My mostly gringo self and many amigos all eat lunch togather. I asked them why they eat hot sauce on everything. The answer I got was that I was a tomato and they are chilis.. I told them I dont put katsup on my cheerios! we all get along very well and eat off the mexican lunch truck every day. I love the taste of the roasted green chilis. My grand father would not eat a meal without his peppers. I was wondering about any historic reasons for the hot sauce fetich. is it a habit? was that the only available spice?
2006-09-05 16:06:44 · 24 answers · asked by hobbybob 2 in Food & Drink ➔ Ethnic Cuisine
Just like in every culture that uses a lot of spices, they are used to the taste of them because of parts of their history with spices.
As in India and other parts of the world, where the temperature is pretty high, Mexicans used spices to put on meat that went bad. Since bad meat tastes like a shoe, they used spices to put some flavor on it to make it edible. They didn't only use it just on meat but also some vegetable dishes. After using spices for so long they got accustomed to the taste of them even after the invention of refrigerators and grocery stores.
2006-09-05 18:05:49 · answer #1 · answered by Berserk 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
For the same reason that those of us with European ancestry put gravies and sauces on everything. In the past when there was no way to preserve meats without smoking or drying it, there needed to be a way to mask the rancid flavor. I love spicy food, but it seems a shame to put it on everything. I work in a restaurant and all of the mexican employees put hot sauce on EVERYTHING, as was mentioned it earlier posts. Some foods have natural subtle flavors that just can't be truly appreciated when you mask it with heat. It would be a step forward for all of us if all of our cultures appreciated the foods of others, but that requires stepping out of your comfort zone, which many people have a problem with. To each his own.
2014-03-05 13:36:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a mexican american born here in the US but raised the Mexican way. Hot sauce gives the food a good taste. But certain hot sauce go on certain foods. I can't really explain it. When we eat seafood, we either put Tapatio or Guacamaya. Those are mexicans favorite for seafood, and it's my favorite too. Now i gotta put hot sauce in every meal, or else it sucks..lol
It's just what Mexicans do, eat anything with hot sauce, and most make their own chiles. And it's GOOOD.
We also put Tapatio on Quesadillas, you should try it, it's delicious.
2006-09-05 16:16:46 · answer #3 · answered by Smiles_187 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm white and pretty much put hot sauce on everything. The hot sauce gives you a rush. I love it !!
anything hot and spicy is good for you too.
I think it does become a habit because of the rush it gives you , it's like you become addicted to it. It's a drug that doesn't hurt you.
2006-09-05 16:56:27 · answer #4 · answered by Suzie K 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You know there are some people that like eating hot sauce on everything and they aren't hispanics. It all depends on how you were raised. I mean I watch Food Network occasionally and there are a lot of different races that love hot sauce (especially that extreme stuff). I just don't know how they do it. Me, I'm a WUSS.
2006-09-05 19:04:59 · answer #5 · answered by darkhunterfan65 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as far as history-the pepper's were introduced to the america's ,during it's discovery period,such as the peanut and green pea,etc.
in south america ,it was grown along w/ peas and corn ,for part's to supplement the soil with it's nutiants ,,as far as why - we use it on all our meal's ,is the taste ,not as much the heat! not to be sarcastic but the hot sauce is only a supplement to the original spice left out of the dish (not enough as one is used to!) so ,in the U.S.A. mexican cuisine is toned down to acomadate everyone's taste.
2006-09-07 02:58:19 · answer #6 · answered by luke m 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From the time we are born, our parents introduce different types of food. Mexicans tend to use more spices on their food, in comparison to most white people and introduce children to spices at a younger age, too. I am white and my husband is Mexican and our children are used to spices in their food. Our 6 year old daughter just began experimenting with hot sauce in her food and she loves it. She doesn't ask for it at every meal, but it seems to fulfill the urge for more spices in her food.
I believe that your taste buds get used to the strong taste and therefore the food may seem bland without it.
2006-09-05 17:02:53 · answer #7 · answered by Michele r 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I was told chillis had something in it's make up that helped kill bacteria that caused stomach problems this goes way back before refrigeration. OK I just went to Google and ask many links to hot sauce and chillis killing bacteria.
2006-09-05 16:18:08 · answer #8 · answered by moonwalker 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I'm white and have lived in the southwest US for many years. I'm a "chili belly" and I know many more. It's a habit, but not an unhealthy one.
2006-09-05 16:14:43 · answer #9 · answered by duaner87421 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In Ethnic dishes such as Mexican the food are made spicy because thats just what they like. Its kinda like a trade mark.
2006-09-05 16:12:41 · answer #10 · answered by ♥ Lips of Morphine ♥ 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋