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Spanish
Influences
When looking at the foods of different countries it is interesting to see where their roots come from. Particularly interesting is Mexican food history which comes from a blending of indigenous foods and the arrival of the Spaniards and everything that came with them. When these European explorers first came to what is now called Mexico City the area was inhabited by the Aztecs. These early inhabitants of Mexico had some foods that the Spaniards had never seen before. Drinks made of chocolate and vanilla mixed together appealed to them as did the large variety of foods that the people enjoyed. But the main things they ate encompassed corn and beans. They ate, and still do, many things made of these two food groups. One common food eaten was corn tortillas covered with a bean paste. Little did they realize that this healthy combination of much needed amino acids; two different kinds each of which complement the other make for a very healthy diet.
The 1500s, according to records of Mexican food history, was a time of change. The explorers from Spain were bringing many things the natives had never seen before. Spices like cinnamon, oregano and black pepper were being given to them. So were vegetables like grapes, carrots, potatoes and apples. They were introduced to olive oil, sugar, grains and nuts. New animals were seen that they never had laid eyes on. Included in this were pigs, cows, sheep, chickens and goats. This very much changed the way the people ate and prepared foods. Yet some things stayed as they had always been.
The use of corn to make tortillas is still very popular. It is one of the main types of foods eaten in Mexico to this day. But the quesadillas, one of the dishes sold most often in street shops, are a combination of early Mexican foods and the innovations brought to them by the Spanish. The fillings are now based on the meats introduced to them by the Spanish, the sauces and hot spices are their own, but even the lettuce they must thank the Spaniards for. Mexican food history further shows that the women, particularly the nuns, greatly influenced the dishes created for the people; especially the unique candies.
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