TEX-MEX FOOD

TEX-MEX and Mexican Food are many times used indifferently and/or mistaken one for the other. However, there are clear differences between them. Tex Mex food took its roots from Mexican Food but added different elements alongtime from other cuisines like Spanish, Southern-USA and northern Mexico. Tex-Mex at its present form has added some other industrialized elements from a nostalgic growing mexican population in Southern United States, who demanded something alike Mexican Food.

Although the term "TEX-MEX" was first applied to American influenced "Mexican Food" in the 1940's, the history of this food goes back to the mission era, when spanish and mexican food elements were combined in the northern part of New Spain, Texas.

On the other hand, the term Tex Mex was formerly applied as a nickname for the Texas-Mexican Railway, in 1875.

From the 1800's to date, a lot of elements have been added to TEX-MEX food.

1800's - Blend of Spanish and Mexican elements in Texas were added.
1900's - Americanized elements like yellow melted cheese, corn-chips and taco shells were added.

There is a lot of Tex-Mex inventions who are well known around the world as "Mexican Food". However, in most cases you won't be able to find those inventions in Mexico. Some of them are: chili con carne, chili con queso, chili gravy, fajitas, taco shells, nachos and burritos. All of them are Tex-Mex foods and in many cases they are hard to find in Mexico or not available at all.

We are not saying that Mexican Food or Tex-Mex Food is better or worse. We simply want to emphasize they are different. And we want to show you what is really mexican. This way, when you visit Mexico, you won't feel disspointed because you order your "Chili con Carne" and they give you a strange look asking "What is that?"

For more reference, visit Tex-Mex Cuisine at Wikipedia and the Mexican Food Timeline website.