In town for the World Cup?: Why you should eat spicy salsa while you’re here

If you’ve decided to pay a visit to Mexico during the FIFA World Cup, you’ll no doubt also be checking out the country’s world famous food scene. Here’s a reminder of why it’s important to make sure you take an extra large spoonful of salsa with every bite.

As a regular diner at Mexico City taquerías, my partner constantly asks me to join him for tacos. More than once, we have witnessed foreign customers asking the taquero if the place offers spiceless salsa, especially in the trendy Condesa and Roma areas. “No picante,” they plead with heavy accents. Some play it safe and just order a side of guacamole.

We understand. Eating spicy food begins in the cradle here in Mexico. Meanwhile, there is not even a word for picante or enchilarse in English. It all falls under the category “spicy,” which can refer to anything related to peppers or seasonings — from Indian masala to Mexican chile peppers. Due to the growing demand for mild salsa, however, some local eateries have succumbed to what their foreign customers want: less flavor.

Even though one can understand their cultural preferences, let’s be honest: No joy compares to eating tacos with a very spicy sauce. Beyond the fear of missing out, trying salsa bien enchilosa is a cultural experience, intimately connected with the Mesoamerican voices that can still be heard in our Mexican lands.

Honoring the great Tlatlauhqui Cihuatl Ichilzintli

Paleontological evidence shows that chiles have been grown in the Americas for at least 10,000 years. Specifically, per Universidad de Guadalajara researcher Edgar Pulido Chávez: “In the geographic, biocultural and climatic zone located between central Mexico and Central America, known as Mesoamerica.” In Mexico alone, there are at least 64 different varieties of chile.

Given this spicy diversity, it was only natural for the ancient Mesoamerican civilizations in what is now Mexico to offer these precious fruits to their gods. “Chile was not exempt from ritual connotations and was part of the offerings made to the gods,” points out archaeologist and editor of Arqueología Mexicana magazine Enrique Vela. The Mexica even had a goddess of chiles, Tlatlauhqui Cihuatl Ichilzintli, which means “respectable lady of the great, red chile” in Nahuatl.

Beyond the religious aspect of chiles, ancient Mexicans also used them to season their cuisine. Cacao, as a drink, was infused with chile seeds, which made it a bitter and spicy drink — definitely different from hot chocolate or the ceremonial cacao we know today. Moreover, spicy salsas have been deeply influenced not only by the pre-Hispanic culinary arts, but also by the Europeans who arrived on the continent in the 16th century.

These syncretic elements make “Mexican sauces much more than just condiments,” according to the Mexican government. Rather, “they are an expression of Mexico’s rich culinary culture.”

¡Que pique! — Why trying spicy, hot salsa matters

Even today, centuries after the Mexica gods ceased to appear on the altars (officially), we Mexicans preserve a mythical relationship with chile and its different varieties. Enchilarse is a part of the daily experience for residents across the country, who long to feel the hot rush of their taste buds burning.

Because, yes, picante is not a flavor, but a sensation. “Also referred to as pungency,” notes Chávez in The Conversation, “it is an adaptation of the chile plant to defend its fruits from herbivorous mammals and other predators.” That is why, if someone is not exactly used to bathing their food with salsa, their body sweats and they feel the sudden need to drink a lot of water — disclaimer: water will not help.

This happens because the brain literally feels like the tongue is on fire. When the taste buds interact with capsaicin, the chemical substance that creates the hot feeling in the mouth, the saliva binds it to receptors called TRPV1. That’s when chile peppers — and practically anything that you prepare with them — start to sting or burn.

A rite of passage that is not for everyone

Even though this article is an open invitation for foreign visitors and people living in Mexico to try a primordial piece in the great mosaic of our cuisine, by all means, do not do something you’re not comfortable with. Again, chile peppers are naturally designed to defend themselves from predators. If your stomach is not used to these kinds of spices, you can easily get stomach aches and have memorably bad bathroom experiences.

Beyond a worthy-of-mention warning, trying hot salsa does not imply covering your favorite Mexican dishes with it. Trying is just that: trying — probably just a few drops on your next visit to a local market, nearest puesto or taquería. This, of course, leads us to the following question:

Where to try authentic (and spicy) Mexican salsa?

The perfect place to try authentic and spicy Mexican salsas is in a Mexican home, of course. If you’re visiting a friend or have relatives living in Mexico, please ask them to share some of their homemade salsa with you. Especially if it’s made in a molcajete — that is an excellent starting point.

If you’re a digital nomad and don’t have any Mexican friends or relatives, a local market should be your top choice. Even Polanco, Mexico City’s most elegant neighborhood, has a local market. There are abundant helpings of “vitamin T” — tacos, tlacoyos, tamales, tortas and so on — and at the bar or the table, you will always find a bowl of salsa verde, salsa roja and sour cream.

Not just an adventure, but a gateway to better-tasting food

If you’re feeling adventurous, try El Califa de León restaurant. This was the first authentic taquería in Mexico to ever receive a Michelin Guide star (although it subsequently lost it). You can embrace the entire experience, beginning with ordering your tacos al pastor directly from el trompo, that massive spinning top of pork fillet covered in axiote chili. But it’s best to arrive early, around 1 p.m., or you can expect a long line of customers waiting to try their beloved salsa roja.

Coyoacán is another recommended option. If you’re visiting or living in chaotic Mexico City, this is the borough to try the best Mexican hot salsas in the capital. Go to Mercado de Antojitos and get comfortable at the first quesadilla stand you find — you can thank me later.

This article was first published in 2024.

Andrea Fischer contributes to the Mexico News Daily Features desk. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.