Every nation has its own traditions, especially when it comes to food. Mexico is no different, having many unique Mexican food traditions. Mexican food customs include certain dishes, which are served on holidays and other special occasions, with some of these dishes being well known as classic Mexican recipes all over the world.
Mexican Holidays And Recipes
Perhaps the best known of Mexican holidays is Cinco de Mayo. This celebration on May 5th every year is commonly thought to be Mexico's Independence Day holiday. As it happens, the holiday was declared not to celebrate Mexican independence from Spain, but the victory of the Mexican army over the French in 1862 at Puebla.
Outside of the state of Puebla, the holiday is a minor one - though there are some special Cinco de Mayo dishes, which are served on this day, especially in Puebla. This state is the region of Mexico where mole, an important ingredient in many traditional Mexican recipes was developed; and this is a popular sauce nationwide.
One traditional Cinco de Mayo recipe often made in Puebla for this holiday is turkey cooked in a mole sauce. This would be mole poblano in particular (the name means "Puebla-style mole"), a rich, nutty and spicy sauce which is worth every bit of the considerable time and effort needed to make it. Turkey is a popular food in Puebla and in fact, in much of the country. Turkey shows up not only here, but also in many Mexican recipes, even some of Mexico's other special holiday dishes.
Christmas And Other Religious Holidays
Mexico is a predominantly Catholic country, which celebrates Christmas (of course) as well as the feast days of many saints and other religious holidays. No country celebrates like Mexico, especially when it comes to holiday food! Christmas Mexican food traditions include the traditional Christmas morning "posada," a sort of morning dinner party.
At this holiday meal, the menu may include codfish, turkey soup, mashed potatoes with cranberry/chili relish and punch, especially with marshmallows. Adding to the festivity of the occasion is often a piata, something which Mexican children eagerly anticipate about their family's posada.
Epiphany is a holiday, which is celebrated in Mexico with festivity and food and has some Mexican food traditions of its own. On this day, a ring-shaped cake is served, a tradition introduced by the Spanish. Hot chocolate is traditionally served, a treat, which is native to the Americas.
Naturally, we cannot talk about Mexican food culture without a few words about Dia de los Muertos. This is how Mexico celebrates All Saints Day. On "the day of the dead," there are special holiday sweets which are eaten. These include dulce de calabasa, a candy made from pumpkin and pan de muerto. Pan de muerto is a bread, which is glazed and decorated with colored sugar, and smaller pieces of bread shaped like bones.
The most famous food tradition connected with Dia de los Muertos is the making of the colorful, skull shaped candies called sugar skulls. These are made from sugar which is pressed into molds and decorated, sometimes very elaborately - many of these candies are works of art which are simply to wonderful to eat!
Mexican food traditions are a reflection of this nation's rich cultural heritage and include traditional recipes of both indigenous and Spanish origin, a blend which is the hallmark of this country's cuisine, one of the world's most famous. - 30313
Mexican Holidays And Recipes
Perhaps the best known of Mexican holidays is Cinco de Mayo. This celebration on May 5th every year is commonly thought to be Mexico's Independence Day holiday. As it happens, the holiday was declared not to celebrate Mexican independence from Spain, but the victory of the Mexican army over the French in 1862 at Puebla.
Outside of the state of Puebla, the holiday is a minor one - though there are some special Cinco de Mayo dishes, which are served on this day, especially in Puebla. This state is the region of Mexico where mole, an important ingredient in many traditional Mexican recipes was developed; and this is a popular sauce nationwide.
One traditional Cinco de Mayo recipe often made in Puebla for this holiday is turkey cooked in a mole sauce. This would be mole poblano in particular (the name means "Puebla-style mole"), a rich, nutty and spicy sauce which is worth every bit of the considerable time and effort needed to make it. Turkey is a popular food in Puebla and in fact, in much of the country. Turkey shows up not only here, but also in many Mexican recipes, even some of Mexico's other special holiday dishes.
Christmas And Other Religious Holidays
Mexico is a predominantly Catholic country, which celebrates Christmas (of course) as well as the feast days of many saints and other religious holidays. No country celebrates like Mexico, especially when it comes to holiday food! Christmas Mexican food traditions include the traditional Christmas morning "posada," a sort of morning dinner party.
At this holiday meal, the menu may include codfish, turkey soup, mashed potatoes with cranberry/chili relish and punch, especially with marshmallows. Adding to the festivity of the occasion is often a piata, something which Mexican children eagerly anticipate about their family's posada.
Epiphany is a holiday, which is celebrated in Mexico with festivity and food and has some Mexican food traditions of its own. On this day, a ring-shaped cake is served, a tradition introduced by the Spanish. Hot chocolate is traditionally served, a treat, which is native to the Americas.
Naturally, we cannot talk about Mexican food culture without a few words about Dia de los Muertos. This is how Mexico celebrates All Saints Day. On "the day of the dead," there are special holiday sweets which are eaten. These include dulce de calabasa, a candy made from pumpkin and pan de muerto. Pan de muerto is a bread, which is glazed and decorated with colored sugar, and smaller pieces of bread shaped like bones.
The most famous food tradition connected with Dia de los Muertos is the making of the colorful, skull shaped candies called sugar skulls. These are made from sugar which is pressed into molds and decorated, sometimes very elaborately - many of these candies are works of art which are simply to wonderful to eat!
Mexican food traditions are a reflection of this nation's rich cultural heritage and include traditional recipes of both indigenous and Spanish origin, a blend which is the hallmark of this country's cuisine, one of the world's most famous. - 30313
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