Everyone if familiar with tacos, burritos, or tortillas, but Mexican cooking extends far beyond that. The heart of Mexican cooking is the infinite varieties of its salsas and sauces that provide much of the flavor. The most characteristic seasoning in Mexican cuisine is the chili (hot pepper), which adds flavors to dishes ranging from Mole Colorado de Oaxaca to Chilaquiles con Salsa verde.
Mexican Cooking
Chilies
Today there are more than 140 varieties of chilies grown in Mexico and the United States. Chilies carry varying degrees of pungent spiciness and range in color from pale green to yellow, orange, red, purple, brown or black. Sizes range from large to small, but generally speaking the smaller the pepper, the hotter the taste.
In 1902, pharmacologist Wilbur Scoville mixed ground chilies, sugar, alcohol, and water and taste-tested their heat content. He gave each chili a value depending on how much water was needed to eliminate the heat. Today’s computerized technology rates peppers from 0, the mildest, to 200,00 plus, the hottest.
The heat in a chili is consolidated in the interior veins. Yellowish orange veins indicate that the chili is extra hot. The seeds also contain a great deal of heat. Chilies vary in their heat content from variety to variety and with the growing conditions. Hot dry areas produce hotter chilies.
To roast chilies, place the chilies on the grill (Anaheims are a favorite). Turn them frequently until the skins are evenly blackened and charred all over. Put chilies in a paper bag for a few minutes to cool and steam. Peel the charred skins and then cut and remove veins and seeds. Use chilies to make salsa and other Mexican dishes.
Mexican cuisine also features corn, beans, tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, and squash. You can grow adequate quantities of all of these in a 4-by-4-foot kitchen garden.
I’m listing only authentic varieties here, so varieties will be limited. Also included are southwestern varieties used in Tex/Mex cooking. You can, of course, you regular varieties in Mexican cooking.
BEANS (dried, shell)
Anasazi 94 days. Lineage of this bean is traced back to Anasazi cultivation. Brown and white baking bean with sweet flavor and meaty texture. Bush plant. Source: BOU PLA SHU TERR
Covelo Reservation (White Settler’s Bean) California native American bean. In green stage it tastes like a romano. Primarily used as a dry storage bean. Tan bean. Source: BOU
Indian Woman Yellow 75 days. Short plant with yellow-buff colored beans. Source: IRI
Ojo De Cabria (Eye of the Goat) Beans have lengthwise brown stripes. A few dark purple beans. Favorite in Baja, California and northern Mexico. Beans cook up firm and sweet and keeps its rich color. Source: BAK
Pinto 90 days. Traditional bean of the southwest. Tolerates drought and poor soil. 20″ plants. Light tan seeds with brown speckles. Source: ANN BOU PLA SHU SOU
Sonoran Tepary Bean 70-110 days. Native to Sonoran Desert and cultivated by the Papago people. Small delicious bean with more than 30% crude protein. Source: PLA
Zuni Gold 85 days. gold and white mottled bush, dry bean has nutty flavor. Source: PLA
CORN
Heirloom
Anasai 90 days. Ancient variety. Drought resistant, doesn’t need extreme fertilizing or weed free conditions. Likes warmth. 7-8′ stalks with 2 multicolored 7″ ears per stalk. Source: BOU
Black Mexican (OP) (Mexican Sweet Black Iroquois) 76 days. The kernels are white at milk stage, but turn bluish-black in the late milk stage. 7 1/2 x 1 1/2″ ears with 8 rows of kernels. Source: SHU SOU
Texas Honey June 97 days. 8′ stalks bear 2-3 ears per stalk. 6 1/2″ ears with 10-16 rows of white kernels. Source: SOU
CORN (flint, dent, dry)
Hybrid
Fiesta 95 days. Indian flint. 7′ stalks, 8″ ears with kernels of red, blue, yellow, gold, white and purple. No two ears are alike. Source: PAR
Heirloom
Black Aztec 85 days. 8″ ears will turn jet black when fully mature. 6; stalks. Source: ANN GOU SEED TERR
Hopi Blue (OP) Indian flint used for flour by the Hopi Pueblo people. Bushy 5′ stalks bear 8-10″ ears filled with smooth blue kernels. Source: ANN BOU GOU
Isleta Blue 120 days. Very long blue-purple ears used for flour. Native American heirloom from Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico. Source: BOU
Navajo Blue 90 days. Dry corn. Large, full ears of dark blue-purple to almost black corn. Grind into corn meal for the famous southwestern blue corn tortillas. Source: PLA
Oaxacan Green Dent 75-100 days. 7′ plants, 10″ ears with iridescent green kernels. Grown for centuries by Zapotec Indians of southern Mexico. Used to make green flour tamales. Drought resistant. Source: JOH SEED
Painted Mountain Adapted corn for cold and arid regions of the west. 7″ ears have a full range of colored kernels. Use as sweet corn or grind into flour. Source: GOU JOH NIC STO
Posole 100 days. Dry corn. Large plump ears on vigorous drought tolerant plants. Traditionally used to make posole, the hominy of Mexico and the Southwest. Source: PLA
Rainbow (OP) (Indian flint, Squaw) 105 days. A hard flint corn used for grinding into corn meal. Source: GUR NIC SHU
Texas Gourdseed 120 days. 8′ stalks, 2 ears per stalk, 22 rows of cream colored narrow kernels. Used for tortilla flour. Source: SOU
GARLIC (softneck)
Hybrid
California White Large plump softneck creamy-white cloves. Spicy hot. easy to grow and adaptable to any climate. Source: GUR SHU
Hardneck
California Late Large cloves with nice hot bite. Good storage qualities. Source: COO
Heirloom
Spanish Roja Hardneck. Has true garlic flavor. Source: GUR JOHN TER
CHILI PEPPERS
Hybrid
New Mex Chili Improved 65 days. 6 x 2 1/2″ long, green to red. Great for Chili rellanos. Source: THE
New Mex 64L Anaheim-type. Green to red, mild to medium, 4-5 x 1 1/2″ pepper. Grown for drying as ristras. Makes good chili powder. Source: THE
Numex Big Jim (OP) 85 days. Guinness World Record holder. Foot long hot peppers. Mildly hot that turn from green to red when mature. Source: BURG GOU JOHN NIC SOU THE TOT
NuMex Joe E Parker 95 days. Medium tall plant. Anaheim-type, 6-7 x 2″ semi-flattened shape. Source: BOT JOH THE
NuMex Espanola Improved Medium heat and great flavor. Well adapted to short-season areas. Source: GOU
NuMex Sunrise 75 days. Medium hot, 4-6″ long by 1 1/2″ wide. 28″ tall plant. Medium green, thick walls, turn bright yellow at maturity. Source: TOT
Heirloom
Ancho Poblano 90 days. Slightly spicy cooking pepper used in Mexican cooking. Use while green or allow to ripen to a deep brick-red color. Source: BOT BOU BURP JOH TERR
Baker Hot 75 days. New Mexican heirloom. 5-7″ long pods, 2″ wide and 15-30,000 Scoville units. Ripens from green to red. Source: GOU THE
Cascabel 90 days. Mexican. Round, 1 x 1 1/2″ red peppers popular for drying. 2″ tall plant. Source: THE
Chilostle 85 days. 2′ tall plant. 2-4 x 1 1/2″ tapering chilies. From Oaxaco, Mexico. Source: THE
Chiltepin (OP) 95 days. 1/4″ long and wide. Grows wild throughout Mexico and the Southwest U.S. 100,000 Scoville units. The plants can grow to 4′ and are capable of living for years where the climate allows. Source: NAT TOM
Chili de Arbol (Bird’s Beak, Tree Chili) 90 days. Originating from Chihuahua, Mexico. Plants have a small tree-like form that reaches 3-4′ tall. Cayenne-type chili that is strung in ristras and dried. Very nice smoky flavor. Source: ANN GOU TERR THE
Concho 80-90 days. New Mexican type. Short 2′ plants with thin-skinned 4-5″ peppers. Medium heat. Source: TERR
Jalepeno (OP) Hot cone-shaped fruits with distinctive meaty flavor. When smoked they become chipotles. Use green or red. 24″ tall plant. Will produce in cooler conditions. Source: ANN BOU GOU IRI NIC SOU THE
Mexcian Serrano (OP) 85 days. 30″ bush-like plant. Heavy crop of very red or green peppers shaped like miniature jalepenos. The standard serrano in Mexico. Source: GOU IRI JOHN NIC THE TOT
Mulato Isleno (OP) 76 days. Dark green peppers that matures to a rich chocolate color. Mildly pungent and full of flavor. 3″ at the shoulder. 6″ long. When dried they’re called Anchos in Mexico. Source: TER THE
New Mexico 6 75 days. Considered the finest chili for rellanos. 6″ long and 1 1/2″ diameter with thick walls and good balance of heat flavor. ripens from green to red. Source: GOU
Pasilla Bajio (Chilaca) 78 days. Mild-sweet hot fruits. Dark green, turning brown as it ripens. This pepper is used in Mexican “mole” sauce. Source: ANN BAK BOT GOU JOHN TERR THE TOT
Piquin (Pin-kee-nu) 100 days. Small oblong fruit common to Northern New Mexico. Wild. 4″ upright bush with branching base. 1/2 x 1/4″ peppers. Source: THE
Santa Fe Grande (Caribe) 75-80 days. Fiery hot conical peppers with thick firm walls and grow 3 1/2″ long. Fruits ripen from yellow to orange to red. 3′ sturdy plants. Excellent for pickling, salsa and hot pepper vinegar. Source: SEED THE
Serrano Tampequino (OP) 75 days. Large 45″ tall plant bears club-shaped fruit, 2 12 x 1/2″ peppers. Heat intensifies as they ripen from green to bright red. Great in Salsa. Also used for pickling and vinegar. Source: ANN BAK BOT GOU NIC SOU TERR TOT
Tepin (Bird Pepper, Chiltepin) 150 days. Small Mexican heirloom chiles. Pea-shaped peppers that pack a punch in flavor and heat. They take longer to germinate and ripen than most peppers. 50-100,000 Scoville units. Source: GOU JOHN PAR THE TOT
PUMPKIN
Pacheco Pumpkin A pumpkin that has a yellow rind and filled with delicious, dreamy yellow flesh. This heirloom is said to come from a rancho west of Chihuahua, Old Mexico. Source: BAK
SQUASH (Summer, Patty Pan, scallop)
Heirloom
White Scallop 50 days. Ancient Native American heirloom squash. Flat fruit with scalloped edges. Source: BAK
SQUASH (Winter, other)
Heirloom
Chihuahua Landrace 110 days. Fruits are large and attractive and used extensively in northern Mexican cuisine. They vary in color: all shades of green, white, yellow and possibly a few other colors. Source: BAK
Guicoy 100 days. Squat little fruits are ribbed in alternating high-low ribbing as seen in other Central American squashes. Warted, flattened fruits appear in tones ranging from green to deep yellow. Ancient variety depicted in late Mayan pottery. Used as a winter squash. 2 pounds. Source: BAK
Hopi Pale Grey Hopi heirloom. 15 pounds and is tear-dropped shaped. Pale gray rind is ridged and very hardy. A great keeper. Source: BAK
Mexican X-Top 100 days. Round, bowl-shaped Cushaw type with attractive green and white striped rinds and mild yellowish-white flesh. Best picked before they mature, and then fried. Huge silver-edged seeds. A rare Mexican heirloom. Source: BAK
Pipian From Tuxpan Round 6 pound squash has fine white and green stripes. Mexican heirloom. Grown for its large tasty seeds that are used in Mexican desserts. Loaded with big white-skinned seeds that have silver rims. Inside is tender and meaty. Source: BAK
Zapalo Plomo 100 days. Very rare ancient variety that is claimed to be the inspiration for topaz colored jewelry of the ancient early American civilizations. Up to 10 pounds. good eating quality. Source: GOU
TOMATOES
Heirloom
Mexico (OP) 80 days. Large plants set huge, dark pink tomatoes with outstanding taste. Steady, continuous production of 1 pound tomatoes throughout the growing season. Mexican heirloom. Indeterminate: Source: TOM
Reisetomate (Traveler Tomato) This tomato looks like a bunch of cherry tomatoes all fused together. No need to cut this variety, simply pull apart a piece at a time. Central American heirloom. Bright red. Tastes rather sour, strong and acid. Source: BAK
TOMATOES (paste)
Hybrid
Chico III 67 days. Oblong, sauce tomato from California. Source: GOU
Heirloom
Tiacolula Pink 75-80 days. Tiacolula, Mexico heirloom. Pear-shaped pink tomato has deep ribs and ruffles. Mild and sweet and the pink skin has gold splotched shoulders. Source: BAK
TOMATOES (small fruited)
Heirloom
Matt’s Wild Cherry 60 days. Indeterminate. Eastern Mexico tomato. Intensely sweet and flavorful deep red cherry tomatoes. Sprawling plant. Source: SOU TERR
Mexican Midget 65 days. Heirloom, 1/2-3/4″ round dark crimson cherry tomato. Plants produce throughout the entire growing season. Indeterminate. Source: PLA SEED TOT
Yellow Currant (OP) 70 days. A special South American species that bears long grape-like clusters of tiny 1/3″ yellow cherry tomatoes. Sweet with intense tomato flavor. Indeterminate. Source: TOM
TOMATILLOS
Mexican Strain (OP) 65 days. 2″ across. When fully ripe fruit will fall off plant. Source: TER
Purple Coban 70 days. 1″ in diameter. Green with varying degrees of purple on many fruit. Popular in Guatemalan cuisine. Source: BAK
Tiny From Coban From Central America. Fruit is smaller, about the diameter of a dime. Ripen to green or purple and has savory taste. Source: BAK
Tomatillo (OP) 68 days. Heirloom from Mexico. Harvest when green and firm. Well adapted to northern gardens. Source: NIC PLA STO
Toma Verde 90 days. Best tomatillo for making salsa. Golf ball size fruit. Paper lanterns split when ripe. 3-4′ bushy plant. Mexican heirloom. Source: ANN BOT COO JOHN SOU