Traditional Mexican cuisine is a complete cultural model that includes agricultural activities, ritual practices, ancient practical knowledge, culinary techniques and customs and ancestral community behaviors.
Likewise, Mexican cuisine is enriched by the different regions of the country, which derives from the experience of pre-Hispanic Mexico with European cuisine, among others.
These are seven curious facts about traditional Mexican cuisine:
- Traditional Mexican cuisine is recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Heritage of Humanity thanks to the great diversity of typical dishes.
- Mexican food generates 1.7 million jobs directly in the country, while 3.8 million indirectly; In addition, there are 515 thousand establishments.
It is estimated that tourists spend 30% of their food expenses.
- In the United States there is 57,000 Mexican food establishments, that is, 8% of the country’s total; Here Mexican food is the third most popular type of menu.
- There are 18 gastronomic routes where more than 1,500 traditional dishes and drinks from Mexico are made known to national and international tourists, which include: 155 destinations, 31 magical towns, 14 natural and cultural sites, 9 World Heritage cities and 25 ethnic groups.
- Mexican culinary art is very elaborate and full of symbols: tortillas and tamales consumed daily is also part of the offerings made on the Day of the Dead.
- The basic elements of the system are: corn, avocado, beans and chile with unique cultivation methods.
- Traditional Mexican cuisine also has preparation procedures such as nixtamalization (corn shelling with lime water to increase its nutritional value); and special utensils such as metates and stone mortars.
