Mexico is a melting pot of culture, traditions and people, and cuisine is not any different to this idea. Although there were a number of native flavors in the Mexican cuisine, over the period of time, there have been influence from Europe, India, Spain and China as well. We know that Mexican recipes have bold use of flavors and spices that make it a popular cuisine, while the ingredients too are a blend of native as well as foreign influence. Let us look at some of the popular ingredients used in Mexican cooking and how these make a dish delicious.
Indigenous ingredients
Meat was an uncommon element used in the Mexican food till the Spaniards arrived. Therefore, corns and beans were largely used as a staple ingredient. To add to the flavors of the dish, heavy spices and chilies were added too. A wide array of seafood was used as a source of meat for the Mexican dishes. This was especially true for seaside communities who relied on seafood.
Avocados
This is a perfect example of Mexican staple. If you want to add Mexican flavor to any dish, then avocados do it perfectly. One can also use this popular ingredient for a basic dish such as a salad or sandwich.
Cheese
You talk about Mexico and you ought to know about the varieties of cheeses. The Queso Oaxaca, is a Mexican-made cheese used best for quesadillas. If the local market doesn’t have this particular cheese, then people also substitute the same with mozzarella. Other types of cheese used in Mexican food are Queso fresco, which adds saltiness to the recipes and Mild Feta is a perfect substitute for the same.
Chipotle
One of the famous ingredients, Chipotle have been used around the world for various recipes. These smoked-jalapenos come in canned jars and can be easily stored for up to six months. Chipotle are spicy and can be frequently used in marinades and salsas, which is a popular part of the local cuisine.
Mexican oregano
Herbs can make or break a dish and Mexican cuisines and is a different variety of herbs than the ones used in the American recipes.
Poblanos
These are type of mild chili peppers and are popular in the Mexican dishes. Used in almost every dish in the region, poblanos are usually roasted and peeled and a part of everything right from salsas to quesadillas.
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Five most popular apps for real time flight tracking
Read moreIf you are a frequent flyer, then you would probably prefer to have an app on your mobile phone that tracks the details of a plane landing or taking off. These real-time flight tracking apps can be helpful in transit situations where you have to run to board the next flight.
Here are some apps that can be used for real-time aircraft tracking-
- App in the Air
This app helps you enter the flight number and helps you keep your trip organized. It keeps you updated with check-in times, boarding times, take off, and landing times, delays, gate numbers. The app comes in handy when you are going to pick up someone at the airport as it helps you search flight by location, flight number. It has a real time database of all the flights that can help you track a flight’s current status. You can download this for free on your iPhone or Android phones. - Flight view
It is a real-time flight tracking app that helps you track the real-time status of the flights. The same company has three tiers of IOS apps which offers more features. The app lets you see and track your flight and even lets you see where it is over the earth. Flight view elite includes access to a flight to flight boards. This lets you filter the airline by origin and destination city. It also keeps you abreast of how the weather can affect the flight timings. - Flightradar24
This app is for those who are less interested in tracking a particular flight but are more interested in the general aesthetics of aviation. The Flightradar24 app helps you track planes all over the globe. One of the most interesting features of this app is, you can point your iPhone towards a plane that might be flowing overhead and track its flight number. The app is available for iPhone and other Android phones for around $5. - Now arriving
This app is handy if you are on the way to pick someone up from the airport as it provides you with the information of the estimated time of landing of a flight. All you need to do is enter the flight number and it will provide you with information on ETA of the flight. - ADSB flight tracker
This is a fun app for plane spotters and aircraft enthusiasts. ADSB or Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast picks up details of flights that are broadcasting their position. The app shows the position of the airplanes with their flight number with a 2-dimensional top-down menu. This app is available only for Android devices.
- App in the Air
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Make you own coffee with these cheap Keurig coffee makers
Read moreIf you are someone whose day is incomplete without a cup (or multiple cups) of coffee, a coffee maker would be an indispensable part of your kitchen. But coffee makers don’t really come cheap. If you are looking for affordable coffee makers for home or office, here we have a list of 4 popular cheap Keurig coffee makers for you.
These coffee makers are easy to use and quite simple to take care of. You simply put a K-cup of your favorite blend and let the coffee maker do the rest of the work to give freshly brewed coffee. Priced below $100, these are some of the popular and cheap Keurig coffee makers that you will find in the market.
Keurig K55 Single Serve Programmable K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker: With a big 48-ounce water reservoir, this Keurig coffee maker lets you make coffee in three brew sizes: 6, 8 and 12 ounces. In one refill, you will be able to make about 8 cups of coffee. Known for its ease of use, the K55 has very simplistic features. You can easily operate it with a press of a button. This coffee maker has a preheat feature. With this feature, you can brew a fresh cup of coffee in under a minute.
Keurig K10 Mini Plus Brewing System: One of the smallest Keurig coffee makers, the K10 is quite versatile; it can brew tea, hot cocoa, iced beverages along with coffee. You can use varieties of K-cup flavors and blends to make your own favorite brew in under two minutes. You can brew three different cup sizes: 6oz, 8oz. and 10oz. This coffee maker comes with a removal drip tray. This is one of the cheap Keurig coffee maker model. Although its production has been discontinued by Keurig, you can easily find this model through online retailers.
Keurig B130 Deskpro Coffee Maker: The most compact coffee maker from Keurig, the B310 is a no-frills portable device. You will usually find this in hotel rooms to instantly brew your coffee. Taking about a couple of minutes to brew your coffee, this coffee maker can make one cup of coffee at a time. You need to refill the reservoir for every time you brew a fresh cup. This coffee maker can brew coffee in tow brew sizes: 6 oz. and 8 oz. With low power usage and retail price, this is one of the cheapest Keurig coffee makers you will find in the market.
Mr. Coffee Single Cup Keurig Brewed System8: This coffee maker has been produced by a collaborative partnership between two brands: Keurig and Mr.Coffee. Majorly made of plastic and with an aluminum finish, this coffee maker has a removable drip tray that lets you use larger coffee mugs as well as travel mugs for your coffee. With a capacity to brew one cup of coffee at a time, this coffee maker comes with an auto shut off features that save power as well.