Corn

Squash
squash flower
chiles of any kind
beans
tomatos or tomatillos
any tuber like a potato
sunflower and sunflower seeds
nopal leaves or any cactus
huatzontles or quelites

Huitlacoche
seaweed -Seaweed is mentioned in "Cocina Prehispanica Mexicana" by Heriberto
Garcia
Rivas. I believe he is referring to lake algae from the lake Texcoco. It
could be the base stuff used in growing the floating gardens. I have no
personal experience with using it in any Mexican dish except as a steaming
environment much as the New England clam bake. Must look into this further.

Ice to preserve fish for those in power
mushrooms

Not food, but of great importance: Cotton. The most commonly cultivated
species of cotton in the world include Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium
barbadense (also referred to as "New World" species). Gossypium hirsutum
originated in Mexico. It is the most important agricultural cotton,
accounting for more than 95% of world fiber production.
quelite - tender onion
tamarind
mezquite
granjel -, fruit from a fairly tall tree growing in arid conditions and
producing a small pock-marked fruit which fed the
northern nomads before the advent of agriculture.
Pinguica, A small apple type fruit used for food as well as medicinal
purposes by the Amerindians which
acts as a kind of diuretic and at the same time reduces sugar in the blood.
Supposedly great for diabetics.
capulin
tejocote
jicama
chirimoya
anona
guanabana
guava/guayaba-in Nahuatl, xalxocotl
mamey

yuca o mandioca

banana

pinguica

capulin

tejocote

jicama

cherimoya

guanabana

papaya

cashew nut/caju-in the Amazon, it still has medicinal uses

coconut (maybe, some believe this came from Philippine trade).

rubber

avocado

chicle
papaya

pineapple

amaranth (among the most nutritious of all foods)

quinoa

paprika
pineapple/pina-brought north to the Caribbean by the Tupi-Guarani from the
area of Brazil. They used it for food, medicine, and even as poison for
their arrows. When the plant decays, it develops a deadly toxin.
zapote
cilantro
many of Ameirca's original herbs
chocolate / xocolatl-Moctezuma loved drinking the bitter cocoa
peanuts -The Aztecs called it tlal-cacakuatl (earth cacao) and prescribed a
peanut paste for toothaches.
vanilla
turkey

dog
deer
rabbit
parrot
armadillo
javelin
squirrel
antelopes
coyote
cocodrilo
caiman
lobo zorro
lagarto
jaguar
wild cat
mapache
marta
nutria
ocelote
oso negro
monkey
tapir
tejon
tigrillo
tuza
tlacuache
tepezcuintle

opossum

quail, pigeon, pheasant, parrot, ducks, geese, other foul.

frogs, crawdads, other sweet water creepy-crawlers
turtle
iguana
snakes
fresh water fish
salt water fish
ant eggs
cactus worms
grasshoppers

pumpkins, American cotton.

Oil smoke soot mosquito repellent

tobacco and endless medicinal herbs

hemp



Contributors to the above list and comments:

Wayne Lundberg

Cocina Prehispanica Mexicana - Heriberto Garcia Rivas, Panorama, and:

http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum...4.03.02.x.html

When the Spanish came, they introduced some key elements such as
domesticated animals, horses, cows, sheep, pigs, goats, chickens. Which
introduced milk, ergo cheese and although pre-Columbian nations ate bird
eggs, never in the quantities possible from domesticated chickens.



So, here's what came from the Spanish:

Wheat at first - not rice, which came later with the slave trade from
Africa.
Domesticated animals - horse, pig, cow, sheep, chickens, goats, donkeys,
mules,
Smallpox, with origins in domesticated animals, to which Europeans had
developed an immunity but which killed off 90% of the Amerindian population.
Slaves from Africa to replace dying Mexicans.
Garbanzo
Olive oil
Cabbage
Mustard has been one of the most widely grown and used spices in the world
for many centuries. It is believed to have originated in Ancient Egypt and
exported to Europe by the Romans who used it for both food and medicine - as
a cure for anything from hysteria to snakebite to bubonic plague. In these
early times a popular drink was unfermented grape juice - and this was often
seasoned with mustard seeds. The unfermented grape juice was called MUST.
This is believed to be the origin of the word mustard.
Celery The oldest record of the word celeri is in a 9th-century poem written
in France or Italy, giving the medicinal uses and merits of the plant. When
its culture in gardens was begun in the 16th century in Italy and northern
Europe, it was still a primitive plant, like smallage, and was used for
medicinal purposes only.
Parsley - It spread to the Americas in the 17th century, where it now grows
plentifully. It is the most widely used culinary herb in the United States.
Olives
Sugar Sugar In India and Persia

On Mar 9, 2:29 pm, "Wayne Lundberg" >
wrote:

> Corn

<great big snip>

Wayne, thanks for the post, but it's too much information at one time.
Others have done this, too.

Is it all right if we all just talk about the food instead of
pontificating?

Think Rolly's style, maybe. It's the food that's important around
here, isn't it?

David

On Mar 10, 4:37?pm, "dtwright37" > wrote:

> Is it all right if we all just talk about the food instead of
> pontificating?

This is alt.food.mexican-COOKING. It's a group that's about cooking,
not just a few people chatting defending their favorite taco stand or
roach wagon.
>
> It's the food that's important around
> here, isn't it?

Yes, so tell us the recipe for that New Mexican stew that you COOKED
the other night instead of just remarking about it for self
justification.

On Mar 10, 8:32 pm, "The Galloping Gourmand" >
wrote:
> On Mar 10, 4:37?pm, "dtwright37" > wrote:
>
> > Is it all right if we all just talk about the food instead of
> > pontificating?
>
> This is alt.food.mexican-COOKING. It's a group that's about cooking,
> not just a few people chatting defending their favorite taco stand or
> roach wagon.
>
>
>
> > It's the food that's important around
> > here, isn't it?
>
> Yes, so tell us the recipe for that New Mexican stew that you COOKED
> the other night instead of just remarking about it for self
> justification.

I just like to put together diced pork shoulder, green chiles,
potatoes, stock of whatever kind I have in the freezer, Mexican
oregano from the yard, some ground comino (gasp!), and S&P. No big
deal, just whatever seems right at the time. Sometimes I substitute
nixtamal for the potatoes and it becomes posole. This is not recipe
stuff. I have no idea what quantity of anything I use. I cook like my
grandma did.
There are cookbooks if you really need a recipe.

David

On Mar 10, 7:47?pm, "dtwright37" > wrote:

> There are cookbooks if you really need a recipe.

What happens to culinary tradition if the old ladies don't tell their
daughters to write the recipes down? All that is left is oral
tradition.

And, it's a crying shame if Usenet denizens ignore the
possibilities of preserving our gastronomic heritage because they are
too damned busy socializing to write a list of ingredients and
quantities.

On Mar 11, 12:06 pm, "The Galloping Gourmand"
> wrote:
> On Mar 10, 7:47?pm, "dtwright37" > wrote:

> What happens to culinary tradition if the old ladies don't tell their
> daughters to write the recipes down? All that is left is oral
> tradition.

That's right. And a good tradition it is, too.
>
> And, it's a crying shame if Usenet denizens ignore the
> possibilities of preserving our gastronomic heritage because they are
> too damned busy socializing to write a list of ingredients and
> quantities.

If you're referring to my method, rather than recipe, for green chile
stew, the list of ingredients is all you get -- for this version,
anyway. If you Google for green chile stew or posole in this ng,
you'll find discussions going back to '98, when the group began.

As an aside, I've never known anyone I considered a good cook who
followed a recipe precisely. I'll look at a recipe to get the idea of
what's included, then close the book and fire away.

David

On Mar 12, 9:35?am, "dtwright37" > wrote:

> If you're referring to my method, rather than recipe, for green chile
> stew, the list of ingredients is all you get -- for this version,
> anyway. If you Google for green chile stew or posole in this ng,
> you'll find discussions going back to '98, when the group began.

If you know that the subject was discussed previously, you might take
a minute to find the messages and post a link.

As I indicated previously, if a person doesn't even know of the
existence of something, he/she cannot begin to do the research.

While "green chile stew" or "posole" might not be mysterious to
readers who have had explored Mexican cooking beyond The Great Taco
Swamp, other readers
will have no idea where to look for recipes, they won't even google
back to 1997 and the supposed "genesis" of the group.

Newbies usually think that tacos, tamales, enchiladas, and burritos
are all there is to the subject.

Getting the names of various Mexican dishes out there to
the wider google audience may at least have the effect of attracting
people who want to correct my errors in translation.

At least that's progress to keep the group from sinking into the
quicksand of the Great Taco Swamp...

"dtwright37" > wrote in message
ps.com...
> On Mar 11, 12:06 pm, "The Galloping Gourmand"
> > wrote:
> > On Mar 10, 7:47?pm, "dtwright37" > wrote:
>
> > What happens to culinary tradition if the old ladies don't tell their
> > daughters to write the recipes down? All that is left is oral
> > tradition.
>
> That's right. And a good tradition it is, too.
> >
> > And, it's a crying shame if Usenet denizens ignore the
> > possibilities of preserving our gastronomic heritage because they are
> > too damned busy socializing to write a list of ingredients and
> > quantities.
>
> If you're referring to my method, rather than recipe, for green chile
> stew, the list of ingredients is all you get -- for this version,
> anyway. If you Google for green chile stew or posole in this ng,
> you'll find discussions going back to '98, when the group began.
>
> As an aside, I've never known anyone I considered a good cook who
> followed a recipe precisely. I'll look at a recipe to get the idea of
> what's included, then close the book and fire away.
>
> David
>
So true! Also, the availabilitty and freshness and quality of ingredients
have more to do with proportions than anything else.

Like David, I cook the same way. An idea comes, the taste buds wake up, now
visit the frige, cabinet and back yard... lastly a trip to the local store.
Then with imagination and experience turned on high, do the cooking.

I think recipes are good for the beginner. But for those of us who have been
at it for a while, the ingredient availability and desired taste is key.
Also... Google any Mexican recipe and you will get thousands of hits on
almost anything. Want variety? Select one of the Googled recipes with
interesting variations... like with cumin or without. With chile or not.
Etc.

>

On Mar 12, 1:47 pm, "The Galloping Gourmand" >
wrote:
> On Mar 12, 9:35?am, "dtwright37" > wrote:
>
> > If you're referring to my method, rather than recipe, for green chile
> > stew, the list of ingredients is all you get -- for this version,
> > anyway. If you Google for green chile stew or posole in this ng,
> > you'll find discussions going back to '98, when the group began.
>
> If you know that the subject was discussed previously, you might take
> a minute to find the messages and post a link.

There were several posts on these subjects, and I took several minutes
to enjoy them again. Also, I let you know how to find them yourself.
Google is your friend. You do know how to Google, don't you?

> While "green chile stew" or "posole" might not be mysterious to
> readers who have had explored Mexican cooking beyond The Great Taco
> Swamp, other readers
> will have no idea where to look for recipes, they won't even google
> back to 1997 and the supposed "genesis" of the group.

Going to 1997 won't help. I told you the group started in 1998.
Besides, if these "other readers" were able to find this newsgroup,
they will be able to find the archives. I seem to have a higher regard
for our fellow readers than you do.

> Newbies usually think that tacos, tamales, enchiladas, and burritos
> are all there is to the subject.

See above.

I think I will just agree to disagree with you.

David

On Mar 12, 1:50 pm, "Wayne Lundberg" >
wrote:
> "dtwright37" > wrote in message
>
> > As an aside, I've never known anyone I considered a good cook who
> > followed a recipe precisely. I'll look at a recipe to get the idea of
> > what's included, then close the book and fire away.
>
> > David
>
> So true! Also, the availabilitty and freshness and quality of ingredients
> have more to do with proportions than anything else.
>
> Like David, I cook the same way. An idea comes, the taste buds wake up, now
> visit the frige, cabinet and back yard... lastly a trip to the local store.
> Then with imagination and experience turned on high, do the cooking.

Exactly, Wayne. As an example, I wanted some Mexican oregano a few
days ago. Oops, it had died back in the freeze. No problemo, the flat-
leaf parsely was still alive and gave us a slightly different, but
good, taste to the dish.

> I think recipes are good for the beginner. But for those of us who have been
> at it for a while, the ingredient availability and desired taste is key.
> Also... Google any Mexican recipe and you will get thousands of hits on
> almost anything. Want variety? Select one of the Googled recipes with
> interesting variations... like with cumin or without. With chile or not.
> Etc.

I can't imagine Doña Martha telling Rolly that she can't make a
certain dish today because she doesn't have the right chiles. Heh!

David

"dtwright37" > wrote in message
oups.com...
On Mar 12, 1:50 pm, "Wayne Lundberg" >
wrote:
> "dtwright37" > wrote in message
>
> > As an aside, I've never known anyone I considered a good cook who
> > followed a recipe precisely. I'll look at a recipe to get the idea of
> > what's included, then close the book and fire away.
>
> > David
>
> So true! Also, the availabilitty and freshness and quality of ingredients
> have more to do with proportions than anything else.
>
> Like David, I cook the same way. An idea comes, the taste buds wake up,
now
> visit the frige, cabinet and back yard... lastly a trip to the local
store.
> Then with imagination and experience turned on high, do the cooking.

Exactly, Wayne. As an example, I wanted some Mexican oregano a few
days ago. Oops, it had died back in the freeze. No problemo, the flat-
leaf parsely was still alive and gave us a slightly different, but
good, taste to the dish.

> I think recipes are good for the beginner. But for those of us who have
been
> at it for a while, the ingredient availability and desired taste is key.
> Also... Google any Mexican recipe and you will get thousands of hits on
> almost anything. Want variety? Select one of the Googled recipes with
> interesting variations... like with cumin or without. With chile or not.
> Etc.

I can't imagine Doña Martha telling Rolly that she can't make a
certain dish today because she doesn't have the right chiles. Heh!

David

Wayne he
Dona Martha would certainly find the right combination from whatever in
season and available, for sure!