墨西哥薄餅：墨西哥美食傳統(tǒng)Tortillas are flat bread made from either corn or wheat. The versatile tortilla can be warmed in the oven, steamed, grilled, fried, heated in a microwave or toaster or baked in the oven.
墨西哥薄餅以玉米或者小麥為原料，形狀扁平。它有多種不同做法，可放在爐子里加熱、蒸、烤、油炸、用微波爐或者面包機(jī)加熱、或在爐子里烘烤。
The most important use of corn is the one that is centuries old. Corn forms masa, the dough for tortillas and their variations and for tamales. Since antiquity, a Mexican table without tortillas is an empty table. According to ancient techniques, dried corn kernels are cooked with water and limestone until the kernel skins are soft. After standing for one day, the kernels are skinned, and the hearts are ground to form masa. Stone mortars and pestles used to do the job. Today, the process is mechanized in all but remote areas.
從數(shù)百年前開始，玉米就有了一項(xiàng)非常重要的用途：那就是把玉米搗成粉、揉成面糊，將其做成各種口味的墨西哥薄餅，以及玉米粉蒸肉。自此，墨西哥薄餅成為了墨西哥人餐桌上必不可少的食物。傳統(tǒng)做法是：將干玉米粒同水、石灰石同煮，直到玉米粒外殼變軟。靜置一天以后，將玉米粒去皮，玉米仁研磨成粉，制成面糊。這套工序通常使用石質(zhì)的研缽及研杵來完成。如今，除了在偏遠(yuǎn)地區(qū)之外，這套制作程序已經(jīng)機(jī)械化。
Despite mechanization, tortillas in Mexico are far from standardized. They are made from white, yellow, blue, or red corn. They may be small—2 inches in diameter—or large—as wide as 10 inches.
盡管制作程序已經(jīng)機(jī)械化，但是墨西哥薄餅并沒有統(tǒng)一的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。墨西哥薄餅可用白、黃、藍(lán)、或紅玉米制作。尺寸可大可小——有的直徑只有2英寸，有的卻長達(dá)10英寸。
According to Mayan legend, tortillas were invented by a peasant for his hungry king in ancient times. The first tortillas, which dated as far back as approximately 10,000 years before Christ, were made of native corn with dried kernel. Today, corn tortillas are made from either corn cooked in a lime-based solution or by using corn flour, producing a dough, forming it like a pancake and finally baking it in an oven.
據(jù)瑪雅傳說記載，很久以前，墨西哥薄餅是由一位農(nóng)民為饑餓的國王而做的。最早的墨西哥薄餅大約出現(xiàn)在公元前一萬多年，用本地所產(chǎn)的干燥的玉米粒制作而成。今天的墨西哥薄餅要么是在石灰溶液里制作而成，要么是用玉米粉做一個(gè)煎餅形狀的面團(tuán)，最后放在爐子里烘烤而成。
Among native Mexicans, tortillas are also commonly used as eating utensils. In the Old West, “cowpokes” realized the versatility of tortillas and used tortillas filled with meat or other foods as a convenient way to eat around the campfire.
本土的墨西哥人還常常把墨西哥薄餅當(dāng)作一種餐具。美國西部大開發(fā)時(shí)期，“牛仔”們就發(fā)現(xiàn)了墨西哥薄餅的多種吃法，一種很簡單快捷的食用方法就是用這種薄餅卷肉或者其他食物，然后圍坐在篝火前享用。
Thanks in part to the widespread popularity of Mexican and Southwestern cuisines, Americans love tortillas. In fact, tortillas are more popular today in the U.S. than all other ethnic breads, such as bagels, English muffins and pita bread.
美國人喜愛墨西哥薄餅的部分原因是由于墨西哥菜和西南菜系的流行。事實(shí)上，墨西哥薄餅當(dāng)今在美國比百吉餅、英式瑪芬、皮塔餅等其他民族面點(diǎn)小吃都要更受歡迎。
According to Tortilla Industry Association’s (TIA) available statistics, Americans consumed approximately as much as 85 billion tortillas in 2000 (not including tortilla chips). And in 2004, tortilla sales in the U.S. reached the $6.1 billion mark and continued to grow at 10% per year.
根據(jù)墨西哥薄餅工業(yè)協(xié)會(huì)（TIA）公布的數(shù)據(jù)顯示，美國人2000年消費(fèi)的墨西哥薄餅數(shù)量就已經(jīng)達(dá)到了850億左右（不包括玉米片），其風(fēng)靡程度由此可見一斑。到了2004年，美國的墨西哥薄餅銷售額突破61億美元，并持續(xù)以每年10%的速度增長。
Tortillas have found their place in the American mainstream diet, where they now serve as substitutes for traditional breads in such popular fare as hot dogs, lasagna, pitas, sandwiches and pizza. Tortillas can be used to hold a variety of fillings, used as tasty food scoops, toasted and topped with salad, or served hot and plain.
墨西哥薄餅在美國主流飲食中已經(jīng)占據(jù)一席之地，替代了傳統(tǒng)的面點(diǎn)小吃，同熱狗、千層面、皮塔餅、三明治、披薩等一起成為大眾所喜愛的美食。墨西哥薄餅既美味又實(shí)用，像一把勺子一樣可以裝滿各種餡，經(jīng)過烘烤，放上沙拉，味道可辣可淡。
標(biāo)簽：美食 墨西哥 墨西哥薄餅 傳統(tǒng)
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