Cooking the Mexican Way Modern Mexican cuisine still reflects the cooking practices of the past Recipes and preparation techniques have been handed down by families for generations Many of these were used by native peoples hundreds of years ago Others came from early Spanish settlers The strong sense of tradition and community in Mexican culture keeps these methods alive
Corn beans and chiles form the center of Mexican cooking Native communities farmed these before the Spanish settled in the area Fresh local ingredients such as tomatoes and avocados add variety to the basics Mexican people often use many different parts of a crop including cornhusks and banana leaves The cooks in a family or community prepare the meal together Food is most often steamed fried grilled or boiled Old School Some cooks still prefer to cook over an open fire They believe this gives the best flavor
