Bajio (Michoacán, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi, Queretaro)

Alfeñique, or Alfenim in Brazil, is a type of confection or sweet originating in Spain molded into a long or twisted shape made of cane sugar together with other ingredients. This sweet has been used in Hispanic America in folkloric events since colonial times. The alfeñique was a typical sweet of Islamic Spain, known as "Al-Fanid", which was warm and wet and used to treat coughs. In the Kingdom of Granada, it was made of sugar, water, honey and almond oil, stretched to create a viscous paste. Alfeñique figures, especially calaveras , are widely created in Mexico for the Day of the Dead celebrations in November. Today, the main production center for alfeñique figures are Toluca, San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato. Today, the paste is used to form hundreds of types of shapes which include rabbits, lions, ducks, doves, cows, bulls, donkeys, pigs, frogs, horses, deer, angels, skulls and coffins. The art form has taken on more elaborate sculptures that involve more sophisticated and modern techniques that there are now encyclopedic volumes on how to create them for all different occasions, apart from Day of the Dead celebrations. There are regional fairs and events that celebrate this art form, including ones in Toluca, Mexico State and in Leon, Guanajuato.

Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and commonly other ingredients such as sweeteners, spices, flavourings and sometimes eggs. Variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such as sugar. Such desserts are found on many continents, especially Asia, where rice is a staple. Some variants are thickened only with the rice starch, while others include eggs, making them a kind of custard. Rice puddings are found in nearly every area of the world. Recipes can greatly vary even within a single country. The dessert can be boiled or baked. Different types of pudding vary depending on preparation methods and the selected ingredients. The following ingredients are usually found in rice puddings:

A buñuelo ( Spanish: [buˈɲwelo], alternatively called boñuelo, bimuelo, birmuelo, bermuelo, bumuelo, burmuelo, or bonuelo, is a fried dough fritter found in Spain, Latin America, and other regions with a historical connection to Spaniards or Sephardic Jews, including Southwest Europe, the Balkans, Anatolia, and parts of Asia and North Africa. Buñuelos are traditionally prepared at Christmas and Hanukkah. It will usually have a filling or a topping. In Mexican cuisine, it is often served with a syrup made with piloncillo. Buñuelos are first known to have been consumed among Spain's Morisco population. They typically consist of a simple, wheat-based yeast dough, often flavored with anise, that is thinly rolled, cut or shaped into individual pieces, then fried and finished off with a sweet topping. Buñuelos may be filled with a variety of things, sweet or savory. They can be round in ball shapes or disc-shaped. In Latin America, buñuelos are seen as a symbol of good luck. "Buñuelo" and all other variations of the word in Spanish derive from the Old Spanish *boño or bonno, which itself derives from the Germanic Gothic language *?????? , and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰenǵʰ (thick, dense, fat).

Chongos zamoranos is a Mexican dessert made of curdled milk. It is typically prepared with rennet tablets, milk, sugar and cinnamon. The result is a dish of soft cheese-like consistency on a sweet brown milky syrup. Its origin is attributed to colonial-era convents in the city of Zamora, Michoacán.

Cocada are a traditional coconut confectionery found in many parts of Latin America and Europe. They are particularly popular in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador and Goa Former Estado da Índia Portuguesa. They are oven baked but are served at room temperature to provide their chewy and soft texture. Made with eggs and shredded coconut, cocadas come in a variety of colors due to the modern use of food coloring, however the traditional variations are golden brown. They are often garnished with almonds, either whole or chopped. There are hundreds of cocadas recipes, from the typical hard, very sweet balls to cocadas that are almost the creamy texture of flan. Other fruit, often dried, can be added to the cocadas to create variety, which will also lend to a wide spectrum of cocada colors. Cocadas are mentioned as early as 1878 in Peru. In Colombia and Mexico, Conserva de coco are sold not only as artisan candies from shops, but commonly on the streets, out of baskets, and particularly on the beaches, by men or women who carry them on large aluminum trays. In Uruguay, they are commonly sold in bakeries under the name of coquitos, the more delicate versions include a cherry on the top and syrup coating, sometimes they fill the boxes of assorted masas.

Aguamiel [aɣwaˈmjel] is the sap of the Mexican maguey plant which is believed to have therapeutic qualities. According to Native American histories, the process of obtaining aguamiel from maguey was first discovered during the reign of Tecpancaltzin (c. 990–1042) by a Toltec noble named Papantzin, whose daughter Xochitl was sent to the king with an offering of aguamiel. The sap is found in abundance among the agave plants which grow among the ruins of the Teotihuacan civilization. Also called honeywater it has been used in Mexico as a medicine. In its fermented state it has been enjoyed as a beverage for centuries. The particularly viscous beer made from Aguamiel is known as pulque in Mexico. It was available commercially beginning in 1910 and its sale was emphasized only in California prior to late 1928. An individual maguey plant can produce about 1000L of aguamiel over the course of three to six months. Over the course of the production period, the volume of aguamiel varies from about 0.4L/day at the beginning and end of production, to about 4–6L/day at the peak. It is obtained from the agave plant through cutting a growing, flowering stock, which releases the agave's sweet sap. After the plant is cut, sap can be harvested from the plant for up to two months. Aguamiel was distributed by the Agmel Products Corporation prior to the company's acquisition by Zonite Products Corporation in March 1928. It could be obtained only in certain areas of Mexico and would spoil quickly. Aguamiel's use was not widespread until a rigorous process of concentration was developed.

Atole , also known as atolli, atol and atol de elote, is a traditional hot masa-based beverage of Mexican origin. Atole can have different flavors added, such as vanilla, cinnamon, and guava. Chocolate atole is known as champurrado or simply atole. It typically accompanies tamales and is very popular during Day of the Dead (observed November 2) and Las Posadas (Christmas holiday season). Many Classic Maya painted vessels feature a genre of inscriptions known as the “dedicatory formula” or the “primary standard sequence” (PSS) and the two main ingredients mentioned in the contents section of the PSS were cacao and atole. In Mexico, the drink typically includes masa (corn hominy flour), water, piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon, vanilla, and optional chocolate or fruit. The mixture is blended and heated before serving. Atole is made by toasting masa on a comal (griddle), then adding water that was boiled with cinnamon sticks.

Charanda is an alcoholic spirit derived from sugarcane, similar to rum. It is sometimes called aguardiente artisanal rum. Typically the beverage is associated with the central portion of the State of Michoacán in Mexico, particularly the Purépecha-populated areas in the vicinity of the prominently agricultural City of Uruapan. Named after a hill range in the area called 'Cerro de la Charanda' where the first distillery was built in the region. Charanda is a term in Purépecha language meaning 'red-colored soil'. Obtained through the distillation and rectification of sugarcane cold-extracted and then fermented juices. The result is a colorless crystalline spirit. When stored and aged in oak or encino barrels the spirit acquires hues of amber. Certain tonalities of blue are seen in Premium distillations from handpicked sugarcanes when a maceration process is added. Buttery sweet in taste, similar to vanilla. It is usually served at room temperature.

Colonche is an alcoholic red coloured drink from Mexico prepared with tuna, the fruits of "nopal" , especially with tuna cardona, the fruits of Opuntia streptacantha. It is prepared in the states where wild nopal is abundant (Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas). It is a sweet, fizzy beverage. For preparation, the cactus fruits are peeled and crushed to obtain the juice, which is boiled for 2–3 hours. After cooling, the juice is allowed to ferment for a few days. Sometimes old colonche is added as a starter. Another possible starter is "tibicos". Tibicos are gelatinous masses of yeasts and bacteria, grown in water with brown sugar.

Rice with shrimp

Corn masa cake, served plain, filled with cheese, beans, chili peppers, meat

Carnitas, literally meaning "little meats", in Mexican cuisine, is a dish made by braising, simmering and frying pork in its own fat, lard or cooking oil. The name “Carnitas” is, historically, the colloquial name given in Mexico for the French dish Rillons de Tours also known in Spanish as Chicharrón de Tours. The process takes three to four hours, and the result is very tender and juicy meat, which is then typically served with chopped cilantro , diced onion, salsa, guacamole, tortillas, and refried beans (frijoles refritos). Pork carnitas are traditionally made using the heavily marbled, rich Boston butt or picnic ham cuts of pork which is seasoned heavily before slow braising or deep frying. Carnitas can also be made of chicken, using breasts or thighs, and cooking in a similar manner.

Meat stew flavored with cactus fruit

Triangular tamales

Half moon-shaped corn tortillas made with guajillo chile powder and filled with a savory filling

Huarache is a popular Mexican dish consisting of masa dough with smashed pinto beans placed in the center before it is given an oblong shape, fried, topped with green or red salsa, onions, potato, cilantro and any manner of protein such as ground beef or tongue, then finished with queso fresco. Huaraches are also often paired with fried cactus leaves, or nopales. The dish originates from Mexico City. The name "Huarache" is derived from the shape of the masa, similar to the popular sandals of the same name. The word Huarache is originally from Purépecha and the Nahuatl word for huarache is kwarachi. Huaraches are similar to sopes and tlacoyos but differ in shape. The original huarache does not resemble a pambazo or a memela. Neither can it be classified as a tlacoyo. The main characteristic of the huarache is its elongated shape, which differentiates it from other Mexican snacks, which do not have holes in the upper part. Huaraches originated in Mexico City in about the early 1930s. Their origin was at a stall along La Viga navigation channel, where Mrs. Carmen Gomez Medina prepared tlacoyos. When the navigation channel was covered to make the "Calzada de la Viga", Mrs. Gomez moved to another place and after 1957, when the Mercado de Jamaica was founded, she moved there, and then to a little place at Torno street. Because Mrs. Gomez's new invention was shaped differently than a sope or a tlacoyo and resembled the sole of a sandal, people started to call it "huarache".

Pork in a sauce made with chili peppers, tomatoes, onion, sesame, cloves, peppercorns, corn flour, also made with chicken

Red mole made with chili peppers, nuts, tomatoes, sesame seeds, raisins, chocolate, cinnamon, broth, bread

Rice topped with, for example, sausage, beans, salsa, queso fresco

Butterflied and grilled whole fish with one side topped with green salsa and the other side topped with red salsa

Red sauce with pumpkin seeds, serve with turkey, chicken

Thick soup made with hominy, pork, chicken, fish, tomatillos, avocado, chili peppers, radishes, garlic, herbs, spices, lime juice

Pinto bean soup flavored with beef, dried chili peppers and spices

A very large tamale, which can be up to 6 feet long, commonly made to sell as a street food, for festivals, holidays, special events

Cotija is an aged Mexican cheese made from cow's milk and named after the town of Cotija, Michoacán. White in color and firm in texture, its flavor is salty and milky. "Young" (or fresher) cotija cheese has been described as akin to a mild feta, while aged (añejo) cotija is more comparable in flavor to hard, aged cheeses like Parmesan. Cotija softens when exposed to heat, but does not melt. Made between the summer and fall seasons, this cheese is made with milk from local cattle and is salted before the fermentation process. The manufacturing processes of most cheeses in Mexico are still rustic and traditional, similar to the manufacturing process that was used upon its invention. Due to the traditional means of production of dairy products in Mexico some dairy products have a conflicting shelf-life which leads to earlier expiration. However, some studies suggest components in the fermentation of Cotija Cheese are natural preservatives that can extend the shelf-life of Cotija Cheese and other food products as well. El queso Cotija de Montaña or "grain cheese" is dry, firm, and very salty (the cheese is usually several times saltier than typical cheese, traditionally so that it will keep better). It is a seasonal cheese produced in limited quantities only from July to October because the cows are fed only on the rich grass that grows naturally on the mountains during the rainy season, giving the cheese its unique color and flavor.

Pork in a sauce made with chili peppers, tomatoes, onion, sesame, cloves, peppercorns, corn flour, also made with chicken

Red mole made with chili peppers, nuts, tomatoes, sesame seeds, raisins, chocolate, cinnamon, broth, bread

Moronga is a kind of blood sausage. It is found in Uruguay, Argentina, Cuba, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Central America, Mexican, and Paraguay cuisine. Spices, herbs (such as ruta, oregano, and mint), onions, and chili peppers are added and then boiled for several hours in casing made of a pig's large intestines. It is served in a sauce, either chile rojo or chile verde. It is also served in central Mexico as a filling in gorditas and tacos after it has been pan-fried with fresh onions and jalapeño peppers. This sausage is called morcilla in the Yucatán Peninsula, and it is almost always served along with other sausages (buche) and a mix of pickled onion, cilantro, and spices.

Nopalitos is a dish made with diced nopales, the naturally flat stems, called pads, of prickly pear cactus . They are sold fresh, bottled, or canned and less often dried. They have a light, slightly tart flavor, and a crisp, mucilaginous texture. Nopalitos are often eaten with eggs as a breakfast and in salads and soups as lunch and dinner meals.

Salsa made with Pasilla de Oaxaca chili peppers, tomatillos, garlic, salt and water

Red sauce with pumpkin seeds, serve with turkey, chicken