Mexican Food Glossary

…to avoid those awkward blank stares from your server…

This is a list of some of the basic food that you probably be eating during your trip here. Although this list is in no way comprehensive, it will at least give you an idea of some of the words that you can use to describe things or converse about food items / menus with people whose primary language is Spanish.

I know for many people, and this is also true for me as well, the more you drink, the better your Spanish gets! Thus, with that in mind, have a few drinks with your meal and you may be talking Spanish in no time – or you could be speaking in tongues like I sometimes do!

The translation for this page was possible thanks to Candy, my neighbor. NOTE: Dear PickPocket (the pink-haired and pretentious “wannabe princess”), I’m going to call her Candy!

🍲 MAIN MEALS

♨ Desayuna (de say UN a) – Breakfast. Morning meal.

♨ Almuerzo (al moo ER zoe) – Lunch. Midday meal.

♨ Cena (SAY na) – Dinner. Evening meal.

♨ Sopa (SO pa) – Soup. Chunky soup. (compare to “caldo” below)

♨ Caldo (KAL do) – Broth (soup broth). Soup stock. Soup broth. Think of the bullion cubes that you can buy in the grocery store. However, caldo can also have other flavors and other consistencies.

♨ Tacos/Taquitos (TAH koes /tah KEE toes) – Tacos/Small Tacos. A tortilla (usually soft shell) filled with meat, vegetables, cheese, and sauce. Probably the most popular, everyday food in Mexico. Contrary to popular belief, most Mexican tacos are not normally served with cheese.

♨ Tamal/Tamales (ta MAL/ ta MAL ees) – Traditional Mexican dish made with some sort of filling (meat, cheese, beans, chilis, etc.) surrounded by a layer of masa/corn meal and a leaf wrapper that is removed before eating.

♨ Alambre (a LAHM bray) – Beef dish. A dish, usually made from beef, that includes the meat, onions, peppers, and lots of cheese. It is served with a stack of tortillas in the meat mixture is manually put inside the tortilla and eaten. Similar to the Mexican-American fajita but usually served without rice. This is normally a type of street food or food served at small, authentic Mexican restaurants.

♨ Birria (BEER ee a) – Goat/Sheep/Beef Stew. A mildly spicy meat-based stew that was originally made from goat, then sheep, but is now commonly made from beef. It is served with limes, chili sauce, onions, and tortillas. It has a unique flavor and is very delicious.

♨ Ceviche (sa VEE chay) – Marinated Seafood Salad. A seafood salad-style dish made from raw fish or shrimp that is cured and “cooked” in lemon or lime juice. Commonly includes tomatoes, onions, chilies, etc. It is normally served with crackers or chips that are used to scoop it up and eat it. There are many kinds of ceviche, and most of them are very popular with tourists. If you like seafood, you’ll probably like this popular dish.

♨ Menudo (ma NEW doe) – Soup made from tripe (beef stomach soup). A common Mexican dish made from beef stomach (tripe) and cooked in a mild chili-based broth. People usually add oregano, chopped onions, cilantro, and lime. It is served with tortillas. Personally, I think this movie is completely disgusting. Unless you are into eating cow stomachs.

♨ Mole (MOE lay) – Chicken With Special Sauce. Technically, mole is specifically the sauce the meat (usually chicken) is cooked in. However, Mexicans usually don’t say, “mole chicken” or “mole pollo,” but instead simply refer to this food as mole. The most common mole is brown and has a chocolate-like, non-spicy flavor. Nonetheless, there are several other varieties of mole as well.

Stuffed Pablano Peppers

♨ Brochetas (bro SHEH tuhs) – Skewers/Kabobs. Seasoned meat, along with vegetables, that are cooked on a stick usually over charcoal or wood.

♨ Torta (TOR tuh) – Fat sandwich made on French-style Mexican bread. A sandwich that is made from a Mexican bolillo (a thick, rough French-bread-style baguette around 6 inches long and cooked in a stone oven). A torta can be filled with anything a sandwich can be made from. Thus, “torta” is simply a generic word that means “bolillo sandwich.”

♨ Burrito (bur EE toe) – Burrito. A tortilla that is filled, wrapped, and folded into a cylinder-like shape. Burritos are not traditional Mexican food. In fact, they are a Mexican-American invention. However, because the food vendors understand that Americans/Canadians are familiar with burritos, they often serve them in Playa Del Carmen.

♨ Gorditas (goar DEE tuhs) – Stuffed Cornmeal Pockets (like a pita bread sandwich) A small cake (something like pita bread) that is filled with meat, cheese, or a variety of other fillings. These are quite delicious, so I would recommend trying at least one during your trip here.

♨ Huevos (WAY voes) – Eggs. Huevos simply means eggs. However, there are a whole bunch of different egg recipes with a variety of ingredients and styles. Some of the egg dishes are quite different from American egg recipes. You will likely find some of them quite exotic. I would recommend trying the huevos rancheros “rancher’s eggs” if you have the chance.

♨ Omelette (AH mul et) – Omelette (a.k.a. omelet). Somewhat universal food rolled egg-based dish. However, in Mexico the omelettes are made with different ingredients than in the US. Consequently, it is usually worth going on a culinary adventure and trying as many foods as you can while you are here.

♨ Tacos Dorados (TAH koes door AH does) – Deep fried Tacos.

♨ Lengua (LENG gwa) – Beef Tongue. Lengua literally means “tongue” in Spanish. A recipe that uses cow tongue in it usually contains the word “lengua” in the name of the food. Despite the fact that this sounds very strange, I have tried this several times, and it is actually quite delicious!

♨ Floutas (FLOU tus) – Filled, Rolled, Deep-Fried Tortillas. A tortilla that is filled, rolled, and then deep-fried. Floutas can be filled with a number of different meats. Personally, I don’t like these because they are so greasy. However, if you like really greasy food, then you might enjoy these.

♨ Pozole (poh SOUL ay) – Traditional Corn Soup w/Meat. A very traditional Mexican soup that is made with a tomato/chile stock, hominy (water-logged corn), and some sort of meat as the base. It is often served with shredded cabbage and radishes along with salsa, limes, and tortillas.

♨ Sope (SO pay) – Corn-based Crust Filled w/Beans, Sour Cream, Vegetables, Sauce, and Meat. A small and unusually thick tortilla covered with sauce, sour cream, meat, and sometimes cheese/vegetables. These remind of a mini Mexican “pizza.” Very delicious.

♨ Chilaquiles (chil a KILL ees) – Cut Tortillas, Eggs, Meat, and Cheese. Tortillas cut into quarters with red/green sauce, eggs, topped with fresh cheese (see queso fresco below), Mexican sour cream, and sometimes meat. Usually garnished with onion, cilantro, and avocado slices.

♨ Enchilada (en cha LAHD a) – Corn Tortilla Filled and Covered w/Sauce. A tortilla wrapped around some sort of filling and covered with chili sauce and often cheese. Enchiladas are usually served with rice, beans, and some sort of vegetable salsa.

♨ Ensalada (en sal AH da) – Salad. Mexican salads are not that much different from other salads around the world. However, because Playa Del Carmen is close to the Caribbean, there are some amazing seafood salads that are available here. I would recommend trying one of the if the opportunity arises!!!

♨ Hamburguesa (ham ber GUES a) – Hamburger. Mexicans are not burger experts. Honestly, Mexican burgers are usually paper thin and not very delicious. Also, they are not usually served with pickles. (What the hell is wrong with you Mexicans?!? Leave the burgers to the Americans!!! They taste better!!!)

♨ Bolillo (boe LEE oh) – Baguette/mini French bread. A thick, rough French bread-style baguette around 6 inches long and cooked in a stone oven.

🔥 CHILI/CHILES

Chiles and spices are an important part of Mexican food. Here’s a partial list of some of the most popular chiles so that you can recognize which ones are right for you. Be careful! Some of them pack a lot of punch!

♨ Chili Jalapeno (CHI lee ho la PEE nyo) – Jalapeno Pepper. A type of green chili. One of the most familiar and popular chilis for Americans and very often used in Mexico.

♨ Chili Serrano (CHI lee sir A no) – Serrano Pepper. Another type of green chili pepper that looks similar to the jalapeno pepper but with a little more bite. Probably the most popular chili in authentic Mexican cooking.

♨ Chili Poblano (CHI lee pah BLAHN oh) – Mild, Green Pepper (not a green bell pepper). A rather large, mild, dark green pepper that is often filled with cheese and sometimes meat and cooked over a charcoal/wood fire. It is then eaten inside tortillas. Or sometimes these peppers are covered in cornmeal, stuffed with cheese, and finally deep fried. Then eaten with tortillas. Quite delicious and not overly spicy!!!

♨ Chili Guero (CHI lee GWAY row) – Yellow, Hot Chili Pepper. A relatively small spicy chili that is usually can and vinegar and served as a side for some dishes.

♨ Chile Manzano (CHI lee mahn ZAHN oh) – Small, Spicy Round Pepper. The direct translation is “Apple Chili.” This chili is quite spicy, so please be careful when you eat it!

♨ Chile de Arbol (CHI lee day AR ball) – Long and Small Red Pepper Similar To Cayenne Peppers. A skinny, long, spicy red pepper. This pepper is usually dried and added to food while it is cooking.

♨ Chile Guajillo (CHI lee gwa HE oh) – Large and Mild Red/Purple Chili. A long, larger, purple colored pepper that is often used to make mild/sweet dishes, marinades, and sauces.

♨ Chili Habenero (CHI lee hah ba NAIR oh) – Extra Spicy Orange Chili. One of the spiciest Mexican chilies on the market. These chilies are small, usually orange but sometimes yellow or greenish colored. Be careful with these! They have some real bite if you don’t respect them!

♨ Chili Chipotle (CHI lee shi POAT lay) – Smoky-flavored, Spicy, Dried Chili Pepper. A spicy, smokey flavored chili pepper that is used in salsa or recipes. Sometimes is ground up or blended until smooth. Chipotle peppers are quite spicy, but very delicious, and the flavor can be recognized by the smokey aftertaste they exhibit.

🍹 DRINKS

♨ Refresca (ree FRES ka) – Refreshment/Cool Drink. This simple word, obviously related to the word “refreshment,” is a general term that describes a cool or refreshing drink.

♨ Tomar (TOE mar) – To Drink (verb, but also used as noun). In an authentic Mexican restaurant, you will be immediately asked, “Tomar?” as soon as you sit down at the table. The direct translation would be “To drink?” The question actually means, “What would you like to drink?”

♨ Agua (AH gua) – Water. This word means water, but often times is attached to an adjective – which comes AFTER the noun in Spanish (e.g. “agua frio,” agua caliente,” etc…).

♨ Leche (LEH chay) – Milk. Got Milk? Tienes Leche?

♨ Leche Chocolate (LEH chay chaw ka LAH tay) – Chocolate Milk. This word means nothing more than “chocolate milk.”

♨ Cafe (kah FAY) – Coffee. When you would like a coffee, just use this word. Be sure to look at the sugar, hot, cold, etc. on this page so that you can order the coffee exactly the way you want it.

♨ Te (tay) – Tea. The pronunciation of “T” in Spanish is very, very similar to the pronunciation of “tea” in English, so you shouldn’t have any problems with this one.

♨ Limonada (lee min AH da) – Lemonade. This is an especially useful word to know if children will be on your trip. Most children are not as adventurous as adults, so it’s easier for them to drink something that they are familiar with.

♨ Horchata (hoor CHA ta) – Rice Beverage w/Cinammon Flavor. This rice drink is worth trying if you never tried before. It contains rice flavored water with an underlying cinnamon taste. The recipe usually varies slightly from vendor to vendor.

♨ Cerveza (sir VAY sa) – Beer. I’m sure that most of you will be using this word a lot during your trip here. Bottoms up!

♨ Michelada (mi sha LAH duh) – Beer Cocktail. The michelada is one of those unique drinks that I have never seen in the United States, but definitely has a place there and other parts of the world as well. If you like cold, mild drinks but don’t especially like the flavor of the beer, you can still go ahead and try this. Micheladas are very popular and common across most of Mexico – and for good reason.

♨ Sangrita (san GREE ta) – Mexican Cocktail made of orange juice, grenadine, chile and tomato juice served with tequila on the side. A special Mexican cocktail is a sweet and spicy flavor. Although recipes vary from place to place, a sangrita usually includes orange juice, grenadine, chile, tomato juice, and tequila on the side.

♨ Margarita (mar ga REE ta) – Famous Mexican cocktail. Probably the most famous and well-known Mexican cocktail. It usually includes tequila, triple sec, and lime or lemon juice. A lime wedge is usually attached to a salted glass rim.

♨ Tequila (ta KEE la) – Strong Mexican liquor. A distilled, hard liquor made from the agave plant.

♨ Mezcal (mez CALL) – Strong Mexican liquor similar to tequila. A Mexican liquor, quite similar to tequila, made using the maguey plant that is native to Mexico.

🍓 FRUITS

♨ Naranja (na RON ha) – Orange. You will most often see this word describing freshly squeezed orange juice. Make sure you try some wall you are here.

♨ Manzana (mahn ZAH na) – Apple. Although apples are very common in Mexico, most of them come from the United States. You will probably see some cocktails and possibly some desserts that use apples.

♨ Fresa (FRAY sa) – Strawberry. Strawberries are a commonly used fruit for both cocktails and desserts in Playa Del Carmen.

♨ Platano (pla TA no) – Banana. Bananas are high energy foods that will give you lots of stamina during your vacation, so make sure you eat lots of them.

♨ Mango (MAYN go) – Mango. Mangoes from the Yucatan Peninsula are some of the most delicious in the world. Eat many mangoes!!!

♨ Pina (PEE nya) – Pineapple. A number of different Mexican cocktails and foods have taken the “Hawaiian” approach and added slices of pineapple to the recipes. You will likely see a lot of pineapple here.

♨ Melon (mel OWN) – Cantaloupe, Honeydew, watermelon. The Spanish word “melon” doesn’t distinguish between the different types of melons (canteloupe, honeydew, watermelon, etc…) that exist, so make sure you clarify when you order them.

♨ Lima (LEE ma) – Lemon. Although this quintessential cooking ingredient is readily available in the United States and other countries around the world, Mexico prefers the lime. Be prepared to see more lines in Mexico than you have ever seen in your life!

♨ Limone (lee MOAN) – Lime. Limes are everywhere in Mexico! Limes are most often served as a sort of condiment that are manually squeezed with the fingers to extract the juice on both food and drinks here.

♨ Aguacate (ah gua KAH tay) – Avocado. Avocados are an integral ingredient of Mexican cuisine. However, if you are not familiar with guacamole sauce, you absolutely must try it here – and is much as you can. It is uncommonly delicious.

♨ Kiwi (KEE wee) – Kiwi. Kiwis offered great flavor, but are usually time-consuming and you have to take off their funny, fuzzy skin. Although not as common as a strawberry or banana here, you will still see them.

♨ Pera (PER a) – Pear. You will find pears in a lot of the local markets and grocery stores. When there are so many other exotic fruits to taste here, you are more likely to enjoy other options like mangoes, avocados, and papayas.

♨ Papaya (pa PIE a) – Papaya. A unique and interesting fruit that is used throughout Mexico. Try it at least once while you are here.

♨ Pomelo (poh MEL oh) – Grapefruit. Although slightly too bitter to eat alone, this fruit makes an incredible addition to local cocktails. Consequently, you will see this fruit most often if you are adventurous enough to sample some of the amazing cocktails available here.

♨ Uva (OO va) – Grape. This staple of Dionysus is common in the New World as well. However, most of the grapes I have eaten here contain seeds, so please be careful.

🌽 VEGETABLES

♨ Pepino (peh PEE no) – Cucumbers . Cucumbers are a refreshing part of the Mexican diet. Moreover, Mexicans make an incredible and refreshing cucumber drink made from liquefied cucumbers and sugar. Try it. It’s good.

♨ Zanahoria (zan ah OR ee a) – Carrot. Carrots are both common and cheap in Mexico, so you will likely encounter them here.

♨ Maize (mah EEZ) – Corn. Corn, in various forms, is the staple food of Mexico. You’ll find lots of food made from corn flour here.

♨ Repollo (ra POLE yo) – Cabbage. Cabbage is a common ingredient for soups and the traditional soup “pozole.”

♨ Cebolla (sa BOLE yuh) – Onion . Mexicans, like Americans, love onions, so you will find them in lots of salsas and dishes here.

♨ Cebolla verde (sa BOLE yuh BEAR day) – Green Onion. Green onions are used primarily as a presentation tool for chefs although they are sometimes served as a side when you order tacos or quesadillas.

♨ Ajo (AH hoe) – Garlic . Garlic is a common Mexican ingredients. It’s healthy, too. Don’t be afraid of it – unless you happen to be a vampire or if you are kissing your boyfriend/girlfriend.

♨ Apio (AH pee oh) – Celery . Celery is not as common as many other vegetables in Mexico. However, you will find it served with chicken wings (alitas) just like in the US.

♨ Cilantro (see LAHN troe) – Coriander .

♨ Chicharo (chee CHAR oh) – Peas.

♨ Arroz (a ROAS) – Rice.

♨ Calabaza (call a BAHZ a) – Pumpkin .

♨ Papas (PAH pahs) – Potatoes. (Make sure you get the emphasis on the first syllable here. If not you will say “ father.”)

♨ Tomate (toe MAH tay) – Tomato.

♨ Coliflor (????) – Cauliflower.

♨ Brocoli (????) – Broccoli.

♨ Calabacin (????) – Zucchini.

♨ Champinones (cham pee OWN ays) – Mushrooms.

🍖 MEATS

♨ Carne (CAR nay) – Meat (general).

♨ Res (race) – Beef.

♨ Puerco (PWEAR koe) – Pork.

♨ Jamon (ha MOAN – “a” is like “have”) – Ham.

♨ Pollo (POE yo) – Chicken.

♨ Pavo (PAH voe) – Turkey.

♨ Ternera (????) – Veal (young cow).

♨ Borrego (boar AY go) – Lamb.

♨ Bisteak (BEE stake) – Steak.

♨ Venado (bi NAH doe) – Venison.

♨ Carne molida (CAR nay moe LEE duh) – Ground Meat.

♨ Arrachera (are a CHAIR a) – Skirt Steak.

♨ Salchica (sal CHEE cha) – Sausage/Hot Dog.

♨ Chorizo (choor EE zo) – Spiced Pork Sausage.

♨ Adobada (ah doe BAH da) – Meat Spiced w/Adobada Seasoning. Adobada literally means “marinated,” but in Mexico this is usually used to label a specific mild, reddish/brown marinade that is quite unique and delicious.

♨ Tocino (toe SEE no) – Bacon.

♨ Salchica Italiana (sahl CHEE cha eye tal ee AH na) – Italian Sausage.

♨ Costillas (coe STEE us) – Ribs.

♨ Cordero (core DARE oh) – Lamb.

♨ Pepperoni (peh pear OH nee) – Pepperoni.

🍞 CHEESES

♨ Queso (KAY so) – Cheese.

♨ Queso añejo (KAY so a NAY hoe) – Aged Cheese.

♨ Queso de cuajo (????) – Rennet Cheese.

♨ Queso flameado (????) – Flamed Cheese.

♨ Queso fresco (KAY so FRES koe) – Fresh Cheese.

♨ Queso crema (KAY so CRAY ma) – Cream Cheese.

♨ Queso mozzarella (KAY so maht zuh REL a) – Mozzarella Cheese.

♨ Queso amarillo (KAY so ah ma REE oh) – Yellow Cheese Squares (cheap processed sandwich/burger cheese).

♨ Queso de Oaxaca (KAY so day oh AH ka) – Long, thick string-like cheese.

🍤 SEAFOOD

♨ Mariscos (ma REE skoze) – Seafood.

♨ Atun (a TOON) – Tuna.

♨ Camarones (cam a RONE ays) – Shrimp.

♨ Cóctel de camarones (????) – Shrimp Cocktail.

♨ Almejas (????) – Clams.

♨ Pescada (pes KOD a) – Fish.

♨ Ceviche (seh VEE chay) – Marinated Seafood Salad.

♨ Calamar (ka la MAR) – Squid.

♨ Jaiba (????) – Crab.

♨ Langosta (????) – Lobster.

♨ Pulpo (PUL poe) – Octopus.

♨ Ostion (????) – Oyster.

🍨 DESSERT

♨ Postre (????) – Dessert.

♨ Pastel (pa STELL) – Cake.

♨ Chocolate (chalk a LAH tay) – Chocolate.

♨ Dulce (DULL say) – Sweet.

♨ Helado (????) – Ice Cream.

♨ Hielo (YEAH low; pronounced like “yellow,” the color) – Ice.

♨ Flan (flon) – ?.

♨ Hot Cakes (HOTE kayks) – Pancakes.

♨ Arroz con Leche (a ROZE kone LEH chay) – Rice w/Sweet Milk and Cinammon.

🍯 BASIC CONDIMENTS

♨ Salsa catsup (SAHL sa KET sup) – Ketchup.

♨ Mostaza (moe STAH za) – Mustard.

♨ Pepinios (pep a NEE ohs) – Pickles.

♨ Azucar (ah ZU kar) – Sugar.

♨ Sal (sahl) – Salt.

♨ Pimienta (pim ee EN ta) – Pepper.

♨ Canela (ka NEL a) – Cinnamon.

♨ Salsa (SAHL sa) – Sauce.

♨ Aceite (ah SAY tay) – Oil.

♨ Jarabe (????) – Syrup.

♨ Botana (boe TAHN a) – Snack.

♨ Hielo (YEL low) – Ice.

♨ Crema (KRAY ma) – Mexican-style Sour Cream.

♨ Mayonesa (my oh NAY sa) – Mayonnaise.

⚖ SEASONINGS

♨ Molida (moe LEE da) – Ground / to Grind.

♨ Achiote (ah shee OH tay) – Mayan Seasoning.

♨ Mole (MOE lay) – Mild brown, slightly chocolate-flavored sauce.

♨ Adobada (ah doe BAH da) – Chili Sauce/Marinade Based on red chilis, vinegar, and oregano.

♨ Sal (sahl) – Salt.

♨ Pimienta (pe mee EN ta) – Pepper.

♨ Cilantro (see LAHN tro) – Coriander (a.k.a. “cilantro” in the US).

♨ Cumino (koo MEE no) – Cumin.

♨ Ajo Molida (AH hoe moe LEE duh) – Garlic Powder.

♨ Cebolla Molida (sa BOE ya moe LEE duh) – Onion Powder.

🍗 APPETIZERS

♨ Entrada (en TRAH duh) – Appetizers.

♨ Quesadilla (kiss a DEE a) – Tortilla w/cheese.

♨ Campechana (kam pa CHA na) – Seafood Cocktail.

♨ Nachos/Totopos (NAH choes) – Nachos.

♨ Alitas (a LEE tahs) – Chicken Wings.

♨ Tostadas (toe STAH does) – Tostadas.

🎨 COLORS

NOTE: Like in English, many types of food are based around colors in Spanish. That is the reason I’ve included this section. It will help you determine the names of things and explain things to a non-English speaker.

♨ Color (ka LORE) – color.

♨ Rojo (ROE hoe) – Red.

♨ Amarillo (ah ma REE yo) – Yellow.

♨ Azul (ah ZOOL) – Blue.

♨ Verde (BEAR day) – Green.

♨ Morado (more AH doe) – Purple.

♨ Naranja (na RAHN ha) – Orange.

♨ Blanco (BLAYN koe) – White.

♨ Negro (NEH grow) – Black.

♨ Café (kah FAY) – Brown.

♨ Rosa (ROE sa) – Pink.

♨ Gris (grees) – Grey.

🍶 SAUCES

♨ Salsa (SEL sa) – Sauce.

♨ Salsa verde (SEL sa BEAR day) – Green Sauce.

♨ Salsa roja (SEL sa ROE hoe) – Red Sauce.

♨ Salsa picante (SEL sa PEE KAHN tay) – Hot Sauce.

♨ Salsa Picosa (SEL sa pee KOE sa) – Hot Sauce.

♨ Guacamole (gwah ka MOE lay)- Guacamole.

♨ Pico de Gallo (PEE koe day GUY yo) – Pico de Gallo.

♨ Salsa Chilena (SEL sa CHEE LAY na) – Green Sauce w/Oil.

♨ Salsa Chimichurri (SEL sa che ma CHIR ee) – .

♨ Salsa de Tomate (SEL sa toe MAH tay) – Tomato Sauce.

♨ Mole (MOE lay) – .

♨ Salsa Molcajete (SEL sa mole kah HEH  tay) – Fresh Ground Salsa.

🍳 COOKING METHODS

♨ Barbacoa (bar ba COE a) – Barbecue. A unique method of cooking meat originating in the Caribbean that generally means cooking slowly over an open fire or, more traditionally using a special pit in the ground. The meat used in this cooking style is usually lamb. The word “barbecue” in English is derived from this word.

♨ a La Parrilla (ah la pa REE a) – Grilled. Grilled food.

♨ Horneado (whor nee AH doe) – Baked. Baked food.

♨ Al Vapor (el VAY POOR) – Steamed. Steamed food.

♨ Hervido (??) – Boiled. Boiled food.

♨ Carbon (kar BOAN) – Grilled over charcoal. Food cooked over charcoal.

CONCLUSION

So, that should be enough words to keep you busy for some time! Don’t worry if your pronunciation is not exactly correct. Most people speak English quite well here. In addition, most of the servers are quite patient with tourists and enjoy seeing them try to speak in Spanish– even with bad pronunciation! 

I hope to hear you speaking Spanish in one of the local restaurants soon!

Until then…

Lots of love,

Rufus

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4 comments on “Mexican Food Glossary

  1. Does cozumel mean anything to you? Like I call and order 2 chicken burritos with white cheese sauce and when my order was repeated back to me they said chicken cozumel…

    • Bob,

      Yes, Cozumel means something to me: it’s an island just across the bay from Playa Del Carmen. Never heard of the use you mentioned.

      Take care,

      Rufus

  2. Tried in several Hispanic Databases to find (unsuccessfully) a definition for BOJO, said to be found in Hispanic Markets.

    • Remarkable Rich,

      Haha. Finding Mexican food is quite a task. Unfortunately it can become difficult due to geographical differences in names and definitions (i.e. the East Coast of MX has different names for the same foods compared to the West Coast of MX).

      Good luck, Richard!!!

      Rufus

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