Passing Time In The Mexican Markets

?Have you ever been to Baja California or Mexico? If you have then you know about all of the open air plazas and markets, or “mercados,” where you can find anything from gold jewelry to leather goods and just about anything under the sun. What I like the most about going to the mercados is that there is always an awesome array of food and food products from all over Mexico and other regions of Central America. I love walking in and seeing the men and women getting their wares ready, cleaning their store fronts and getting everything set up for a days business. In the mercados there is more energy than you would get from the American counterparts and there is a sense of home.

Home as in homeland. A cultural essence that is brought from the different regions of Mexico and Central America to right here in our own backyard. For a guerro like me, it is both exciting and overwhelming at the same time… ?Vamanos!

The two places that I’ve had an opportunity to visit in the last week were: Plaza Mexico in Lynwood, Ca and El Mercado in East Los Angeles. Both locations are quite similar as far as what is being offered, the types of tiendas, etc. The biggest difference I noticed was Plaza Mexico is a little bit more modern and slightly larger than El Mercado. However, I will say, the location of El Mercado in East Los Angeles gives it more of an old timey feel, which I enjoyed.

My tour guide for my trips was my long time friend and co-worker, Roberto Martinez. He and I have been friends and working together for almost 15 years… He and I go back almost to the start of my career. So I figured, who better to help me out on my quest to a better understanding of authentic Mexican food and food products than… Roberto? I’m sure that I could have done alright on my own (my Spanish is pretty good, I’ve been told?), but I thought I would be able to get more and learn more if he and I went together. So, that’s what we did- OK, back on topic.

I’ve been really wanting to get into Mexican and Central American cuisine, more than just eating it! I’ve been wanting to learn how to make tortillas, tamales, moles, sopes, etc.

You know, really get into the preparation and execution of regional cuisine and staples that you would find throughout both Mexico and Central America. For example, Roberto is from Michoacan and according to him and most food historians, Michoacan is the birth place of one of my favorite all time dishes- Carnitas! When I ask my friend about what makes the Carnitas from Michoacan different than and more special than from other areas, he points out the strict use of a “caso,” to cook the pork in. A “caso” is a deep copper pot that is the traditional choice for cooking of the Carnitas and is said to give a slightly different and better flavor to the pork itself.

As we walked around in between the vendors standing in front of stores calling out to buy their products, we would stop every now and again and take a look at the different types of tortilla and huarache presses, both wood and aluminum types, different types of shallow pans and molcajetes, and tons of different specialized pieces of kitchen equipment- anything you’d need to make any dish in a Mexican kitchen. But what I really wanted to get into when I was there were the “carnicerias” and the “mercaditos.” These are the butcher shops and the markets where you can find all types and cuts of carnes, pollos, salchichas, pescados y mucho mas! If you don’t know what that means- you can find all types and cuts of meats, fresh sausages, chicken, fish and much, much more than that.

In the markets you had all kinds of completely wonderful goods. There were tons of different cheeses and prepared sauces, dried chilis, about 12 different types of mole base, prepared masa for tortillas, fruits and vegetables, fresh tortillas… I mean you couldn’t name all of the products that we found on our journey. OH, don’t let me forget the “panaderias!” All types of Mexican sweet breads and pastries and my favorite breads for tortas: bolillo and telera. I could go on and on and on. You get the picture.

If you haven’t experienced Los Mercados Mexicanos I highly suggest grabbin’ a friend or two and heading down sometime. If you are anything like me, you will absolutely find a little slice of heaven, and life there.

Savor The Mexican Food History

Many people love the delicious flavors that come from Mexico and at times, they might wonder what the Mexican food history is that brought these delicious foods. Since tacos, burritos, and chilies do not grow naturally, we know there have been different influences that brought us these different styles of foods. Of course, over the centuries our neighbors south of the border have had different cultures maintaining the control of the country.

The earliest food influence came from the ancient Mayans. This civilization took different animals and plants from the area and created dishes that were among some of the most basic for the time. A majority of the cuisine did include both gold and beans. This is why you find a considerable amount of both in modern foods. In fact, many of the different sections of Mexico continue to use the traditional recipes that were delivered from the Mayan culture and will create dishes for those visiting with many of the same spices and cooking styles that they were originally presented in.

After this era, chilies were introduced to the menu during the pre-Columbian times. In addition to these peppers, tortillas and tamales were then introduced and the locals began to create some of the more popular authentic dishes that we enjoy today. This period is one of the most important in the Mexican food history. It was also during this time that they discovered a number of different uses for the corn, so it had the chance to continue to grow and thrive in importance, which led to the discovery of other options down the road as well.

In 1521, the food of the Mexican culture was given a Spanish infusion. Quesadillas, spicy meat dishes and chile rellenos were then introduced during this time. This was essentially the last major change in the Mexican food history. These menu items blend in with the Tex-Mex cooking ideas that we know today. For the most part, the modern dishes are toned down with the ingredients and spices that people used to enjoy, so more people can enjoy them. For example, a tongue taco might not appeal to as many people as a general shredded beef taco might.

It is important to note that regionally, Mexico continues to remain diverse in the offerings that they have as well. So a dish you might find along the northern border might not even be offered closer to the southern part of the country. This is in essence similar to the styles that you find in the United States as well. As you study more about the Mexican food history, be sure you take a moment and understand each dish you enjoy, comes from a number of different generations fine tuning their favorite recipes.