Archive for the ‘Food History’ Category

When Columbus discovered the Americas back in 1492 he was anxious to return to Spain and let the king and queen know all the wonderful things he had found. Many other ships departed Spain and Portugal shortly thereafter, prepared to survive in a new country. Items carried included animals, plants, seeds, food, soldiers, tradesmen, men of the cloth, and builders.

Imagine the surprise of Spain’s conquistadors when they arrived in Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City, and found Montezuma, the Aztec emperor, drinking a specialty called chocolate. Vanilla and honey made it a bit sweeter, since chocolate is bitter. Chocolate was not yet known and neither was vanilla, but it did not take long for the Spaniards to determine the worth of these ingredients. The ship returned to Spain with samples of these delightful ingredients. The cacao tree provided the chocolate and vanilla came from one of the beautiful orchids.

Corn and beans provided much of the Aztec diet and unknowingly they happened upon this healthy combination of interacting amino acids. The body needs amino acids because the acids build protein. Missing any one of several amino acids causes the system to shut down either partially or totally. Separately beans and corn do not have the total complement required. Combined, beans and corn made the perfect fit to guarantee the Aztecs had healthy meals. Who would ever think that corn tortillas covered with bean paste would produce such majestic cultures as the Mayan and Aztec?

Mexican Recipes And History

Many of the things the Spaniards brought with them were foreign to the Aztecs. Cattle, horses, chickens, and goats must have seemed like such strange animals to them. Spices and herbs were also introduced to Mexico, including cinnamon, parsley, oregano, and black pepper. Coriander and olive oil also helped the Spaniards keep the flavor of home while developing new recipes using the tortilla as a base. The introduction of almonds, barley, rice, oranges, grapes, lettuce, and carrots produced new ingredients for the people and most of us cannot imagine a Mexican dish without a side of rice or lettuce.

The colonists, particularly the women and friars, worked hard to establish flavorful foods with the combination of familiar and unfamiliar foods. Candy and a deep fried tortilla sweet called a bunuelo became a favorite of children and adults alike. Chilies and avocados created staples for sauces, dressings, and marinades.

Quesadillas are an example of the blend between the native Mexicans and the Spaniards. The corn tortilla was in Mexico when the Spaniards arrived, as was the chili hot sauce. Cheese, lettuce, and beef are the result of Spanish influence.

In the mid-1800s France oversaw Maximilian’s rule. Some of the delicious dishes that resulted from the three years of French rule included one flavored with walnut sauce and another using rabbit. The flavors and influence of various countries and areas continued even though most of the types of dishes were set. Tex-Mex utilized many of the ingredients and ideas to make a unique style of their own and other areas such as California and Arizona developed their own dishes as well. The one thing that remains the same is that many of the dishes remain based on the original two staples of corn and beans.

Go international for lunch or dinner and find traditional Mexican recipes and recipes to prepare for your meal today. Whether you choose salads, desserts or a main dish, you will find many delicious ideas to make a perfect creation for your table. If you enjoy Mexican food, why not read more about Mexican food history that explains the many amazing results from blending spices and other flavorful ingredients?

MexicanFoodRecipes.org When it has to be Real Authentic Mexican Food

Hamburger meat also known as ground beef in the United States and known as minced meat virtually everywhere else in the English-speaking world is a very versatile food staple for the American people. When hamburger meat is used in the United States to create a dish then that dish is often considered the main course in that meal. The truth is that there is really no limit to what dishes might contain hamburger meat. You can find hamburger meat in everything from stews and soups, to meat pies, Salisbury steak, tacos and of course the hamburger sandwich.

Hamburger meat or ground beef as it is also known is made when a cut of beef is introduced into the feeder part of a meat grinder or mincer, and mincing not grinding is actually what the machine does. When the meat comes out of the other end, it is then called ground beef or hamburger meat. The ground beef is broken down into three different categories, which are chuck/78-84% lean beef, round/85-89% lean beef, and sirloin/90-95% lean beef. Ground beef or hamburger meat is usually made from a less desirable cut of beef that is leaner and tougher than steaks or roasts.

There are many culinary uses for hamburger meat in the United States as well as in other nations around the world. Perhaps the reason that ground beef is popular and that there has been so much use of hamburger meat is because it is quick cooking and relatively inexpensive. In the states hamburger meat is used in dishes such as meatloaf, hamburgers, tacos, and sloppy Joes just to name a few, which are very easy to make. Other nations like Italy use ground beef in lasagna, spaghetti Bolognese, and other meat sauces as well. Picadillo also known as ground beef in Latin America is used in things like the Gordita.

It is a very good idea for people to know how to store their ground meat safely. The reason that people need to know how store ground beef because if it is not stored correctly, there can be disastrous results. The first thing that will likely happen if the ground beef is stored incorrectly is that the meat can become bad or tainted, thus rendering it unfit for human consumption. Another reason for storing meat safely is that should the meat become bad and tainted it could be contaminated with something like E. coli. Ground beef should be cooked to 160 degrees and stored at freezing prior to use.

Fortunately, many countries including the United States have food laws about what can go into ground beef, how it is stored while being transported, and prior to being sold in a retail establishment. Food laws such those provided by the USDA in the United States are very specific and violations are treated with extreme prejudice by USDA inspectors. The USDA also regulates everything from the slaughter house, to the packing house, and on to the grocery store chains too. If you think that you may have a bad or tainted package of ground beef contact the grocer where it was purchased and if necessary the appropriate governmental agency.

Ground beef or hamburger meat is extremely versatile and finding the
best hamburger recipe that you can for your meal is important as is finding the best grilled hamburger recipes if you are using a grill.

The Best Burger Recipes the Net Has to Offer – BestHamburgerRecipes.org