Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico

Salsa Picante de Chile de Árbol

The first I call the asar technique, from the verb asar, meaning to broil, brown, roast, sear, toast (to offer a handful of English words that convey a little of what happens when the asar technique is employed).

The last of the techniques that set Mexican cooking apart is the grinding.

The second technique that gives Mexican distinction to many cooked dishes is the initial searing of the pureed sauce ingredients, the “frying of the sauce”

Each element—the staples, the flavorings, the garnishes and the cooking techniques—makes it Mexican food; how, when and where it’s eaten make it Mexican life.

Peter Farb and George Armelagos in Consuming Passions