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103-644: Taco Bus restaurants serve Mexican food in the Tampa , Florida area. The restaurants began as a popular food truck on Hillsborough Avenue . A second location followed on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg, Florida and a restaurant was added on Franklin Street in downtown Tampa . Taco Bus opened their fourth location near USF on Fletcher Avenue. Rene Valenzuela is chef and owner of the business. A location in Brandon at 311 South Falkenburg

206-618: A Cucurbita plant are of two types: female and male. The female flowers produce the fruit and the male flowers produce pollen . Many North and Central American species are visited by specialist bee pollinators , but other insects with more general feeding habits, such as honey bees , also visit. There is debate about the taxonomy of the genus and the number of accepted species varies from 13 to 30. The five domesticated species are Cucurbita argyrosperma , C. ficifolia , C. maxima , C. moschata , and C. pepo , all of which can be treated as winter squash because

309-622: A common snack originating in Spain and because sugar cane was brought to the Americas through Spanish colonization , all of Mexico's sweets have a Hispanic origin, often with a Muslim heritage such as Alfeñiques . In most of Mexico, especially in rural areas, much of the food is consumed in the home. Cooking for the family is usually considered to be women's work , and this includes cooking for celebrations as well. Traditionally girls have been considered ready to marry when they can cook, and cooking

412-547: A day boiling dried corn then grinding it on a metate to make the dough for tortillas, cooking them one-by-one on a comal griddle. In some areas, tortillas are still made this way. Sauces and salsas were also ground in a mortar called a molcajete . Today, blenders are more often used, though the texture is a bit different. Most people in Mexico would say that those made with a molcajete taste better, but few do this now. The most important food for festivals and other special occasions

515-972: A defined rainy season, where seeds are sown in May and June. C. ficifolia and C. moschata were originally thought to be Asiatic in origin, but this has been disproven. The origin of C. ficifolia is Latin America, most likely southern Mexico, Central America, or the Andes. It grows at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 meters (3,300 to 9,800 ft) in areas with heavy rainfall. It does not hybridize well with other cultivated species as it has significantly different enzymes and chromosomes. C. maxima originated in South America over 4,000 years ago, probably in Argentina and Uruguay. The plants are sensitive to frost , and they prefer both bright sunlight and soil with

618-640: A fleshy interior composed of mesocarp and endocarp . The term "pepo" is used primarily for Cucurbitaceae fruits, where this fruit type is common, but the fruits of Passiflora and Carica are sometimes also pepos. The seeds, which are attached to the ovary wall (parietal placentation) and not to the center, are large and fairly flat with a large embryo that consists almost entirely of two cotyledons . Fruit size varies considerably: wild fruit specimens can be as small as 4 centimeters ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches) and some domesticated specimens can weigh well over 300 kilograms (660 pounds). The current world record

721-460: A franchisee for Taco Bus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . Mexican food Today's food staples native to the land include corn ( maize ), turkey, beans, squash, amaranth , chia , avocados, tomatoes, tomatillos , cacao , vanilla, agave , spirulina , sweet potato, cactus , and chili pepper. Its history over the centuries has resulted in regional cuisines based on local conditions, including Baja Med , Chiapas , Veracruz , Oaxacan , and

824-866: A high degree of similarity, which often results in laboratory investigation being needed to differentiate which one is affecting plants. The genus was part of the culture of almost every native peoples group from southern South America to southern Canada. Modern-day cultivated Cucurbita are not found in the wild. Genetic studies of the mitochondrial gene nad1 show there were at least six independent domestication events of Cucurbita separating domestic species from their wild ancestors. Species native to North America include C. digitata (calabazilla), and C. foetidissima (buffalo gourd), C. palmata (coyote melon), and C. pepo . Some species, such as C. digitata and C. ficifolia, are referred to as gourds . Gourds, also called bottle-gourds, which are used as utensils or vessels, belong to

927-427: A la vizcaina. Cheesemaking in Mexico has evolved its specialties, although Spanish-style cheese such as Manchego is also produced in Mexico. It is an important economic activity, especially in the north, and is frequently done at home. The main cheese-making areas are Chihuahua , Oaxaca , Querétaro , and Chiapas . Goat cheese is still made, but it is not as popular and is harder to find in stores. Churros are

1030-403: A loss without chiles and the many varieties of sauces and salsas created using chiles as their base. Many dishes in Mexico are defined by their sauces and the chiles those sauces contain (which are usually very spicy), rather than the meat or vegetable that the sauce covers. These dishes include entomatada (in tomato sauce), adobo or adobados, pipians and moles . A hominy soup called pozole

1133-535: A mix of vegetables including jalapeños, cabbage, and marinated red onions. The Taco Bus also appeared on the October 31, 2011 episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives , in which host Guy Fieri sampled a chilorio torta and a butternut squash tostada. Taco Bus also appeared in 2012 Cooking Channel "Eat Street". Taco Bus just opened another location in Treasure Island Florida located on Gulf Blvd. In December 2023,

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1236-432: A more or less continuous water supply. The second group are perennials growing in arid zones which are xerophytic , meaning they tolerate dry conditions. Cultivated Cucurbita species were derived from the first group. Growing 5 to 15 meters (15 to 50 feet) in height or length, the plant stem produces tendrils to help it climb adjacent plants and structures or extend along the ground. Most species do not readily root from

1339-462: A pH of 6.0 to 7.0. C. maxima did not start to spread into North America until after the arrival of Columbus. Varieties were in use by native peoples of the United States by the 16th century. Types of C. maxima include triloba , zapallito , zipinka , Banana, Delicious, Hubbard, Marrow ( C. maxima Marrow), Show, and Turban. C. moschata is native to Latin America, but

1442-537: A piquant red chili sauce. For drink, pulque , as well as corn-based atole , and for those who could afford it, chocolate-based drinks were consumed twice a day. According to de Bergamo's account neither coffee nor wine are consumed, and evening meals ended with a small portion of beans in a thick soup instead, "served to set the stage for drinking water". During the 19th century, Mexico experienced an influx of various immigrants, including French , Lebanese , German , Chinese and Italian , which have had some effect on

1545-458: A planting depth of 12 millimeters ( 1 ⁄ 2  in). Seeds planted deeper than 125 millimeters (5 in) are not likely to germinate. In C. foetidissima , a weedy species, plants younger than 19 days old are not able to sprout from the roots after removing the shoots. In a seed batch with 90 percent germination rate, over 90 percent of the plants had sprouted after 29 days from planting. Experiments have shown that when more pollen

1648-682: A series of excavations in the 1960s and 1970s, possibly beginning in 1959. Solid evidence of domesticated C. pepo was found in the Guilá Naquitz cave in the form of increasing rind thickness and larger peduncles in the newer stratification layers of the cave. By c. 8,000 years BP the C. pepo peduncles found are consistently more than 10 millimeters ( 3 ⁄ 8  in) thick. Wild Cucurbita peduncles are always below this 10 mm barrier. Changes in fruit shape and color indicate that intentional breeding of C. pepo had occurred by no later than 8,000 years BP. During

1751-644: A single plant and these grow singly, appearing from the leaf axils . Flowers have five fused yellow to orange petals (the corolla ) and a green bell-shaped calyx . Male flowers in Cucurbitaceae generally have five stamens, but in Cucurbita there are only three, and their anthers are joined so that there appears to be one. Female flowers have thick pedicels , and an inferior ovary with 3–5 stigmas that each have two lobes. The female flowers of C. argyrosperma and C. ficifolia have larger corollas than

1854-418: A somewhat wider area stretching from Panama to the southeastern United States. It was probably bred for its seeds, which are large and high in oil and protein , but its flesh is of poorer quality than that of C. moschata and C. pepo . It is grown in a wide altitudinal range: from sea level to as high as 1,800 meters (5,900 ft) in dry areas, usually with the use of irrigation, or in areas with

1957-442: A standard accompaniment. Around 7000 BCE, the indigenous peoples of Mexico and Central America hunted game and gathered plants , including wild chili peppers . Corn was not yet cultivated, so one main source of calories was roasted agave hearts. By 1200 BCE, corn was domesticated and a process called nixtamalization , or treatment with lye, was developed to soften corn for grinding and improve its nutritional value. This allowed

2060-480: A wide variety of dishes from drinks (atole, pozole, etc.) to tamales, sopes , and much more. However, the most common way to eat maize in Mexico is in the form of a tortilla, which accompanies almost every dish. Tortillas are made of maize in most of the country, but other regional versions exist, such as wheat in the north or plantain , yuca and wild greens in Oaxaca . The other basic ingredient in all parts of Mexico

2163-581: A word from the Narragansett language , which was documented by Roger Williams , the founder of Rhode Island , in his 1643 publication A Key Into the Language of America . Similar words for squash exist in related languages of the Algonquian family . In 2021, world production of squashes (including gourds and pumpkins) was 23.4 million tonnes, led by China with 32% of the total (table). Ukraine, Russia, and

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2266-470: Is mole , especially mole poblano in the center of the country. Mole is served at Christmas, Easter, Day of the Dead and at birthdays, baptisms, weddings and funerals, and tends to be eaten only for special occasions because it is such a complex and time-consuming dish. While still dominant in this way, other foods have become acceptable for these occasions, such as barbacoa, carnitas and mixiotes, especially since

2369-475: Is a genus of herbaceous fruits in the gourd family , Cucurbitaceae (also known as cucurbits or cucurbi ), native to the Andes and Mesoamerica . Five edible species are grown and consumed for their flesh and seeds. They are variously known as squash , pumpkin , or gourd , depending on species, variety , and local parlance. Other kinds of gourd, also called bottle-gourds, are native to Africa and belong to

2472-439: Is a plant steroid present in wild Cucurbita and in each member of the family Cucurbitaceae . Poisonous to mammals, it is found in quantities sufficient to discourage herbivores. It makes wild Cucurbita and most ornamental gourds, with the exception of an occasional C. fraterna and C. sororia , bitter to taste. Ingesting too much cucurbitacin can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea and even collapse. This bitterness

2575-623: Is a complex and ancient cuisine, with techniques and skills developed over thousands of years of history. It is created mostly with ingredients native to Mexico, as well as those brought over by the Spanish conquistadors , with some new influences since then. In addition to staples such as corn and chili peppers, native ingredients include squashes , avocados , cocoa and vanilla, as well as ingredients not generally used in other cuisines, such as edible flowers , vegetables like huauzontle and papaloquelite , or small criollo avocados, whose skin

2678-424: Is a direct descendant of C. texana and 2) that C. texana is merely feral C. pepo . A more recent theory by botanist Thomas Andres in 1987 is that descendants of C. fraterna hybridized with C. texana , resulting in two distinct domestication events in two different areas: one in Mexico and one in the eastern United States, with C. fraterna and C. texana , respectively, as

2781-459: Is a serious pest of cucurbits, especially the pumpkin, which it can defoliate. Cucurbits are susceptible to diseases such as bacterial wilt ( Erwinia tracheiphila ), anthracnose ( Colletotrichum spp.), fusarium wilt ( Fusarium spp.), phytophthora blight ( Phytophthora spp. water molds ), and powdery mildew ( Erysiphe spp.). Defensive responses to viral, fungal, and bacterial leaf pathogens do not involve cucurbitacin. Species in

2884-621: Is an important aspect of the culture, social structure and popular traditions of Mexico. The most important example of this connection is the use of mole for special occasions and holidays, particularly in the South and Central regions of the country. For this reason and others, traditional Mexican cuisine was inscribed in 2010 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO . Mexican cuisine

2987-589: Is applied to the stigma, as well as the fruit containing more seeds and being larger (the xenia effect mentioned above), the germination of the seeds is also faster and more likely, and the seedlings are larger. Various combinations of mineral nutrients and light have a significant effect during the various stages of plant growth. These effects vary significantly between the different species of Cucurbita . A type of stored phosphorus called phytate forms in seed tissues as spherical crystalline intrusions in protein bodies called globoids . Along with other nutrients, phytate

3090-540: Is authentic Mexican food. This movement is traceable to 1982 with the Mexican Culinary Circle of Mexico City. It was created by a group of women chefs and other culinary experts as a reaction to the fear of traditions being lost with the increasing introduction of foreign techniques and foods. In 2010, Mexico's cuisine was recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Squash (plant) Cucurbita ( Latin for ' gourd ')

3193-426: Is based on the pre-Hispanic custom of picking up other foods with tortillas as utensils were not used. The origin of the word is in dispute, with some saying it is derived from Nahuatl and others from various Spanish phrases. It possible that the term taco comes from the term tlaco or tlacatl, which means middle or half in nahuatl. Tacos are not eaten as the main meal; they are generally eaten before midday or late in

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3296-483: Is considered a main talent for housewives . The main meal of the day in Mexico is the "comida", meaning 'meal' in Spanish. Meals eaten are as follows: the early morning meal, or breakfast, is called "desayuno", which entails coffee/atole (maize drink) and a light meal, in some areas, the "almuerzo", around 11AM, which includes a snack and drink, then followed by "comida", or lunch, taken between noon and 2PM, which in itself

3399-433: Is defined as white, green or red depending on the chile sauce used or omitted. Tamales are differentiated by the filling which is again defined by the sauce (red or green chile pepper or mole). Dishes without a sauce are rarely eaten without salsa or without fresh or pickled chiles. This includes street foods, such as tacos , tortas , soup , sopes , tlacoyos , tlayudas , gorditas and sincronizadas . For most dishes, it

3502-714: Is edible. Chocolate originated in Mexico and was prized by the Aztecs. It remains an important ingredient in Mexican cookery. Vegetables play an important role in Mexican cuisine. Common vegetables include zucchini , cauliflower , corn, potatoes, spinach , Swiss chard , mushrooms, jitomate (red tomato), and green tomato. Other traditional vegetable ingredients include chili pepper , huitlacoche (corn fungus), huauzontle, and nopal (cactus pads). European contributions include pork, chicken, beef, cheese, herbs and spices, as well as some fruits. Tropical fruits, many of which are indigenous to

3605-412: Is especially prevalent in wild Cucurbita ; in parts of Mexico, the flesh of the fruits is rubbed on a woman's breast to wean children. While the process of domestication has largely removed the bitterness from cultivated varieties, there are occasional reports of cucurbitacin causing illness in humans. Cucurbitacin is also used as a lure in insect traps. As an example of Cucurbita , raw summer squash

3708-406: Is mentioned in the 16th century Florentine Codex by Bernardino de Sahagún . In the eighteenth century, an Italian Capuchin friar, Ilarione da Bergamo , included descriptions of food in his travelogue . He noted that tortillas were eaten not only by the poor, but by the upper class as well. He described lunch fare as pork products like chorizo and ham being eaten between tortillas, with

3811-439: Is more pollen applied to the stigma, more seeds are produced in the fruits and the fruits are larger with greater likelihood of maturation, an effect called xenia . Competitively grown specimens are therefore often hand-pollinated to maximize the number of seeds in the fruit. Seedlessness is known to occur in certain cultivars of C. pepo . Critical factors in flowering and fruit set are physiological, having to do with

3914-502: Is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, domesticated species with the oldest known locations being Oaxaca , Mexico, 8,000–10,000 years ago, and Ocampo, Tamaulipas , Mexico, about 7,000 years ago. It is known to have appeared in Missouri , United States, at least 4,000 years ago. Debates about the origin of C. pepo have been on-going since at least 1857. There have traditionally been two opposing theories about its origin: 1) that it

4017-558: Is one reason it was named as an example of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO . Many of the foods of Mexico are complicated because of their relation to the social structure of the country. Food preparation, especially for family and social events, is considered to be an investment in order to maintain social relationships. Even the idea of flavor is considered to be social, with meals prepared for certain dinners and certain occasions when they are considered

4120-430: Is scheduled to open in spring 2013. The USF location was reported to be open 24 hours. The restaurants offer meat dishes as well as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free selections. Taco Bus was featured on Man v. Food on the special September 28, 2011 episode of Man v. Food Nation featuring street vendor food from across the U.S. Host Adam Richman visited Taco Bus and tried "puerco asado" tacos marinated roast pork and

4223-452: Is the chile pepper . Mexican food has a reputation for being very spicy, but it has a wide range of flavors and while many spices are used for cooking, not all are spicy. Many dishes also have subtle flavors. Chiles are indigenous to Mexico and their use dates back thousands of years. They are used for their flavors and not just their heat, with Mexico using the widest variety. If a savory dish or snack does not contain chile pepper, hot sauce

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4326-465: Is the satisfaction of hunger or craving without all the social and emotional connotation of eating at home, although longtime customers can have something of a friendship/familial relationship with a chosen vendor. Tacos are the top-rated and most well-known street Mexican food. It is made up of meat or other fillings wrapped in a tortilla often served with cheese added. Vegetarian fillings include mushrooms, potatoes, rice, or beans. The origin of tacos

4429-458: Is the type of chile used that gives it its main flavor. Chipotle , smoked-dried jalapeño pepper, is very common in Mexican cuisine. In addition to corn, common beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) are a historical component of the Mexican diet. Genetic evidence indicates domestication occurred in Mesoamerica as well as South America Common bean varieties and cultivars used in Mexican cuisine include

4532-570: Is unknown, and research was ongoing in 2014. The following cladogram of Cucurbita phylogeny is based upon a 2002 study of mitochondrial DNA by Sanjur and colleagues. Sechium edule C. ficifolia C. foetidissima C. maxima and C. andreana C. ecuadorensis C. martinezii C. pepo subspp. fraterna and ovifera C. pepo subsp. pepo C. sororia , in part C. moschata C. sororia , in part and C. argyrosperma The ancestral species of

4635-436: Is used completely during seedling growth. Heavy metal contamination, including cadmium , has a significant negative impact on plant growth. Cucurbita plants grown in the spring tend to grow larger than those grown in the autumn. Cucurbita was formally described in a way that meets the requirements of modern botanical nomenclature by Linnaeus in his Genera Plantarum , the fifth edition of 1754 in conjunction with

4738-477: Is usually added, and chile pepper is often added to fresh fruit and sweets. The importance of the chile goes back to the Mesoamerican period, where it was considered to be as much of a staple as corn and beans. In the 16th century, Bartolomé de las Casas wrote that, without chiles, the indigenous people did not think they were eating. Even today, most Mexicans believe that their national identity would be at

4841-404: Is usually eaten between 6PM and 9PM. In the evening, it is common to eat leftovers from the comida or sweet bread accompanied by coffee or chocolate. Breakfast can consist of meat in broth (such as pancita ), tacos , enchiladas or meat with eggs. This is usually served with beans, tortillas, and coffee or juice. Mexican cuisine is elaborate and often tied to symbolism and festivals, which

4944-440: Is usually the heaviest meal of the day. It sometimes begins with soup , often chicken broth with pasta or a "dry soup", which is pasta or rice flavored with onions , garlic or vegetables. The main course is meat served in a cooked sauce with salsa on the side, accompanied with beans and tortillas and often with a fruit drink in some areas. The last meal of the day is cena , or suppper, which varies greatly by region, and

5047-632: The American cuisines of New Mexican and Tex-Mex . After the Spanish Conquest of the Aztec empire and the rest of Mesoamerica, Spaniards introduced a number of other foods , the most important of which were meats from domesticated animals (beef, pork, chicken, goat, and sheep), dairy products (especially cheese and milk), rice, sugar, olive oil and various fruits and vegetables. Various cooking styles and recipes were also introduced from Spain both throughout

5150-527: The Chinese added their cuisine to certain areas of the country. This led to Mexico characterizing its cuisine more by its relation to popular traditions rather than on particular cooking techniques. Since the 20th century, there has been an interchange of food influences between Mexico and the United States. Mexican cooking was of course still practiced in what is now the Southwest United States after

5253-541: The Mexican–American War , but Diana Kennedy , in her book The Cuisines of Mexico (published in 1972), drew a sharp distinction between Mexican food and Tex-Mex. Tex-Mex food was developed from Mexican and Anglo influences, and was traced to the late 19th century in Texas. It still continues to develop with flour tortillas becoming popular north of the border only in the latter 20th century. From north to south, much of

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5356-459: The New World . Regional cuisines remained varied, with native staples more prevalent in the rural southern areas and Spanish foods taking root in the more sparsely populated northern region. European style wheat bread was initially met unfavorably with Moctezuma's emissaries who reportedly described it as tasting of "dried maize stalks". On the Spanish side, Bernal Díaz del Castillo complained about

5459-405: The pinto bean and the black turtle bean . Beans and corn are deficient in different essential amino acids but complement each other. When eaten in combination, they provide a complete protein source. Together with Mesoamerica, Spain is the second basis of Mexican cuisine, contributing in two fundamental ways: Firstly, they brought with them old world staples and ingredients which did not exist in

5562-466: The "maize cake" rations on campaign. The cuisine of Spain is a Mediterranean cuisine influenced by its Muslim Andalusian period, composed of a number of staples such as olive oil and rice. Spanish settlers introduced these staples to the region, although some continued to be imported, such as wine, brandy, nuts, olives, spices, and capers . They introduced domesticated animals, such as pigs, cows, chickens, goats, and sheep for meat and milk, raising

5665-404: The 1753 first edition of Species Plantarum . Cucurbita pepo is the type species of the genus. Linnaeus initially included the species C. pepo , C. verrucosa and C. melopepo (both now included in C. pepo ), as well as C. citrullus (watermelon, now Citrullus lanatus ) and C. lagenaria (now Lagenaria siceraria ) (both are not Cucurbita but are in

5768-420: The 1980s. This may have been because of economic crises at that time, allowing for the substitution of these cheaper foods, or the fact that they can be bought ready-made or may already be made as part of the family business. Another important festive food is the tamale , also known as tamal in Spanish. This is a filled cornmeal dumpling, steamed in a wrapping (usually a corn husk or banana leaf) and one of

5871-468: The Americas such as sugar, wheat, rice, onions, garlic, limes, cooking oil, dairy products, pork, beef and many others. Secondly, they brought various culinary traditions from the Iberian peninsula which have become prevalent in Mexico. Equally, the discovery of the incorporation of New World ingredients to Spanish cuisine has led to the shared naming of foods such as chorizo, which uses paprika. Spanish cuisine

5974-578: The Americas, such as guava , prickly pear , sapote , mangoes , bananas, pineapple and cherimoya (custard apple) are popular, especially in the center and south of the country. Edible insects have been enjoyed in Mexico for millennia. Entemophagy or insect-eating is becoming increasingly popular outside of poor and rural areas for its unique flavors, sustainability, and connection to pre-Hispanic heritage. Popular species include chapulines (grasshoppers or crickets), escamoles (ant larvae), cumiles ( stink bugs ) and ahuatle (water bug eggs). Despite

6077-517: The Aztecs could not grow themselves. According to Bernardino de Sahagún , the Nahua peoples of central Mexico ate corn, beans, turkey, fish, small game, insects and a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, pulses , seeds, tubers , wild mushrooms , plants and herbs that they collected or cultivated. After the Conquest , the Spanish introduced a variety of foodstuffs and cooking techniques, like frying , to

6180-472: The United States were secondary producers. Cucurbitin is an amino acid and a carboxy pyrrolidine that is found in raw Cucurbita seeds. It retards the development of parasitic flukes when administered to infected host mice, although the effect is seen only if administration begins immediately after infection. Cucurmosin is a ribosome inactivating protein found in the flesh and seed of Cucurbita , notably Cucurbita moschata . Cucurbitacin

6283-467: The age of the plant and whether it already has developing fruit. The plant hormones ethylene and auxin are key in fruit set and development. Ethylene promotes the production of female flowers. When a plant already has a fruit developing, subsequent female flowers on the plant are less likely to mature, a phenomenon called "first-fruit dominance", and male flowers are more frequent, an effect that appears due to reduced natural ethylene production within

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6386-488: The ancestral species. C. pepo may have appeared in the Old World before moving from Mexico into South America. It is found from sea level to slightly above 2,000 meters (6,600 ft). Leaves have 3–5 lobes and are 20–35 centimeters (8–14 in) wide. All the subspecies, varieties, and cultivars are interfertile . In 1986 Paris proposed a revised taxonomy of the edible cultivated C. pepo based primarily on

6489-704: The basic staples in most regions of Mexico. It has its origins in the pre-Hispanic era and today is found in many varieties in all of Mexico. Like a mole, it is complicated to prepare and best done in large amounts. Tamales are associated with certain celebrations such as Candlemas . They are wrapped in corn husks in the highlands and desert areas of Mexico and in banana leaves in the tropics. Mexican street food can include tacos, quesadillas , pambazos , tamales, huaraches , alambres , al pastor , and food not suitable to cook at home, including barbacoa, carnitas, and since many homes in Mexico do not make use of ovens, roasted chicken . One attraction of street food in Mexico

6592-675: The border via carts. In recent years, these food carts have been threatened by tightened border security at the port of entry. Both the US and the Mexican governments have proposed a project that would widen the streets at the border, allowing for more people to pass through the border, although widening them would decimate neighboring mercados that rely on the business of travelers. Besides food, street vendors also sell various kinds of drinks (including aguas frescas , tejuino , and tepache ) and treats (such as bionicos , tostilocos , and raspados ). Most tamale stands sell atole as

6695-506: The coastlines. Vegetables included squash and their seeds; chilacayote ; jicama , a kind of sweet potato; and edible flowers , especially those of squash. The chile pepper was used as food, ritual and as medicine. When the Spanish arrived, the Aztecs had sophisticated agricultural techniques and an abundance of food, which was the base of their economy. It allowed them to expand an empire, bringing in tribute which consisted mostly of foods

6798-587: The colonial period and by Spanish immigrants who continued to arrive following independence. Spanish influence in Mexican cuisine is also noticeable in its sweets such as: alfajores , alfeniques , borrachitos and churros . African influence was also introduced during this era as a result of African slavery in New Spain through the Atlantic slave trade and the Manila-Acapulco Galleons . Mexican cuisine

6901-559: The consumption of protein. Cheese became the most important dairy product. The Spanish brought rice to Mexico , along with sugar cane , used extensively creation of many kinds of sweets, especially local fruits in syrup. A sugar-based candy craft called alfeñique was imported and is now used for the Day of the Dead . Over time ingredients like olive oil, rice, onions, garlic, oregano, coriander , cinnamon, and cloves became incorporated with native ingredients and cooking techniques. One of

7004-525: The country. Another popular street food, especially in Mexico City and the surrounding area is the torta . It consists of a roll of some type, stuffed with several ingredients. This has its origins in the 19th century, when the French introduced a number of new kinds of bread. The torta began by splitting the roll and adding beans. Today, refried beans can still be found on many kinds of tortas. In Mexico City,

7107-468: The creation of tortillas and other kinds of flat breads. The indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica have numerous stories about the origin of corn, usually related to being a gift of one or more gods, such as Quetzalcoatl . The other staple was beans, eaten with corn and some other plants as a complementary protein. Other protein sources included amaranth , domesticated turkey , insects such as grasshoppers, beetles and ant larvae, iguanas , and turtle eggs on

7210-411: The evening. Just about any other foodstuff can be wrapped in a tortilla, and, in Mexico, it varies from rice, to meat (plain or in sauce), to cream, to vegetables, to cheese, or simply to plain chile peppers or fresh salsa. Preferred fillings vary from region to region with pork generally found more often in the center and south, beef in the north, seafood along the coasts, and chicken and lamb in most of

7313-559: The family Cucurbitaceae, represented in Bryonia -like seeds, dates to the Paleocene . Recent genomic studies support the idea that the Cucurbita genus underwent a whole-genome duplication event, increasing the number of chromosomes and accelerating the rate at which their genomes evolve relative to other cucurbits. No species within the genus is entirely genetically isolated. C. moschata can intercross with all Cucurbita species, though

7416-668: The family Cucurbitaceae. The Cucurbita digitata , C. foetidissima , C. galeotti , and C. pedatifolia species groups are xerophytes , arid zone perennials with storage roots; the remainder, including the five domesticated species, are all mesophytic annuals or short-life perennials with no storage roots. The five domesticated species are mostly isolated from each other by sterility barriers and have different physiological characteristics. Some cross pollinations can occur: C. pepo with C. argyrosperma and C. moschata ; and C. maxima with C. moschata . Cross pollination does occur readily within

7519-484: The family Cucurbitaceae. The buffalo gourd ( C. foetidissima ) has been used as an intermediary, as it can be crossed with all the common Cucurbita . Various taxonomic treatments have been proposed for Cucurbita , ranging from 13 to 30 species. In 1990, Cucurbita expert Michael Nee classified them into the following oft-cited 13 species groups (27 species total), listed by group and alphabetically, with geographic origin: The taxonomy by Nee closely matches

7622-465: The fifth, C. maxima , originated and was domesticated in South America. Within C. pepo , the pumpkins, the scallops , and possibly the crooknecks are ancient and were domesticated at different times and places. The domesticated forms of C. pepo have larger fruits than non-domesticated forms and seeds that are larger but fewer in number. In a 1989 study on the origins and development of C. pepo , botanist Harry Paris suggested that

7725-547: The food. During the French intervention in Mexico , French food became popular with the upper classes. An influence on these new trends came from chef Tudor, who was brought to Mexico by the Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg . One lasting evidence of this is the variety of breads and sweet breads, such as bolillos , conchas and much more, which can be found in Mexican bakeries. The Germans brought beer brewing techniques and

7828-473: The founding of wheat farms. In 18th century Mexico City , wheat was baked into leaved rolls called pan francés or pan español , but only two bakers were allowed to bake this style of bread and they worked on consignment to the viceroy and the archbishop. Large ring loaves of choice flour known as pan floreado were available for wealthy "Creoles". Other styles of bread used lower-quality wheat and maize to produce pan común , pambazo and cemita . Pozole

7931-836: The full-grown fruits can be stored for months. However, C. pepo includes some cultivars that are better used only as summer squash . The fruits of the genus Cucurbita are good sources of nutrients , such as vitamin A and vitamin C , among other nutrients according to species. The fruits have many culinary uses including pumpkin pie , biscuits , bread , desserts , puddings , beverages , and soups ; they are now cultivated worldwide . Although botanical fruits, Cucurbita gourds such as squash are typically cooked and eaten as vegetables . Pumpkins see more varied use, and are eaten both as vegetables and as desserts such as pumpkin pie. Cucurbita species fall into two main groups. The first group consists of annual or short-lived perennial vines which are mesophytic , meaning they require

8034-538: The genus Lagenaria and are native to Africa. Lagenaria are in the same family and subfamily as Cucurbita but in a different tribe . The earliest known evidence of the domestication of Cucurbita dates back at least 8,000 years ago, predating the domestication of other crops such as maize and beans in the region by about 4,000 years. This evidence was found in the Guilá Naquitz cave in Oaxaca, Mexico, during

8137-416: The genus Lagenaria , which is in the same family and subfamily as Cucurbita , but in a different tribe , their young fruits are eaten much like those of the Cucurbita species. Most Cucurbita species are herbaceous vines that grow several meters in length and have tendrils , but non-vining "bush" cultivars of C. pepo and C. maxima have also been developed. The yellow or orange flowers on

8240-470: The genus Cucurbita are susceptible to some types of mosaic virus including: cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), papaya ringspot virus -cucurbit strain (PRSV), squash mosaic virus (SqMV), tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV), watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), and zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV). PRSV is the only one of these viruses that does not affect all cucurbits. SqMV and CMV are the most common viruses among cucurbits. Symptoms of these viruses show

8343-508: The genus Cucurbita were present in the Americas before the arrival of humans , and are native to the Americas . The likely center of origin is southern Mexico, spreading south through what is now known as Mesoamerica, into South America, and north to what is now the southwestern United States. Evolutionarily speaking, the genus is relatively recent in origin, dating back to the Holocene , whereas

8446-693: The hybrid offspring may not be fertile unless they become polyploid . Evidence of domestication of Cucurbita goes back over 8,000 years from the southernmost parts of Canada down to Argentina and Chile. Centers of domestication stretch from the Mississippi River watershed and Texas down through Mexico and Central America to northern and western South America. Of the 27 species that Nee delineates, five are domesticated. Four of these, C. argyrosperma , C. ficifolia , C. moschata , and C. pepo , originated and were domesticated in Mesoamerica ;

8549-566: The influence has been related to food industrialization, as well as the greater availability overall of food, especially after the Mexican Revolution . One other very visible sign of influence from the United States is the appearance of fast foods , such as hamburgers , hot dogs and pizza . In the latter 20th century, international influence in Mexico has led to interest and development of haute cuisine . In Mexico, many professional chefs are trained in French or international cuisine, but

8652-401: The introduction of wheat and rice to Mexico, maize is the most commonly consumed grain in almost all areas of the country and serves as the main ingredient in many local recipes (e.g. maize tortillas , atole , pozole , menudo , tamal ). While also eaten fresh, most maize is dried, nixtamalized and ground into a dough called masa . This dough is used both fresh and fermented to make

8755-599: The late 20th century. One example of this is the invention of the Sonoran hot dog in the late 1980s. The frankfurters are usually boiled then wrapped in bacon and fried. They are served in a bolillo -style bun, typically topped by a combination of pinto beans , diced tomatoes, onions and jalapeño peppers, and other condiments. Along the US-Mexican border, specifically dense areas like Tijuana, Mexican vendors sell food such as fruit melanged with Tajin spice to people crossing

8858-404: The main avenues for the mixing of the two cuisines was in convents . Despite the influence of Spanish culture, Mexican cuisine has maintained its base of corn, beans and chili peppers. Natives continued to be reliant on maize; it was less expensive than the wheat favored by European settlers, it was easier to cultivate and produced higher yields. European control over the land grew stronger with

8961-694: The main festival foods are mole, barbacoa , carnitas and mixiotes . They are often prepared to feed hundreds of guests, requiring groups of cooks. The cooking is part of the social custom meant to bind families and communities. Mexican regional home cooking is completely different from the food served in most Mexican restaurants outside Mexico, which is usually some variety of Tex-Mex . The original versions of Mexican dishes are vastly different from their Tex-Mex variation. Some of Mexico's traditional foods involved complex or long cooking processes, including cooking underground (such as cochinita pibil ). Before industrialization, traditional women spent several hours

9064-410: The male flowers. Female flowers of C. pepo have a small calyx, but the calyx of C. moschata male flowers is comparatively short. Cucurbita fruits are large and fleshy. Botanists classify the Cucurbita fruit as a pepo , which is a special type of berry derived from an inferior ovary, with a thick outer wall or rind with hypanthium tissue forming an exocarp around the ovary, and

9167-436: The most common roll used for tortas is called telera , a relatively flat roll with two splits on the upper surface. In Puebla, the preferred bread is called a cemita , as is the sandwich. In both areas, the bread is stuffed with various fillings, especially if it is a hot sandwich, with beans, cream (mayonnaise is rare), and some kind of hot chile pepper. The influence of American fast food on Mexican street food grew during

9270-437: The most tasty. The ability to cook well, called "sazón" (lit. seasoning) is considered to be a gift generally gained from experience and a sense of commitment to the diners. For the Day of the Dead festival, foods such as tamales and mole are set out on altars and it is believed that the visiting dead relatives eat the essence of the food. If eaten afterwards by the living it is considered to be tasteless. In central Mexico,

9373-416: The nodes; a notable exception is C. ficifolia , and the four other cultivated mesophytes do this to a lesser extent. The vine of the perennial Cucurbita can become semiwoody if left to grow. There is wide variation in size, shape, and color among Cucurbita fruits, and even within a single species. C. ficifolia is an exception, being highly uniform in appearance. The morphological variation in

9476-440: The original wild specimen had a small round fruit and that the modern pumpkin is its direct descendant. He suggested that the crookneck, ornamental gourd, and scallop are early variants and that the acorn squash is a cross between the scallop and the pumpkin. C. argyrosperma is not as widespread as the other species. The wild form C. a. subsp. sororia is found from Mexico to Nicaragua , and cultivated forms are used in

9579-449: The pest Bemisia argentifolii ( silverleaf whitefly ) as well as aphids ( Aphididae ), cucumber beetles ( Acalymma vittatum and Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi ), squash bug ( Anasa tristis ), the squash vine borer ( Melittia cucurbitae ), and the two-spotted spidermite ( Tetranychus urticae ). The squash bug causes major damage to plants because of its very toxic saliva. The red pumpkin beetle ( Aulacophora foveicollis )

9682-405: The plant stem. Ethephon , a plant growth regulator product that is converted to ethylene after metabolism by the plant, can be used to increase fruit and seed production. Although Cucurbita species can generally produce healthy fruit after pollination from the same plant, inbreeding depression can significantly reduce seed number and fruit size. The plant hormone gibberellin , produced in

9785-785: The precise location of origin is uncertain. It has been present in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Peru for 4,000–6,000 years and has spread to Bolivia, Ecuador, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. This species is closely related to C. argyrosperma . A variety known as the Seminole Pumpkin has been cultivated in Florida since before the arrival of Columbus. Its leaves are 20 to 30 centimeters (8 to 12 in) wide. It generally grows at low elevations in hot climates with heavy rainfall, but some varieties have been found above 2,200 meters (7,200 ft). Groups of C. moschata include Cheese, Crookneck ( C. moschata ), and Bell. C. pepo

9888-573: The same time frame, average rind thickness increased from 0.84–1.15 millimeters ( 1 ⁄ 32 – 3 ⁄ 64  in). Recent genomic studies suggest that Cucurbita argyrosperma was domesticated in Mexico, in the region that is currently known as the state of Jalisco . Squash was domesticated first, followed by maize and then beans, becoming part of the Three Sisters agricultural system of companion planting . The English word "squash" derives from askutasquash (a green thing eaten raw),

9991-440: The shape of the fruit, with eight groups. All but a few C. pepo cultivars can be included in these groups. There is one non-edible cultivated variety: C. pepo var. ovifera . Cucurbita species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the cabbage moth ( Mamestra brassicae ), Hypercompe indecisa , and the turnip moth ( Agrotis segetum ). Cucurbita can be susceptible to

10094-995: The species C. pepo and C. maxima is so vast that its various subspecies and cultivars have been misidentified as totally separate species. The typical cultivated Cucurbita species has five-lobed or palmately divided leaves with long petioles , with the leaves alternately arranged on the stem. The stems in some species are angular. All of the above-ground parts may be hairy with various types of trichomes , which are often hardened and sharp. Spring-like tendrils grow from each node and are branching in some species. C. argyrosperma has ovate-cordate (egg-shaped to heart-shaped) leaves. The shape of C. pepo leaves varies widely. C. moschata plants can have light or dense pubescence . C. ficifolia leaves are slightly angular and have light pubescence. The leaves of all four of these species may or may not have white spots. The species are monoecious , with unisexual male ( staminate ) and female ( pistillate ) flowers on

10197-405: The species groupings reported in a pair of studies by a botanical team led by Rhodes and Bemis in 1968 and 1970 based on statistical groupings of several phenotypic traits of 21 species. Seeds for studying additional species members were not available. Sixteen of the 21 species were grouped into five clusters with the remaining five being classified separately: The full phylogeny of this genus

10300-495: The stamens, is essential for the development of all parts of the male flowers. The development of female flowers is not yet understood. Gibberellin is also involved in other developmental processes of plants, such as seed and stem growth. Seeds with maximum germination potential develop (in C. moschata ) by 45 days after anthesis , and seed weight reaches its maximum 70 days after anthesis. Some varieties of C. pepo germinate best with eight hours of sunlight daily and

10403-409: The use of Mexican staples and flavors is still favored, including the simple foods of traditional markets. It is not unusual to see some quesadillas or small tacos among the other hors d'oeuvres at fancy dinner parties in Mexico. Professional cookery in Mexico is growing and includes an emphasis on traditional methods and ingredients. In the cities, there is interest in publishing and preserving what

10506-419: Was in turn heavily influenced by its Moorish heritage and this created one of the earliest instances of fusion cuisine . The Spanish also introduced the technique of frying in pork fat . Today, the main meats found in Mexico are pork, chicken, beef, goat, and sheep. Fish and other seafood are also popular, especially along the coasts, and the cooking method commonly has a Spanish origin such as with Huachinango

10609-432: Was set in 2014 by Beni Meier of Switzerland with a 1,054 kg (2,323.7 lb) pumpkin. All species of Cucurbita have 20 pairs of chromosomes . Many North and Central American species are visited by specialist pollinators in the apid tribe Eucerini , especially the genera Peponapis and Xenoglossa , and these squash bees can be crucial to the flowers producing fruit after pollination. When there

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