5 Mexica customs you’ve adopted if you live in Mexico City (and you haven’t even noticed)

If you reside in Mexico City and have not noticed, you are likely partaking in several customs rooted in the Mexica (Aztec) culture. One such custom is the practice of visiting traditional markets, known as tianguis. The origins of these markets can be traced back to Tlatelolco, a marketplace established around 1337 and serving Tenochtitlán, the ancient Mexica city, with an extensive range of products.

This market tradition has persisted for over 600 years, offering a sense of social cohesion and continuity from our pre-Columbian past.

Another Mexica tradition that may go unnoticed is the enjoyment of spicy food. The residents of Mexico City still honor the Mexica goddess Tlatlauhqui Cihuatl Ichilzintli by adding hot peppers to their meals. Whether in the form of salsa verde or chile en polvo, the use of spicy ingredients in cooking is a remnant of the Mexica culinary practices.

Additionally, the consumption of insects such as chapulines (grasshoppers), escamoles (ant eggs), and gusanos de maguey (maguey worms) is another Mexica custom that remains prevalent. These delicacies, once a staple of the Mexica diet, are now offered at various tianguis and upscale restaurants in Mexico City. Eating mushrooms, such as in quesadillas, and pumpkin flower tamales, particularly from Xochimilco, are also examples of preserving ancient Mesoamerican traditions.

Lastly, the daily consumption of tortillas is a significant Mexica custom that is often overlooked. These flatbread-like food items serve as both sustenance and utensils, with Mexico consuming approximately 331 kilograms of tortillas per person annually. The use of 67 different species of native corn to make tortillas highlights the importance of native corn in maintaining this tradition.

Additionally, the use of a molcajete, a traditional mortar and pestle, for grinding grains, spices, and vegetables, further exemplifies the Mexica heritage that we continue to embrace in our daily lives.