TexMex and MexiCali: What’s the Difference?

In the world of Mexican food there's far more than just "Mexican food," and there's far more categories than just "real Mexican food" and "TexMex." There's many regional differences in food within the country of Mexico itself and there's also differences in the Mexican food found within various states in the United States. Here is a guest post from Carolyn K. about the differences between TexMex and MexiCali food:

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Visitors of California and Texas may not see a distinct difference between the Mexican cuisine of California and Texas. However, the different regions emphasize distinct ingredients and staples. Comparing the weekly meal plan of Texas to that of California, you may find wildly different variations and flavors. Here, we compare the two cuisines so that next time you visit these regions, you can enjoy the individuality of each.

Mexican Influence

If you’re a visitor to L.A., the first thing you’ll notice is the wonderful loyalty to central Mexican cuisine, which can be seen in L.A.’s emphasis on mole, ceviche, and clayuda. L.A. even celebrates it’s love for mole in the “Feria de los Moles” street fair (showcased in a post on September 29th, 2011). However, in Texas, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a restaurant that loyally adheres to central Mexican food and delivers an exceptional product. Most Tex Mex originates from Monterrey, a cattle-rich region, making Texas’ take on Mexican more beef-based and loaded with cheese. But Texans did not simply import the meat-intensive Mexican food but, rather, changed it based on regional tastes. The Monterrey-Mexican emphasis on meat was further intensified by the settlement of the Germans, who founded cities like New Braunfels and Fredericksburg. German butchers often used every part of the pig to make their food.

Tacos

While tacos differ significantly from Texas to California, for both regions the taco is a sacred Mexican staple. In Cali, tacos are usually made from soft, smaller corn tortillas filled with some sort of meat, onions, cilantro, and salsa for spice. Carnitas, cecina, barbacoa, al pastor, lengua, and carne asada are all popular choices. Again, we see the Mexican influence with plates like al pastor, which was taken from street vendors in Mexico who would assemble the meat on a rolling pole, then hack it off and throw it into corn tortillas. While al pastor can be enjoyed in Texas as well, in the Lone-Star State most people prefer to eat their tacos at the crack of dawn. Breakfast tacos are so popular in Texas that most establishments serve them all day, around the clock. Huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, and migas served on soft, fluffy flour tortillas dominate the palates of Texas natives.

While both California and Texan cuisines have been strongly influenced by the many spices and flavors of Mexican food, both cultures have mixed the plates of Mexico with their own geographic characteristics, making wonderfully unique Mexican-American comida mezclada.

Frida's Mexican Cuisine

Frida's Mexican Cuisine
750 Americana Way
Glendale, CA 91210
(818) 551-1666

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Cadillac Culinary Challenge

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Pictures from the Cadillac Culinary Challenge at the Americana Mall in Glendale on October 22nd. Chef Mary Sue Milliken of Border Grill was one of the competing chefs.

4th Annual ‘La Feria de los Moles’

**SAVE THE DATE**

The rich flavor, folklore, culture of

4th Annual ‘La Feria de los Moles’

Puebla vs Oaxaca

Sunday October 9th at Olvera Street in Los Angeles

Vesper Public Relations- Los Angeles – The rich flavor, folklore and color of the 4th Annual ‘La Feria de Los Moles’ Puebla vs Oaxaca (The Mole Fair) in Los Angeles. An all day event that congregats an attendance record of 20,000 providing the opportunity to taste over 13 different Mexican Moles ranging from sweet savory to hot spicy.

On Sunday October 9th, La Placita Olvera will once again witness the celebration feast filled with flavor featuring an array of food stands showcasing a diversity of flavors of Mole a dish that originated by the colliding of the Indigenous & Spanish cultures.

La Feria de Los Moles Puebla vs Oaxaca is an all day event starting at 10 a.m.-7:00 p.m. at Olvera Street, entrance is FREE.

La Feria de Los Mole’s goal is not only to showcase the delicious Mexican cuisine and its tradition

- recognized by the UNESCO a world patrimony-, the fair was founded by ‘Union of Poblanos

En El Exterior’ (UPEXT) –Union of Poblanos in the Exterior- an organization that recently received a

Proclamation from the City of Los Angeles recognizing its efforts in support of education,

health and issues that affect the Latino community in the city.

Click here to listen to interview by PRI/The World (BBC)  

http://www.theworld.org/?s=Feria+del+Mole

·         Visit: http://www.feriadelosmoles.com/

·         Follow: Twitter: @feriadelosmoles

·         Facebook: Feria de Los Moles

HISTORY OF MOLE

The ancient chronics of the discovery of the tomato, cocoa, vanilla and condiments, also the ancient Nahuatl name molli was an important dish of salsa. This way, discovering that most ingredients comes from Mexico involving an important and ancient utensil such  as the “metate” made of stone used to chop and mix all of this condiments for molli, becoming a prehispanic utensil, we can say that mole has an important role in the culinary history of Mexico.

Later on, during the colonial era, at the indigenous mulli was added more ingredients such as cinnamon, clove, pepper and almond, giving this kind of combination in Puebla the name of “mole poblano” such dish combined culinary elements of indigenous and Spanish ancestry flavors.

Although Puebla documented the first state of the mole dish, there’s no certain origin, but the legend is well known, and it tells that Mother Andrea de la Asuncion, from Santa Rosa Convent in Puebla, presented the first mole, thanks to a “divine wind” that dropped all these different condiments to the pot where she was preparing this mole for the sympathy of Viceroy Tomas Antonio de la Cerda y Aragon, Marques de La Laguna.

Oaxaca is a state of major variety of moles where 7 different dishes exists in the Mexican Republic: Negro (black), rojo (red), coloradito (colored), mancha manteles (table cloth stained), verde (green), Amarillo (yellow) and chichilo.

Click here if you are unable to see the slideshow above.

Live Hatch Chile Pepper Roasting Events at Ralphs

Three Saturdays in August – 3 LA stores. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 13

• Ralphs Fresh Fare - La Canada, 521 W. Foothill Blvd. (818) 790-0584

Saturday, Aug. 20

• Ralphs Fresh Fare - Los Angeles, 11727 Olympic Blvd., (310) 473-5238

Saturday, Aug. 27

• Ralphs - Pasadena, 3601 E. Foothill Blvd. Pasadena (626) 351-6572

Visit www.friedas.com/Hatch for at-home chile roasting and handling tips, recipes and more.

More About Hatch Chiles

These long green chiles are exclusively grown in the Mesilla Valley near Hatch, New Mexico. Their robust, spicy flavor makes them a beloved pepper for chile fans, who go nuts for the zesty aroma as they are roasted over an open flame. Because of the Hatch Chile’s limited season -- late summer/early fall – pepper aficionados all over the country flock to New Mexico’s famous Hatch Chile Festival each year over Labor Day weekend. Luckily, Los Angeles residents can get their Hatch Chile fix at a local Ralphs supermarket. This month, Frieda’s Specialty Produce, Orange County-based distributor of exotic fruits and gourmet vegetables, is supplying select Ralphs Grocery stores with loads of the authentic extra hot Hatch variety. And for three Saturdays in August, Ralphs is holding live Hatch Chile roasting events at 6 stores in Orange and Los Angeles Counties. Buy a 10 lb. or 30 lb. sack of fresh Hatch Chiles at Ralphs and have them tumble roasted outside the store in a flash. Then head to your kitchen to get Hatch happy with salsas, chile rellenos, enchiladas, chili and more. You can also freeze the roasted chiles to extend your Hatch happiness throughout the winter.

Xokolatl Cafe

Xokolatl Cafe
4987 Huntington Dr N
Los Angeles, CA 90032
(323) 441-8400

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Whenever I read about the history of chocolate and how precious it was to the Mayans (notice the picture in that Wikipedia article of a Mayan chief forbidding a common person from touching a jar of chocolate) and others I often imagine going back in time to imbibe some of it and see if it's better than the hot chocolate I have from time to time in 21st century USA. But short of having a time machine I'm clearly never going to be able to do that.



However, the folks at the newish Xokolatl Cafe bring us the next closest thing: several hot chocolate drinks made with real Mayan cacao beans and spices and sometimes other ingredients such as maca, pinole and aguamiel. Don't worry about the spice in the hot chocolate burning your mouth. All it really does is round out the flavor but you can get it without spices if you choose. With hot chocolate this good I'd fight others away from my jar of it too. Fortunately there's enough to go around. (In the interest of full disclosure they did comp the one cup of hot chocolate I had while there.)



They also have food items such as sandwiches, soups, salads and pastries and will expand their food offerings as the business grows.



Not only does Xokolatl Cafe serve great food but they also support the nearby Semillas School. "As a social enterprise, the mission of Xokolatl Café is to benefit the children of Semillas Community Schools by organizing a venue for community self-reliance, cultural regeneration and community building."



Also according to their site, "Xokolatl Café is a place to learn about indigenous culture and a stimulating international intellectual space." I found that to be true as I talked with one of their employees, Gustavo, who was a great conversationalist and very knowledgeable about every aspect of the business and how what they do relates to the parent culture in Mexico. Other customers found it a great spot to try some of the treats and bust out their laptops and get some homework done.



If Xokolatl Cafe starts expanding I'd say, "Move over, Starbucks." But even if it doesn't expand it still has far more soul than Starbucks.

Rivera