Tortillas

Picture tortillas dripping in rich mole sauce or blue corn tortilla chips smothered in chunky guacamole and your mouth will soon be watering. The tortilla has been a staple of Mexican and Central American cuisine since Pre-Columbian times (before any significant European influence). It is essentially unleavened bread made from maize (corn) or wheat flour. A tortilla chip is a type of snack food made by cutting corn tortillas into wedges and then frying the slices with vegetable oil and salt. Although the tortilla chip was actually invented in the late 1940's in Los Angeles, it is considered to be a part of Mexican cuisine. While tortilla chips are typically derived from yellow corn, they can be made with white, blue or red corn. Tortilla chips are the archetypal and accompanying appetizer in Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants in the United States and beyond. While typically served with a salsa or guacamole, tortilla chips are occasionally sprinkled with spices or herbs.