Tex Mex is a relevantly new term. Dictionaries and food history confirms that the first print evidence of this term didn’t occur until the 1940s, but the word was often used before it was put in print. Tex Mex soon became a popular fad in the 1970s when Diana Kennedy elevated this common food to trendy fare. Tex Mex restaurants then began to surface outside of the southwest region in cities with large Mexican populations. The popularity of Tex Mex has spread rapidly throughout the United States and the world since its introduction. Some of the popular Tex Mex franchises (or what we call Mexican Restaurants) today are Taco Bell, Chevy’s Fresh Mex, El Cabo, Mi Pueblo, and many other Mexican themed restaurants.
Tex Mex can be described as native foreign food. It is native because it doesn’t exist anywhere else, but it is foreign because its inspiration came from a foreign country. Tex Mex is a combination of the words Texan and Mexican, but at first it only referred to Mexican dishes made by Texan cooks. As the times progress, so does the food. People throughout the world can now enjoy the different recipes blending Mexican flavor and Southwestern style.
Tex Mex evolved through the years and several key ingredients became synonymous with the food. When is first emerged, Tex Mex, was heavily influenced by Spanish and native Mexican foods. The food soon after began to take on more of a Texan flavor, and used more beef in the recipes. Other American-influenced elements have gradually been added over the years.
While much of the Tex Mex recipes are known as just Mexican food in many parts of the United States and the Western world, the dishes are actually more representative of the Southwestern United States. Tex Mex is heavily influenced by Mexican cooking, but it also includes many of the recipes that were made up in the South, such as the taco and the burrito. Certain ingredients that we have come to call and order at the Mexican restaurants that are not commonly used in Mexico are melted cheese and chili gravy.
