The south end of the beach at Hua Hin, Thailand.
Where are Kevin and Ruth now? Hua Hin, Thailand.

Where are Kevin and Ruth going next? Maldives on March 23rd.

Monday, July 18, 2016

Authentic Mexican food?

I was looking at an advertisement for a Mexican restaurant in our hometown of Ottawa, and it stated that the food was "authentic".

And I wondered....do they even use corn tortillas? Because most people in Canada wouldn't eat corn tortillas...only flour tortillas. So if they don't make their enchiladas with corn tortillas, they are most certainly not an authentic Mexican restaurant.

One of the reasons that we love Mexico is the food. And Mexican food centers around the corn tortilla. The corn tortilla is a staple of the Mexican diet.

This lady is making us some corn tortillas by hand.

They cook very quickly on a wood fired clay stove.

Corn tortillas are eaten and served with all meals...breakfast, lunch, and dinner! And because we don't eat gluten, it's very easy for us to eat out in Mexico! We've become so used to eating corn tortillas that we even have them here during the summer. They're not easy to buy in Canada (unless you're in a major city), and they're also very expensive. So we stocked up while we were in the U.S. before we crossed the border.

Not quite the same as the ones we get in Mexico. But they'll do.

Once you've got your corn tortillas, you can make numerous authentic Mexican dishes. Tostadas, chilaquiles, enchiladas, chips, flautas, and of course tacos!

Now this is authentic Mexican food! Chicken enchiladas with rice and beans.

In Mexico, the only food that is made with flour tortillas is burritos. So if you order a burrito in Mexico, it will almost always be made with a four tortilla. Otherwise, expect your food to be made and served with corn tortillas. Although we have noticed that many gringo tourist areas in Mexico now serve flour tortillas...so we have learned in those areas to specifically ask for tortillas de maiz (corn tortillas) for fear that the server will assume that because we are gringos we must want flour tortillas.

Besides, without corn tortillas and corn tortilla chips, what would you use to pick up your beans??

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Non stick BBQ grilling mats are on sale this morning at Amazon!







22 comments:

  1. Are taco shells the same as corn tortillas?

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    1. Hard taco shells are made of corn, but you won't find them in Mexico as far as we know. They're a kind of Americanized version of the taco.

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  2. We loved all the "real" Mexcian food in Mexico, hard to find it here in Canada even many places in the U.S.
    That is a good deal for the grill mats, we love ours.

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    Replies
    1. That is what we have found with the restaurants, so we rarely go to any when we are north of the Mexican border.

      Yes, we see you using your mat a lot! Glad you like it, maybe we will have to invest in one too.

      Delete
  3. You are going to have to visit that restaurant so you can share...the rest of the story.

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    Replies
    1. At $9.95 for 2 tacos and a bottle of beer at $5.50 plus tip and tax, I doubt that we will be visiting it!

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  4. We really enjoyed the Mexican street food you guys introduced us to in Querétaro. Many people are scared of it but we can attest to the fact that there is nothing better.

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    1. We love the local Mexican food, whether it is on the street or in one of the little "comida de caseras". Great value for your money, and delicious food!

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  5. We enjoyed the Mexican food along the border towns where we went too.... We are so glad a small Mexican grocery store in our tiny town now added a restaurant too, and we sure enjoy their food!

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    1. Nice that you have one that you like in such a small town! I have seen pictures of your plates of food and it does look good. :-)

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  6. Flour tortillas are very common in northern Mexico. My favorite corn tortillas are here in the south where they use yellow corn and not processed white corn flour (Maseca)

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    1. We agree Chris the yellow ones are better but when you don't have much choice the white ones will have to do. Love the blues too! :-)

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  7. I can't wait to get me some of that!!!!!

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    1. When will you be headed across the border Grace?

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  8. I much prefer corn tortillas. Last visit to Mexico we hand some homemade ones. They were outstanding!!!

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    1. The homemade fresh off the fire are the best! :-)

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  9. I'm like Ruth, non-gluten. Always get a stack of Mission corn tortillas somewhere in a major grocery store; they keep for a few days without refrigeration. But each store classifies them differently. Some are in the International section, some are in the bread section, some are in the Taco section, some are in the diary section! Yesterday, the clerk told me they were opposite the yogurt section! Go figure . .

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    1. The ones in the grocery store are too manufactured but they are better than nothing. Nothing bets the tortillas a la mano (tortillas made by hand) right in front of you and fresh off the fire. :-)

      I have always found the corn tortillas in the bakery area or the bread isle although I have seen them in the Mexican food section as well. In Canada it is hard to find corn tortillas but a few of the bigger stores are starting to stock bags of 12 which are very expensive for only 12!

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  10. I noticed some time ago, that Mexicam restaurants (in Midwest USA) almost all state on their signage and advertising materials "Authentic Mexican". Somewhere along the line, that wording became de rigueur, but it means nothing.

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  11. I love corn tortillas, the smell, the taste and the yummy things you can make with them. When I walk past the tortilla display in a supermarket, my appetite is immediately awakened! We have no problem buying tortillas in Northern California!

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    1. Yep, we really enjoy them too, especially when they are nice and fresh.

      No, I don't expect that you would have trouble getting them in Northern California. In fact we have been able to find them in just about any US grocery store. Wish we could find them as easily and as cheap in Canada as we can in the USA or Mexico.

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