Antojito
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Mexican street food, called antojitos (literally "little cravings"), is prepared by
Definition
In Mexican Spanish, the fast foods prepared on the streets and in market stalls are called antojitos (literally "little cravings") because they are typically foods not eaten at a formal meal, especially not the main meal of the day, la comida, which is served in the mid-afternoon. However, there are exceptions.[1] Street foods are easiest to find in the early morning and then the evening and late into the night. They are harder to find, outside Mexico City, in the mid-afternoon.[2] The majority of the food is corn-based.[3] It is also found at street markets called "mercado sobre ruedas" and tianguis. Other areas in Mexico City noted for their street food are San Pedro de los Pinos market, Mercado San Juan Arcos de Belen, Calle López in the historic center and the Mercado de Antojitos ("street food market") in Coyoacán.[4][2]
In Latin America, Mexico has one of the most extensive street food cultures, with about 43% of the population believing that it is not harmful and about 58% eating on the street at least once a week.
History
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Types
Tacos
The taco is a folded tortilla with some kind of filling. Mexican street taco fillings vary from one region to another.[2] Most tacos are made with corn tortillas, except in the very north of the country where wheat flour tortillas dominate. The tortillas used in Mexican tacos are soft, although the entire taco can be fried, which is called "dorado" (lit. golden).[2][8] The taco has its origins in the pre-Hispanic period, when other foods were eaten with tortillas, and used as a scoop. The modern taco developed in Mexico's rural areas when wives would bring their husbands' meals to the fields wrapped in tortillas. Tacos arrived in the city when stands began to sell foods known to the many rural people who migrated to them in the 20th century. This is especially true for Mexico City, which offers taco specialties from just about every region of the country.[13] The taco bridges social and economic barriers in that everyone in the country eats them, leading it to be called "the most democratic of Mexican foods."[2]
The fillings for tacos vary widely and most taco vendors have a specialty, the most known are al pastor and bistec. There are also tacos for more adventurous people that are filled with beef eyes, brains, or tongue. Taco vendors are usually distinguished from other street food vendors by having a large block of wood called a tronco, on which meat and other fillings are minced with a cleaver. Garnishes vary but usually include chopped onion,
During the afternoon, outside of Mexico City, tacos are generally not available until later in the day. In the late afternoon until well into the night (especially on weekends) other taco stalls open with a different selection. These are principally grilled, fried, or steamed meat. One famous night taco in the Mexico City area is
Fritangas are tacos with fried meat such as sausage.
Tamales
Tamales feature a filling and are wrapped in corn-based masa dough and steamed in corn husks. Tamales come in sweet and savory versions, some spicy and some bland. Versions with pork or chicken with a salsa or mole sauce are the most popular, along with a version called "rajas" that are filled with strips of poblano chili pepper and cheese. It is one of the safer street foods for novices to try as it is cooked and kept in a steam vat while being sold.
Camotes
Additional foods
There are other street foods made with tortillas. Tostadas are flat hard tortillas either fried or dried on which are placed a variety of toppings such as shredded chicken, pork, beef, seafood, cheese and salsa.
There are street foods that use the same corn dough used to make tortillas, but in different preparations.
Elote refers to fresh corn (maize) which is served on the cob or cut kernels. If on the cob is it either grilled or boiled then coated with mayonnaise and dusted with any of the following: chili pepper, salt,
The Spanish and later the French introduced a variety of wheat breads which have been adapted into a variety of street foods. Tortas are rolls that are cut to make thick sandwiches with various fillings. These include refried beans, cheese, various hot meats such as breaded chicken or pork, carnitas, egg and more or with cold cuts, along with avocado, onions and pickled jalapeños.[8]
Tortas can be found in cold or warm varieties. The first is usually found at public transport stops or in front of schools. In Puebla, a similar sandwich is called a cemita, named after the style of bread used to make it. Molotes are a type of torta, bread with a filing and salsa which varies by region. In Hidalgo, they are cylindrical and filled with chicken, cheese or beef. In Oaxaca, they are filled with chorizo sausage and potatoes and in Tlaxcala, they are shaped like a pointed oval. Pambazos are small tortas filled with various ingredients, with salsa covering the filling (in Veracruz) or coating the bread (in Mexico City). In the Yucatán, small tortas are called salbutes which are heated on comals, and filled with tomatoes, cabbage, onions and meat. Another European-derived dish is the empanada, which is flour or sometimes corn flour turnovers that enclose a filling and is baked. In Hidalgo, they are called "pastes" after the English word "pasty".[1]
Soups
Not all Mexican street foods are based on breads. Street stalls and markets serve soups and broths such as menudo, pozole and pancita. Caldo de pollo is chicken soup. Priced by the piece of chicken included, it usually also contains rice and chickpeas, with condiments such as oregano, onions, salt, lime juice and chili peppers available.[4]
Beverages
In addition to food, there are several kinds of drinks popular on the streets.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Erika Davila (September 17, 2004). "La ruta patria de los antojitos mexicanos (I)" [Patrotic route of Mexican street food]. El Norte (in Spanish). Monterrey, Mexico. p. 6.
- ^ ISSN 1028-9089. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Rappaport, Bianca; Anna Starostinetskaya (October 16, 2012). "Nervously Enjoying Street Food In Chiapas, Mexico". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ a b c d Johnston, John (September 24, 2012). "The Best Street Food in Mexico City". Mexico: Secretary of Tourism. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ "McCann Worldgroup Unveils "Truth About Street" Discoveries: A study of street food habits of 12,000 consumers in 25 cities in 18 Latin American countries serves up a $127 billion a year missed opportunity for brands". Washington. July 31, 2012.
- ^ "The World's Top 10 Cities For Street Food". Forbes magazine. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ Garcia-Navarro, Lourdes (October 4, 2007). "Mexico City: Reinvented Street Food in Posh Digs". NPR. Washington. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g Danze, Tina (September 4, 2012). "Mexican street food is hot. How to do it at home". Dallas News. Dallas, Texas. Archived from the original on September 10, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ Gomez Licon, Adriana (August 23, 2012). "Mexican Street Food And Ingredients Are Latest Muse Of American Star Chefs". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ a b Seal, Rebecca (May 27, 2012). "Mexican street food in Los Angeles". The Guardian. London. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ "Profile: Searching out America's best street food". National Public Radio. Los Angeles. August 22, 2005.
- ^ Jose Fuentes-Salinjas (March 21, 1999). "La comida tambien es cultura: UCLA realizo conferencia sobre antojitos mexicanos" [Food is also culture: UCLA holds conference on Mexican Street food]. La Opinión (in Spanish). Los Angeles.
- ^ "Ultimate Guide to Tacos in Mexico City". City Unscripted. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ ISSN 1028-9089. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ Tellez, Lesley. "Guisados bring flavors of Mexico into focus". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2014-05-23.
- ^ Johnson, Richard (February 24, 2012). "The world's best street food". The Guardian. London. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
External links
- Media related to Street food in Mexico at Wikimedia Commons