Fiesta, the Spanish word for party, literally means feast. And that's what Mexican food is all about. It's a feast of colors, textures, aromas and flavors. Many foods used in dishes across the globe originated in Mexico, a long list that includes the avocado, chocolate, tomatoes, peanuts, squash, vanilla, turkey and corn. With the following quick introduction to Mexican cuisine, you'll gain a sense of Mexican Cuisine and find yourself hungry for your own little fiesta tonight!

In Mexico, dining out is no small affair. Mexicans like to eat at a leisurely pace and in an inviting atmosphere. As a result, music often accompanies meals, even in the middle of the day. Mexicans take advantage of luncheons (their main meal) to meet business associates and clients. This means it's often 5 p.m. before the major restaurants begin to empty. After lunch, it's back to work. So, dinner, a lighter meal, is rarely eaten before 9 p.m.

It's notable to learn when sampling Mexican cuisine is that not all Mexican dishes are spicy or hot since chile peppers do play a prominent role. Indeed, more than 200 different varieties of chiles are used ranging in heat from mild (yellow) to scorching (Serrano, habanero). The seriously hot chilies are usually served on the side or blended expertly into sauces.

For centuries before Hernan Cortes landed in Mexico, corn was the staple of the native diet. It was even deified. The current use of corn is still the main ingredient in masa. This cornmeal dough is the base for tortillas, the foundation of dozens of dishes, including tacos, tostadas and enchiladas, which are tortillas filled with chicken or cheese, rolled and simmered in a piquant sauce. Enchiladas Suizas, a Mexican favorite, is made with green salsa and served with sour cream.

The method of preparing the dough for masa is basically the same today as when the conquistadors arrived in New World. Dried corn kernels are cooked with water and limestone until soft. After standing for a day, the kernels are skinned and the hearts ground, forming a dough. In remote parts of Mexico, the stone mortars and pestle used in ancient time are still used to do the job. In more populated areas, the process has been mechanized. Depending on the region, tortillas can be made of yellow, blue or red corn and vary in size from about 2 inches in diameter to as large as the foot-wide varieties found in the markets of Oaxaca. In northern Mexico, wheat tortillas are more common.

The same cornmeal dough is also the basis for tamales, which are made by spreading dough on a corn husk or banana leaf, filling it with meat or chicken and a chile sauce, rolling it and then cooked by steaming. Sweet tamales are made with fruit pulp and are often filled with jam. This cornmeal is even used to make a sweet, piping hot drink called atole used on festive occasions or for children when in need of nourishment.

The staple of Mexican fast food, the taco, can be simply a hot tortilla topped with shredded beef, pork, chicken or vegetables. More elaborate versions call for a crisp-fried tortilla (tostada) piled high with shredded chicken, guacamole, cream, shredded lettuce, and grated cheese.

The mole poblano, a sauce that starts with a dried poblano chile (pasilla) pepper base, is a delicious mainstay of Mexican cuisine. A specialty from the state of Puebla, it is a dark, rich, spicy sauce made from more than 20 ingredients, including several varieties of chilies, peanuts, almonds, tomato, and bitter chocolate. The sauce is usually served on chicken or enchiladas and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Mole negro from Oaxaca is another popular variety. More recently, the tangy flesh of the tamarind has been used to make a delicious sweet-and-sour sauce often called mole tamarindo, which is served over chicken or fish.

Other popular dishes include chilies rellenos. These are fresh cheese stuffed inside de-stemmed and de-seeded chile poblano, which are roasted and peeled. They are often first battered, and then baked in a variety of sauces. Quesadillas, tortillas stuffed and baked with a wide variety of ingredients such as cheese, mushrooms, meat or other fillings, are so fun to create. You can experiment with many different ingredients even adding fresh items like chile, onion, vegetables, ham or chicken.

If you're a seafood lover, try guachinango (red snapper), robalo (snook) or the popular Pacific coast appetizer ceviche, a seafood cocktail marinated in limejuice and mixed with chopped tomatoes, onions and seasonings. All types of seafood are used in Mexican cuisine: shrimp, lobster, Gulf oysters, raw scallops to pulpo (octopus), and local and regional specialties. Mexico exports a large amount of these products. Another favorite is langostino, a large river crawfish, usually cooked al mojo de ajo. It's great, but if you're not a garlic fan, skip the ajo.

Mexican cooking is also noted for its wonderful soups. One favorite is sopa Azteca (also called caldo Xochitl). It is a chicken broth served with chunks of chicken, rice, vegetables, a slice or two of avocado and a spicy kick from a chile chipotle (which some should remove immediately!). Other popular soups are sopa de tortilla, a chicken-tomato broth served over strips of fried tortilla, and sopa de frijol, a bean soup usually served with a garnish of fried tortilla strips and a dollop of cheese. Be warned: Sopa de camaron (shrimp soup) is one of Mexico's spiciest dishes!

You will almost always find a plate of lime slices, along with salt and the ubiquitous salsa (salsa rojo, salsa verde), on the tables of a typical Mexican restaurant. Mexicans use limes almost as much as they do chiles. Limes add zing to fruits, all kinds of drinks, broths, beer, tequila, fish, and even meat. Fresh lime squeezed in water is a great thirst-quencher on a hot day.

Salsas are a staple at any meal. While often used as a condiment, they are also added as sauces to many dishes. One common favorite is the pico de gallo, or salsa fresca. More commonly known as Salsa Mexicana and consumed on tortilla chips, it is made from chopped fresh tomatoes, white onion, chile, and cilantro. Red and green salsas are made from chilies that are boiled and pureed with other ingredients (see "Salsa 4 U" kit). From dipping tortilla style chips to toppings for meat dishes the uses for these salsas are myriad.

During the walnut harvest, a two-month period beginning mid-August (also peak season for the dark green chile poblano and the pomegranate) Mexicans enjoy a dish called chiles en nogada. It is a cold, sweet-and-spicy, seasonal dish. The chilies are filled with ground beef stewed with several seasonal fruits, raisins, almonds and spices. Then, they are dipped in butter, fried, and served in a sauce made from cream pureed with the meat of fresh walnuts, and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. Whoa!

Want to stretch your taste buds a bit more? Try crema de flor de calabaza, a delicately flavored, creamy broth made from the bright yellow flowers of the squash plant. Cuitlacoche, the purplish-black corn fungus is used to make quesadillas, or at many deluxe restaurants in Mexico City, to fill crepes. When dining in Mexico, the truly adventurous might try gusanos de maguey (maguey worms) and escamoles (ant eggs), both are generally served with tortillas and guacamole. PLEASE . . .

Breakfast in Mexico is an elaborate affair. Freshly squeezed juices are a given. While orange, pineapple, and grapefruit are common, there are usually papaya, mango, watermelon, guava, lima, and strawberry available. A plate of fresh and ripe tropical fruits most often begins a morning meal. The three most popular egg dishes are huevos rancheros (fried egg served on a tortilla and bathed in a spicy tomato sauce), huevos a la mexicana (scrambled with chopped tomato, chile and onion), or huevos con chorizo (scrambled with Spanish-style sausage). Usually all accompanied by refried beans. In the Yucatan, delicious multi-layered huevos motule–os are the breakfast staple. In northern cities, such as Monterrey, it's huevos machacados, scrambled eggs mixed with dry, shredded beef. Other typical breakfast dishes are chilaquiles (tortilla chips cooked in a spicy sauce and served with grated cheese and cream) and puntas de filete (beef stew).

Even though the tortilla is king in Latin cuisine, Mexico produces some wonderfully crusty rolls called bolillos and excellent sweet rolls. Breakfasts and meriendas (light suppers) are usually accompanied by cafŽ con leche (coffee with hot milk) or chocolate caliente (hot chocolate). Cappuccino and espresso are also common. The real Mexican coffee treat is cafŽ de olla: coffee that is simmered with cinnamon, sugar, and other spices.

Desserts, long the least interesting items in Mexican cuisine, have gotten a boost in recent years with the union of European cooking know-how and native ingredients. Today, delightfully light mousses made of such exotic fruits as mamey, guanabana and mango are featured at better Mexican restaurants. Some traditional favorites include flan (custard with a caramel topping) and crepas de cajeta (crepes served with a sweet sauce made from caramelized goat milk), ates (jellied fruit) served with fresh cheese, arroz con leche (rice pudding), natillas (vanilla pudding), and chongos (a curdled eggs, milk and sugar mixture served in a cinnamon-flavored syrup). For a hit everyone will love, look up the recipe for the postre tres leches (three milks cake).

Using your own creativity, ideas from this website, and other related sites you can go beyond your basic taco or enchilada and transform your daily cooking into a fiesta. We hope you enjoyed your introductory tour through the exciting and varied cuisine of Mexico.

(reprinted in part from: Travelers Guide to Mexico)