20 food terms that you must know before visiting Mexico!

Sumer is almost here and Mexico is right next to us! What better thing to do this summer than traveling to one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with food so delicious that it has been a cultural heritage for humanity by UNESCO, and with any good and special thing, it comes with it's own way of doing and naming things. 

Here is a short list of terms that you must know before taking this trip, enjoy!

 Al carbón - marinated meat
 Al Horno - Oven baked
 Al Pastor - marinated pork
 Antojito - Appetizer
 Birria - Spicy Mexican meat stew, usually with goat, lamb or mutton
 Bistec - beefsteak
 Buche - pork stomach cooked in lard
 Carnitas - Shredded, fried pork, often salty
 Chicharrones - Deep fried pork rinds
 Chilaquiles - Fried tortillas, topped with salsa or mole and cheese. typically a breakfast item
 Chimichanga-Deep fried meat burrito
 Chipotle - Ripe jalepeno, smoked and dried. Can be canned in Adobo sauce.
 Choriqueso - Chorizo with cheese
 Curtido - pickled vegetables, typically cabbage, carrots. similar to cole slaw
 Entomatada - tortilla in tomato sauce with onions, chiles and filling
 Horchata - Rice beverage
 Nopales - Cactus
 Pozole - soup or stew with hominy, pork, chile, vegetables
 Pupusa - round, thin bread stuffed with various
 Rajas con crema - poblanos with creme, common party food

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3 things you're doing wrong when preparing a burrito

You can definitely make a killer burrito at home, but as with any good thing, and I dare say burritos are the best thing, the devil is in details.

Avoid doing these 3 things, and you'll be closer to preparing the perfect burrito.

1. DO NOT USE CANNED BEANS

Slimy beans from a can are not good. That's why you should buy a bag of dried beans – invest a little time and cook them in a slow cooker. Like rice, beans just need flavors added to the cooking process. Soak a pound of black or pinto beans overnight, then put them in a crockpot. Add six cups of chicken broth, a few cloves of garlic, a few slices of uncooked bacon, and whatever else you think will work. Set the crockpot on low, and they'll be done in eight hours. It'll render a lot of beans, so freeze what you don't immediately eat.

2. DON'T FORGET TO SEASON THE RICE

There's a good reason why the words white rice are used to describe bland food. Like a lot of starches, rice alone is pretty plain. You have to add flavor in the cooking process to make it pop in your burrito. The method is to cook rice in chicken broth instead of water and to add seasonings: a bay leaf, a dash of cumin, or other herbs and spices. "The key is to make it zesty – play around and add whatever flavors you think will work."

3. DON'T OVERCOOK YOUR MEAT

One of the most important and prominent flavors of a burrito comes from the meat you are using. Overcooked meat is tough because of what happens to the fat, protein, and sugar molecules; they get fused together, making them difficult to cut, chew, and digest. Cook your meat to medium rare - Place the steaks on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperature of 135 degrees F), 5 to 7 minutes for medium (140 degrees F) or 8 to 10 minutes for medium-well (150 degrees F).

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