A Detour Through Tex-Mex Part 2

I can recall the first time I had heard the phrase “Tex-Mex.” A friend was discussing going out to eat, and suggested Mexican food. However, he noted, he wanted “authentic Mexican food” and NOT “Tex-Mex,” which he viewed as an inferior, Americanized version of the cuisine. I admit to not really eating much Mexican food growing up. Sure, my family ate Taco Bell, but my father is a finicky eater- no onions, tomatoes, guacamole, or peppers for him. As a kid, I followed suit, but have since expanded my palette. Even so, I had rarely thought to give Tex-Mex much thought.

Living in Texas changes you in a few ways. Once you begin to embrace the culinary traditions of the state, you open up new avenues of flavor and history. Having exhausted my research into BBQ, a few conversations with my friend Eric (the man who accompanied me on my Regional Texas BBQ Journey) got me thinking- have I been overlooking one of the central pieces of Texas cuisine? I pondered particularly after I had the best meal I’ve eaten in this state at Vera’s. I remember pure culinary bliss while partaking in barbacoa in that famed Brownsville establishment, a staple of Tex-Mex breakfast.

As I mentioned in Part 1- making a whole blog about these dishes might be difficult. This is comfort food, boiled down to its simplest essence. That isn’t to say that there aren’t complex recipes like Menudo hanging around recipes, or that chili is the easiest thing to make stand out, but rather that dishes are often covered with meaty chili and/or cheese, creating a delicious blend of naked flavors and distinct textures (like fried white tortillas, or refried beans).

Before we move on, let’s define some distinguishing characteristics of Tex-Mex. In America, you essentially have two different regional takes on Mexican cuisine- Cali-Mex and Tex-Mex. According to Mattito’s, Californians prefer fresh veggies, including black olives, along with a heavier emphasis on avocado/guacamole. Cali-Mex also tends to include more sour cream, and features recipes with heavier garlic. Tex-Mex often includes the aforementioned chili and cheese, along with refried beans instead of black or white beans.

Before taking my journey, Eric gave me a slew of suggestions. When he evaluates a Tex-Mex joint, he first looks to their chips and salsa. Nothing says disappointment like store-bought salsa in a Tex-Mex restaurant. Next, he mentioned that he typically goes for meat that is harder to find in your average restaurant like lengua or cabrito. Finally, Eric suggested that you can find out how good a joint is by their chimichanga. It’s important to add that for Eric, Tex-Mex is a point of pride, and something that he is passionate about.

“Tex-Mex proper is just like all Texan cuisines. The food of various immigrants made bolder and more flavorful. I feel similarly about it as you do to Texas BBQ.”

-Eric Sanchez

Now, there’s a reason that Eric feels a bit defensive over Tex-Mex. With today’s foodie culture at an all time peak, it can often seem like the focus can be on this arbitrary “authenticity” rating of any particular cuisine. A quick search on the Google machine reveals article after article claiming that Tex-Mex isn’t “real” Mexican food, or even going out of their way to disparage Tex-Mex. When you translate that into market-based decisions, it becomes clear that local Tex-Mex joints, many of which have been around for generations, face an uphill battle, and potential closings.

Now of course, we’ll still have fajitas at various restaurants and chains like Chuy’s, but these locally owned Tex-Mex restaurants are the HEART of the cuisine. Faced with the closing of family restaurants it may be tempting for owners to change up the menu to appeal to foodies looking for “authentic Mexican food.” On one hand this is just business. But these businesses carry decades of tradition, a tradition that is uniquely Texan. This is a similar story to the marginalization of BBQ traditions in the state, as we discussed previously.

As Meghan McCarron writes in her excellent article for Eater.com, Tex-Mex has a rich history in Texas that goes back to a dish that folks have identified with the state long before the recent push for brisket to be recognized as the state dish- Tex-Mex begins with chili. Popularized primarily by women, chili in Texas has its roots in Mexican and Tejana kitchens. The recipes and traditions start there, and chili of course can be found in many Tex-Mex joints covering a variety of dishes.

So if the roots are distinctly Mexican, why the accusations of in-authenticity? Well a lot of those claims go back to the narrative that Tex-Mex is cheap, and that cheapness has been reinforced by places like Taco Bell. Not only do folks expect subpar ingredients, which denigrates the cooks making these fine dishes, but they also expect the cost to be low, regardless of HOW that cost is achieved. These social pressures don’t exist for “authentic Mexican” joints or BBQ joints in the state.

In short, Tex-Mex gets a bad rap, one that ignores the history and value of the cuisine. It’s as authentic as you can get, with simple regional differences defining the unique qualities. These family owned joints are struggling against these misconceptions, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Thanks to historians and food bloggers, the word is slowly getting out. For folks who want to avoid some of the long BBQ lines in Texas and take a culinary journey through the roots of Texas history, Tex-Mex should be irresistible to those who value generational traditions. For my part, my short detour has become a bonafide quest to find more notable and delicious Tex-Mex across the state.

Anyone else up for some combo plates covered in chili and cheese?