by Karen Neumann

Created on: January 06, 2008

My delightful introduction to the herb cilantro was mingling in a freshly made salsa I had smattered over my huevos rancheros. Well, helloooooo! I fell in love with the flavor and the scent of this versatile herb that is very common in Mexican culinary delights! Having lived in Tucson, Arizona for two years and traveling to the border towns and beyond in Mexico, I have a few tantalizing taste bud tidbits about the diversity of Mexican flavors.

The border town of Nogales, Mexico offered some meals and flavors that are more familiar to the American set; burritos, salads, tamales; as hot or as mild as you make them. They are prepared with chicken or beef, a flavorful sauce, cheese and the standard rice and beans. Per my cilantro experience above, the tables have fresh salsas; tomatoes, onions, peppers, carrots, cilantro, pepper, lemon juice in an oil and vinegar base. A little side funny - Once when I was in Tijuana, Mexico, we stopped at an outdoor caf that had salsa on the table. The moment it hit my tongue, I realized why there were no bugs in or around it. It took me another two dozen plain chips to get the burn down to a smolder! So what if I sweat like a teen on their first date, at least I tried it! Then, with a cold beer and chips, I entered the ring for round two!

Moving over to the west coast, fish is the mainstay in many of the dishes, deliciously grilled with lemon, cilantro and peppers. Plantains or green starchy bananas, fried in oil, are a popular side and another exotic treat for the palate! A green banana you say? Yes, I say! Step out of your sweet yellow banana mentality and take a bite! You can have a relationship with this fruit others can only dream of!

My absolute favorite Mexican regional food is from Central Mexico. There was a restaurant in Tucson that featured marinated, grilled delectable steaks that had one's salivary ducts overflowing! Drool cup at table two! This region combines the same seasonings from the other parts of Mexico, the variance of flavor is in the marinating, roasting and grilling.

So here is my advice; life is short, enjoy the excitement and pleasure of enticing your senses. Throw out misconceptions and derogatory statements of someone else's experience and have one of your own. Check out the Mexican restaurants in your town or even go to the grocery, all the above items are readily available. What, no cookbook? Try the internet for recipes or go to the library. The quest is on and your palate and tummy will thank you! Hey, if I had never met Cilantro, my pursuit for even more heightening flavor combinations would have been as flat as a burrito. Viva Mexico!

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