A Fascinating Peek at Mexican Culture
The Mexicans are very proud of their culture, ethnicity and history and the Mexican culture is a blend of the pre-Hispanic times and colonial era, right up to postcolonial modern day Mexico.
The country has actually changed quite a bit in the past century and contemporary Mexican life is more like European or North American life. Eighty five percent of Mexicans live in big cities and there are more Spanish speaking people in Mexico than in any other country. The Mexican government does recognize another sixty-two indigenous languages as Mexican languages though.
Mexico is the second largest catholic country in the world, after Brazil. Spanish colonists introduced Catholicism and ninety five percent of present day, Mexicans are catholic.
Mexican Celebrations and Holidays
Every village, city, and town holds a party to honor their patron saint each year on different dates and Mexican Independence Day is celebrated on September 16. The people will pray and burn candles during the religious celebrations and they will also use colorful flowers and utensils to decorate their churches. Fireworks, parades, parties, and dance competitions are all common during fiesta time and football, bullfighting and cockfighting events are also held.
Piatas, which are made from paper mache, are unique to Mexican fiestas. These are made to resemble well-known people, fictional characters, or animals. Piatas are filled with small toys and candy, hung from the ceiling and blindfolded children take it in turns to hit the piata until it breaks and the toys and candy spill out.
What Do Mexicans Eat and Drink?
Mexican food is an exotic mixture of European, Aztec, Mayan, Spanish, French and Caribbean food and more. It is tasty and well balanced, both in flavor and in nutritional content. Well known Mexican favorites include tacos, tamales, mole sauce, pozole and enchiladas. There are plenty of Mexican fast food restaurants but the offerings from these establishments bear little resemblance to traditional Mexican food recipes. You can use Mexican recipes to make your own Mexican food at home if there are no good Mexican eateries in your area.
Beans, chicken, maize, beef; potatoes, tomatoes, avocados, guavas, and peanuts are used in many Mexican dishes. Mexican drinks include cinnamon flavored hot chocolate, fruit juices, mescal, Mexican beer, and tequila. There are also several award winning Mexican wineries that produce wine and export it all over the world.
Chili and corn are both essential ingredients in a Mexican kitchen and you can get Mexican soup, stews and salads as well as the better-known dishes. Mexican desserts are very good and they combine sweet and hot elements to create flavor bursts in the mouth.
Chili is used to flavor candy sometimes and corn flavor candy is a favorite snack. The sugar skulls made for Da de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, are called Calaveras de Azcar.
Mexican food is one of the special things about Mexico, which stands out in many people’s minds. Far from being all tacos and burritos, Mexicans focus on using fresh produce and a clever combination of herbs and spices to make their dishes mouthwateringly good and wonderfully unique. By using authentic Mexican food recipes, you can find out why this tasty cuisine is loved the world over.
