Antojitos

Antojitos are Mexican street foods, a range of mostly corn-based dishes eaten informally, usually in the morning, in the evening or in the mid-afternoon as a snack rather than as the main meal. They are one of the most recognizable parts of everyday Mexican eating.

History

The term comes from Mexican Spanish and literally means "little cravings." It refers to foods that are not eaten at the main formal meal of the day, la comida, which is served in the mid-afternoon. Many of them have roots in the pre-Hispanic era, since corn and the tortilla were central to the diet of Mesoamerican peoples.

The taco is the best-known antojito. Its origins go back to the pre-Hispanic period, when tortillas were used as scoops for other food. The modern taco took shape in rural areas, where wives carried meals to their husbands in the fields wrapped in tortillas. As people migrated from the countryside in the twentieth century, street stalls began selling these dishes in cities, especially in Mexico City.

Over time the range widened. Tacos al pastor, an adaptation of Middle Eastern spit-roasted meat introduced by Lebanese immigrants, show how street cooking absorbed outside influences and made them its own.

Culture

Antojitos are eaten informally, standing up or at small stalls in markets, tianguis and near public transport stops. They are eaten across social classes, which is why they are often described as a democratic expression of Mexican cooking.

Regional variety is wide. Tamales, gorditas, quesadillas, the tlayudas of Oaxaca and the codzitos of Yucatán show how each area has developed its own recipes. Some dishes appear only at certain hours, such as basket tacos in the morning or cabeza de res tacos, which usually sell out by midday.

Today they remain part of daily life in the streets and also appear on the menus of upscale Mexican restaurants, which have adapted many of these preparations. The culture of street food has crossed borders and is reflected in cookbooks and restaurants abroad.