Other religions that are practiced include evangelical religions (including Pentecostals, neopentecostals, and Pentecostal Roots) make up 1.71% of the population; other Protestant evangelical groups, 2.79%; members of Jehovah's Witness make up 1.25%, "historical Protestants" such as Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Del Nazerenos, Mennonites, and others, comprise .71%; Seventh-day Adventists, 0.58%; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), .25%, Jews, .05%, and other religions, .31% (with 3.52% of respondents indicating "no religion," and .86% not specifying). (International Religious Freedom Report).
Of course, it is hard to think about Mexico without calling to mind the distinct culinary flavors that the country has to offer. The cuisine of Mexico is an extremely varied one, with specialties ranging from "Cabrito," or traditional roast baby goat, in the north, to the world famous Mole sauce which comes from the province of Oaxaca in the south (All About Mexico). Other staples in Mexican cuisine include the famous taco, which is consumed primarily as a street food or snack, and is made of corn tortilla, a meat such as steak or chicken, as well as vegetables such as cilantro, tomato, and onion with lime.
The history of Mexican cuisine is as rich as the flavors it incorporates. When the Europeans arrived in Mexico in 1517, they found that the indigenous community's diet consisted primarily of foods such as corn, beans, peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, and herbs (Food in Every Country). Chocolate, which is native to Mexico, was a special drink that was considered fit for royalty. The indigenous groups also occasionally included livestock in their diets, such as wild turkey, rabbit, deer, and quail. It wasn't until the Europeans introduced the foods that the country experienced its first taste of cattle, sheep, pig, goat, and chicken (Food in Every Country). The Spanish also introduced sugarcane and wheat to the country.
Today, corn is the primary staple of the modern Mexican diet. It is an integral part of almost every meal, and is usually consumed in the form of a flat piece of bread called a tortilla, or in pozole (a corn stew). Mexicans also enjoy a wide range of fruits and vegetables that grow well in the country's climate, including tomatoes, green tomatoes, avocado, mango, pineapple, papaya, and nopales, or prickly pear cactus (Food in Every Country). Finally, in order to obtain the flavor that Mexican cuisine is so widely known for, a variety of spices and chilies are used. Some popular spices and chilies include jalapenos, poblanos, serranos, chiplotes, cilantro, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves (Food in Every Culture).
Whether using the racial and ethnic makeup of the country, the religious traditions of its population, or the varying types of cuisines found in different locales across its regions, it is plain to see that capturing Mexico's diversity is not an easy task. The country is growing quickly, and its national identity is celebrating the diverse backgrounds and beliefs that make each of its inhabitants unique. Recognizing that Mexican culture is not a homogenous term, and rather, is a term for a culture that is as varied in its characteristics as it is in its people, is the only way one can truly learn to appreciate every the country has to offer.
"About Mexico: Culinary." All About Mexico. 28 March 2011. All About Mexico, Inc.
http://www.allaboutmexico.com/cousine.html.
Chorba, Carrie C. Mexico, From Mestizo to Multicultural: National Identity and Recent
Representations of the Conquest. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 2007.
"Mexico." Countries and Their Cultures. Advameg, Inc. 28 March 2011
http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Mexico.html.
"Mexico." Food in Every Country. Advameg, Inc. 28 March 2011.
http://www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/Mexico.html.
"Mexico." International Religious Freedom Report, 2006. United States Department
of State. 28 March 2011. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71467.htm.
Sample Source(s) Used
http://www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/Mexico.html.
"Mexico." International Religious Freedom Report, 2006. United States Department
of State. 28 March 2011. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71467.htm.
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