Christmas Dinner as Done in Mexico

Posted in Holidays

tamale

Christmas Eve tends to be the day in Mexican homes when it comes to Christmas, as it’s on Christmas Eve when the primary holiday celebrations take place. Noche Buena is heralded with the ringing of church bells, fireworks and blowing whistles. Once the final Posada ends, celebrants go to churches and attend what is known as the Mass of the Rooster …

Why Isn’t Dessert as Popular in Mexico as in the U.S?

Posted in Food and Fun

map

Actually, the title above is a bit misleading: it’s not that Mexico residents don’t like desserts as much as Americans do, it’s just that they like desserts that are more subtle in their sweetness. U.S. desserts tend to be exceptionally sweet – a bit too much so by Mexico standards. Traditional Mexican desserts usually were pudding, custard or cooked fresh …

How Mexicans Get Ready for the Holidays

Posted in Holidays

tequila shot

With Christmas just a bit less than five weeks away, many of us already are in the throes of getting ready for it. We’re purchasing gifts, planning meals and parties, sending out holiday cards….and working hard to be good 24/7 if we’re still a believer in Santa Claus. While the idea of Santa Claus and live Christmas trees in the …

Eating Tex Mex for Thanksgiving

Posted in Holidays

tamale

Sure, Thanksgiving traditionally is a time of turkey, breaded stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, string beans, and pumpkin pie for dessert. But traditions sometimes should be broken, if only to enliven one’s days a bit. So why not skip the bird this year and give thanks for all that you have by serving your family and Thanksgiving Day guests with a …

Day of the Dead Explained

Posted in Holidays

day of the dead

The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) takes place every year on November 1 and 2 (which are the Catholic holidays of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day) in Mexico and places in the U.S. where many Mexican immigrants and their descendants live (such as the Dallas region). While somewhat similar to Halloween (in that both holidays …

Halloween and the Day of the Dead

Posted in Holidays

day of the dead

Halloween takes place October 31, while in Mexico, Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is celebrated on November 1 and 2. Halloween has its origins in old Gaelic celebrations regarding the end of summer and the storing of the summer harvest and getting ready for the cold days ahead, while Dia de los Muertos got its start …

Serve Tex Mex Food at Your Halloween Party

Posted in Holidays

day of the dead

America’s current way of celebrating Halloween originates from the ancient Celts and their celebrations of the end of the harvest season. But we also get a lot of our traditions from Mexico: the practice having of decorating with skeletons and/or dressing like one the night before the Day of the Dead, which is November 1, is a big one. Thus, …

When Your Picky Eater Won’t Eat Tex Mex Food

Posted in Family dining

tostadas

All children are picky eaters at one time or another. There’s the 4-year-old who won’t eat the crust of the pizza and only picks at the toppings. There’s the 6-year-old who won’t eat a hot dog, but happily devours the buns. There’s the 7-year-old who will only eat a tuna sandwich whenever you go out to a restaurant. (No tuna …

How to Make the Perfect Salsa

Posted in Mexican Food Recipes

hot sauce

The salsa you use as a garnish or side with your Tex Mex dishes can make or break that dish. Salsa first appeared within the Inca culture and made its way to the Mayans and Aztecs. Spaniards’ first encounters with tomatoes (the main ingredient of salsa) took place after Spain’s conquest of Mexico (1519-1521). They also first came into contact …

Eating Tex Mex Food on the Paleo Diet

Posted in Healthy Eating

fajitas

If you’re adhering to a Paleo diet (one in which followers eat no grain, breads, starchy vegetables and fruits, mostly eating meats, vegetables and some fruit), Tex Mex food will easily accommodate your dietary needs. For example, you can start off your meal with tortilla soup. Tortilla chips, of course, are not allowed on a Paleo diet, but you can …