Enjoying a food tour through the US Southwest is not a excursion for the easygoing. The Southwest is filled with cuisine that is as simple to prepare as it is flavorful – as full of hot ingredients as it is filled with the freshest vegetables. If you’re looking for a food tour in the US Southwest, don’t expect to stop in a big Mexican restaurant with a dizzying array of fillings for chimichangas. In fact, don’t take the Southwest and categorize it all under one blanket, because you are in for a gustatory awakening.

Southwest cuisine can actually be broken up into hybrids of various cuisines. Border cuisine, sometimes playfully referred to as South of the Border, may be more similar to your local Mexican restaurant fare, with some burritos flavored mildly to suit a wider range of palates. We also have Tex-Mex cuisine, a blend of Texan and Mexican, heavy on the meats and spices. There is also the fresh, corn-rich American Indian flavors, the richer and hotter Mexican dishes, and even nueva Latina, a new version of Southwestern cuisine that is springing up in various places across the Southwestern states.

If you are traveling on a Southwestern culinary tour, then you’ll surely pass by the Lone Star State, and get a hankering for large Texan meats and steaks. You’ll go cross Kansas, where you may sink your teeth into wonderful corn breads and products. Nothing beats a Kansas attractions. You will visit Southern California and the Baja, where the burritos are hot and the tamales are even hotter. You will discover yourself in New Mexico and Colorado, even parts of Oklahoma, and you’ll find yourself lots of American Indian cuisine that is as historic as the heritage but plenty flavorful, too!

It is no surprise, then, that the Southwest is traditionally described as the grandfather of all American cuisine, encompassing the roots of its indigenous cooking. Ponder it: even before Boston and Plymouth Rock got their first taste of Europe, a whole lot was already cooking in these parts! A food tour through the Southwestern United States, therefore, is a trip through history, where you can actually savor the meals that have been around for ages, and are testaments to stories long past but never forgotten.

So what should you expect? Look for blue, purple, or even red maize, all of which can be made into various tasty tacos, among other things. You will also find a whole lot of hot, so go for fire-roasted chilies, and various chili dishes that will make your mouth water immensely (and your eyes tear up, too!). You’ll find meat grilled with mesquite, scenting the air with flavorful smells. Whether you’re drinking it all down with a bottle of South of the Border beer, or a bottle of European wine, you’ll surely discover something to look forward to in the US Southwest.

If you are taking a trip to the US Southwest on a food tour, there are a few things that you will need to remember. First, since many of the dishes are hot, you may need to check if you have any palate or health concerns with spicy foods. For instance, if you have irritable bowel syndrome, then you may need to ease up on the peppers. You will also need to consult with your tour planner if the tour covers all the lodging and transportation, while you have to pick up the tab when you stop for food. Don’t forget to examine the fine print and ask questions. Take the necessary precautions, and you can turn your Southwest US Culinary tour into a fantastic getaway.

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