Mexi v Mexican – what’s the actual difference?

This is commonly asked question among people who knowingly and unknowingly love dishes that they interchangeably term as Mexican or Tex-Mex dishes. But that is a blunder, honestly speaking and is like saying burger cheese and Mexican cheeses are the same after all they are both cheeses. That’s the extent of difference between in them.

Mexican dishes refer to all the dishes that are closely associated with the Mexican culture and food scenes evolved over the years and influenced by their indigenous communities over centuries including some colonial influences.

Mexi dishes, on the other hand are a fusion of dishes created north of the Mexico border in and around Texas and surrounding border states, when Americans assimilated prevalent Mexican culture and their cuisines,then gave it a dash of their own cuisine. These dishes became popular as Tex-Mex dishes or simply Mexi dishes.

The difference in authentic Mexican and ‘authentic’ Mexi dishes is mostly related to a fewkey ingredients: Cheese, protein, tortillas, spices and sauces. Cheeses used in Mexican dishes are white and include cheeses like cotija while Mexi dishes use mostly yellow cheese like Cheddar. MexiShred Blend and other Mexican shredded cheeses found on the market are Tex Mex cheeses that contain cheeses fit for both types of dishes.

While Mexican dishes mostly use pork, chicken and seafood, in Mexi dishes beef dominates the palate. This again is due to availability of cattle meat in Texas and reflects how the availability of ingredients influences the choice of ingredients in dishes, even if the original recipe had other ingredients.

Authentic Mexican dishes include tortillas made of soft corn tortilla while Mexi tortillas are mostly made of wheat/corn flour and have crispy or soft-shell versions. As such, the much-loved Burritos wrapped in a wheat tortilla is one of the most popular Tex Mex dishes around.

Mexican dishes usually do not include cumin and chilli powder in their dishes. The addition of these spices into Tex-Mex not only changed their look but also altered the taste – giving it a distinctive taste.

The final ingredient that aids in differentiating both of these dishes are the sauces and condiments. Green and mole sauce are very popular in Mexico and these sauces have a wide range of region-specific and dish-specific variations. But it would be safe to say that most of the Mexican dishes use either one of the variations. However, Mexi dishes use red, cheesy or creamy sauces –products of American ingenuity.

In addition to the above, it is also worth noting that cuisines across the world have evolved over the centuries and the taste of a dish cooked by people of different cultures is also different and unique itself. It’s impossible to define which is the better one – as it all depends and differs from one to another individual. And the best judge for judging a food is yourself, don’t take our or any other reviewers’ word for granted.

However, if you are looking for the best Mexi Shred Blend for your restaurant’s dishes, then look no further than Pure Dairy’s Mexi Shred Blend. It’s a blend of four different Mexican cheeses;Asadero, Monterey Jack, Natural Cheddar and Queso Quesadilla. All four-cheese are mixed in proper portions to make a delicious Mexican blend full of flavours. Try it today!