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It was almost five hundred years ago that Spain conquered México, introducing European customs, foods and livestock, creating one of the world’s first fusion cuisines. Over time, this marriage has produced a rich gastronomy known as one of the world’s three great cuisines.
The cross, not the sword, would conquer the Baja California Peninsula when Jesuit padres established the first mission settlement at Loreto in 1697. Yet, unlike the mainland, where the country’s rich and diverse agricultural areas ensured a constant bounty of regional specialties, the barren peninsula stubbornly yielded few introduced crops, apart from select locations with fresh water. Grapes and olives thrived in the cooler north while sugar cane became the primary crop of the south. In contrast to the mainland’s sophisticated indigenous cultures, the Southern peninsula’s Guaycura and Pericú—peculiarly caught in a Late Stone Age time warp—lent little pre-Hispanic flavor to the pot. And so, for most of the past three centuries, the Mestizo cuisine of “el otro lado” (the other side) as the peninsula was known, was limited to what could be grown or caught fresh to eat, and dried or preserved for a later time. Fish and seafood formed much of the coastal diet, while deer, rabbit and dove provided meat, along with hardy cattle, goats and pigs brought by the Jesuits. Tomatoes, chiles, vegetables, fruits, sugar cane, and herbs shaped the pantry. Staples like rice, beans, flour, and corn, for the most part, were imported from the mainland. Until recent visitors to Los Cabos demanded more variety, our cuisine, while delicious, remained simple. And although dining out is now as diverse as any comparable tourist destination, maíz still forms the core of essential ingredients for many Mexican cooks and chefs.
Each of México’s diverse regions has its specialty, be it the seafood of the Pacific and Gulf coasts, prime Sonoran beef, Yucateca cochinita pibil, or one of the never-ending varieties of moles found in Puebla and Oaxaca states. Almost every ingredient of the pre-Hispanic diet is used today. Tortillas and tamales are as common on Mexican tables now as they were a thousand years ago. From fresh fish caught early in the day for a simple lunchtime taco, to complex sauces requiring days to prepare, Mexican food fires the imagination and jump-starts the appetite.
Ingenuity is a pillar of the Mexican character, and in the gastronomic world, Mexican chefs are known for their ability to take the simplest ingredients and transform them into works of art so delectable they beg to be slowly savored, bite by bite. Many have journeyed abroad to perfect their craft at renowned institutions—Led Cordon Bleu, The Culinary Institute of America, and so on—bringing fresh ideas and techniques home with them.
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