Mexican Salsas: Cook Book

There are a number of books, shows and workshops about Mexican food. Our country is extremely diverse in nature and cultures, therefore there are enough topics as to publish entire encyclopedias about the Mexican culinary traditions. Publishing a book devoted to Mexican Salsas (not sauce, salsa) it’s a fair and necessary work, because in this marvellous mix of ingredients are gathered thousand years of experiences, the quality of our products and the taste of Mexicans. The variety of salsas never stops growing because this is one of our talents; in our salsas we pour our essence and our enormous capacity to season. By definition, salsa is a mixture of edible substances, solid or thick, dissolved in a liquid, but for Mexicans, salsas are much more than that and constitute the perfect way to integrate a dish, as main ingredient or as side dish. With our salsas we add flavours, textures and aromas which will be very difficult to add to our dishes in any other way. With the salsas we “dress” our food. We can cover meat with acidity; we delightfully coat with sweet flavours a salty bite and add a bitter bit to ingredients that deserve it. In the world’s famous cuisines such as Chinese, French, Indian or Italian, sauces have a predominant role and are a reason of pride. In Mexican cuisines, sauces (salsas) have a vital and important role. Our majestic skill to grind, season, chop, blend, thicken, melt or mix the parts of a marinade, adobo, mole or dressing, has been perfected by centuries and therefore only a few nations can season with salsa like us. There are few, very few symbolic dishes from Mexico that can work without salsa when preparing or eating. We have recipes that require two or even three salsas to be complete. Wherever you go, there are regional salsas. In Mexico, we find salsas with every color and texture. We prepare them with all kind of vegetables, fruits, roots, stems, flowers and seeds. We mix them with water, powders, pastas, juices, oils, herbs and meat based broths, but the most significant characteristic of the majority of our salas in the common factor that identifies them as undoubtedly Mexican: its high spicy level. Because our own taste or craving, tradition or drive, our salsas and stews have chile. Chiles are the marvellous fruits of our land, loaded with capsaicin that makes us feel the spicy pleasure when eating. There are more than 60 types of chiles in Mexico and you can make dozen of salsas with each one of them. It’s not too much to claim that there are thousands of recipes to prepare salsas and the limit only depends on the taste and sensibility of each person. Pages of ten books will not be enough to describe the variety of our salsas. When us Mexican listen the word “salsa”, immediately start to salivate and imagine our favorite food. We season our food with them and they’re always on hand. The famous chef Gerardo Vazquez Lugo said that “the majority of the true Mexican dishes include a type o salsa, and most of such salsas have a type of chile”. Therefore he asserts that “it should be considered as a courtesy rule to have at least one hot salsa at the center of the table in every Mexican table”. Chile is the quintessential Mexican seasoning and there is no doubt that spicy is the flavor that identify us. Simple, hot, dark, delicate, complex, thick, cold, clear, light and powerful; there are all type of salsas. Salsas provide and elevates flavors; grants spiciness and consistency but also nutrients. Mexican salsas contain vitamins, minerals and fiber which help digest and enhances health in many different ways. They are starters, main dish and desserts. Our salsas have multiple effects. With them, you can stimulate appetite or help satiety. When consumed correctly, salsas activate taste, cheer you up, accelerate heartbeat, amuse and, of courses, stir old memories. Enjoy. The fire bring us together and salsas rub us together. Read more