"ENDER" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I recently moved to Tucson, AZ from Atlanta, GA and (as silly as it
> sounds) I miss the Mexican food I enjoyed in the southeast. While
> Tucson is considered one of the best U.S. cities for Mexican food it's
> a lot different than the Mexican food I grew up eating in GA. Things
> are just made differently. The rice is quite different and what I miss
> the most is the abundance of white cheese melted on almost everything
> that doesn't seem to be a part of Mexican cooking here in the SW. I
> know that there's a big Sonoran influence in the food in Tucson but
> don't know what influences Mexican food in the SE. Does anyone know
> anything about these differences or where I can get a good old plate of
> white cheese soaked Nachos in Tucson (nachos aren't on the menu hardly
> anywhere and it's killing me!)?


What influences Mexican food in the SW (and SE) is the limited tastes of
gringos. Cheese really is not an ingredient in a lot of traditional Mexican
dishes. Not like we use it here anyway. Oh sure they have some fine
cheeses but often they are made from sheep milk and that is way too much for
the average American taste buds. Find specialty markets, look around for
Mexican farmer's markets and learn to speak a little Spanish. That way when
you go into their neighborhoods for the best food you will get better
service. The best Mexican food around where I live in SoCal are all
hole-in-the-wall joints. None of the local markets carry much at all in the
way of ingredients. And we have a huge population of Hispanics, too.

Here in the SW we see mostly cuisne from Northern Mexico. That involves a
lot of chiles, corn, beans, tomatoes and squashes.

And don't get me started on the haute Mexican cuisine. That is purely
Americana. Not to be a purist, but we are speaking Mexican food here.

Paul