The Curious Influence of Arabic Culture in Mexican Food
That taco al pastor looks remarkably like a kebab
In 1933, a young Spanish immigrant began selling a fried sugar-covered sweet called ‘churros’ from a cart in Mexico City’s main square. Two years later, his enterprise found a permanent home in the capital’s Calle San Juan de Letran.
He named his new shop ‘El Moro’ in homage to a Moor who travelled from town to town selling this fried sweet back home in Spain. It became a fast favourite of intellectuals of the day like Octavio Paz and Carlos Fuentes. Today, it has thirteen locations around the city.
Mexico is famous for its corn-based tortillas, margaritas, and mariachis. The world has become captivated by the dark mix of Aztec and Catholic traditions in its Day of the Dead festival and the raw drama of its hard hitting cinema. Its unique version of Spanish is littered with indigenous words and almost unpronounceable place names. Its food, its language and its culture is all a mix of Spanish and indigenous influences.
Less well known and largely ignored, is the enduring influence of arabic culture littered across Mexico’s food, language and architecture. Across the country, you can find nods to this influence. From the infamous taco al pastor to the sweet mazapan reminiscent of halva. El…
