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Mexican Cuisine

Edited by Madelyn Miller, the travelLady

Mexican cuisine is diverse and varies from region to region, a product of the country’s varied geography and history. Due to Mexico’s wide variety of climates and bordering oceans, the national cuisine utilizes countless varieties of vegetables, fruits, animals and fish. Spanish and French colonizers also brought with them many culinary traditions, resulting in an eclectic blend of prehispanic, colonial and modern-day influences.

Prehispanic elements that have represented the staple of Mexican cuisine are very much present today. In Mexico, eating chiles is an age-old tradition. According to archaeologists, chiles were one of the first plants cultivated in Mesoamerica, with their consumption traced back to about 7000 B.C. The high vitamin A and C content of the vegetable thousands of years. Today, from tortillas to soups to corn-based drinks, corn or maize as it’s often called, is here to stay.

Aside from the ubiquitous taco and Mexico’s newly discovered haute cuisine, other “basics” originating in Mexico have also made their way to the world’s kitchen, and we’re not talking Corona and nachos; try chocolate, tomatoes, peanuts, avocados, squash, turkey and vanilla…further broadening the question, “Do you feel like Mexican food tonight?”made it an important component of the indigenous diet. Today, while chiles have gained worldwide recognition, with more than 120 varieties in Mexico, they are still highly underestimated by the rest of the culinary world. Corn is another example of a staple that has been around for generations.

TO GET A TASTE OF MEXICO AT HOME

CULINARY MEXICO
By Daniel Hoyer
Gibbs Smith Publisher
www.gibbs-smith.com

LA COMIDA DEL BARIO
By Ron Sanchez
Latin-American cooking in the USA
Sanchez is one of the cohosts of MELTING POT on Food Network
Clarkson Potter Publishers
www.randomhouse.com
www.clarksonpotter.com

A YUCATAN KITCHEN
By Loretta Scott Miller
Regional recipes from Mexico’s Mundo Maya
Pelican
www.pelicanpub.com

SPEAK LIKE A NATIVE

HIDE THIS SPANISH BOOK
Berlitz
The cover gives this warning: Highly inflammatory text inside, so not open near Spanish teachers, not for classroom use. Inside, you will find the lingo on sex—before, during and after, and fashion trends and styles.
www.berlitzbooks.com/hidethisbook.htm

LISTEN TO THE SOUNDS OF MEXICO

LATIN PLAYGROUNDS
A Fiesta of upbeat Latin American music for children and families
Putumayo World Music
www.putumayo.com

MEXICO
Savor the spicy and romantic flavors of Mexican music from the “sones” of Veracruz to the “boleros” of Oaxaca
www.putumayo.com

MUSIC FROM THE COFFEE LANDS
Melodic, uplifting Latin and African songs are the essence of this musical journey. Get a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy this music from the “coffee lands”
www.putumayo.com
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this Cd will be contributed to Coffee Kids, an International non-proift organization established to improve the quality of life for children and families who live in coffee-growing communities around the world.

MORE ABOUT MEXICO

BEST MAP
Hammond International
Mexico and Central America
www.hammondmap.com

GUIDEBOOKS

FROMMERS MEXICO 2006
(comes with foldout map)
By David Baird and Lynne Bairstow
Published by Wiley Inc
www.frommers.com

MEXICO: HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAVEL GUIDE
By Robert H. Page MD and Curtis P. Page MD
Including a comprehensive directory of the best hospitals and English Speaking Doctors
Published by MedToGo
info@medtogo.com

INSIGHT GUIDES MEXICO
Extremely well organized with lots of practical tips
Langenscheidt Publishers
www.insightguides.com

A TRAVEL GUIDE TO THE JEWISH CARIBBEAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN
By Ben G. Frank
A practical, anecdotal, and adventurous journey through historic Jewish Caribbean and South America including Kosher restaurants, cafes, synagogues, and museums, plus cultural and heritage sites.

LET’S GO MEXICO
Edited by Anthony Gabriele
ST.MARTIN’S PRESS
www.letsgo.com

Lonely Planet Mexico
Well organized with great pictures and maps
Terrific section on shopping
www.lonelyplanet.com

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDES MEXICO
DK PUBLISHING, INC
WWW.dk.com

FOLK WISDOM OF MEXICO
By Jeff M. Sellers
Proverbs turn truth into Poetry
www.chronicebooks.com

TRAVELERS TALES GUIDES
MEXICO
Edited by James O’Reily and Larry Habegger

MEXICAN DAYS
Journeys into the Heart of Mexico
By Tony  Cohan
www.broadwaysbooks.com

MOON HANDBOOKS PACIFIC MEXICO
By Bruce Whipperman
Avalon Travel Publishing
www.Moon.com

Michelin Tourist Guide to Mexico, Guatemala and Belize

HIDDEN BAJA
By Richard Harris
Ulysses Press
www.ulyssespress.com

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