There are several distinct differences between Mexican food and Southwest Mexican food.
For many people, authentic Mexican food and Southwest Mexican food are almost the same. The distinction between the two cooking styles is sometimes misleading, as both use almost all the same ingredients and cooking processes; however, there is a difference between the two cuisines. Although both used the same ingredients, the way these ingredients are used is fairly different. Aside from this, Southwest Mexican Food --- also popularly known as "Tex-Mex" --- is also heavily influenced by American cuisine.
Southwest Mexican Food
Southwest Mexican food can be considered an original local cuisine of the Southwest --- stemming from roots of authentic combined with American-style cooking. This style first emerged during the 1940s, when Texas chefs and cooks started using ingredients normally found in Mexican food. One the most distinguished characteristics of Southwest Mexican food is the heavy use of cheese as a topping in many recipes. This style is a Southwest Mexican trait that was adapted from regular American food.
Authentic Mexican Food
Authentic Mexican food is heavily based on corn and beans, and most of the ingredients used are tropical ingredients not normally found in the U.S. Examples of these ingredients include several types of hot chili peppers, avocado, cocoa, cinnamon and "calabasa." Their base in making sauce is also heavy on chili, while the Southwest style usually replaces a chili-based sauce recipe with tomato sauce. Mexican food is almost always not eaten the way it is served; condiments and add-ons, such as lime, coriander, habanero, guacamole and several types of salsa that range in levels of spiciness are served together with the main dish.
Common Ingredients
One of the reasons authentic Mexican and Southwest Mexican cuisines are similar is because both styles use a lot of the same ingredients. Both cuisines heavily use corn, beans, beef, tomatoes, chili peppers and tortillas. The major difference between the two cuisines can be seen in the way these ingredients are prepared, cooked and combined together. For example, in Southwest cuisine a taco is easily distinguished as a u-shaped shell of corn filled with sour cream, beef and lettuce topped with a lot of cheese. This taco does not exist in the original Mexican cuisine. A taco in Mexico is a soft shelled corn tortilla filled with meat; seafood, pork or beef.
Spiciness
Authentic Mexican food is very spicy and hot when compared to Southwest Mexican food. Since authentic Mexican food uses a lot of different chili types, its sauces, dips and recipes are filled with red hot chili peppers. Southwest Mexican food --- although often semi-spicy --- usually doesn't have the same level of spiciness, usually containing milder ingredients.
Tags: Southwest Mexican, Mexican food, , Mexican Food, Mexican food