Enjoying a Culinary tour through the US Southwest is not a excursion for the easygoing. The Southwest is abundant with culinary style that is as simple to prepare as it is flavorful – as full of hot ingredients as it is filled with the healthiest of vegetables. If you’re looking for a culinary tour in the US Southwest, don’t expect to land in a big Mexican restaurant with thousands of fillings for burritos. In fact, don’t limit the Southwest and categorize it all under one blanket, because you are in for a gustatory surprise.
Southwest cuisine can actually be broken up into hybrids of different cuisines. Border cuisine, sometimes playfully referred to as South of the Border, might be more toward your local Mexican restaurant fare, with some menu items flavored mildly to suit a wider range of palates. You also have Tex-Mex cuisine, a blend of Texan and Mexican, heavy on the meats and spices. There is also the fresh, corn-rich American Indian cuisine, the richer and hotter Mexican offerings, and even nueva Latina, a new version of Southwestern pairings that is springing up in various places along the Southwestern states.
If you are traveling on a Southwestern culinary tour, then you’ll surely pass by the Lone Star State, and get a hankering for huge Texan meats and steaks. You’ll go cross Kansas, where you may sink your teeth into rich corn breads and products. Nothing beats a tourist attractions in Kansas. You will traverse Southern California and the Baja, where the burritos are hot and the tamales are even hotter. You will find yourself in New Mexico and Colorado, even parts of Oklahoma, and you’ll get yourself lots of American Indian cuisine that is as historic as the hills but plenty flavorful, as well!
It is no wonder, then, that the Southwest is traditionally seen as the godfather of all American cuisine, containing the roots of its indigenous cooking. Ponder it: even before Boston and Salem got their first taste of Europe, a whole lot was already cooking in these parts! A food tour through the Southwestern United States, therefore, is a trip through history, where you can actually taste the meals that have been around from times past, and are testaments to tales long past but never forgotten.
So what should you discover? Look for blue, purple, or even red maize, all of which can be prepared into various tasty breads, among other things. You will also get a whole lot of hot, so go for fire-roasted chilies, and various chili dishes that will make your mouth water constantly (and your eyes tear up, too!). You’ll get meat smoked with mesquite, scenting the air with flavorful smells. Whether you’re washing it all down with a pint of South of the Border beer, or a bottle of European wine, you’ll surely find something to look forward to in the US Southwest.
If you are planning a trip to the US Southwest on a culinary tour, there are a few things that you will need to remember. First, since many of the dishes are hot, you may need to check if you have any palate or health sensitivities with spicy foods. For instance, if you have irritable bowel syndrome, then you may need to ease up on the chilies. You will also need to consult with your tour group if the tour covers all the lodging and transportation, while you have to pick up the tab when you stop for meals. Don’t forget to read the fine print and discuss questions. Take the necessary precautions, and you can manager your Southwest US Culinary vacation into a fantastic getaway.
