UNIVERSIDAD AUTONOMA DE NUEVO

LEON
FACULTAD DE INGENIERIA MECANICA Y
ELECTRICA

BRITISH CULTURE

Group: 015
Activity : ESSAY ABOUT PAST AND CURRENT IN THE MEXICO

Name Joel Alberto Reza Ramírez

:
Mat: 1752511

Teacher: GUILLERMO ROBERTO ROSSANO PEREZ

Gpo: 015
Day: Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Class Time: V1
Semester: January - June

San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, Cd. Universitaria.

 CHILAQUILES
This popular traditional
breakfast dish features lightly
fried corn tortillas cut into
quarters and topped with green
or red salsa (the red is slightly
spicier). Scrambled or fried eggs
and pulled chicken are usually
added on top, as well as cheese and cream. Chilaquiles are often served with a healthy dose of
frijoles (refried beans).

POZOLE
According to anthropologists, this pre-Hispanic soup was once used as
part of ritual sacrifices. These days chicken, pork and vegetarian pozole
versions are readily available in more everyday surroundings. Made
from hominy corn with plenty of herbs and spices, the dish is
traditionally stewed for hours, often overnight. Once it’s ready to
serve, lettuce, radish, onion, lime and chilli are sprinkled on top.

TACOS AL PASTOR
This historic dish is one of the most
popular varieties of tacos, with origins
dating back to the 1920s and 30s and the
arrival of Lebanese and Syrian
immigrants to Mexico. To create tacos al
pastor (meaning ‘in the style of the
shepherd’), thin strips of pork are sliced
off a spit, placed on a corn tortilla and
served with onions, coriander leaves and pineapple.

TOSTADAS
What should you do with stale tortillas? Why, fry
them of course! Literally meaning toasted, tostadas
are a simple but delicious dish involving corn tortillas
fried in boiling oil until they become crunchy and
golden. These are then served alone or piled high
with any number of garnishes. Popular toppings
include frijoles (refried beans), cheese, cooked meat,
seafood and ceviche.
 CHILES EN NOGADA
Boasting the three colours of the Mexican flag, chiles
en nogada is one of Mexico’s most patriotic dishes.
Poblano chillies filled with picadillo (a mixture of
chopped meat, fruits and spices) represent the green
on the flag, the walnut-based cream sauce is the white
and pomegranate seeds are the red. Originating from
Puebla, history relates that the dish was first served to
Don Agustin de Iturbide, liberator and subsequent Emperor of Mexico.

ELOTE
You’ll find someone selling elote, the Mexican name for
corn on the cob, on nearly every city street corner in
Mexico. The corn is traditionally boiled and served either on
a stick (to be eaten like an ice cream) or in cups, the kernels
having been cut off the cob. Salt, chilli powder, lime, butter,
cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream are then added in
abundance.

ENCHILADAS
Enchiladas date back to Mayan
times, when people in the Valley of
Mexico would eat corn tortillas
wrapped around small fish. These
days both corn and flour tortillas are
used and are filled with meat,
cheese, seafood, beans, vegetables
or all of the above. The stuffed tortillas are then covered in a chilli sauce, making for a perfect
Mexican breakfast.

MOLE
Three states claim to be the original home of mole
(pronounced ‘mol-eh’), a rich sauce popular in Mexican
cooking. There are myriad types of mole but all contain
around 20 or so ingredients, including one or more varieties
of chilli peppers, and all require constant stirring over a long
period of time. Perhaps the best-known mole is mole
poblano, a rusty red sauce typically served over turkey or
chicken.
TERMS OF ADDRESS
Mexicans are generally polite and formal when interacting with people they do not know well.
When speaking to an elder or to someone with whom you will have a professional relationship, it
is customary to use the formal pronoun usted instead of the informal tú. If you are unsure which
pronoun a situation requires, you can always err on the side of caution by using usted with anyone
you’ve just met.

It is also common practice to speak to someone you’ve just met using a polite title, such as señor
for a man, señora for a married or older woman, and señorita for a young woman. When speaking
with a professional, Mexicans may also use the person’s professional title, such as doctor/doctora
(doctor), arquitecto/arquitecta (architect), or ingeniero/ingeniera (engineer).

GREETINGS
When greeting someone in Mexico, it is customary to make physical contact, rather than simply
saying “hello.” A handshake is the most common form of greeting between strangers, though
friends will usually greet each other with a single kiss on the cheek. The same physical gestures
are repeated when you say goodbye. When greeting a group of people, it is necessary to greet and
shake hands with each person individually, rather than address the group together.

If you need to squeeze past someone on a bus or reach over their shoulder at the market, it is
customary to say “con permiso” (with your permission). If you accidentally bump into someone (or
do anything else that warrants a mild apology), say “perdón” (sorry).

TABLE MANNERS AND TIPPING

When you are sharing a meal, it is customary to wish other diners “buen provecho” before you
start eating. Buen provecho is similar to the well-known French expression bon appetit. If you
need to leave a meal early, you should excuse yourself and again wish everyone at the table “buen
provecho.” Charmingly, many people will also wish other diners in a restaurant “buen provecho”
on their way out. As in most countries, when sharing a meal, it is customary to wait for everyone
to be served before starting to eat.

When dining out with friends or acquaintances, Mexicans rarely split the bill. Usually, one of the
parties will treat the others. If you were the one to invite a friend or business associate to a meal,
you should also plan to treat. Usually, whomever you’ve treated will pick up the tab the next time.

When dining out with friends or acquaintances, Mexicans very rarely split the bill. Usually, one of
the parties will treat the others. If you were the one to invite a friend or business associate to a
meal, you should also plan to treat.
PUNCTUALITY
Mexico has a well-earned reputation for running on a slower clock. Certainly, there is less urgency
in Mexico, and it is not considered excessively rude to arrive tardy to a social engagement. In fact,
guests are usually expected to run about a half hour (or more) late for a party at a friend’s home.
However, when it comes to doctor’s appointments, business meetings, bus schedules, or any
other official event, punctuality is just as important in Mexico as it is anywhere else.

When it comes to social engagements, Mexicans will typically accept an invitation rather than
decline, even if they don’t plan to attend. Some Mexicans feel more self-conscious refusing an
invitation than not showing up later.

SMOKING
Smoking tobacco (including electronic cigarettes) is prohibited in restaurants and bars throughout
Mexico City. Though many people still smoke, they are required by law to smoke outside (patios,
sidewalk seating, and open-air terraces located inside restaurants are all places where smoking is
permitted). When the antismoking laws first went into effect, tough fines on establishments
violating the policy helped ensure its widespread adoption throughout the city. However, as time
passed, many establishments opened open-roofed segments of their restaurants or allowed
patrons to smoke near entryways, leading to more lax rules.

BLOUSE

A modern version of the huipil, the blouse is a decorative

shirt with short sleeves. Traditionally made of white,
hand-woven cloth, the neckline is edged in braid or
embroidery and the bodice is colorful. Depending on the
intricacy, the blouse might have other decorative
embroidered elements like birds, people and animals.

REBOZO

A rebozo is a cross between a

shawl and a scarf that drapes along
the body accentuating the fluid and
feminine movements of a woman.
Typically crafted of rough cotton,
the rebozo can come in a variety of
styles and colors. These shawls
might be decorated with intricately
woven fringes. While the rebozo is
a decorative costume element, it also is functional in helping to swaddle and carry a baby.
SOMBRERO

One known traditional element of Mexican wear is the

sombrero. While a festival sombrero will be colorful with
flourishes around the rim, an everyday sombrero is just a
straw hat to keep the sun from a man's face.

SARAPE

A cross between a poncho and a blanket, the sarape was used to keep warm in the winter months.
Typically made of wool or fleece, everyday wear comes in muted tones of greys and browns for
shepherds. However, for festivals, multicolored patterns of reds, blues and yellows can be found.

MEXICAN FOLKLORE DRESSES

Bold and beautiful are the name of the game when it comes to
the Puebla or Mexican folklore dress, which is made for folk
dancing. Far more colorful than traditional wear, the blouse
might be pink or yellow with contrasting color details. The skirt is
long, flared and multi-tiered with ruffles and a variety of color.

CHARRO SUIT
Worn by conquerors or horsemen, the
history of the charro suit is as vast as the
suit itself. This suit consists of a jacket,
shirt, tie, pants and belt. The fabric of the
suit might be made of wool or cotton and
can come in vibrant blues, purples and
yellows or more muted blacks and browns. The jacket and trousers typically are decorated with
elaborate embroidery and embellishments. The buckle of the belt is also elaborately designed.

PONCHO
Unlike the serape which has no openings and is worn over
the shoulders, the poncho has a slit in the middle for the
neck. This woven costume embellishment is typically
made of wool or cotton and comes in vibrant colored line
patterns. Ponchos were made to be watertight.
FEBRUARY 5
Dia de la Constitucion. This day celebrates the promulgation of the country’s 1917 Constitution
The date is observed on the first Monday in February. See: Bridges to Cross.

MARCH 21
Cumpleaños de Benito Juarez. The birth date of Benito Juarez, Mexico’s first and most revered
President, is celebrated with a public holiday. The date is observed on the nearest Monday to his
birth date every March.

MAY 1:
Dia del Trabajo. Mexico, like many other industrialized countries, Mexico celebrates Labor Day on
May 1 every year, commemorating the advent of worker’s unions. All banks and offices close, but
most shopping centers remain open for business.

SEPTEMBER 16
Dia de la Independencia. This date commemorates the date when Father Miguel Hidalgo made his
‘cry for independence’ on September 16, 1810 in the town of Dolores Hidalgo — an event that
ultimately led to Mexico’s independence from Spanish rule. Independence celebrations take place
on the evening of September 15; September 16 is a public holiday.

NOVEMBER 2
Dia de los Fieles Difuntos. Mexico’s “Day of the Dead”, celebrations take place over 2 days
(November 1st and 2nd) and contemporarily, October 31 is often included, taking-in Halloween.
Mexico’s banks and businesses close on November 2, to observe this important religious holiday in
Mexico.

NOVEMBER 20
Dia de la Revolucion. November 20 commemorates the start date of Mexico’s 1910 revolution, led
by Francisco I. Madero. The date is observed on the third Monday in November.

FEBRUARY 24
Dia de la Bandera. Flag Day was introduced by President Lazaro Cardenas, a man best known for
having nationalized Mexican oil reserves in the 1930’s. The day commemorates Mexico’s current
flag as well as previous ones. Schools often get children to undertake flag research projects for
presentation on this day.
MARCH 18
Anniversario de la Expropriacion Petrolera. This day commemorates the day in 1938 when
President Lazaro Cardenas expropriated all oil reserves and declared oil a strategic Mexican
national asset.

MAY 5
Batalla de Puebla. The Battle of Puebla, or more commonly referred to as simply Cinco de Mayo, is
observed as a public holiday in the state of Puebla, but nowhere else in Mexico. The date
commemorates the victory of a small Mexican army against a French army double the size on May
5, 1862. The French re-took the city a year later and soon after installed Emperor Maximilian in
1864. The date is far more widely celebrated by people in the USA than in Mexico itself; possibly
due to beer and liquor companies aligning themselves with the date as part of their US marketing.
The date is sometimes mistakenly associated with Mexico’s Independence, which is September
16.

MAY 8
Cumpleaños de Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. Miguel Hidalgo is known as the “Father of Mexican
Independence”. Although he and his conspirators were captured and executed by the Spanish for
their insurgency against the Spanish Crown, his movement gave inspiration and created a political
vacuum that eventually led to Mexico’s independence from Spain and, alongside Ignacio Allende
and Jose Maria Morelos, is a revered personality in Mexico’s independence history.

JUNE 1
Dia de la Marina. Mexico’s Navy Day, acknowledging the nation’s maritime service men and
women. The day is commemorated with various military parades.

SEPTEMBER 13
Dia de los Niños Heroes. “Boy Heroes” (or Cadet Heroes); this day commemorates the events
which took place at the Battle of Chapultepec, in modern-day Mexico City. The battle, which took
place during the Mexican American war in 1847, gave victory to US troops over Mexican forces
defending Chapultepec Castle. According to military records, six cadets refused to fall back as the
superior US forces moved to take the castle; choosing to fight to the death; the last of the six is
said to have wrapped himself in a flag and jumped from the castle point. The event is also
commemorated in a permanent monument of six pillars, which stands at the foot of the castle
near the capital’s principal boulevard, Paseo de la Reforma.

Bibliografía
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typicalpieces-of-clothing-in-mexico.html

Betts, J. (s.f.). Love to know. Obtenido de Traditional and authentic mexican costumes :
https://costumes.lovetoknow.com/Traditional_Mexican_Costume

Dwyer, H. (02 de Nov de 2016). Chimu blog. Obtenido de The traditional cousine in mexico :
https://www.chimuadventures.com/blog/2016/11/cuisine-mexico/

Gaskell, K. (s.f.). goodfood . Obtenido de top 10 foods to try in mexico :

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/top-10-foods-try-mexico
 Mexperience . (s.f.). Obtenido de Public holidays in mexico :
https://www.mexperience.com/mexico-essentials/mexican-public-holidays/

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