Tex-Mex, incidentally, was one of the original spin-offs from Mexican cooking that has really strayed far from its roots. In other words, Mexican food and Tex-Mex are merely cousins in the culinary world. The term Tex-Mex first appeared in print in 1945.
The arrival of large numbers of Mexican immigrants in Texas after 1950 prompted the opening of Mexican restaurants. This twentieth century phenomenon turned into a gourmet trend in the 1970s, a fad which has not abated and is still very much alive.
People are discovering cactus, different types of corn, quinoa, amaranth, chilies as well as different cooking techniques: slow roasting of garlic, blackening of tomatoes to name but a few. Tex-Mex cuisine is also characterized by its use of sour cream (brought in Texas by the German settlers), cumin, meat and chilies, of course, particularly, the jalapeno.
Jalapeno has established itself as the hot pepper par excellence in the United States. This long, curved green pepper ranging from 3 to 8 inches long gets its name from Jalapa, in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It is widely grown in the United States but was domesticated thousands of years ago in Mexico. The truth is that chilies give Southwestern cuisine its main character.
“Nachos,” those addictive crunchy tortilla chips topped with melted cheese and sliced jalapeno peppers are a mainstay on Chili’s menu and for a good reason. Ignacio Anaya nicknamed Nacho, gave his name to this dish when he invented it in 1943. Since that day, “nachos” have become one of the most popular Tex-Mex specialties.
“Fajitas” are another of Chili’s flagship specialities. The tradition of serving them on a sizzling platter only increases their popularity. Indeed many customers can hardly resist the delectable smell of sizzling steak passing by their table and end up by ordering “fajitas.”
The history of “fajitas” began in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas and northern Mexico where skirt steak was often used as payment to the cowboys. For the uninitiated, “fajitas” are strips of grilled steak served with flour tortillas, guacamole and salsa. If they don’t come to the table sizzling from the grill, they are not fit to be called “fajitas.”
The word derives from the Spanish “faja,” for “girdle” or “strip.” The original fajitas were created out of necessity, not a desire to have something new. Ranchers, who usually butchered their own meat, kept the steaks and roasts for themselves and left aside what they considered less desirable, including the so-called skirt steak, which is a section of the diaphragm.
The long, narrow, belt like strip would be marinated in lime juice to tenderize it and the following day it was grilled over mesquite, a cheap plentiful wood. The meat was then cut into thin strips, placed in a warm tortilla and seasoned with pico de gallo, a spicy relish of onions, green chilies, tomatoes and cilantro.
I personally enjoy quesadillas. They are in fact uncooked tortillas stuffed with various fillings and folded over to make a “turnover”. They can be served either toasted on a hot griddle or fried until golden. You have the choice between a “Chicken Club Quesadilla” and a “Beef Bacon Ranch Quesadilla.”
Tacos are probably the most common and popular snacks of all. And they feature of course on the menu. To make a taco, you just take a warm tortilla, place a filling, douse it with a sauce, and roll up the tortilla. If you do not like a soft tortilla, you can order “Crispy Chicken Taco.” And if you are planning to eat tacos as a main course, you might consider ordering three tacos instead of two.
I also like going to Chili’s for their “Rib Eye Steak” cooked to order and served with garlic toast. The succulent flavor of a rib eye steak comes from the marbled fat present in the cut of meat. If you are watching your calorie intake, Chili’s has some lighter choices such as “Grilled Salmon” or a “Sweet and Spicy Chicken.”
Speaking of ‘sweet,’ my favorite dessert is the wickedly delicious “Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie” a wondrous combination of chocolate fudge sauce, ice cream and a warm chocolate chip cookie. Except for the presence of chocolate, this dish is definitely meant to please the American palate. The warm and chewy chocolate chip cookie is layered with chocolate chips, crushed walnuts and shredded coconut, it is topped with vanilla ice cream drizzled with hot chocolate fudge and a rich caramel sauce.
Tex-Mex was once a very simple and hearty cuisine but it includes now a growing number of dishes. As the line between traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex continues to evolve, it looks as if it will become harder in the future to separate the two. But if ever you have the blues or you are simply looking for something exciting to eat, you are sure to find it with Tex-Mex, a cuisine bursting with flavors. It creates sensations which are not confined to the mouth alone. Its lively and spicy notes echo the sound of a Mariachi band. This is soul food at its best!
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