SInce I’m not cooking this week but traveling in Arizona, I’ve become fascinated by the difference between Tex-Mex, Southwest, New Mexican and Sonoran as well as the state food which is the Arizona Cheese Crisp or Chimichanga. I wanted to be able to share this food experience as I learn about what is truly Arizona cuisine.
‘Sonoran’ Mexican food is different in that it uses flour more than other areas of Mexico (Sonora is a wheat growing region). Sonora is also cattle country, so beef is used more (carne asada, and machaca, for example). Burritos, and Tacos made using flour tortillas originated in Sonora… as did the Chimichanga and Cheese Crisp (interesting to note that those all use flour tortillas rather than corn tortillas… tacos as well ~ if they’re Sonoran style). In the U.S., Arizona has the longest history of Sonoran style restaurants. More recently, the ‘Sonoran Hot Dog’ is said to have been first created in Hermosillo (the capital of Sonora), but is also found now within Arizona.
California Mexican food is a conglomeration of many different styles. Tex-Mex gets many of its origins from Sonoran style, but has also incorporated styles from the other Mexican states which share borders with Texas.