Actually, that food is Mexican food, isn't it?
Hello! I'm Karen from the SoCalization Marketing Department . I'm currently a third-year student at San Diego State University. This is my first time in charge of a blog, so I'm really excited, but this time I'm going to write about my favorite food, so I'm really excited!
There are many things I love, but one thing that is an absolute necessity living in San Diego is Mexican food.
It turns out that many of the things we think of as Mexican food actually originated in America! (Mexican-style food, that is.) In this post, I would like to introduce some of the "Mexican food that actually originated in America" that you can often find in San Diego!
table of contents:
- 1. Nachos
- 2. Fajitas
- 3. Chili Con Carne / Chili Con Carne or Chili Con Carne
- 4. Burritos
- 5. Queso
- 6. Chimichangas
1. Nachos
First up is the easy-to-eat nachos that everyone loves!
Nachos were invented in Piedra Negras, Mexico in 1943, but does that make them an authentic Mexican dish? Apparently not.
This classic bar food was originally created by a restaurant manager for the wives of U.S. soldiers stationed near Fort Duncan who wanted something to eat after the restaurant closed. At the time, they only had tortillas (cut into triangles and fried), cheese (melted on top of the fried triangles), and jalapeno pickles (a side dish), so they made nachos out of whatever was available.
It has evolved into the version eaten around the world today, which includes ground beef, ground pork, sour cream, guacamole, and loads of cheese!
If there is an authentic Mexican food that is somewhat similar, it would be chilaquiles.
Typically served for breakfast, this dish consists of quartered corn tortillas lightly fried, smothered in salsa, and topped with scrambled or fried eggs.
2. Fajitas
Fajitas are very similar to tacos!
The name means "little band" in Spanish, and despite its Mexican-sounding name, fajitas are practically as American as apple pie.
Though the dish takes its inspiration from Mexican ingredients, the meat and vegetables are served with flour tortillas rather than corn tortillas, giving away that this dish is not "Auténtico" (Spanish for "authentic").
For a similarly meaty but "authentic" Mexican meal, try cochinita pibil: pork marinated in citrus juice, tinted with annatto, then slow-roasted in banana leaves, served with corn tortillas and sides like pickled red onions, sautéed black beans, and habanero chilies.
3. Chili Con Carne / Chili Con Carne or Chili Con Carne
A wild dish of red kidney beans stewed with spices and hotness. It means "chili and meat" in Spanish and has a Mexican feel, but it is no exaggeration to say that it is now one of the most representative American dishes!
This is a dish created by Texas settlers.
Made with ground beef, tomatoes, beans, spices, chili peppers, sour cream, cheese and other ingredients, this dish is not considered Mexican.
For a more traditional Mexican dish, try this slow-cooked stew of pork, chili peppers and peppers, served with warm tortillas!
4. Burritos
Burritos are here ! They are my favorite Mexican food. I was surprised when I found out that they actually originated in America.
The tortillas can be stretched out and filled with anything you can imagine, including rice, veggies, beans, cheese, sour cream, and even eggs and sausage for breakfast!
The word burrito means "little donkey," and the giant version we know today is thought to have been invented in America by Mexican miners, cowboys, and farm workers.
Although the burrito as we know it is not a proper Mexican dish, there is something similar in Mexico called "tacos de harina."
They are smaller than burritos and typically consist of two or three ingredients based on meat or seafood, with rice, beans, cheese, and chili peppers.
5. Queso
By now, you may have noticed that many Americanized Mexican dishes are topped with generous amounts of melted or shredded cheese.
But it's not just the amount of cheese added to "Mexican" dishes that leaves true Mexican food lovers saying "What's that?" - it's the variety, too.
A mild yellow cheese derived from cheddar commonly used in Americanized Mexican cuisine is called "queso," which means cheese in Spanish, but it is quite different from Mexican-style white cheeses with a nuanced tangy flavor; it is not used in traditional dishes because it would counteract the heat of chili peppers.
6. Chimichangas
The last dish was chimichanga! It has a dance-like name that makes you feel happy, but it also tastes great.
The incident occurred in Tucson, Arizona in 1922.
Monica Flynn, owner of a restaurant called El Charro, accidentally dropped a burrito into deep frying oil and thus the chimichanga was born.
Some say the chimichanga was invented by Woody Johnson, who in 1946 put a burrito (not really a Mexican dish) in a deep fryer at his Phoenix restaurant.
Whichever origin story you choose, you may be aware that both Tucson and Phoenix are located in Arizona, which borders Mexico.
Have you ever tried the chimichanga, a fried burrito that's super junky and even junkier? If you live in Tokyo, you can try it at Junkadelic in Nakameguro.
What did you think? You might be surprised to find out that what you thought was Mexican food is actually American food!
Learning about culture is important, but both are delicious, so while writing this article I'm already feeling like eating Mexican food.
We also offer alcoholic drinks that go well with these foods in SoCalization, so please try them out at home while eating Mexican food!