Five Paragraph Essay

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. 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