Spanish influence, new fresh ingredients:

When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Mexico in 1519, they brought with them a large number of ingredients unknown to the Aztecs. Olives, lemons, onions, garlic and spices such as cloves and cinnamon arrived from the Mediterranean. They also introduced beef, pork, flour, rice and dairy products such as milk, cheese and butter to Mexico. Aztec and Spanish cuisines blended during the^16th century to become the true cuisine of Mexico.

The new frontier, New Mexico:

In the early^17th century, the new Mexicans colonised the northern territories now known as Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Southern California. They called their new frontier "Nuevo Mejico" and added ingredients that were very popular with Native American tribes, such as courgettes, turkey, nuts and wild berries, to the rapidly changing Mexican cuisine.

The creativity of cowboys:

Two hundred years later, after the Mexican-American War of 1870, American settlers (many of whom were farmers, or "cowboys") migrated to the same land in the far south-west of the United States. These farmers appropriated Mexican cuisine and adapted it to their "lifestyle." They created new tortillas with wheat flour and used green and red chillies and onions to add colour and spice to their meals. They grilled chicken and beef over wood fires and topped their quesadillas with cheese. Their way of combining ingredients from Mexico and the southwestern United States and cooking them became known as "Tex-Mex cuisine."

Today, Tex-Mex cuisine is renowned for its complex flavours and the many fresh ingredients used in its preparation. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, chillies and herbs are usually cooked together before being mixed with other ingredients, giving sauces and soups their distinctive taste. Tex-Mex cuisine is characterised by the combination of fresh, colourful ingredients that produce tasty dishes such as burritos, fajitas, tacos and enchiladas, traditionally served with rice and beans.

Basic ingredients:

Chillies

There are hundreds of varieties of chillies (called chiles) used in Mexican cuisine. Chillies provide the heat that makes Tex-Mex cuisine so popular. The best-known chillies in Mexico are New Mexico chillies, which are large and fairly mild, and jalapeño chillies, which are smaller and slightly spicier.

Corn

Since ancient times, corn has been known in Mexico as the symbol of life. Corn flour is the basic ingredient for making tortillas and tortilla chips. Fresh corn is cooked and used in stuffings, soups and salads. In the streets of Mexico City, people eat grilled corn on the cob.

Tortillas

They are as essential to Mexican cuisine as pasta is to Italian cuisine. Corn tortillas form the base of tacos when fried in a U-shape and become tortilla chips when fried and cut into triangles. Wheat tortillas, the basis of most Tex-Mex dishes, are used to make quesadillas, fajitas, burritos and enchiladas.

Avocados

They add a rich, mellow flavour that perfectly balances some of the spicier ingredients in Tex-Mex cuisine. They are the essential ingredient in guacamole (eaten as a dip or starter) and are also used to garnish and decorate many dishes.

Fresh coriander

It looks a bit like parsley, but its flavour is much more pronounced. In Tex-Mex cuisine, it is widely used in sauces and as a garnish. Coriander adds a lot of zest to Mexican meals.

Beans

Beans have always been very popular in Mexican cuisine. The best known are pinto beans, which are used to make Casa Fiesta refried beans, and red kidney beans, which are used in chili con carne. Small, very tasty black beans are becoming increasingly popular in Tex-Mex cuisine.

Commercial products:

Wheat tortillas

Thin pancakes made with wheat flour, the basis of many Tex-Mex dishes. Tortillas are filled with various meats, vegetables, cheese and seafood to make enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, fajitas and many other dishes.

Taco shells

Tortillas made with corn flour and fried into a U-shape. Taco shells are filled with minced beef, chicken, seafood or beans, then topped with salad and cheese to make a delicious dish.

Tortilla chips

This is the most popular Mexican snack in the world. Corn tortillas are cut into triangles, then fried in vegetable oil and seasoned.

Taco sauces

Sauces made from tomatoes and cooked with green chillies, jalapeños, onions and garlic. Delicious on tacos and as an accompaniment to almost any Mexican dish. Taco sauces are versatile and go perfectly with pasta and omelettes.

Salsa dip

A chunky sauce made with tomatoes, green chillies, jalapeño peppers and onions. It goes very well with tortilla chips and is served as an accompaniment to many Mexican dishes. Guests can add it to quesadillas, enchiladas and burgers if they like their food a little spicy.

Refried beans

Pinto beans cooked in the traditional Mexican style to create a delicious side dish that accompanies most Mexican meals.

Taco seasoning

A blend of Mexican spices including onions, salt, paprika, chillies and garlic. Added to minced beef when making tacos, it can also be used to give hamburgers and pies a Mexican flavour.

Fajita seasoning

A spice mix for making a marinade consisting of garlic, salt, black pepper, red chillies, coriander and brown sugar. This mix, added to beer, white wine or water, makes a marinade for steaks, chicken or seafood to make the famous Tex-Mex recipe "fajitas".

Seasoning for guacamole

A spice mix with tomatoes, onions, chillies, garlic, parsley and lemon juice. Add water and mashed avocados to make a delicious guacamole. Guacamole is served with tortilla chips as an appetiser and also as an accompaniment to many Mexican dishes.

Chilli sauce

Tabasco-style sauce made with cayenne peppers, vinegar and salt. Used to season Mexican cuisine but also to enhance almost any dish: soups, eggs, hamburgers, etc.