Fresh seafood is also prevalent in Vercruz. “A dish typical of this region is
arroz a la tumbada, featuring seafood from this coastal state and rice, originally introduced by the Spanish,” Craig says. Some even call it “Mexican paella.” He adds that “peanuts, a common ingredient in West African cooking, are also found here more frequently than in other regions of Mexico,” especially in the Veracruzan classic
pollo encacahuatado, chicken in peanut sauce. Another regional staple is
huachinango a la veracruzana, red snapper in a sauce of tomatoes, peppers, capers, onions, olives and herbs.
According to Kerry research, “Old World herbs like thyme, true oregano, Italian parsley, marjoram and bay leaves play starring roles in many dishes, as does mint—a wildly popular aromatic all over the state, but most particularly in the north. Native herbs like epazote, anise-scented avocado leaves (often ground into a powder), and velvety, fragrant hoja santa (Piper auritum),” also distinguish Veracruz foods.
Puebla: Mexico’s culinary capital
Mole poblano takes its name from Puebla, and the state’s chiles en nogada is a contender for Mexico’s national dish. Its colors echo those of the Mexican flag, with green coming from poblano chiles stuffed with a picadillo of chopped meat, garlic, onions, nuts and fruit; white from a creamy walnut sauce; and red from a scattering of pomegranate seeds.
Puebla’s famous sweet potato, camote, may be tough to find stateside, but it makes a fantastic cinnamon-citrus pudding dotted with raisins. Spanish-style nougats known as turrones are made from honey and almonds. Bakeries spill forth with sweet breads called pan dulces.
According to Kerry’s “Regional Mexican Cuisine,” other European influences in Puebla come from Italy. In central Puebla, Italian dairy farmers founded the town of Chipilo, whose butter and cream earn kudos throughout Mexico. Puebla’s historic ties to dairy farms account for its affection for cream sauces, like the one on chiles en nogada.
Oaxaca: land of the seven moles
If any of Mexico’s regional cuisines can reach critical mass in the United States, it’s Oaxaca’s, where Old World spices, New World herbs, chiles, fish and shellfish, poultry and pork, and the region’s inimitable chocolate reign supreme.