Mexican Cuisine
Mexican cuisine is as exciting, colorful, and varied as the culture of its country. Strings of dried chilies the color of fire, baskets of exotic fruits and vegetables, stacks of tortillas and bowls of beige rice against black beans only hint at the array.
What makes a meal distinctly Mexican, of course, are the lively seasonings. Not all Mexican recipes are fiery, though; while renowned for their heat, many subtle and intriguing spice combinations are also found in Mexican fare.
With a good selection of Mexican spices and some standard pantry staples--grains, fruits, vegetables, tortillas, beans--you can whip up a Mexican dish any time you like.
If you enjoy the spicy flavor of Mexican, be sure to check out these recipes and tips for Simply Organic Southwest Seasonings.
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Try our classic Mexican recipes here.
Essential Spices for Mexican Cooking
Here are the most important Mexican spices you'll want to keep on hand:
Annatto Seed: These richly colored "achiote" seeds impart a lovely yellow color and a distinctive, earthy flavor to grains, sauces, and other Mexican dishes. They're often used in meat pastes in the Yucatan. To make an achiote paste, cover seeds with water and simmer or 10 minutes. Then let soak overnight. Drain and grind with a mortar and pestle while still damp. Whole seeds can also be fried in oil, to make beautifully colored annatto oil for cooking.
Cayenne: An orange powder, cayenne is simply a variety of very hot, ground chili peppers. It's used throughout Mexican cuisine, including spice blends. Use it sparingly to add extra hotness to dishes. And place a shaker of cayenne on the table for those who like their Mexican dishes even hotter than you serve them.
Chilies: Chilies are perhaps Mexican cooking's most indispensable seasoning. Renowned for their spicy hotness, chilies are available in a great range of varieties, sizes, and levels of heat. While for some seasonings, cooks prefer fresh to dried, not so for the chili--dried and fresh alike hold their own in Mexican cuisine.
more essential spices for Mexican cooking...
For a lively combination of Mexican spices, try a convenient Frontier blend like Mexican Seasoning, Taco Seasoning, Fajita Seasoning, Chili Seasoning, and Taco & Mexican Seasoning. Simply add it directly to any dish--chili, tacos, fajitas, of course, but also a grain casserole, a side of beans, a soup or salad--anything that you want to give Mexican flair!
Vanilla
Vanilla has been used in Mexican cooking since the 16th century. In Mexican kitchens, the sugar jar often contains a vanilla bean; it adds wonderful aroma and flavor to the sugar, and keeps the bean dry.
Become a Mexican-cooking pro with these advanced tips and recipes.
Sesame Seeds
Used by Mexican cooks in sauces like mole poblano and pipian, sesame seeds add a nutty taste to salads and main dishes, too. Simply toast in a dry skillet, stirring until lightly browned.
Tomatoes
Fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes make for terrific Mexican fare, but dried tomatoes are great to stock year-round, and add rich tomato flavor when grocery tomatoes are less than prime.
We've got all the gadgets you'll need to start your Mexican cooking extravaganza, from mortars and pestles, to tortilla warmers, and nutmeg graters.
