The Art of the Mayan/Yucatecan Cuisine

The magic and uniqueness of the Yucatecan cuisine is one of the most extraordinary and interesting dining experiences.

The culinary delights of the typical Yucatecan cuisine come from a mouth watering blend of native ingredients used by the ancient Maya and European influence. A bit of history will explain this strong European influence.

Ingredients first used by the Maya include corn, beans, tomatoes, chiles, squash, chaya (a spinach-like plant), avocado and achiote (annatto). The Spaniards introduced citrus fruit – limes and Seville oranges (sweet and sour oranges) feature in many dishes, chicken, beef, dairy products, coriander, garlic, olives, oregano and rice. Pork, chicken and turkey are widely used in Yucatecan recipes, usually in conjunction with recados, which may contain achiote, Seville orange juice, pepper and chiles.