Dining Tips:

• It recommended that you only drink bottled water in Mexico as opposed to the tap water.
  
  
• Real Mexican food is quite unlike the dishes you may find in most Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants in other countries. The cuisine has some rich or spicy dishes, so it is recommended that you take it easy for the first few days until your stomach grows accustomed.
  
  

Food Dictionary:

A |  B |  C | E | F |  G |  H |  J |  K |  L |  M |  N |  O |  P |  R |  Q |  S |  T

A

Ajo : Garlic

Albóndigas : Meatballs

Al Horno : Oven-baked

Ancho : (wide) A Poblano chilli that has been dried and turned a black-red color. The most popular dried chile in Mexico and the US. It's dried poblamo chile and the smoky-sweet flavor accents numerous dishes. Approx. 3"-4" long, dark, reddish brown, sweetest of all the dried chiles and slightly fruity flavor.

Antojito : Hors d'oeuvre or small snack food.

Arroz : Rice

Asadero cheese : A white cow's milk cheese of Mexican origin: comes in braids, balls or round. Also known as Chihuahua and Oaxaca cheese.

Asar : To roast or broil.

B

Barbacoa : Barbecued meat

Borracho : Cooked with wine; means drunk.

Buñuelo: Puffy, sweet, deep-fried pastry.

Burrito/Burro : Large flour tortilla wrapped around a filling.

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C

Calabaza : Squash, pumpkin

Caldo : Soup, broth

Caliente : Hot to the touch (temperature)

Camarón : Shrimp

Canela : Cinnamon

Capirotada : Spicy bread pudding served during Lent; means a little bit of everything.

Carne : Meat, specifically beef

Carnitas : Shredded Pork

Cebolla : Onion

Cerveza : Beer

Ceviche : Salad made of raw fish "cooked" in limejuice combined with tomatoes, onions, spices, chiles, served with chips as an appetizer

Chalupa : Special custard and fruit on a flaky shell

Chicharrones : Deep fried pork rinds.

Chilaquiles : Corn tortilla pieces marinated in chile, layered with a filling, sauce and cheese, and baked in a casserole

Chile con queso : A melted cheese dip seasoned with mild green chilies. Served with tortilla chips

Chili con carne : Translates to "chili with meat", diced or ground beef, chilies and chili powder.

Chili Powder : The product made from ground red chiles.

Chimichanga : Deep-fried meat-filled burritos.

Chipotle : Ripened and smoked jalapeno. Fiery hot with lasting smoky flavor.

Chorizo : Spicy pork and beef sausage.

Churro : Mexican specialty made of a sweet-dough spiral, deep-fried, coated with cinnamon and sugar

Chuleta : Chop or cutlet

Cilantro : The dried cilantro herb is called cumin or comino. The seed produced at full maturity is coriander.

Coco : Coconut

Comal : - Heavy, round griddle for baking tortillas.

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E

Ejote : String bean

Elote : Corn. Sometimes helote

Empanada : Turnover

Enchilada : A corn tortilla dipped in red chile sauce, rolled around just about anything, then topped with sauce and cheese

Enrollado : Rolled

Ensalada : Salad

Escabeche : Pickled

F

Fajita : Skirt steak. Most people associate "fajita" with a taco or the strips of meat that go into the taco. Beef skirt steak comes from the outer covering of the breast near where the brisket comes from. There are only 2 skirts per cow, a highly flavorful cut of meat as a result of the fat membrane that 'burns' off when cooked

Farina : Wheat Flour

Fideos : Vermicelli. Thin pasta.

Flan : Baked custard with caramel coating.

Flauta : Beans, specifically pinto beans that are grown.

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G

Gallina : Hen

Garbanzo : Chickpea

Gazpacho : Cold, spicy tomato and vegetable soup.

Granada : Pomegranate

Guacamole : An avocado mixture that is made from ripened avocados and lemon or limejuice, diced onions and tomato, cilantro.

Guajolote : In Mexico, turkey; But pavo is turkey in other Spanish-speaking countries.

H

Habanero : Mexico's hottest chile

Harina : Wheat flour

Huevo : Egg, also blanquillo

J

Jalapeno : Green chile

Jamón : Ham

Jícama : A crisp, white, edible root.

K

Kahlúa : Coffee-flavored liqueur made in Mexico

L

Lechuga : Lettuce

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M

Maíz : Corn

Mano : A piece of volcanic rock used with both hands to grind food against another rock.

Manteca : Lard

Mantequilla : Butter

Manzana : (Peron and rocolo chile) Fresh chile. Medium to hot at its peak.

Margaritas : Drink made with Tequila, Controy and fresh lime juice served either blended with ice or on the rocks in a salt-rimmed glass.

Mariscos : Shellfish

Masa : Dough, usually referring to ground hominy, called nixtamal.

Menudo : Tripe soup; New Year's Day tradition to ease hangovers.

Miel : Honey

Molcajete : Volcanic rock shaped like a bowl in which food is ground.

Mole : Term used for a thick sauce or paste. The classic mole is made with chiles, unsweetened chocolate, nuts, bananas and chicken stock.

Mora : A cordovan-colored chipotle with a fruit-leather texture. This midsize Jalapeno is lightly smoked and often used for canned chipotles in adobo. Mostly used in salsas and sauces

N

Naranja : Orange

Nixtamal : Hominy; Raw corn grains, soaked in lime, then ground to make a dough (masa) for tortillas, tamales, chalupas.

Nopales : Cactus pads cooked and used like okra.

O

Oja : Cornhusk, used to wrap tamales; sometimes hoja.

Olla : Clay pot. A utensil in which beans are simmered.

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P

Pan : Bread

Pepino : Cucumber

Pescado : Fish

Picadillo : Meat hash

Picante : Hot to the taste buds.

Piloncillo : Brown sugar formed into a cone for marketing.

Pimienta : Black pepper

Pipián : A sauce made of pumpkin seed, chile and spices.

Poblano : A variety of chilli

Pollo: Chicken

Postre : Dessert

Q

Quesadilla : Grilled cheese sandwich made with a tortilla.

Queso : Cheese

R

Rábano : Radish

Relleno : Stuffed

Repollo : Cabbage

Ristra : String of dried red chiles.

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S

Sal : Salt Sin sal - without salt)

Salsa : A tomato-based condiment used to dip or to accent dishes.

Sangría : A drink made of red or white wine, sugar, oranges, lemons and lime

Seco : Dry

Sopa : Soup

T

Taco : A corn tortilla folded over a filling

Tamale : - A corn husk stuffed with masa, meat or beans. Masa (dough) that surrounds your choice of filling, traditionally pork. The 5"-6" long and 1" thick tamale is wrapped in a soaked cornhusk and steamed to cook dough.

Tatemar : Verb meaning to roast, peel and seed green chiles.

Tejano : Spanish word meaning "Texan".

Tequila : Distilled liquor made from agave, or century plant.

Tomatillo : Looks like a tiny green tomato, actually a relative of the gooseberry family. Used in salsa verde and in many sauces.

Topopo : A salad shaped like a volcano or pyramid.

Torta : A Mexican sandwich made from bolillo (hard Mexican roll) cut in half and stuffed with tomatoes, avocados or guacamole and carne asada, shredded beef or chicken, cheese and salsa.

Tortilla : A thin, flat bread made from wheat flour or corn masa.

Tortilla Press : A device used to flatten balls of masa (corn meal dough) into thin patties for tortillas.

Tostada : A fried flat corn tortilla topped with a layer of beans, shredded beef or chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, avocado and salsa.

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