We are about to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day.
This year is even more special because we have joyful people celebrating in the streets again and spending some days off to celebrate it too.
Also, this year we celebrate the Anniversary 212 of our country as an independent nation.
We remember the heroes who gave us freedom.
We celebrate our culture, full of magical stories, incredible people, and leaders.
We celebrate our colors, aromas, and flavors…
There is only one Mexico, especially when we talk about our gastronomy which is full of flavor.
Tamales, pozole, pambazos, tostadas, huaraches, quesadillas (with and without cheese). They are only some examples of traditional dishes we can savor on this special day.
In Mexico, we have a close relationship with our food. It makes us happy, and it makes our hearts happy too.
Therefore, today we share the story of the national dishes and the best tips to make them.
Tinga Tostadas
Tinga tostadas is a prehispanic dish and one of the most popular in Mexican culture because they have an irresistible red color that reminds us of our national flag, and their spicy flavor is super tasty.
In ancient times, tostadas were made of corn and served with beans and chili.
And after the conquest, people started to include other ingredients such as chicken, pork, beef, cheese, sour cream, and lettuce.
Tinga is originally from Puebla.
This recipe appeared for the first time in 1881 in the book: The cook from Puebla. The ingredients were tomato, onion, and chipotle, the essential flavor of this dish.
Pambazos
Pambazos are another dish that makes us shout Viva Mexico!
This delicious dish is from Veracruz, and it has a Royal origin.
It started as a royal request of the empress Charlotte, wife of Maximilian of Habsburg, who was the second and last emperor of Mexico, between 1864 and 1867.
During a visit from empress Charlotte to Veracruz, she wanted to enjoy a different dish, so her cook, Jözsef Tüdös, got inspired by the Citlaltepec volcano to create this exquisite and timeless dish.
Tüdös made the original pambazo with white bread stuffed with chorizo, chipotle, lettuce, and white cheese.
And although the recipe has a few modifications depending on the region, like including ham, the essence of the pambazo has remained the same.
Chiles en nogada
Chiles en nogada outstands all the Mexican dishes because of their colors.
They cooked them for the first time in 1821, the same year that Agustín de Iturbide signed the Declaration of the independence of the Mexican Empire.
The story tells that Augustinian nuns, who lived in Santa Mónica convent in Puebla, created this dish to welcome Agustín and the Army of the Three Guarantees.
The nuns decided to use seasonal products, so they cooked poblanos chiles and stuffed them with ground pork and nuts.
They also made a white sour cream with cheese and sugar.
The colors of the army of the three guarantees were green, white, and red; the same colors became the Official Mexican flag years later.
The nuns wanted to make this dish a statement, adding white dressing, pomegranate grains, and celery leaves covering the weathered chili, giving the bird one of the most succulent recipes of Mexican history.
Pozole
Last but not least is pozole, a spectacular dish without a doubt, but it has one of the most controversial origins of Mexican cuisine.
Warning!
Continue reading at your own risk, but if you do, do it with an open mind.
We will be honest and straightforward with you. In order to prepare pozole the first thing was to capture a warrior from their opponents, who had the same hierarchy.
Once captured, he was venerated to impregnate him with the so-called tonalli, honor of the warrior, and finally, he was sacrificed.
Thus, the meat could be offered to the Mexica gods and cooked with shelled corn.
With the arrival of the Spanish, pozole remained among the most important dishes of Mexican festivities.
But, the evangelist outright prohibited human meat consumption and they started using chicken, pork, and turkey meat instead.
This is the unique origin of pozole.
Tips to make a delicious meal on Independence Day.
Now you know which dishes are the most popular this independence day, so It is time to get ready!
But, before that, we will share with you a few essential tips that will help you, to savor a wonderful meal that will make you shout Viva México in every bite.
Choose fresh products.
To capture the essence of Mexican cuisine in every dish is necessary to choose fresh products, not frozen or canned products. This includes every ingredient, tomatoes for the Tinga and sauces and meats.
To achieve the highest level of freshness, go to the farmers markets and cook only recipes with seasonal products.
Use quality water
The water quality you use can affect your national dishes, especially if you choose tap water because it can have a high level of minerals like magnesium and calcium.
The meat can be altered because of these minerals, causing that meat takes much longer to cook.
Another common substance in tap water is chlorine, this substance discolors your ingredients, and when the chlorine permeates your food, like rice, pasta, and beans (which are the ingredients of traditional dishes like sopes and tlacoyos), it modifies their flavor, and it could cause health problems as well.
So, now you are ready to celebrate big time your Independence Day.
Practice these tips, and let us know how they worked for you.
