Mexican Cuisine - More than just tacos

Traditionally, Mexicans have always cooked with fresh, locally grown ingredients and are very creative with their use of spices.  Beyond the use of chilies, which is a diverse and varied subject unto itself, Mexican cooking incorporates a variety of spices such as oregano, cilantro, cinnamon and cacao.

Perhaps one of the most exquisite dishes found in Mexican cuisine is the Chile Relleno which is literally a stuffed poblano chili pepper; although in some cases a hatch, pasilla or jalapeno chili pepper may be substituted.   In its simplest form the pepper is stuffed with traditional Mexican melted cheese such as Chihuahua or Oaxaca.  But the more elegant and complex version of the Chile Relleno, Chiles en Nogada, stuffs the pepper with a mix of diced pork, raisins and nuts, all delicately spiced with cinnamon. 

Mole sauces are another staple of fine Mexican dining and are generally served over poultry or meat.  Mole sauces come in a numerous varieties and can comprise of an average of over thirty ingredients, depending on the variety.  But perhaps the most famous ingredient used in mole is chocolate. 

Currently there has been a trend in upscale restaurants towards fusing Mexican cuisine with flavors from other countries.  For example, there are world class Japanese restaurants found in Puerto Vallarta that fuse Mexican ingredients such as mango, tamarind and Serrano peppers with traditional Japanese cooking.