About

During the 1970s and ‘80s, Cynthia and Erich traveled extensively worldwide. The incredible foods we discovered doubled the joy of making new friends and seeing amazing sights. Neither of us had grown up in what we would politely call a “culinary environment.” We may be one of a handful of college graduates who enjoyed university food. On our first trip, we visited France, and OMG, what a food awakening. We ate fantastic meals at Michelin® one-star restaurants (thank you, Red GuideTM) and truck stops (Les Routiers®). Oddly, it seemed like every meal had the same appetizer no matter the name: pâté, terrine, foie gras, or rillette. WTF?

Upon our return to La Belle France, we had the A-Z of French Food® by Geneviève de Temmerman and Didier Chedorge. It contained the names of foods and certain well-known restaurant dishes. Idioms no longer made us feel like idiots. Later, on our first trip to Italy, we found an Italian Food Guide by the same company. Alas, both guides are out of print. And, significantly, after moving to Mexico, we couldn’t find one for Mexican cooking. Thus, the Guide to Foods of Mexico©.

In producing this guide, we combined two things we love: food and trivia. Even though the Spanish language has only one-fourth of the words of English vocabulary, Mexican Spanish has many food words. Also, please remember that while Mexican is a Spanish language, it is different from Spanish; there are many differences, especially with food.

We have researched dictionaries, glossaries, articles, TV shows, history books, cookbooks, and popular restaurant menus for a comprehensive first edition. We plan to update regularly, so if you have additions, corrections, or comments, please send them to info@guidetofoodsofmexico.com

Who is This Book For? Tourists will want to know what they are eating. Foodies will want to know the details and background of their food. Trivia and history nuts will want to know about Mexico’s culinary history. Even foreign residents like us may wish to learn more about Mexico’s unique gastronomic culture. Please remember that this book was written by “Gringos” and is meant for English speakers who are not fluent in Mexican Spanish.
So, prepare to enjoy. Mexican cuisine is complex, earthy, tasty, accessible, and evolving. And now you will know what it is.