What is the difference between Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex cuisine?

Ah, the Mexican cuisine. Ancestral preparations, memorable recipes, and a myriad of traditional dishes are a source of pride for all Mexicans. That's why when a foreigner has the audacity to equate chili con carne, chimichangas, cheese nachos, and other Tex-Mex creations with our beloved Mexican cuisine, we feel deeply offended. However, that comparison is extremely common, as Tex-Mex cuisine has its origins precisely in Mexican cuisine. The term Tex-Mex is not only limited to a very peculiar cooking style but is also a deeply significant geographical and cultural fusion. You might be interested in: The incredible history of Tex-Mex food The term Tex-Mex has been in use since 1875 and comes from the abbreviation of the Texan Mexican Railway, a railroad that fostered the migration of thousands of people, as it connected Mexico with the United States. However, the term began to be used indiscriminately to describe the peculiar style of cuisine from the border region due to an article published in The New York Times Magazine in 1963, becoming popular only after the publication of the book The Cuisines of Mexico by English author and gastronomist Diana Kennedy in 1972. Kennedy, knowledgeable about Mexican cuisine and a recipient of the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle, used the term to make an important distinction between authentic Mexican cuisine and its Americanized version, which is highly popular in Texas. It is worth mentioning that Mexican restaurant owners were offended by this distinction, but over time they embraced the Tex-Mex term. “Tex-Mex was largely rejected by the culinary elite in the 1970s for being labeled as inauthentic Mexican cuisine. But that is the point. The only authentic thing about Tex-Mex is that it is not authentic: it evolves and adapts,” notes chef Josef Centeno in the book Ama: A Modern Tex-Mex Kitchen. Thus, it is important to find the similarities and differences between Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex cuisine to understand them as two independent cooking styles with a common heritage. Quick guide to differentiate Tex-Mex food from Mexican foodThe differences between Tex-Mex food and Mexican food can be summarized in the use of certain ingredients—flour tortillas, yellow cheese, and cumin mainly—that are highly popular in the United States but are virtually nonexistent in traditional Mexican food. While flour tortillas are quite popular in the northern region of the country, corn tortillas are much more common in Mexican food. The softness of the tortilla is another important indicator, as the iconic hard shell tacos and puffy tacos feature a characteristic crunchy tortilla, while tacos—except for golden tacos and flautas—are made with soft tortillas all over Mexico. When it comes to cheese, Tex-Mex food cannot go without yellow cheese, a fundamental ingredient for the popular queso or for accompanying tacos, nachos, and other dishes, while Mexican food prefers the use of white and fresh cheeses—queso panela, queso Oaxaca, ranch cheese, ricotta, to mention just a few. Cumin is another characteristic ingredient of Tex-Mex food, as its intense earthy flavor is evident in many of its dishes, unlike Mexican cuisine, which favors the use of different chiles, long cooking methods, and even fresh herbs like cilantro to enhance flavors. Despite the fact that Tex-Mex food has carried the stigma of being inauthentic Mexican cuisine, we cannot deny that it is a type of cuisine that has crossed borders and conquered many with its flavor, so let us celebrate the common heritage of this cuisine by recognizing the similarities and embracing the differences with traditional Mexican cuisine.Feel free to try this branch of Mexican food in the United States with these delicious recipes:Chili NachosTex Mex LasagnaSkirt Steak Chimichanga