La Tex-Mex Cuisine

If we look at the history of the term "Tex-Mex", we can see that it has been a dynamic one. This term was first used in the 1870's as a nickname for the Texas-Mexican Railway. As the years progressed, it was first printed in 1945 to refer to an adaptation of Mexican dishes by Texas cooks, but it is much more to it. Tex-Mex came into existence when the Spanish and Indigenous- Mexican foods combined Anglo fare in Texas several hundred years ago. It originated in southern Texas and Northern Mexico. The “Tex-Mex” was developed in Texas, so it is wrong to say is a version of Americanized Mexican food!

What makes Tex-Mex food so unique is the blend of different culture’s own ingredients and creating that crunchy, spicy, cheesy, etc. taste. The taste comes from both sides of the Rio Grande which includes the carne seca, barbacoa, cabrito, and other cattle products that were available in that time period. As you go north the food gets “cheesier, chillier and meatier,” according to Drape. The cheese was added to the food because in was very cheap in America, so there was an extra ingredient added! The tortilla was of course not forgotten. We can view Tex-Mex as the ultimate blend of ingredients that makes our lives joyful and great with the taste they provide.

Today, Tex-Mex is imitated by many fast food restaurants that have no idea of its meaning. This has created a potential confusion to where it comes from. There are a lot of people that believe that Taco Bell is pure Tex-Mex food or even Mexican food. In reality, Mexican food is not all spicy or cheesy. The native Mexican diet included tomatoes, chocolate, guava, maiz, frijoles, and avocados. The rice and the “meats” were introduced by the Spaniards. I think both cuisines have their own unique taste because of the ingredients used and the way they are cooked. They can be both different from region to region because there may people who uses other ingredients or cook it different. To and extension, these cuisines are just unique for their combination and of course, the flavor!