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!)?

On 4 Jul 2006 22:14:32 -0700, "ENDER" > wrote:

>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!)?


alt.food.mexican-cooking


jim

"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

Oh pshaw, on Tue 04 Jul 2006 10:14:32p, ENDER meant to say...

> 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!)?

I feel your pain, although I can't say that about the Mexican food. I moved
to Phoenix from Cleveland, OH. What I miss most are the Chinese restaurants.
There are many here in the Phoenix area, but they're just not the same. :-)

--
Wayne Boatwright @¿@¬
_____________________

"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!)?
>

Why not just fix your nacho jones at home? Nachos are easy to make and you
can have them just the way you like them. As for the cheese, I seek out
"Mexican" (Tex-Mex) restaurants that DON'T smother everything in grated
cheese or will honor a request for using less or none. De gustibus non est
disputandum.


--Rich

In a nut shell, Longhorn (Yellow) Cheddar was the cheese of choice for
Norteno cooking because of the US Governments pasteurized milk requirements.
Same as we see in a lack of Great French Cheeses here in the US. Normally
We sub what we need in recipes if not readily available. That you were able
to get one of Mexico' white cheeses (pasteurized, of course) these days is a
tribute to Atlanta being a great regional hub.

Research what specific white cheese you used in the SE as there are many
white cheeses used in Mexico. The early Spanish did bring Cheese making in
Central Mexico through cattle in in the late 1500s- early 1600. In the
Sonoran region it was the Mennonites from the US in the 1800s. Both Cow and
Sheep milk was used. I can find several Mexican White cheeses here in the
Pac Northwest (not just in the Yakima Valley) so you should be able to find
it on the border. As the man said some of the best eating is hole in the
wall places ( same as BBQ) so go ask these folks. . For subs in Mexican
cheese; try a White Cheddar, for a Queso Fresco? use a dry feta , An
Anejouse is good as a topping similar to Parmesan or perhaps an Asiago
style or the Oaxacan (wah-HA-kan) cheese well it is a Mozzarella string
style cheese. Crema is a just a version of sour cream or Crème Fische and
used in Mexican Cooking in the last two centuries so not believe that sour
cream is/was a Cali thing. It was just not a bona-fide Tex-Mex thing.

I personally feel the early SE "Mexican" foods were more influenced by the
Spanish Creole of the Gulf and Caribbean in the same manner that the Mexican
cooking of Houston is a bit dif than San Antonio. Atlanta is a bit more
cultural, closer to Miami and New Orleans. True Tex-Mex appreciation did
not came to be until in the 70s. But that was a mix of simple peasant food
with Texas cowboy cooking which was anything beef. Texas style Chili was
and remains the flash point of discussion . Early on in the East , Mexican
cooking was Taco Bell. Now there are large Mexican Populations popping up
in places like Dothan GA, in all the Peanut and Cotton fields, even VA, and
surprisingly NY city has double and nearly tripled. These places call for
Mexican foods and as such real Mexican ingredients.

Eating preferences are changing rapidly, hope to see Nuevo Mexican
dishes,especially from Central and south Mexico up and coming but I still
enjoy the old Norteno classics. There is not better than Hatch Chile. A
warning; avoid any discussion on Chili or Beans, just like religion and
politics.




"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!)?
>