Tex-Mex is a regional American cuisine that is a fusion of Texan and Mexican culinary traditions. The name "Tex-Mex" is derived from Texas and Mexico. This cuisine originated with the Tejano people (Texans of Mexican heritage) and developed in the border region between Texas and northern Mexico. Tex-Mex cuisine features a mix of Mexican ingredients and American influences, especially from Texas. It is characterized by the heavy use of shredded cheese, beans, various meats (chicken, beef, pork), chili peppers, spices like cumin, and flour tortillas. Some common Tex-Mex dishes include fajitas, nachos, burritos, enchiladas, and chili con carne. The cuisine evolved as ingredients from the United States became more common in Texas, leading to dishes that differ somewhat from traditional Mexican dishes. For example, Tex- Mex uses more American-style cheeses like cheddar and jack, and it often includes ingredients such as flour tortillas rather than corn tortillas, and different seasoning blends including chili powder and cumin. Tex-Mex is distinct from authentic Mexican cuisine, which tends to use native Mexican ingredients like corn tortillas and traditional chili peppers, and has a wider range of regional variations in Mexico. Tex-Mex tends to be less spicy than many authentic Mexican dishes and includes elements adapted to American tastes and ingredient availability. In summary, Tex-Mex is a hybrid cuisine with roots in Mexican cooking but heavily Americanized in Texas, resulting in a distinctive style of food that is popular throughout the United States but different from authentic Mexican cuisine. This fusion cuisine includes iconic dishes such as fajitas, nachos, burritos, and chili con carne, and it emerged historically from the mixing of Mexican and Texan food traditions in the 19th and 20th centuries. Cheese, beef, and flour tortillas play a larger role in Tex-Mex than in traditional Mexican food.
