is taught from a young age, making family bonds very strong.

Mexican culture is a tapestry woven from history, food, celebrations, music, and family. It is a culture full of warmth, color, and life, inviting everyone to experience its beauty and traditions.

500 Words Essay on Mexican Culture

Mexican culture is a rich and colorful tapestry woven from a history that goes back thousands of years. It includes the traditions of the ancient Maya and Aztec civilizations, as well as influences from Spanish colonists who came to Mexico over 500 years ago. Today, Mexican culture is known around the world for its vibrant music, delicious food, and festive celebrations.

One of the most famous parts of Mexican culture is its food. Mexican cuisine is known for its bold flavors and colorful presentations. Dishes like tacos, enchiladas, and tamales are enjoyed by people all over the world. The food is often made with corn, beans, and chili peppers, which are ingredients that have been used in Mexico for a very long time. In Mexico, families often cook together and share meals, which helps to keep their cultural traditions alive.

Mexicans love to celebrate, and they have many festivals throughout the year. One of the most famous is the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, which is a time when people remember and honor their loved ones who have passed away. During this festival, families create altars with photos, candles, and flowers, and they might also visit the graves of their relatives. Another important celebration is Mexican Independence Day on September 16th, which marks the day Mexico began its fight for freedom from Spain.

Music and dance are at the heart of Mexican social life. Mariachi bands, with their trumpets, violins, and guitars, are a common sight at parties and celebrations. Folk dances, such as the Jarabe Tapatío, often known as the Mexican Hat Dance, tell stories through movement and are performed wearing traditional costumes. These art forms not only provide entertainment but also help to pass down history and traditions from one generation to the next.

Art and Handicrafts

Mexican art is famous for its bright colors and intricate designs. Artists like Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera have gained international fame for their paintings that often reflect Mexican history and culture. In addition to fine art, Mexico is also known for its handicrafts, including pottery, weaving, and silverwork. These items are not just beautiful; they are also important to the economy as they are sold to tourists and collectors.

Family is a very important part of life in Mexico. Many generations often live in the same house or neighborhood, and they support each other in daily life. Respect for elders is a key value, and children are taught to listen to and learn from their parents and grandparents. Family members celebrate important events together, such as birthdays and religious ceremonies, which helps to strengthen their bonds.

Mexican culture is a beautiful blend of history, art, food, and family. It is a culture that is both ancient and ever-changing, as new generations add their own stories to the rich tapestry that has been created over thousands of years. Understanding Mexican culture can help people from all over the world appreciate the diversity and depth of human traditions.

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If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Methods Of Communication
• Essay on Focus On Yourself Not Others
• Essay on Forgetting The Past

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Interesting facts about Mexican food Culture that every foodist should know

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In this post, Bianca is going to share very interesting Mexican food culture facts, the relationship that Mexican people have with food, eating habits, and traditions, and many interesting fun facts about food in Mexico.

So, grab a juice, sit back, and relax because you are going to enter into the authentic Mexican food world.

Mexican food Culture: An Overview

Anthony Bourdain once said:

“Americans love Mexican food. We consume nachos, tacos, burritos, tortas, enchiladas, tamales, and anything resembling Mexican in enormous quantities. We love Mexican beverages, happily knocking back huge amounts of tequila, mezcal and Mexican beer every year.”

“…as much as we think we know and love it, we have barely scratched the surface of what Mexican food really is. It is NOT melted cheese over a tortilla chip. It is not simple, or easy. It is not simply ‘bro food’ halftime. It is in fact, old– older even than the great cuisines of Europe and often deeply complex, refined, subtle, and sophisticated.”

Read the full article

As a Mexican, I don’t think I have read a better article (from a foreigner) than the one written by Anthony Bourdain. Honestly, every time I read it I tear up because I can definitely sense a person connecting to our country and culture and giving it the value that it deserves. I really recommend you to give it a read.

Did you know that one of the most important facts about Mexican food is that our gastronomy is now (and has been since 2010) on the UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity?

I must say that this makes me really proud and I ALWAYS mention it to every foreigner I meet.

Every time I have the opportunity to show off our gastronomy I do, and so, this article is one of those times.

What does writing Mexican food really mean?

To speak about the most popular Mexican food and our gastronomy in general is to talk about many different aspects related to Mexican food culture. Here below I am trying to share some facts:

• Mexican food history -many dishes and elements used to cook and serve the food come from pre-Hispanic times, and, much of the most popular Mexican food speaks also of the encounter of the Spanish culture with the original cultures of the territory. One of the main dishes that shows the combination of elements of different cultures is the “ Pollo con mole” (Chicken with mole) . The 2 main elements, cacao and chile are from Mexico, but, many of the spices and the chicken, come or were brought by Spain.
• Mexican food personality – Mexican food is flavor, color, shape and occasion all in one dish at a time. I would mention the pozole, for example.
• The creativity of Mexican food – many popular Mexican dishes speak about anecdotes of people stumbling upon new ways of serving a special dish or by replacing an ingredient for another, or even from contests created during a special date. Many popular Mexican dishes represent the creativity of a person or a community. Of course, we can think of “Los Chiles en Nogada”, the popular dish originated in Puebla , that was the winner of a contest that was made to commemorate the first 100 years of the Mexican independence.
• Mexican food diversity – 32 states in Mexico and every single one of them has a staple dish to brag about. Examples: “ Tikin Xic fish ” in Quintana Roo. “ Poc Chuc ” in Yucatan. “ Pan de Cazón ” in Campeche , “Sopa de pan” in Chiapas, “ 7 moles ” in Oaxaca, “ Pejelagarto ” grilled in Tabasco, and, twenty something more.
• Ancestral agricultural practices in Mexico : for many families in Mexico, sustenance still comes from what we call “ milpa ” and “ chinampas ”, and those 2 are forms of very sustainable agriculture that are traced to pre-Hispanic times. The “ Milpa ” is basically the piece of land in which corn has been grown since ancestral times by the indigenous people. It is a polycolture system in which we find not only corn but also squash, beans, and many other fruits, vegetables and cactus. This system is very efficient as it allows the coexistence of several species while they share resources like water, light and soil. The “ chinampa ” is another agricultural system that comes from ancestral times, but, the interesting thing about it, is that it is a technology to grow food in lakes. Basically, they were floating gardens that produced in the Aztec times things like: flowers, green vegetables, edible herbs, broccoli, squash and more.
• Mexican cuisine involves exotic flavors : some of the most popular Mexican food will involve all kinds of ingredients and all kinds of flavors. Combination of chilies and chocolate, or, fruits and meat, or even including insects in a main meal. Mexican food is interesting to say the least. One of the most exotic dishes is a simple “ quesadilla de huitlacoche ”, for example. The “Huitlacoche” is the fungi that lives in the corn. Or, of course, all kinds of insects in tacos or in salsas like: chapulines , Jumiles , chicatanas , and more.

So, as you can see, talking about Mexican food is not only to talk about what is most known or is more popular.

Talking about Mexican food is a whole journey through time, space and people.

The Mexican meal times

One of the things that modernity has caused in Mexico is the loss of the tradition of eating together as a family, mostly at lunch or dinner time.

When I speak about modernity I speak about it all: technology, phones, fast-paced life, work demands, and more. It hasn’t been long since I sat with my sisters and my mom to eat during a normal workweek. I think I can look back at maybe 2014.

I mean in special occasions we still do it, but generally speaking, it is definitely something that is being lost and it would be great if my “paisanos” (Mexicans addressing fellow Mexicans in a foreign country) would make an effort to get it back.

Talking about our mealtimes is as intense as everything else in our culture, so, I will just focus on two specific moments: family & “godines” weekday lunchtime and weekends with the family.

“La hora de la comida” (Main lunch weekday meal time)

In Mexico traditionally lunchtime is between 2 and 3 pm during the workweek, but, again, modernity and jobs have made us more flexible so, I will speak about how it was for me.

Families: When I was a kid and enjoyed lunch with my family. My dad would arrive at around 2.45 pm. The table would already be set with table cloth, table mats, and every condiment and extra needed for lunch: cream, cheese, tostadas (flat, crisp, fried or baked corn tortilla) or bread, salt, pepper, ice, and the “agua fresca” (fruit-flavored water) of the day. As soon as my dad arrived, we would all sit at the table. Yes, you guessed it, my mother would serve the food for everyone and then sit to eat with us.

I am sure that today things happen very similarly, but, there will be some families in which the father gets more involved than mine did, or, even families that have a person that cooks and serves the food for them.

Godines or 9 to 5 working people:  these are the people that don’t get to go home for lunch, and for them, in Mexico, we have something that is called “cocina económica ” (cheap kitchen”) and “ comida corrida ” (“food to go”). Basically, this is a place where a family (or a woman or a man) cook homemade food at cheaper prices than a restaurant, but, they only make a limited number of main dishes.

Usually a dish with beef, one with pork, one with chicken and one with no meat.

This main dish will include a soup or an appetizer a small dessert like jello or flan and a glass of “agua fresca” (fruit-flavored freshwater). Depending on which part of Mexico you are in, you can find meals like this from 40 to 95 pesos per person. A bargain! And, if you are lucky, you will run into a FANTASTIC cocina with a grandmother than cooks like the angels.

Where I live, in Playa del Carmen , Quintana Roo, cocinas económicas are not very common anymore or they are not as cheap, but, we can still find them. Nowadays a lot of people have replaced it with fast food at the malls.

Weekends with the family

Weekends are a completely different story, and, the habits will depend on your age and your family situation but generally, Saturdays and Sundays are to eat out. A family would be picked up by the father to go out for lunch after work on Saturday, and then, they will go to the movies or just to walk at a mall.

Usually, they will have lots of desserts and snacks , so, most probably there won’t be dinner anymore, since they are stuffed. And then, Sunday will be the day in which they wake up late and have breakfast at home together around 10 am, watch movies, and do nothing. Then, start moving around 2 pm and go out for lunch again around 3 or almost 4 pm.

This is different for a single person or a couple without kids. It will all depend on the habits. Sundays usually are to have some of the most popular Mexican food there is, or, what I call “hangover food”: birria , pozole , cochinita , menudo , tortas ahogadas . When I was eating meat still, I used to wake up after a party night and go for tacos ahogados . I used to live in Morelia, Michoacán where the tacos and tortas ahogadas were the hangover food.

Now, where I am, the hangover food is cochinita pibil and, Mexico City , for example, barbacoa or birria , for sure.

The staple food of Mexico

One of the questions that the passengers of the tours that I used to run in Mexico as a former tour leader asked was: what is the staple food of Mexico?

The easy answer is corn .

In Mexico, corn is part of our ancestral history . It has been grown since then in a form of agriculture that we call MILPA (ancestral agricultural practice). A MILPA, as a practice, involves also the growing of other crops along with corn such as beans and squash, which in turn are also part of our staple food.

Still, there is more. Think of LA MILPA as an ecosystem in which all the crops “help each other” to grow. So, we will find tomatoes, peppers, leaf vegetables, cactus and fruit trees. So, maybe you can notice then that our MILPA is actually a system that sustains Mexican people in terms of food intake and nourishment.

LA MILPA is the heart of Mexico’s food.

The reason why we are talking about tortillas is that they are made of corn and corn is the marrow of Mexican food. Also, because tortillas are found in many of our most popular dishes, if not in form of a taco, usually found in the center of a table for everyone to help themselves to one or 10.

But, I also wanted to give space t o honor the REAL handmade tortilla.

Nowadays we have a lot of tortillas everywhere, but, many of them come now from genetically modified corn turned into the industrialized dough, and mass made by a machine. Of course, we buy them and eat them, but, there is a moment in time when a Mexican comes face to face (and mouth to tortilla ) with the REAL HAND MADE ones, from scratch. And every time I know I am getting the real deal for my meal makes me yearning for the past, and, very happy and proud at the same time. Too bad I can’t eat too many tortillas, as I get full very fast.   

Handmade tortillas have a long process and of course, they involve all the planting of the corn and the harvesting too. Then, the removal of the leaves and the threshing of the corn. Then boiling the grains with limestone, washing it perfectly, and making the dough. Once the dough is made, the women know how to shape the tortillas by their hand and they place it on a comal and flip them, one, two, three times, and finally, they place the tortilla on the coal for it to blow up for 2 seconds for a better taste. The tortillas are carefully placed one on top of each other and wrapped inside a cotton cloth and set like that on a table for people to help themselves.

Unfortunately, this is something that is no longer alive on a normal day in the bigger cities and even towns, but, Mexican smaller rural communities still have this tradition as part of their routine and it’s lovely.

Mexican food culture and shared traits

Mexican food, as said before, is a very vast and dense subject. I mean, there are books such as “Como agua para chocolate”, available also in English and documentaries such as “Taco chronicles”, that are specific to this part of our culture, and so, I would need to write my own to go over it all, but, I don’t want to talk about the most popular Mexican dishes without drawing a somewhat general overview.

All over Mexico, you will find these common elements that are part of the Mexican food culture :

• Breakfast – with exceptions stablished by modernity, we will most of the times find fresh fruits or fresh juice, eggs of many styles and coffee. With no doubt either at the end or the beginning of breakfast, we will have to have a pastry. We Mexicans like our bread too.
• Brunch – during a week day brunch will happen mostly on the street. It will involve what we call “Vitamin T”. had you heard of that? Vitamin T is every food which name starts with a T: tacos, tlayudas, tostadas, tamales, tortas.
• Lunch – it will consist of at least 2 courses. A soup mainly and then the main dish. A main dish will most probably involve rice and beans as part of the sides of the protein. Rice of course is not endemic to Mexico, but, since its import, we have actually made it a very important part of our meals.
• Dinner – unless we go out for dinner or have guests in our home for a special occasion, dinner is usually lighter than breakfast or lunch. Habits are a very important part of the decisions that a Mexican person or family makes and has for dinner, but, I would say that most of us follow this premise passed on by our grandparents. To the question: “How or how much to eat, a mother would answer to her children: have a breakfast for a king, have a lunch for a prince, and, dine like a mendicant”.

• Street food & botanas (snacks) – there will be in the near future a dedicated article about this, but, you do have to know that there are 32 states in México and there are many gastronomy regions within the whole territory. Besides main popular dishes, street food and botanas are an inherent part of the Mexican food, and so, when you come to México, everywhere you go, looking for the popular street food or botana is a must.
• Aguas frescas (fresh waters) or non-alcoholic beverages – in Mexico, drinking sweet fruit /cereals water is a norm. Either during a meal or during a special occasion. Lemonade, Horchata, Tamarindo, cebada, Jamaica and more are just a few examples of the fresh sweet waters that we drink. Unfortunately, modernity has a lot of people drinking sodas, but, all our waters are still out there and very much part of the culture. There will be regions where you will discover modifications of a specific drink or maybe you will find a new one made of another fruit or even seeds. There are names to be mentioned such as: tejate or pozol or coconut cream. These drinks are either made of cacao or coconut or even corn. So, all over Mexico, you will find many different versions of this.
• Alcoholic beverages and spirits – Mexican gastronomy definitely includes alcohol. I mean, we are the land of the tequila and the mescal. But, this is not all that we have. Again, every state or gastronomical region has a spirit of its own. A fermented drink or an “a gua ardiente ” (hard liquor) of some sort. Or, definitely a combination of sweet and alcohol like for example in Jalisco, with the tejuino (fermented corn). Other drinks we can mention are the tepache (fermented pineapple and orange) in Mexico City, the rompope (type of egg nog) as well in Puebla and thoughout the center of Mexico, the balché from the Mayans (the bark and flower of a tree of the same name), the pox (corn hard liquor) from Chiapas or the charanda (sugar cane) from Michoacán, and many many more.
• Lastly (not really but, for now), TACOS: It is said that the word “taco” comes from several words of several indigenous languages, and, one of the most accepted is Tlahco from the Nahuatl language of the center of Mexico. The meaning of Tlahco according to interpretation is “half or middle”. So, in Mexico, yes, meat tacos are very popular, but, really, in Mexico everything is a taco. Once you grab a tortilla, put salt on it and roll it, you have made a taco. Then, like that, you can use the taco or tortilla as a utensil to push your food into a spoon. But also, you can make tacos of any dish. For example, the way I eat “ pollo con mole ”. I always shred my chicken, mix it all, place the mix in the tortilla, put sour cream and cheese, and, I eat a pollo con mole taco. And like that, with everything and everywhere in Mexico. And yes, if you wonder, we do mix our carbs with our corn tortilla. (Sorry-not-sorry!)

The most popular Mexican dishes by region

I will share a general overview of Mexican food by region from my own personal experience but more detailed posts on main dishes will follow.

Mexican food dishes in the south-east of Mexico

The states that are included in this region are Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Campeche, Tabasco and Chiapas.

The food from the fishing villages on the coast.

The most traditional dishes include fried fish and seafood ceviche. Every tour to the beach or an island will include this type of meal. The fishing villages that are original from this region have seafood and tortillas as staple food. So, if you are ever in Quintana Roo, make sure you try the mixed ceviche (with all the seafood available except lobster) and a family-size fried fish with sides or rice and beans to make your own tacos. Another very special fish dish is “Pescado a la Tikin-xic”. This dish is prepared in an underground oven and is charcoaled wrapped in banana tree leaves. In Campeche you can find the “ cazón empanadas ” (dog fish), or, in Tabasco the grilled “ pejelagarto ” (Tropical gar)

Mayan gastronomy

Elements in the Mayan food are: corn , pumpkin seed , Chaya lea f (like spinach), recado rojo (red spices paste), egg , cabbage , beans , pork , wild turkey , pickled purple onion, bitter orange among many others. In my experience, the dishes that I have seen more present in the traditional Mayan gastronomy and daily life are: tamales with chicken, cochinita (pork) and chicken pibil (marinated in a red paste of achiote seed), eggs with Chaya leaf and beans , cheese empanadas , salbutes , panuchos , papadzules , “relleno negro” (black stuffing / ash roasted chili chicken or pork stew)

While I write the names of the dishes I realize how I do have a moment, a story or a face attached to every single one of them.

Mexican food dishes in the center of Mexico

If you want to go on a food journey and you only have ONE destination to choose from, please, choose Mexico City. Mexico City is not only part of the central Mexico gastronomy region, but, it is the place where everyone from everywhere is, and so, everything is found there, and somehow, also blends of it all that makes the experience an unforgettable one.

The states that for the purposes of this article are included in this region are: Mexico, Puebla , Hidalgo, Querétaro , Guanajuato .

Also, when I think about central Mexico food, I think of holidays, street food, special occasions, and fun experiences.

Without any order in particular, the elements of the central Mexican food are corn, cactus, onions, tomatoes, beef , lamb , and a lot of chili peppers of every type for spicing the food or as the main dish.

The main dishes of central Mexico are: tacos dorados , enchiladas , chilaquiles , tlacoyos , chile en nogada , pastor tacos , chicken soup , barbacoa , birria , pozole tostadas , nopalitos , frijolitos and many more.

Mexican food in the Pacific (coast and central)

It is very hard to speak about “the best” Mexican food, because, that depends on your taste, but, if I was to choose, I would definitely choose the Pacific food. Yes, it surprises me too, but, I am realizing my favorite dish is the mole and the best one for me is the one from Oaxaca. And, there is where we find a lot of dishes with flowers and since I am a semi-vegetarian, I am able to combine my veggies with the mole plus I get to add that famous Oaxaca cheese for an out of this world culinary experience.

Plus, the pacific owns the tequila and the mezcal , so, it is hard to not be biased.

The states that we are including in this region are Oaxaca , Jalisco, and Michoacán . The pacific food region is also divided into coastal food and mainland food , but, the split is even more diverse because there are many more indigenous cultures within the region ( Mixtec , Zapotec , Purepecha , Huichol and more).

The main elements are corn , seafood ( shrimp and fish ), tequila , the very exotic 7 moles , seeds like nutmeg and sesame , dry fruits , chocolate , and much more.

The main dishes that I have come across in this region are, of course: the 7 moles of Oaxaca will all kinds of proteins and served mostly with rice, the tlayudas (Mexican pizza), the corundas , the tasajo , the cecina , more tamales, the “ carne con chile ” (beef with chile”), the enmoladas (enchiladas with mole), Birria , menudo , tortas and tacos ahogados , memelas , tarasca soup , enchiladas , and again, so, so, so much more.

Mexican food of the Baja Peninsula

This is the smallest region as it consists only of the food found in the Mexican Baja California peninsula which includes the Mexican states of Baja California and Baja California Sur .

Here the elements of gastronomy are wine , wheat flour tortillas and seafood . And yes, there is a lot of influence from our neighbor, the USA.

My experience in the Baja peninsula is smaller than the three previously mentioned regions, so, I will say that I know that people there eat a lot of grilled steak in tacos. Seafood tacos with cheese , marlin fish tacos (my favorite), and… here TWO FUN FACTS for you: there is a lot of Chinese food in Mexicali , a city of this region where there is a very big colony of Chinese immigrants (from a long time ago), and, the Cesar Salad! Yes! The world-famous Ceasar salad was created in Tijuana and then exported to the world.

Mexican food in the Mexican Northern Region ( El Nortii)

     I regret to say that this is where my experience goes down to almost 0. Why? It is definitely the “meat lovers” territory. Meat everywhere. The region is known for big farms of all kinds of cattle: cows, pigs, sheep. This is the region with less diversity in Mexico because it is very dry.

Besides the meats, some of the elements are chili and beans . And, in this area, specifically in the state of Chihuahua, we can find the also famous “Chihuahua cheese”, brought in by the Mennonites at the beginning of last century.

The wheat flower tortilla is popular here and also preferred.

Some of the dishes that I know and have tried (when I was eating meat) are huevos con machaca – scrambled eggs with shredded beef , chilorio (pork in chili), drunk beans (my favorite and I still do eat these sometimes). They are refried beans with bacon and beer. They are delicious. Lastly, hot dogs here are a very popular meal and burritos too. The burritos nevertheless are nothing resembling the ones found in the USA.

Almost done, for now…

I don’t know you but at this point, I am starving, and, coincidentally it is 2 pm here, so, it is time for lunch. So, I am going to go now but not before sharing with you that the experience of writing about our food was again one that I will cherish forever.

To be able to tell you all about it, besides research for reminding me things, I was able to access my own memory files and traveling once again.

So, after all the above, I started the article very proud, but, I end it once again in love of my culture and our gastronomy.

I hope I was able to take you through not only an interesting journey but one that invites you to try it all and to connect with us through the stories of our food too.

Bianca is a Mexican, a traveler, an ally, a dreamer, a creative, 100% human and so much more. Bianca has +20 years of experience in personal travel throughout 3 continents, and many countries, cities, towns, and communities. A passionate advocate of her country (despite it all), an amateur writer & blogger, an art lover, a certified yoga teacher, an entrepreneur, a neophyte researcher, a philosophy fan, and knowledge-obsessed. And, even if in baby steps, she is making the dream, come true through her brand: Mexico4Real Journeys

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Mexican food Essay

Filed Under: Essays Tagged With: Food , mexico

Despite the popularity of Taco Bell and Chipotle across the country, many Americans don’t really understand Mexican food. Most people who live in America don’t get to see the true beauty of food. We have fast food and microwavable food, while Mexican food is fresh and homemade. Mexican food varies by region, and there are certain ingredients that are used throughout Mexico. Mexican food has its roots from different countries. Each region in Mexico has its own type of food. Meat dishes are popular in the north, while in the south more dishes with vegetables and chicken are common.

Communities along the sea enjoy a lot of seafood dishes; using fish like grouper, red snapper, mojarra and snook. Lobster, crab and oysters are abundant. Some Mexican recipes incorporate influences from South America, the Caribbean and Africa. Common foods, such as tacos and tamales, receive a special touch in each region of Mexico.

White corn, beans, squash, tomatoes and chiles are the staples that have formed the foundation of Mexican cooking. The Mexican Indians relied on the combination of corn and beans for their protein, and they included small game, birds and fish whenever available. They either simmered or smoked the food. They did not have bread, but invented tortillas made of corn.

When the Spainards arrived in Mexico, they brought influences from the Romans: wheat, bread, olives and olive oil, the Germanic tribes: pork and lard, and the North African Moors: sheep, chickens and spices, such as cinnamon and cumin, fruit, rices and nuts. The Mexican Indians incorporated these ingredients into tacos, stews and tamales which we now consider typical Mexican cuisine.

The Term Paper on Program for Education, Health and Food in Mexico

The United Nations formulated global targets to be attained by all nations which are referred to as millennium development goals (MDGs), which need to be met by 2015. This is the foundation for the major development agendas set by separate nations in the world today that all are geared towards these goals. For instance these goals includes poverty and hunger reduction, universal primary education, ...

Chiles, one of the most recognizable flavors in Mexican cooking, was originally cultivated in South America. Mexicans continue to use dozens of varieties of chiles in cooking. Anchiote seeds and paste often season chicken and fish; dried and smoke jalapeños give Mexican soups, salsas and sauces a smoky flavor. Mexicans cooking also uses canella (white cinnamon), which has a more delicate flavor than its American counterpart.

In conclusion, Mexican food is unique in many ways! The food they eat can be exotic but delicious . Most food that they cook is healthy, filling, and is well desired. Different types of food comes from different regions of Mexico. Chiles is one of the most used ingredient of Mexican food. The ingredient can be used as a spice and was originated in Mexico.

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The Healing Power of ‘Speaking in Taco’

Why TikToks filmed at the taco truck, the taqueria, or otherwise around food feel so much like home

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Share All sharing options for: The Healing Power of ‘Speaking in Taco’

I spend a fair amount of time scrolling the depths of Latinx TikTok, and the subject of tacos is inevitably one of the subgenres that takes up much of my FYP. The first time I noticed Mario Lopez appearing in my feed — Lopez, who I still see as the muscly teen heartthrob who first flashed his sparkly dimples as A.C. Slater on the ’90s hit Saved by the Bell — it wasn’t a dance challenge video with his kids or some sort of SBTB nostalgia, but of him getting down on a plate of tacos from a taco truck in the San Fernando Valley. Is he saying “homes”? Did he just reach for a giant bottle of La Guacamaya Auténtica hot sauce to spice up that plate of tostadas de camarón?

In each of his food videos, Lopez explains to his viewers where he’s visiting and provides a few tips on what to expect. He’s sometimes accompanied by a friend who helps him dig into bountiful plates of birria, mariscos, tacos dorados, and other delicacies. At the end of one video, he hits up Mariscos El Bigoton in Pacoima, a traditionally working-class barrio tucked in the northeast San Fernando Valley — not far from where my family lived for generations — and gives the the seafood truck his own stamp of approval, declaring it “ Lopezy Worthy .”

“I’m a big foodie, anyone who knows me knows I love food,” Lopez says, noting that some of his favorite haunts are in the northeast San Fernando Valley: El Bigoton, Birria González, Sabor a la Mexicana, and Mi Lindo Sinaloa. “I love food trucks in particular; there’s a certain charm about them and I’ve tried to give them love when I can. The cool thing about social media is you can peel back the curtain and put yourself out there.”

Lopez joins a growing number of Latinx entertainers who are sharing their love of Mexican food, not only for the delicious content it produces, but to further illustrate the community’s influence on society. Eva Longoria’s CNN series Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico explores the far corners of the cuisine — she also highlights the contributions of one Mexican to the snack world in the 2023 film Flamin’ Hot , which traced the story of Richard Montañez, the (contested) inventor of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Danny Trejo’s built a growing LA empire of doughnut and taco shops; John Leguizamo’s NBC Peacock series Leguizamo Does America dives deep into the many ways that Latinxs shape American life, often using a taqueria as the backdrop for his interviews.

While Hollywood continues to fail to invest in Latinos by canceling critically lauded shows like This Fool , Vida , Gentefied , and other groundbreaking series in recent years, these entertainers and others are subverting this disempowerment by using the taco not only as a vehicle for self-expression, but also representation. And I’m here for it.

The appreciation for Lopez’s TikTok posts was immediate, no doubt, with legions of fans thanking him for keeping it real: “Mario went full Vatos Locos on us ,” read one comment, with another noting, “Homie is a real Mexican .” But another interesting thing happened. Over and over again, online commenters began to ask: Wait — is Mario Lopez Mexican? Among the videos that provoked much of the dialogue was one posted on September 26, 2023, earning reactions like:

“I’ve never heard u say ‘foo’ ,” “why did i just find out that mario lopez sounds like all my primos and tios ,” and “My whole life I finally hear his real voice. He sounds like George Lopez lol.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mario Lopez (@mariolopez)

The chatter — much of which was about Lopez’s proficiency in code-switching, loosely defined as adjusting one’s appearance, speech, behavior, and mannerisms so as to blend in in order to be treated more fairly or access opportunities — eventually made its way to X/Twitter. User lil h (@bigsnugga) summed up much of the discord with this comment , which received 53,000 likes: “ive only heard code switch mario i aint know he was this mexican,” causing Mario Lopez to trend briefly, and prompting him to speak up.

“When I’m around my friends I’ll talk how I normally talk when you’re with your homies. I’m from Chula Vista, so you know, you [have to] keep it real,” Lopez tells me during our conversation, which took place just before the Christmas season. “Everybody has their customer service voice. I can’t be hosting Access Hollywood and be like, ‘Hey, what’s up vato?’ I gotta keep it a little more professional. But when I’m out there with my buddies, or I’m out there eating and just being me then, you know, my guard is down and that’s the real me.”

For me, who grew up with the hum of Saved by the Bell in the background after school, it felt like Lopez was releasing some sort of pent up Corporate Latino energy that only those of us who’ve had to code-switch to get by in our careers can relate to. I learned to master this ability early on in my own career in journalism. If you called me on my office line while working at the Orange County Register during the aughts, I’d go right into my telemarketing voice, very much giving Nina from the 1999 cult hit Office Space ; hit me up on my cell, and you’d get “What up foo” Serena. I was often discouraged by my editors from writing about issues impacting the Latino community lest I be accused of activism. So I did much like what Lopez and countless others do: Get in where I fit in, raising my hand at every opportunity, placing my Latinidad not to the side, but not fully embracing my inner northeast SFV out loud in public settings either.

To be clear, even if Lopez’s Mexicaness was news to some, many of us knew he was gente: Lopez was born and raised in the border town of Chula Vista to parents who hail from Sinaloa. But up until he started giving foo vibes last year, we haven’t had many opportunities to see him without the veneer of his polished Access Hollywood look.

Watching Lopez’s TikTok posts, I could only think, Finally . Everything about them feels strangely liberating: from his ability to break down the subtleties of birria , to how he swoons over mariscos — a cornerstone of his family’s native Sinaloan cuisine — to the fact that some of his favorite taco haunts can be found deep in the gente -fied northeast section of the SFV. As a teen living in the sleepy suburb of Mission Hills, a few blocks away from the San Fernando Mission, some of my own favorite memories involved quesadillas stuffed with carne asada, with an Orange Bang to drink, at Que Ricos; seasoned fries from the long-shuttered Jimmy’s Place, among the iconic burger stands of LA County; or pupusas punctuated with curtido and salsa with my Salvadoran high school sweetheart (coincidentally also named Mario) on Van Nuys Boulevard.

These were the types of spaces I was most comfortable in, but as a food writer, I’m often invited into places my younger self never would have imagined she would gain access to. Power dynamics necessitate that I enable that code-switching mechanism in order to mask any insecurities that tend to creep in and present a confident, knowledgeable tastemaker. When I’m off the clock, you’re much more likely to see me in an oversized hoodie, ordering a big ol’ bucket of camarones from the mariscos truck, nourishing my crudo over a soothing bowl of menudo, or capping off a sleepy Sunday by picking up an order of pollo asado from the neighborhood taqueria. Food has a way of activating something inside of us, feelings of home and belonging, which is why I think that Lopez’s videos are so healing for those of us who’ve ever felt the need to snuff out our fire.

For many of us the taco, and more broadly Mexican food, has come to symbolize our identity. As an object that you can taste and feel, it’s much more tangible than one’s identity, which can be switched on or off. It’s not “negotiable” in the same way that Lopez’s identity was “negotiable” to some people. Hollywood may never recognize our LatinXellence, but the taco belongs to us. Y’all are just lucky we can share.

For Lopez, the taqueria experience is a little reminder of that. Even if he can’t make it to his hometown regularly to satisfy his cravings for his favorite neighborhood taco truck, he’s got these markers of culture at his fingertips in the Valley.

“It reminds me of my neighborhood where I grew up in Chula Vista, which is a border town,” Lopez tells me of his affinity for the area. “We get a lot of authentic Mexican food and a lot of family-owned restaurants, or places, whether it’s a truck or what have you. It just kind of makes me feel like I’m back home.”

Since I moved away, I’ve only returned a handful of times, usually to reminisce with old friends. But like Lopez, I’m always on the lookout for my new favorite taquerias — whether in my current city of Detroit, or Chicago, or Orange County, or Houston — spaces that support me in feeling safe to be me.

Like him, I still code-switch when the moment calls for it. I’ve got to cash those checks, too. But at least I know that speaking in taco is a more widely understood language.

Carina Guevara is a freelance illustrator based in Austin, Texas.

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"Perfectly predictable": Dr. John Gartner on why "a malignant narcissist like Trump" sells Bibles

"it fits perfectly into both his personality disorder’s hypomanic grandiosity and its paranoid sense of grievance", by chauncey devega.

American fascism is a form of political religion. It is a social force based on faith and emotion and corrupt power more than a coherent ideology grounded in reason, facts and the truth. As such, fascism is antithetical to real democracy and normal politics.

Trumpism and the MAGA movement are American fascism’s largest and most popular denomination and sect. Donald Trump is the high priest and Dear Leader.

On Monday of the Easter Holy Week, Donald Trump shared a post on his Truth Social disinformation platform where he appeared to compare himself to Jesus Christ being tortured on the Cross. Why? Because Trump is finally facing some type of real accountability from the law for his decades-long obvious crime spree.

On Tuesday, Donald Trump continued to honor Holy Week by announcing that he is selling his own version of the Bible . Trump has publicly and repeatedly stated that he is a Christian. But by definition, his behavior is blasphemous and an example of idolatry. Of course, Trump does not worship God or Jesus Christ; he has shown himself to be a megalomaniac and malignant narcissist who only worships himself (and of course money and other forms of power). Trump basically views his MAGA followers and other “Christians” as useful idiots who are a source of narcissistic energy, money and other resources for him.

"One of America’s most enduring faiths isn’t Christianity, Islam or Judaism - it’s White supremacy."

On Friday (“Good Friday” in the Christian Holy Week), Trump wallowed in his love of violence by sharing an image of President Biden, bound and gagged in the back of a pickup truck. This is another threat of assassination and murder by Donald Trump against President Biden .

Trump then “celebrated” Easter Sunday by issuing the following paranoid, conspiratorial, lie, and threatening pronouncement on his Truth Social disinformation platform:

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL, INCLUDING CROOKED AND CORRUPT PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES THAT ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO INTERFERE WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 2024, AND PUT ME IN PRISON, INCLUDING THOSE MANY PEOPLE THAT I COMPLETELY & TOTALLY DESPISE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DESTROY AMERICA, A NOW FAILING NATION, LIKE “DERANGED” JACK SMITH, WHO IS EVIL AND “SICK,” MRS. FANI “FAUNI” WADE, WHO SAID SHE HARDLY KNEW THE “SPECIAL” PROSECUTOR, ONLY TO FIND THAT HE SPENT YEARS “LOVING” HER, LONG BEFORE THE GEORGIA PERSECUTION OF PRESIDENT TRUMP BEGAN (AND THEREBY MAKING THE CASE AGAINST ME NULL, VOID, AND ILLEGAL!), AND LAZY ON VIOLENT CRIME ALVIN BRAGG WHO, WITH CROOKED JOE’S DOJ THUGS, UNFAIRLY WORKING IN THE D.A.’s OFFICE, ILLEGALLY INDICTED ME ON A CASE HE NEVER WANTED TO BRING AND VIRTUALLY ALL LEGAL SCHOLARS SAY IS A CASE THAT SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT, IS BREAKING THE LAW IN DOING SO (POMERANTZ!), WAS TURNED DOWN BY ALL OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES, AND IS NOT A CRIME. HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE! 

As the 2024 election approaches, and the pressure from the hundreds of millions of dollars in fines and legal expenses increases, and his criminal trials (finally) begin, Trump will only escalate his claims of godhood and divine status and power. Trump’s followers are desperate and eager to earn his blessings and will do almost anything – including violence – for the personal fascist lord and savior and cult leader.

In an attempt to better understand Trump’s Bibles and how they relate to the larger democracy crisis, I recently spoke to a range of experts.

These interviews have been lightly edited for clarity and length :

Federico Finchelstein is a professor of history at the New School for Social Research and Eugene Lang College in New York. His most recent book is " A Brief History of Fascist Lies ."

The MAGA movement pushes its religiosity into the most bizarre form of greed. Trump's conflation of the Bible with doing business and his own comparisons with Jesus's suffering ideas are separate dimensions of the same phenomenon, namely the fascist tendency to make the leader a God-like figure who is not exempted from corrupted practices. In this case Trump desperately needs money. Hitler and Mussolini enriched themselves by writing and selling their writings but Trump's also wants to make money with sacred texts.

There is no question that Trumpism is an extreme political religion. Like the fascists, Trump not only makes alliances with religious actors but also appropriates Christianity for its own political and economic gains.

Dr. John Gartner , is a prominent psychologist and contributor to the bestselling book "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President."

Of course, a malignant narcissist like Trump, physically sitting at the defendant’s table being prosecuted for his multiple crimes, would liken himself to the crucified Christ. It fits perfectly into both his personality disorder’s hypomanic grandiosity and its paranoid sense of grievance and persecution. And to complete the package, because malignant narcissists are also anti-social con men, he’s grifting off of Trump Bibles. It’s all perfectly in character and perfectly predictable. History is full of strongmen who declared themselves to be divine. It follows that anyone who does not bow down mindlessly in obeisance to them is evil, and must be purged, for society to be cleansed, to usher in the “Great Leap Forward” or “Thousand Year Reich.”

I’ve always found the image of Trump holding the Bible upside down to be profoundly meaningful and revealing. He’s the epitome of everything anti-Christian. Christ is reputed to have said: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” I don’t think anyone has accused Trump of displaying any of those traits even once in his 77 years on Earth.

Julie Ingersoll is a professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Florida. She teaches and writes about the Christian Right. She is the author of numerous books and articles including “Evangelical Christian Women: War Stories in the Gender Battles” and “Building God’s Kingdom: Inside the World of Christian Reconstruction."

Last week started with Trump embracing how his supporters identify him as a Christ figure in a way that other Christians see as out-and-out idolatry,  Through Holy Week they amped up the Christian persecution narratives as a shield against accountability or the former President .  As if that wasn’t enough, we then watched Trump hawking Bibles like they’re Trump steaks or tacky ballcaps. But before we collectively shake our heads in disbelief or disgust, it’s worth thinking about where these views come from and paying careful attention where they can go. There is a long history of Christians rhetorically identifying with Jesus' persecution —but the focus has become so pronounced that many use their own perceived level of “persecution” as a measure for the degree to which they can claim to be authentic Christians.

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Of course, in a society dominated by Christianity—and increasingly dominated by their brand of Christianity, it’s hard to see actual persecution. But that’s when mythic narratives are most helpful. Facts be damned; Trump is the victim of “evil accusers.” Scholars who look at Religion and Violence point to the unique dangers of the ”cosmicization” of conflict. With mundane conflict, disagreement between individuals over material, earthly issues, compromise and resolution is possible. But once conflict is infused with a cosmic framework in which real live people are identified as forces of good or the forces of evil, literal representatives of God or Satan, resolution becomes impossible. Violence is made much more likely. This is dangerous language and we need to be prepared that no matter how the next few months unfold our freedom, our safety and our democracy are at risk.

Darrin Bell is a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist, creator of the syndicated comic strip Candorville, and author of the graphic novel “The Talk." He is also a contributing cartoonist for the New Yorker.

There’s a reason why autocrats tend to portray themselves as messianic figures: religious faith doesn’t require logic, facts, or evidence, or compromise with those who are outside the faith. It only requires a belief that your view of the world is correct, that anyone who disagrees with your worldview is either unenlightened or purposely trying to lead you astray from the one true path, and that any opposition to your religious leaders are actually attacks upon your faith.

One of America’s most enduring faiths isn’t Christianity, Islam or Judaism - it’s White supremacy. Those who believe in that faith suspected they found their messiah when he came down that escalator in 2015 and proudly spewed bigotry about Mexican immigrants. Their faith in him grows in inverse proportion to the skyrocketing evidence of his criminality, his bigotry, his corruption, and his sociopathy. Trump’s many critics and prosecutors are just heretics trying to lead them astray. Donald Trump is cultivating that foolishness because that’s what aspiring dictators do. It’s the best way to stay out of prison while they’re lining their pockets and destroying their countries’ traditions and institutions in their pursuit of “absolute immunity” and absolute control.

André Gagné is a professor and the chair of Theological Studies at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. He is the author of "American Evangelicals for Trump: Dominion, Spiritual Warfare, and the End Times."

Trump has once again skillfully managed to compare himself to Jesus to bolster his supporters’ view that he has been “chosen by God,” and this during Holy Week which leads to Easter, which is celebrated by many Christians (Easter comes in early May this year for Orthodox Christians). The comparison to Jesus came from a Trump supporter who made a parallel between Trump’s legal troubles, seen as a form of persecution, with Jesus’ persecution and trial during Holy Week. The supporter’s message is then followed by a quote from Psalm 109:3-8 (from the New King James Version). Of course, the immediate context of Psalm 109 does not refer to Jesus (and even less so to Donald Trump!), it is rather a lament attributed to King David labeled against false accusers. The lament also contains an imprecatory prayer asking God to bring judgment on David’s oppressors. But for those familiar with the biblical text, Psalm 109:8 (“Let his days be few; and let another take his office.”) was reinterpreted in the New Testament, by the writer of the Book of Acts, and applied to one of the 12 apostles, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. What is therefore meant here is that Trump (and his supporter) sees those who persecute him as “Judases,” and that ultimately, Trump and his supporters believe that he will vindicate by God. The words “… and let another take his office” (Ps 109:8b) most likely meant for the Trump supporter that he prays God for Trump to replace Biden as president.

Among other things, the analogy between Trump and Jesus is completely off mark. Psalms of lament serve to highlight how righteous individuals fall prey to persecution, despite being good to others. This is what David writes and what happened to Jesus of Nazareth. Can this be said of Trump? Also, the person described in these verses says: “I give myself to prayer… they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.” Can this also be said of Trump? A recent Pew survey noted that few Americans see Trump as religious, even if Republicans “think he stands up at least to some extent for people with their religious beliefs.”

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter , Crash Course.

It is ironic that Trump is now promoting a new “God Bless the U.S.A.” Bible. People can certainly be skeptical when it comes to Trump having ever read the Bible – despite him saying that he has many Bibles in his home. One can have many books without ever reading any of them! We remember when Trump was asked a few years ago to tell people what his favorite Bible verse was, and could not name one verse, but just said “I wouldn’t want to get into it. Because to me, that’s very personal… The Bible means a lot to me, but I don’t want to get into specifics.” And the time at Liberty University when Trump quoted from “two Corinthians” (those familiar with scriptural referencing know that it’s “Second Corinthians”). There is little evidence of biblical literacy on the part of Trump, and this new stunt will likely serve him through his financial problems.

David L. Altheide is the Regents' Professor Emeritus on the faculty of Justice and Social Inquiry in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University and author of the new book " Gonzo Governance: The Media Logic of Donald Trump ."

Social scientists have long studied how politicians and dictators couch their agendas in religious terms. Donald Trump is an entertainer, entrepreneur, propagandist, and cult figure. His latest attempt to make money by proclaiming that the United States is a Christian nation violates the First Amendment to the Constitution, which states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…” Defendant Donald Trump’s legal bills and payment of massive fines leads him to curry the favor of religious zealots as he promotes Christian Nationalism. He needs money for his campaign, and he needs votes for president.

He is using the politics of fear to promote the lie that Christianity is under attack by our established institutions, including state and federal courts. Trump cajoles followers to salvage his financial soul and send him money because he, like Christ, is being persecuted. Trump stated: Happy Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Again. As we lead into Good Friday and Easter, I encourage you to get a copy of the God Bless The USA Bible.

Unlike organizations that give away Bibles, Trump’s company is selling “God Bless the USA Bible” for sixty bucks. The Trump Bible will include the Constitution, the Pledge of Allegiance, words to the song, God Bless the USA, and a likeness of Donald Trump. A similar deal was proposed in 2021 but was scrapped because of complaints by Christians.

There have been many attempts to market specialty Bibles, including for political purposes. For example, in 1970, President Eisenhower’s picture was featured in “Good News for Modern Man,” Dwight David Eisenhower Memorial Edition. But more is involved than mere money grubbing with religious documents. Trump is promoting Christian Nationalism by combining religious and political symbols. Notwithstanding that Donald Trump was incapable of discussing the Bible intelligently in several interviews, he has joined forces with those who proclaim that public life and religious commitment must be uniform. Christian religious leaders traditionally have opposed aligning sacred text with political tracts like the U. S. Constitution because this would suggest that both documents are equal. And this is what many Christians objected to just a few years ago. As the First Amendment implies, democracy can only work if citizens of varied religious and political views separate their private and personal religious preferences from public life and discourse.

Trump continues to promote Gonzo Governance by attacking established institutions, principles, and political practices. The former president advocates for a Christian nation and demeans the Bible by pandering to pay his legal bills. Indeed, many religious Americans may find scriptures in the Bible to dissuade them from following this crass appeal. Consider Second Timothy, 3: 2: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.”

about this topic

• Trump’s megalomania is a trap for the GOP
• The "martyrdom" of Donald J. Trump
• Trump's love letters to MAGA: Campaign emails forge a cult bond

Chauncey DeVega is a senior politics writer for Salon. His essays can also be found at  Chaunceydevega.com . He also hosts a weekly podcast,  The Chauncey DeVega Show . Chauncey can be followed on  Twitter  and  Facebook .

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4 Men Showing Signs of Beating Charged With Terrorism After Moscow Attack

The four accused of carrying out an assault at a concert hall near Moscow are migrant laborers from Tajikistan. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

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By Neil MacFarquhar

• March 24, 2024

The four men suspected of carrying out a bloody attack on a concert hall near Moscow, killing at least 137 people, were arraigned in a district court late Sunday and charged with committing a terrorist act.

The four, who were from Tajikistan but worked as migrant laborers in Russia, were remanded in custody until May 22, according to state and independent media outlets reporting from the proceedings, at Basmanny District Court. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The press service of the court only announced that the first two defendants, Dalerjon B. Mirzoyev and Saidakrami M. Rachalbalizoda, pleaded guilty to the charges. It did not specify any plea from the other two, Mediazona, an independent news outlet, reported.

The men looked severely battered and injured as each of them was brought into the courtroom separately. Videos of them being tortured and beaten while under interrogation circulated widely on Russian social media.

Muhammadsobir Z. Fayzov, a 19-year-old barber and the youngest of the men charged, was rolled into the courtroom from a hospital emergency room on a tall, orange wheelchair, attended by a doctor, the reports said. He sat propped up in the wheelchair inside the glass cage for defendants, wearing a catheter and an open hospital gown with his chest partially exposed. Often speaking in Tajik through a translator, he answered questions about his biography quietly and stammered, according to Mediazona.

Mr. Rachabalizoda, 30, had a large bandage hanging off the right side of his head where interrogators had sliced off a part of his ear and forced it into his mouth, the reports said, with the cutting captured in a video that spread online.

The judge allowed the press to witness only parts of the hearings, citing concerns that sensitive details about the investigation might be revealed or the lives of court workers put at risk. It is not an unusual ruling in Russia.

Russia’s Federal Security Services announced on Saturday that 11 people had been detained, including the four charged men, who were arrested after the car they were fleeing in was intercepted by the authorities 230 miles southwest of Moscow.

In the attack, on Friday night, four gunmen opened fire inside the hall just as a rock concert by the group Piknik was due to start. They also set off explosive devices that ignited the building and eventually caused its roof to collapse. Aside from the dead, there were 182 injured, and more than 100 remain hospitalized, according to the regional health ministry.

President Vladimir V. Putin used the fact that the highway where the men were detained leads to Ukraine to suggest that the attack was somehow linked to Ukraine’s war effort. But the United States has said repeatedly that the attack was the work of an extremist jihadi organization, the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility.

The first charged, Mr. Mirzoyev, who had a black eye and cuts and bruises all over his face, leaned for support against the glass wall of the court cage as the charge against him was read. Mr. Mirzoyev, 32, has four children and had a temporary residence permit in the southern Siberian city of Novosibirsk, but it had expired, the reports said.

Mr. Rachabalizoda, married with a child, said he was legally registered in Russia but did not remember where.

The fourth man charged, Shamsidin Fariduni, 25, married with an 8-month-old baby, worked in a factory producing parquet in the Russian city of Podolsk, just southwest of Moscow. He had also worked as a handyman in Krasnogorsk, the Moscow suburb where the attack took place at Crocus City Hall, at a concert venue within a sprawling shopping complex just outside the Moscow city limits.

The Islamic State has been able to recruit hundreds of adherents among migrant laborers from Central Asia in Russia who are often angry about the discrimination they frequently face.

Alina Lobzina , Paul Sonne and Milana Mazaeva contributed reporting.

Neil MacFarquhar has been a Times reporter since 1995, writing about a range of topics from war to politics to the arts, both internationally and in the United States. More about Neil MacFarquhar

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

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