"Thurman" > wrote in message
...
> It seems that up until about ten years ago, every Mexican
> restaurant in Texas served a side salad of just iceberg
> lettuce, tomato and onion. Apparently, as a cost reduction,
> that disappeared

Few Mexican Mexican homes serve a salad as we know them. The usual start for
almost any meal is the salsa on the bable - green, red and chile de arbol ;
maybe some guacamole - small bread loafs (bolillos or teleras) and soft corn
tortillas, hot, between a towel or tortilla warmer. The first dish will be a
soup, followed by a plate with the main course, usually with rice and beans
alongside, then desert which will be a flan (custard) ro sweet roll or cake
or fruit.

When you are invited to a super-rich family meal the start will be great
wines, great cheses, olives and maybe a bit of green somewhere, but mostly
not.

When eating with a campesino out in the boonies you get about the same
routine as mentioned in Mexican Mexican homes above.

Salads are on Mexican restaurants because Americans ask for it, and the
Mexicans are more than willing to oblige. But salads are certainly not
customary.

Wayne