The Southwest
The American West has captured the imaginations of many
millions of people throughout the years. Everyone, from authors such as Zane Grey to tyrants such as Josef
Stalin, has been captivated by the image of the cowboy, leading his herd of
cattle to the ranch and having shootouts with bandits and outlaws in the middle
of town. There is a popular image of the West and that includes the
cuisine. The history and geography of
the American Southwest has left its mark on the food and culture of the
region. Whether it’s
Texas beef barbeque, or the Tex-Mex cuisine you find all over the region, western
food is popular all around the nation.

The Lonestar State
When we think of the American West, oftentimes the one state
that enters our mind is Texas. There is
a unique culture in Texas that pervades the state, caused, in part, from the
unique way in which it became a part of the United States. With a rich history of Spanish, Mexican, and
American colonization, Texas has always been a melting pot of cultures, and
cuisines. In fact this combination of
Mexican and Texan influence has even given its name to a type of cuisine:
Tex-Mex.

Tex-Mex restaurants run the gamut from fast food chains,
such as Taco Bell and Del Taco, to places such as Chipotle, or Moe’s Southwest
Grill. The foods have become an
important part of American culture and cuisine—tacos, burritos, nachos, and
even tortilla chips and salsa. Texas is
a large state, and therefore it has more than one type of local cuisine.

Like their southern cousins, Texans also have a fondness for
fried foods, barbeque and bar tables that can hold an abundance of food! Whereas, in the South, barbeque tends to be
slow-cooked pork, in Texas, reflecting the culture and region, barbeque tends
to be beef. This ranching culture lends
itself nicely to the furnishings and décor of restaurants that serve Texan
cuisine. The aesthetic of the ranch, and
its wooden fences, gates, and rustic imagery plays an important part in
presenting the image of an “authentic” Texan or western experience.

When you go to a Tex-Mex restaurant, you often expect to
find, and are rarely disappointed, images evoking the similar history and
geography of both Texas and Mexico. Paintings of cacti, bull fights, cattle drives, even sun baked Pueblo homes,
are often found throughout—all trying to evoke the sense that this is an
authentic taste of the American Southwest.

Manifest Destiny
The American West has had a tumultuous past, which can still
be seen today in the unique culture and heritage of the region. There is the aforementioned Spanish influence
within the region, but there is also a very strong Native American influence
that brings a rich and unique heritage to the region. The American southwest was, and continues to
be, home to many Native American tribes, whose cultures have found their way
into not only the food, but even the décor of restaurants throughout the
region.

Whether it’s Aztec imagery in the local Mexican restaurant,
or an exterior and interior that looks like and evokes the clay-baked Pueblo homes
of the American Southwest, Native Americans have left an indelible and
important mark on the culture and cuisine of the American Southwest.