The Mexican Food Revolution

The time has come to declare that Mexican food is an integral part of our national cuisine here in America… er, I mean the United States (they’re American too, you know).

Salsa, fajitas and carne asada are not just exotic foods you get at a specialty restaurant—they’re what’s on the menu at your local suburban backyard cookout. People grow cilantro in home gardens across the land. You don't have to italicize the words, either. The final proof that Mexican food has arrived: Kids aren’t afraid of it.

The US certainly has incorporated foods from all over the world into our national menu. However, certain nationalities have risen from an ethnic specialty into a national food. Look at Italian foods. Who hasn’t grown up eating spaghetti, lasagna and ravioli? And I’m not even going to mention pizza. While most people love pierogies and kielbasa, few Americans can name more Polish dishes than that. Yet, the Italians and Mexicans have worked their way to the top of our menu and their dishes are as American—and as common—as apple pie. And to be honest: I rarely eat apple pie, but had several burritos just last week.

Neither Mexican nor Italian foods have lost their ethnic associations. No one forgets where the burrito or the lasagna come from. But there’s a sense that its our food, not just their food.

To be sure here, I’m talking about Mexican-American food. Most folks here in the 50 states still haven’t partaken in drunken beans (frijoles borrachos), ox-tail soup (sopa del caldo) or other gems of Mexican foods. But they’re not so far away, either. And that’s just the way it is in the USA, where Americanized versions predominate.

Its hard to say if the stunning popularity of Mexican food is due to immigration or the marketing of some restaurant chains. Taco Bell certainly broke into the market, but clearly left us at a plateau that someone else needed to rise above. If it were just for Taco Bell, I would still think a burrito was just glue wrapped in tar. Thanks to Chipotle and others who have redeemed the good name of the burrito.

When I was young, I was leery of salsa. I assumed it was just another “sauce” that was full of sugars, oils and was clogging the arteries of Americans—no different than commercial BBQ sauces or salad dressings (this may have been due to Taco Bell calling what's in their hot sauce packed "salsa"--but I could be remembering incorrectly). It wasn’t until later that we all realized that salsa is this amazing thing which is somewhere between a sauce and a salad. It’s a tremendous blend of tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro. While some commercial varieties can add some negative ingredients, at its core, salsa is one of the healthiest things you can put in your body.

Who doesn’t love Mexican food and want to eat a lot of it?

Mark my words: Middle Eastern food will be next.