Food is deeply ingrained in cultural identity, and is one way to learn about a community’s heritage, familial customs and values. In the U.S., Mexican food is one of the most popular cuisines, with 1 in 10 restaurants serving Mexican, according to recent findings from the Pew Research Center. This trend reflects an expanding Mexican American population, with 37.2 million people or 11.2% of the U.S. population tracing their ancestry back to Mexico.
My friend is from a smallish town (~4k) and they don’t like Mexican food much, either. (And the southern US cuisine is also something they are “meh” on.) Not a whole lot of restaurant food they like around their neck of the woods.
Oh lordy when they come visit me in the city, they chow down on what we got. It’s always fun to have them help me order something I’ve never tried; I’m not nearly as adventurous when they’re not around. (I usually experiment in the kitchen or order something familiar when I go out.)