Hispanic Kitchen
By Silvia Ibarra
indigenous cultures of ancient Mexico developed a vast knowledge based on observation of life cycles of their environment and the possible link between some cosmic phenomena and sought to interpret.
The struggle for survival, over time enabled them to optimize plant resources, animals and minerals that nature was at their disposal in every region of prehistoric asentamiento.En their diet was based solely on products of hunting, fishing and gathering plants and fruits appropriate.
Over time, the selective consumption by human groups increasing numbers, helped to change the natural conditions in different plant species. It was a slow and gradual process of many thousands of years, which coexisted with the collection and early forms of primitive agriculture.
At some point, estimated date by archaeologists in about four or five thousand years before our era, began the domestication of maize from its wild ancestor the "teosinte" whose fruit was tiny.
From these earliest times begin to appear in Mesoamerica instruments appropriate stone for grinding seeds. In Mexico, the development of agriculture was not, as in other world regions, a reduction in the nutritional health of its population by a greater reliance on dominant food source. Perhaps because there remained the habit of using a variety of alternative supplies such as game, fish and other aquatic products, fruits and wild vegetables, flowers, roots, worms and even insects.
other hand, were domesticated in Mexico as other vegetables such as amaranth, chile, beans and squash.
Use from time so remote The combination of corn, beans and squash, as an essential part of the diet has been crucial to the healthy development of indigenous peoples.
Indeed, all scientists agree that analyzes the combined intake of corn beans and squash is even more nutritionally beneficial than being incorporated separately. Its nutrients are highly complementary.
addition, the ductility of the tomatoes, which can be eaten both raw and cooked together with the variety of chiles with varying degrees of spice can also be eaten fresh and dried or crushed, raw or cooked, helped development seasoned with all sorts of wild birds, game meats and fish.
The archaeological and other scientific studies clearly show that each of the pre-Hispanic civilizations that flourished in Mexico expressed cultural characteristics. Given the variety of soils and climates in which they were developed is certain that their eating patterns were adapted to the natural resources of each region.
However, the area of \u200b\u200binfluence of some of these civilizations, such as the Olmec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya and Mexica (Aztec) covered in some cases very broad territories. This diffusion resulted in a vast trade and the necessity of providing food resources for them populated metropolis conceived in the exchange of products in large markets or flea markets. "
There are many evidences in this sense of transporting goods over long distances. Both the archaeological and historical documentation at the time of the English conquest, showing the importance that the practice of paying taxes on food by the subject races, had purchased for the consolidation of central power Aztec.
The central market of Tenochtitlan, the "street market" of Tlatelolco, was of colossal dimensions to the experience European time and caused the admiration of the English for their internal organization and the extraordinary variety of products offered.
THE IMPORTANCE OF CORN
Just as the domestication of wheat in Mesopotamia and rice in India and China laid the foundation for the Neolithic revolution in Europe and Asia, the domestication of corn transformed cultural development of all subsequent American civilizations.
Corn is very versatile, its tender grains can be eaten roasted or cocidos.Cuando are dry are easily converted to mass tortillas or tamales.
Its cultivation requires no plows or work animals. For just a cane planting hardwood (the coalition) with which to dig the hole that will hold the seed. Progresses without irrigation or further care. It requires no plans or specially prepared soil. Grows in height and sea level can occur in both tropical and cold areas of the plains or mountain. Its grains are easily stored and can be used long after the harvest.
It is an excellent food for both humans and poultry and pets. The leaves of the plant and the ear can be used to wrap and cook platillos.Los various cob (Marla) dry and free of grains are used as fuel. Dry reeds used to build walls and ceilings. Finally the waste or fallow lands are an excellent fertilizer.
All this explains that became the staple food of those who learned to cultivate.
addition, the ancient Mexicans discovered a truly successful in their intake were more digestible and healthy. This process known as "nixtamal" Corn is the slow cooking of the grains in alkaline water (with tequesquite, ash or lime), allowing the detachment of the cuticle or skin indigestible. This produces Among other benefits, the level of calcium from tortillas increased twentyfold.
tortillas from time immemorial have constituted the basic livelihood of the Mexican populations. No one can prove for sure when they appeared but it is assumed that there almost since the domestication of corn, since very ancient archaeological sites are metates and griddles, cooking tools necessary to produce them.
is likely that the production of tortillas has been the main occupation of Mexican women over millennia. This has always been a female household chore and it is estimated that a European woman in a culture wheat needed to use about three or four hours a week to make the necessary bread for his family, while a Mexican woman needed thirty-five to forty hours to produce tortillas, always be eaten hot, freshly made.
CORN pre-Hispanic mythology
The corn was incorporated in various ways to the Hispanic mythology. For the Quiche Maya who wrote the Popol Vuh, the creator gods were experimenting with different materials, but only could lead to real men when produced in maize seeds. Also
Mexica creation conceived in stages up to the true humanity and perfect food: corn. Both cultures expressed in their myths contempt for those people who were not able to plant corn.
Chicomolotzin, or "7 ears of corn" was for the Aztecs the Goddess of Maintenance. The numeral 7 seeds meant for the esoteric language of the wizards and the esoteric name of the corn was "7. Snake. " Perhaps because this Goddess was also called Chicomecóatl that just means "7.Serpiente."
Each plant important to the Aztecs had their deity and corn was the most important of all have different representations.
Centéotl (centli: corn and teotl: God) was the god of corn in general.
Xilonen, conceived as a young deity was the goddess of sweet corn.
Itlamatecuhtli, "the old lady's skirt, was the goddess of the ear dry.
was retained even by oral tradition in language "Nahuatl" an ancient hymn to the god of corn "Centéotl" whose rough translation is:
was born Tamoanchan the corn god.
In the place where God is floresel "1. Flor "
the maize god was born in
where there is water and moisture,
where the sons of men are made, in the beautiful
Michoacán.
KITCHEN UTENSILS
The most important were:
hand
The metate and cylindrical, rectangular mortar with three legs flat volcanic stone for grinding grains and seeds.
The molcajete: concave container stone or clay, for crushing and grinding various foods, including those necessary to prepare spicy sauces tejolote or using the small cylinder of the same material.
These two are still used today in the kitchens of Mexican homes.
Earthenware: many of them were developed with this material, such as pots and pans, pichancha or strainer (pot with many holes to drain the nixtamal) comal (a flat container or dish pan to roast various foods ), jugs and other containers.
Baskets or baskets, made from different fibers, used for storing food.
Knives: made of obsidian, used primarily for cutting meat and skins of different animals. To cut soft food, ixtle ropes.
Other utensils were made of wood or gourds.
TYPES OF FOOD
Corn tortillas (round and flat breads), tamales (stuffed with meat, fish, shellfish, beans, seeds, only mass, candy), tlacoyos and other snacks, chocolate (water, roasted and ground cacao), porridge and pinole, all of them were made with mass nixtamal. Popcorn (roasted dried beans), cooked corn (sweet corn), roasted corn, molasses, leaves for wrapping tamales, ears to make breads, ear leaves for tamales ear hair teas, popcorn (tender beans cooked with salt and chile) and pozole (a stew with corn, poultry and beans).
Beans: Cooked in broth, and flour, such as tamales and tacos stuffed with chile, boiled with salt and epazote (herb).
Amaranth seeds or joy (huautli in Nahuatl): ground to make a very fine flour which is then kneaded with corn and honey ("tzoalli" in Nahuatl) for making bread or figurines of gods and mountains after being worshiped were sacrificed and consumed in ceremonies and rituals and caked with honey roasted agave, roasted and ground into flour for make tortillas and tamales.
Pumpkin Seeds: for moles, sauces, stews and tamales, drink paste, or just toast.
Other seeds, chia or sage (meal, drink, oil), peanuts (groundnuts), pine, or corn and wild teosinte otras.Verduras: peppers (great variety, fresh or dried), quelites (other than leafy plants and green stems), acuyo, chaya, chipilín, sorrel, flowers (squash, barrel cactus, yucca, agave, beans, bunting, etc.), fleshy leaves of nopal and maguey, beans, chayote, zucchini, squash, sweet potatoes (yams) , yucca, jicama, other roots and bulbs, algae, fungi, green tomato, tomato (tomato red), a kind of American onion (Xonacatla), and others.
Meat: deer, rabbits, hares, tapir, dogs (Xoloitzcuintli), peccaries, armadillos, gophers, moles, squirrels, turkey (turkey), pheasant, quail, ducks, herons, cranes, geese, iguanas, frogs, Turtle (sea and land, meat and eggs), snakes, lizards, snakes, worms, insects and their eggs several (the most popular grasshoppers and locusts), larvae, ants, fish, fresh and sea water (catfish, trout , white fish, shark, bass, stingray, sea bream, mountains, etc.) and shellfish (crab, mussels, oysters, acamayas, octopus, shrimp, and others).
Fruits: pears, sapodilla, blackberry, plum pit American great, guava, mamey, papaya, hawthorn, chokecherry or ground cherry, nanche, guava, pineapple, avocado (avocado), papaya, and others.
Sweets: honey were produced with different (from bees, agave, cane, palm trees and roots, ants, wasps) and fermented seeds or frutos.Bebidas The most famous is the pulque (maguey) . Also elaborated with fruit juice and honey and tree bark.
CONSERVATION FOOD
Dry: This technique was used for fish and meat and chilies and various seeds. Salar: one for fish and carne.Mieles sugary: for root and various fruits.
COOKING TECHNIQUES
only two were used:
Asar: directly from the embers, or use the pan and heat diffuser, or in the ash or in underground ovens ( BBQ or GDP-bil.)
Boil, bake in a pan of water or steam, wrapping food in different edible leaves.
frying technique was introduced by the English.