The Origin Of Quesadillas And Its Evolution
Quesadilla is a classic Mexican breakfast dish popular all across the world. Be it a classic Mexican quesadilla or Italian empanada, we get the earliest form of it mentioned in a 16th-century Italian cookbook. It is believed that with the Spanish conquistadors, quesadillas came to Mexico later on. Due to the availability of corn, wheat dough was replaced by corn flour dough.
Where Did It Come From?
Quesadillas actually originated in the south-central part of Mexico. The oldest form of quesadillas was described as an empanada, filled with ingredients like pumpkin, mushroom, and spices. During the first half of the 16 century, Spanish settlers brought sheep, lambs, and cows with them to colonial Mexico. After that meat and cheese were added and the modern-day quesadilla was created.
Evolution Of Quesadillas
This dish has passed years traveling the different regions of Mexico. Depending on the availability of ingredients the filling keeps changing in the various regions. Cheese is not quite an authentic ingredient to put inside it, as it was not easily available in Mexico City back then. Even now you will not get a cheesy quesadilla in Mexico City if you do not ask for it. But in America’s version of this dish, it is always loaded with cheese.
Quesadillas’ Journey To America
Mexico has a rich culinary history, where food is an essential part of its culture and traditions. Mexican food emerged as an influence on American culture during the latter half of the 1900s. Towards the end of the 20th century, Mexican-inspired foods became so popular all across the country that you can find them everywhere. But, in America, you can get an Americanized version of quesadillas with a lot of cheese.
Conclusion
Peppers, mushrooms, ejotes and other local ingredients are most commonly used in quesadillas. But with time the dish has evolved a lot and now you can customize your fillings as per your preference.
