What are we really talking about when we talk about Mexican food? Is it the name of the dish? The restaurant's name? Is it the people making it? When we talk about Mexican food, we think about the ingredients that bring those real flavours to a dish regardless of where they are being made and by whom. Certain basic ingredients will do just that. They will immediately tell us that we are eating real Mexican food even if the presentation is different from what we remember. These are some of those ingredients that will give you that delicious Mexican flavour we love so much.
Corn
It all starts with corn. Mexican food is built upon this beautiful ingredient. Whether is in the shape of tortillas, sopes, tostadas, tamales, to name just a few or as the base for Pozole or as a drink in the shape of atole. Corn has always been part of our culture and our cuisine. Using real corn tortillas will be the single best thing you can do to have a Mexican-tasting meal.
Find the best corn products like corn tortillas, hominy for pozole or white Mexican corn here with us.
Beans
We love beans! We love them freshly made, straight from the pot in a bowl with some salsa and cheese on top. We love them refried with lard, and cooked until really smooth and glistening with flavour. We love them anywhere in between these two stages. Mixed with beef, as a main part of a good steak taco. As the most common side to any Mexican dish. Beans are forever present in Mexican homes; having them in your meals will immediately make your Mexican feast more authentic and delicious.
You can find all our range of ready-to-eat beans here.
Chiles
We are talking of a whole world of ingredients here. We are talking about fresh jalapenos, serranos or habaneros. We are also talking about the amazing variety we have in dried chiles. For authentic Mexican flavours, we have to mention guajillo, ancho, chipotle and pasilla chiles as the absolute basic chiles that will give you immediate authenticity. Chiles, spicy or not, are full of flavour. Chiles are a defining ingredient that will give your meals body, colours and more than anything else, that Mexican flavour that we love so much.
For the best selection of our beautiful dried chiles click here.
For the most delicious selection of our pickled chiles, click here.
Avocado
Avocado has been part of our cuisine since the beginning. Before being worldwide famous in the form of avocado toast, avocado was a constant on our tables. Freshly scooped from the fruit straight to our meals, as a constant topping for our tacos and in the beloved form of guacamole.
Tomatillos
Tomatillos are one of the quintessential Mexican ingredients. With a beautiful tart flavour, it is the main ingredient in most green sauces that just taste real Mexican. These little green tomatoes are the most flavourful addition to any meal.
Find our ready-to-use tomatillos here.
Citrus
Lemons, limes and oranges are a fundamental part of our food. We eat them as snacks, we make drinks with them, cocktails included and we, of course, use them liberally in our food. No good taco goes in without a fresh squeeze of lime on top. Our seafood, marinades and salsas would not be complete without a good amount of citrus mixed in. Do you want a real Mexican food experience? Have citrus handy!
Fresh Ingredients
If we have to point to just the most basic ingredients that will give you real Mexican food flavours, then we have to talk about tomatoes, onions and cilantro. These three ingredients are the building blocks of fresh salsa or pico de gallo. Mix them in the right ratio and you have one of the simplest but most delicious salsas there are. You can add chiles, and season it to your taste but you absolutely need those three. These ingredients are not only basic for salsas but also for our meals, tomatoes, onions and cilantro go in most Mexican dishes and they will bring an instant Mexican flavour to anything you make.
Salsas
There is no Mexican food without salsa. Whether is homemade or from a bottle, salsas and sauces are a staple of Mexican food. They can be used as a base to cook with, as a topping or on its own. Most people think that Mexican food is spicy but in most cases, is the salsa the spicy one and this can be tailored to your taste. Our salsas are a constant presence in Mexican homes regardless of where in the world we live.
Take a look at our delicious selection of ready-to-use salsas here.
