Mesoamerican cuisine explained

Mesoamerican cuisine – (covering Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, northern Costa Rica and Mexico)[1] has four main staples: maize (many varieties based on what climate it is grown in),[2] beans,[3] squash and chili.[4] Other plant-based foods used include: amaranth, avocado,[5] cassava, cherimoya, chia, chocolate,[6] guava,[7] nanche, pineapple, sapodilla,[8] sweet potatoes, yucca and zapote.[9]

Historically, various methods and techniques were employed to store, prepare and preserve the foods, most of which remain in use today.[10] Hernán Cortés introduced rice and wheat to Mesoamerica, prior to which time milpa (known as the cornfield)[5] was one of the main sources of sustenance.[11]

Some traditional foods featured in the cuisine include: Atole (a drink made using masa)[12] and Chocolate Atole (with the addition of chocolate) also known as champurrado.[13] Two classic maize dishes are: boiling maize in water and lime, mixing with chili peppers and eating as gruel; dough preparation for flat cakes, tamales and tortillas.[14] Edible foam is another popular food item, sometimes even regarded as sacred.[15]

While squashes were cooked for food, dried gourds were repurposed for storage[16] or used during battles with embers and chilies, wrapped in leaves and used as chemical warfare.[17]

History

Animals

The animals used in Mesoamerican cuisine were mainly dogs, turkeys, deer and the Muscovy duck.[19]

Chocolate

The Mesoamericans began making fermented drinks using chocolate in 450 BC using the Theobroma cacao (cocoa tree).[20] Once sugar was used to sweeten it rather than spices, it gained popularity[21] and was used in feasts. Toasted cacao beans were ground (sometimes with parched corn) and then the powder was mixed with water. This was beaten with a wooden whisk until foamy. Vanilla orchid pods or honey were used as flavor enhancers.[22] Chocolate was also seen as an energy drink and a libido increaser as recorded by Moctezuma II who drank 50 cups a day from a golden goblet.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2019-10-06. Divine Food. 2021-08-11. www.imj.org.il. en.
  2. Book: Smith, Michael E.. The Aztecs. 2013-03-01. John Wiley & Sons. 978-1-118-25719-7. en.
  3. Web site: Mesoamerica. Pizza With Savour Of Aztec Cuisine.. 2021-08-11. www.southworld.net. en-US.
  4. Web site: Morganfield. T. L.. 2013-09-02. Food in Mesoamerica - The Four Staples (History). 2021-08-11. T. L. Morganfield. en-US.
  5. Web site: The Mesoamerican Milpa. 2021-08-11. edibleaustin.com. en-gb.
  6. Book: McNeil, Cameron L.. Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao. 2006. University Press of Florida. 978-0-8130-2953-5. en.
  7. Gómez-Maqueo. Andrea. Escobedo-Avellaneda. Zamantha. Welti-Chanes. Jorge. 2020-11-07. Phenolic Compounds in Mesoamerican Fruits—Characterization, Health Potential and Processing with Innovative Technologies. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 21. 21. 8357. 10.3390/ijms21218357. 1422-0067. 7664671. 33171785. free.
  8. Book: McDonald, Michael R.. Food Culture in Central America. 2009-06-22. ABC-CLIO. 978-0-313-34768-9. en.
  9. Web site: Mexican Culinary Culture by ChefsProject.com. 2021-08-11. chefsproject.com.
  10. Garcia Acosta. V.. 1992. [Mesoamerican food and processing techniques]]. Quipu. 9. 2. 135–148. 0185-5093. 11640797.
  11. Web site: Eastsider. The. A Mexican restaurant without rice? Welcome to Mesoamerican cuisine in Boyle Heights. 2021-08-11. The Eastsider LA. en.
  12. Web site: Hammond. David. Making atole, a warm, liquid gift from ancient Mexico. 2021-08-11. chicagotribune.com.
  13. Web site: Mesoamerican Cuisine. 2021-08-11. worldfood.guide. en.
  14. Web site: Chapala. 2017-09-05. How the Maya Civilization Influenced Today's Mexican Food. 2021-08-11. Chapala Mexican Restaurant. en-US.
  15. Stross. Brian. 2011-12-01. Food, Foam and Fermentation in Mesoamerica. Food, Culture & Society. 14. 4. 477–501. 10.2752/175174411X13046092851352. 152733774. 1552-8014.
  16. Web site: The Aztec or Mexica bottle gourd. 2021-08-11. www.mexicolore.co.uk.
  17. Web site: The Food Timeline--Aztec, Maya & Inca foods. 2021-08-11. www.foodtimeline.org.
  18. Web site: 2020-03-06. Medicinal and Ritualistic Uses for Chocolate in Mesoamerica. 2021-08-11. HeritageDaily - Archaeology News. en-US.
  19. Web site: Nell Lewis, for. How the ancient Maya reared dogs for food. 2021-08-11. CNN. 23 March 2018.
  20. Web site: Mesoamerica Arizona Museum of Natural History. 2021-08-11. www.arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org.
  21. Norton. Marcy. 2006. Tasting Empire: Chocolate and the European Internalization of Mesoamerican Aesthetics. The American Historical Review. 111. 3. 660–691. 10.1086/ahr.111.3.660. 10.1086/ahr.111.3.660. 0002-8762. free.
  22. Web site: Trove. 2021-08-11. trove.nla.gov.au.

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