| The Mexican spices which most of us think of first are | | | | herb may be substituted if you cannot find the real |
| cumin and chili peppers; however, cumin is actually a | | | | thing in your area. |
| relative newcomer to Mexican cuisine, which was | | | | Despite its name, Mexican oregano is not even a |
| introduced by the Spaniards along with a few others, | | | | relative of the old world herb of the same name. While |
| which we now think of as integral to Mexican cooking. | | | | their flavors are similar enough that Greek oregano |
| Other spices including chilies, however, have been a | | | | can be substituted if needed, this herb is actually |
| part of the country's culinary scene for many centuries, | | | | related to lemon verbena, not oregano. Its flavor is |
| long predating the arrival or Europeans in the new | | | | slightly stronger than that of the oregano used in |
| world. | | | | Greek and Italian cooking and can be found dried in |
| Peppers as a Mexican Spice | | | | Mexican groceries and specialty spice markets. |
| Chilies are the Mexican spices with the longest history, | | | | Epazote, on the other hand, is an herb for which there |
| having been used by the Aztecs for many centuries | | | | is no real substitute. This herb is used to flavor beans in |
| before the arrival of Europeans. Like tomatoes and | | | | traditional Mexican recipes. While its flavor is something |
| potatoes, peppers are new world natives and remain | | | | like that of tarragon, it is not recommended to |
| one of the most important ingredients in Mexican | | | | substitute this or any other herb in a Mexican recipe, |
| recipes just as they always have been. | | | | which calls for epazote. It has a flavor which is all its |
| Jalapenos are the most familiar of these peppers to | | | | own. |
| people in the US. They are commonly used in salsas | | | | Cumin is one of the spices, which we think of the most |
| and pickled for use as a condiment as well as diced | | | | in connection to Mexican food. This spice is also a |
| for use fresh. The Serrano pepper, a smaller, slightly | | | | staple of Turkish and other Mediterranean cuisines; |
| hotter pepper is also seen relatively often in the US. | | | | introduced to Mexico by the Spanish (who themselves |
| Many Mexican food recipe are nearly unthinkable | | | | were introduced to it by Arabs during the Moorish |
| without these fiery vegetables. Other peppers such as | | | | period in Spain), this ingredient was adopted by |
| pasillas and anchos are commonly dried and then | | | | Mexican cooks with enthusiasm. This newcomer |
| ground; others are smoked, such as chipotle peppers | | | | quickly became an important ingredient in a great |
| (which are actually smoked jalapenos). | | | | many Mexican dishes. |
| Common Mexican Herbs used in Cooking | | | | In a way, Mexican food represents one of the world's |
| Some of the Mexican culinary herbs, which are native | | | | first fusion cuisines, with flavors and ingredients both |
| to the country, include epazote, culantro, and Mexican | | | | native to the Americas as well as those, which came |
| oregano, all of which are very important to various | | | | over to the new world from Europe. It is a marriage of |
| Mexican recipes. Used very often in Mexican and | | | | flavors and culinary techniques, which has been an |
| Caribbean cooking, culantro is largely unknown in the | | | | incredibly successful one - without the blend of old |
| US and hard to find other than in Mexican groceries. Its | | | | world and new world flavors, which define Mexican |
| flavor, however, is similar enough to cilantro that this | | | | food, it just would not be the same. |