Everyone has that one cuisine that they don't normally eat a lot or enjoy to eat.
For me, growing up, that was Mexican food. I know - shocking! No Taco Tuesday, no enchiladas or burritos...nothing.
But that began to change a little bit for me in summer 2012, in early August. One of my college roommates and close friends was graduating and his family invited me and a few of us with them to dinner to celebrate. Being that his family is Peruvian, we went to a Mexican in downtown Winter Park called Cocina 214. I wasn't too excited because I was not crazy about Mexican food, but I gave it a try.
And I'm glad I did. It was the most AMAZING experience we ever had. The funny part of the experience was, after we left, we ALL forgot the name of the restaurant for nearly two years until one of us randomly recalled the name and now, we all want to eventually go back.
Since then, I have tried a few other Mexican spots (if you ever get a chance, find a Chuy's Tex-Mex to visit and get that creamy crack sauce with the chips to start - you will thank me later) and even began trying some Mexican recipes at home.
So what has changed my interest and taste for Mexican food? Easy; I tried authentic Mexican food.
Growing up with Taco Bell as my only option and exposure to Mexican food, I thought that was the extent of it. But after Cocina 214, I began to wonder what was real Mexican food. I started going to other Mexican restaurants (not frequently, but every once in a while, when I could). I began looking into different recipes and learning what counted as Mexican flavor. I watched shows on the Cooking Channel and Food Network and watched different things that people made as Mexican dishes.
Now, I'm not an expert at all on Mexican cuisine for sure; I am still learning a lot as I go and cook and eat. But there are a few things that I have learned that makes Mexican food authentic and unique and stand-out from Tex-Mex (Americanized Mexican food):
Fresh and Healthy Ingredients: Mexican food is made with fresh ingredients, such as tomatoes, different peppers depending on the level of spice, onions, avocados, chiles, and more. But it's not just fresh ingredients, but often healthy ingredients too; ingredients with low sugar and sodium. No canned or jarred ingredients!
Heat and Spices: Mexican cuisine is known for its punch of heat and flavor. And a lot of that stems from the spices incorporated in the dish. Oregano, cumin, coriander, chilie powder, garlic, cloves ... all these spices bring depth of flavor to Mexican dishes.
We about the love of Mexican food, so let's get spicy!
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