Tex-Mex Food: Tex-Mex Beginnings: Tamales, Chili con Carne, Enchiladas

At the end of its war for independence in 1821, Mexico gained little more than separation from Spain. Americans poured into Texas and California, attracted by Mexico’s land policy. By 1830 an estimated fifteen thousand Anglo-Americans in Texas outnumbered Hispanics by four to one. Alarmed, the Mexican government sent Juan N. Almonte to evaluate the situation in 1835. Among his observations, he noted that Mexicans and Anglos ate very different foods: The Mexicans ate tortillas, beef, venison, chickens, eggs, cheese, and milk, and occasionally bread, chocolate, coffee, tea, and sugar. Anglo-Americans ate primarily bacon, cornbread, coffee sweetened with honey, butter, buttermilk, and sometimes crackers. They rarely ate beef, except in Nacogdoches and San Antonio, where cattle were commonly slaughtered. The first Mexican cookbook was published in 1831. Early Mexican culinary works included sophisticated cookery incorporating traditional Mexican, Spanish, and international elements. They also contained dishes that became common in the United States, such as tortillas, tamales, frijoles, quesadillas, chili peppers, enchiladas, and Spanish rice. Chili con carne and later Mexican American dishes, such as tacos, burritos, corn chips, and nachos are conspicuously absent.