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dishes are hot. The one rule to follow when choosing peppers is that the smaller they are, the hotter they tend to get. Another tip that was passed down to my father from his mother who grew her own jalapenos is that, the pointier the tip of a jalapeo, the hotter it will be. Sometimes the pepper used in some dishes is simply a way to add flavor and not necessarily heat. If a dish was not made hot, a side of salsa may be provided for the more adventurous dinner.

You should also remember that red salsa does not always mean hot salsa; it can be that more tomato was used to cool down the heating effect of the peppers. The only way to know for certain is to taste it. I also suggest having a glass of milk near by or even some cheese when tasting any sort of salsa, or hot dish. It may not sound like a great combination but, milk and other dairy products have a natural cooling effect on a burning palate.

There are a variety of Caldos pronounced cahl-doh or soups that include all of the ingredients I have introduced you to above. The first soup and one of my favorite soups is called Posole.

It can be made with pork, or chicken. It can be made with red peppers or green. It can be made with out peppers all together and served with both salsas on the side for you to choose. What ever the color of the Soup, it will almost always be served with a side of shredded lettuce or cabbage, and a bowl of tortilla chips. This Soup is rich in flavor and I highly recommend it. There is also a soup called, Caldo de res, or what Americans know as Oxtail or beef soup. There is also caldo de pollo, or chicken soup. These two soups are essentially made the same as American soups minus the noodles while cilantro and other herbs such as oregano are added.

There is another soup called Menudo, which is by far the most exotic of all the soups I have mentioned. Menudo is made with the standard Maize, red peppers and spices. It is mild and not usually very hot. Again the heat of this soup depends on the chef, but the main ingredient is beef tripe. For those of you who may not be familiar with this cut of meat, it is the lining of the cow's stomach. It does not sound very appealing to the amateur dinner, but as with all of our dishes it is made with plenty of love and honor. The people of Mexico who began making this particular soup were poor and would not normally have had the luxury of eating beef; they thought it to be a sin to throw out any part of an animal that could be eaten. The tripe is always washed and slow cooked until tender; this process usually takes 4 to 6 hours. Then the ground up red peppers and spices are added and it is let simmer for another hour.

To this dish many add cilantro, onion and also sliced lemons for squeezing as an added flavor enhancer.

As I end this article, I urge you all to find an authentic Mexican restaurant. Authentic Mexican food restaurants can be that small and humble establishment that you over look on your way to the popular chain restaurants. Authentic Mexican restaurants more than likely will not have large neon signs advertising free margaritas or chips and queso. But, as a Mexican American I can attest to the fact that the enormous pride and joy that is Mexico will fill each and every dish that you are served. Buen Provecho.

Learn more about this author, Melissa Quin.
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