TEX-MEX FOOD : CUISINE WITH HISTORY
2 years ago
ID: #25802
Listed In : Food Products Hotels Restaurants
Business Description
Following popular of growing demand, Captain Shrimp shifted their focus to Tex-Mex cuisine. Curious about Tex-Mex Cuisine? Tex-Mex, short for Texans of Mexican heritage, is one of the most popular styles of food eaten every day. At Captain Shrimp we’ve come to appreciate the unique ingredients, flavors, and dishes associated with Tex-Mex cuisine. Let’s explore the similarities and differences between Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisine, and the famous Tex-Mex dishesHISTORY OF TEX-MEX
From its inception Tex-Mex cuisine has been synonymous with generous portions of flavorful food. This is a tradition we proud to continue. Each entree includes a generous serving of crispy tortilla chips, and for Flatheads with an even heartier appetite, you can make your taco, bowl, burrito, or chimichanga a “Megajuana” with double the meat and cheese! However, Tex-Mex isn’t just about size. These delicious Mexican dishes are a surefire way to enjoy the authentic flavors. They feature some of the most beloved local ingredients, including tomatoes, corn, and chili peppers.
HISTORY OF TEX-MEX
Looking back at Tex-Mex history, Southern Texas is the birthplace of Tex-Mex food dating back to the late 1800’s. Tex-Mex recipes became known more widely with the building of the Texas Mexican Railway. Tejano home-style cooking quickly gained popularity throughout Texas and spread across the Southwest. From its inception Tex-Mex cuisine has been synonymous with generous portions of flavorful food. This is a tradition we is proud to continue. Each entree includes a generous serving of crispy tortilla chips, and for Flatheads with an even heartier appetite, you can make your taco, bowl, burrito, or chimichanga a “Megajuana” with double the meat and cheese! However, Tex-Mex isn’t just about size. In addition to large servings, entrees typically boast bold flavors through savory seasonings and ingredients.
HOW IS TEX-MEX DIFFERENT FROM MEXICAN?
Tex-Mex food is rooted in the flavors, techniques, and long history of Mexican cuisine. Richly seasoned meats are cooked with chiles and spices and served with beans, tortillas, cheese, cilantro, and more. The Tex-Mex meaning can be most simply summed up by the different types of ingredients used. Tex-Mex recipes feature the use of chili powder, a savory mix of ground chile peppers with spices including cumin, oregano, and black pepper. Alternatively, Mexican recipes call for chile peppers, not the chili seasoning blend.
You are sure to find tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and chimichangas on both Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurant menus. However, popular Tex-Mex ingredients include seasoned ground beef and shredded cheddar jack cheese, with Mexican menus featuring a broader variety of seasonings, produce, and proteins based on the region. Tex-Mex tacos are usually made with a soft flour tortilla or crunchy corn shell, while Mexican tacos are almost always made with soft corn tortillas.
No matter how you dip your tortilla chip, we believes in Tex-Mex For All and satisfies our guest’s craving for bold Tex-Mex flavors! We serve generous portions of innovative combinations that delight every taste bud with honestly good, made the way our guests love it food! We feature a wide variety of hot sauces from our extensive hot sauce bar to complement our tasty Tex-Mex menu.
MOST POPULAR INGREDIENTS FOUND IN TEX-MEX RECIPES
Big bold flavors of Tex-Mex cuisine, and our ability to be so creative with our signature flavors, like our quesadilla, or our crispy mex crackers, stuffed with our garlic lime marinated steak and cheddar jack cheese with all of the great dips that come with them, like our signature gold queso, fresh made guacamole, and sour cream. And we can’t forget our giant crunchy corn taco shells filled with our signature taco beef, and all of the fixin’s like shredded cheese, sour cream, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, and onion, with a little bit of heat at the end from sliced fresh jalapeños. Plus, having our world famous hot sauce bar lets our guests customize their dish with their specific flavors and spice levels
TACO SEASONING
Not all taco seasoning blends are created equal! Captain Shrimp proprietary taco seasoning includes a special combination of chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, paprika, black pepper and corn flour. To make the best Tex-Mex tacos we cook lean ground beef low and slow with our Tex-Mex taco seasoning.
CHEDDAR JACK CHEE
Favorite Tex-Mex cheese is the melty, Cheddar Jack! It tops our giant tacos and crispy nachos, is rolled into burritos and quesadilla and is the star of our signature gold queso. The blend of mild cheddar cheese and creamy Monterey Jack cheese is gooey, cheesy, and delicious!
CILANTRO
Chopped Cilantro can be found in most Tex-Mex dishes. Cilantro is an aromatic herb with hints of citrusy flora notes that bring freshness and brightness to Tex-Mex dishes. Cilantro compliments the rich tomato and fragrant spices in our spicy chicken taco and is the secret ingredient to our fresh-forward salsa and guacamole!
HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR TORTILLAS?
Choose from soft flour or crunchy corn – either is the perfect start for the best Tex-Mex taco. Corn tortillas are fried every day in-house for our crispy tortilla chips and giant crunchy taco shells. Flour tortillas are used for tacos, burritos, chimichangas, steak or chicken flautas, Atom Bomb appetizers, and craveable cookie dough flautas. How many tortillas do we serve in a day? Thousands!
FAMOUS TEX-MEX DISHES
TACOS
The popularity of the taco is without question. Introduced by Mexican migrants to the United States in the early 1900s, today there are so many ways to enjoy a great Tex-Mex taco. Let’s TACO about our giant crunchy corn taco shells filled with our signature taco beef, sour cream, shredded cheddar jack cheese, shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, and fresh sliced jalapenos. Of course, you can get Tex-Mex tacos any way you choose, with a hard shell or soft flour tortillas
Quesadillas
Quesadillas are sandwich-like snacks made by compressing ingredients between two warm tortillas. They’re not only popular in Mexico but Mexican restaurants around the world. You can find quesadillas on the menu at almost every Tex-Mex or Mexican restaurant. These tasty tortillas are also entirely customizable, as you can put any combination of ingredients between them. That said, beef, cheese, refried beans, and spicy peppers are common quesadillas ingredients with sour cream, guacamole, and sales on the side.
Nachos
consisting of fried tortilla chips or thick nachos shell covered with melted cheese or cheese sauce, as well as a variety of other toppings, often including meats (such as ground beef or grilled chicken), vegetables (such as chili peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, and ), and condiments such as salsa, guacamole, or sour cream. At its most basic form, nachos may consist of merely chips covered with cheese, and served as an appetizer or snack, while other versions are substantial enough as a main course.
Chilli Con Carne
Chilli con Carne (chili with beef) is a fantastic meal that can warm you up from the inside, making it a top-notch wintertime meal. Made of kidney beans, ground beef, and diced tomatoes, this dish is incredibly flavorful, thanks to the addition of onions, garlic, and chili powder.
Still, if you’re in a hurry, Chilli con Carne might not be the best option. That’s because this dish is best when allowed to simmer for several hours. Taking the time to let the ingredients meld together ensures that each bite is warming and savory.
Chicken Fajitas
Fajita is basically any type of protein that can be wrapped in a flour tortilla. Traditionally it was a snack that was served to Mexican ranch hands as partial payment in West Texas back in the 1930s. It was often made from the less desirable cuts of beef that were turned into something tasty by the ranchhands. Since that time it has evolved into a really popular Mexican food in North America. It is usually served on a sizzling platter with onions and peppers along with the protein of choice ( most often chicken or steak though it can be served with just vegetables as well.) Pair that with toppings like shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole and you have a Mexican dish that you can easily make at home.
Burritos
Burritos (which translates to tiny donkeys) date back to ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. However, the first burritos were very different from the ones enjoyed today. These thick corn tortilla wraps became popular among the Spanish Conquistadors during the 1500s. The invading Spanish soldiers filled their burritos with meats and cheeses. Over time, the tortillas used to make burritos transformed from corn tortilla to wheat, resulting in the familiar flour tortilla used today. You can make burritos at home using flour tortillas, rice, beans, lettuce, shredded cheese, and your favorite meats. Add sour cream, guacamole, and salsa for more flavor.