墨西哥薄饼：墨西哥美食传统

Tortillas are flat bread made from either corn or wheat. The versatile tortilla can be warmed in the oven, steamed, grilled, fried, heated in a microwave or toaster or baked in the oven.墨西哥薄饼以玉米或者小麦为原料，形状扁平。它有多种不同做法，可放在炉子里加热、蒸、烤、油炸、用微波炉或者面包机加热、或在炉子里烘烤。The most important use of corn is the one that is centuries old. Corn forms masa, the dough for tortillas and their variations and for tamales. Since antiquity, a Mexican table without tortillas is an empty table. According to ancient techniques, dried corn kernels are cooked with water and limestone until the kernel skins are soft. After standing for one day, the kernels are skinned, and the hearts are ground to form masa. Stone mortars and pestles used to do the job. Today, the process is mechanized in all but remote areas.从数百年前开始，玉米就有了一项非常重要的用途：那就是把玉米捣成粉、揉成面糊，将其做成各种口味的墨西哥薄饼，以及玉米粉蒸肉。自此，墨西哥薄饼成为了墨西哥人餐桌上必不可少的食物。传统做法是：将干玉米粒同水、石灰石同煮，直到玉米粒外壳变软。静置一天以后，将玉米粒去皮，玉米仁研磨成粉，制成面糊。这套工序通常使用石质的研钵及研杵来完成。如今，除了在偏远地区之外，这套制作程序已经机械化。Despite mechanization, tortillas in Mexico are far from standardized. They are made from white, yellow, blue, or red corn. They may be small—2 inches in diameter—or large—as wide as 10 inches.尽管制作程序已经机械化，但是墨西哥薄饼并没有统一的标准。墨西哥薄饼可用白、黄、蓝、或红玉米制作。尺寸可大可小——有的直径只有2英寸，有的却长达10英寸。According to Mayan legend, tortillas were invented by a peasant for his hungry king in ancient times. The first tortillas, which dated as far back as approximately 10,000 years before Christ, were made of native corn with dried kernel. Today, corn tortillas are made from either corn cooked in a lime-based solution or by using corn flour, producing a dough, forming it like a pancake and finally baking it in an oven.据玛雅传说记载，很久以前，墨西哥薄饼是由一位农民为饥饿的国王而做的。最早的墨西哥薄饼大约出现在公元前一万多年，用本地所产的干燥的玉米粒制作而成。今天的墨西哥薄饼要么是在石灰溶液里制作而成，要么是用玉米粉做一个煎饼形状的面团，最后放在炉子里烘烤而成。Among native Mexicans, tortillas are also commonly used as eating utensils. In the Old West, “cowpokes” realized the versatility of tortillas and used tortillas filled with meat or other foods as a convenient way to eat around the campfire.本土的墨西哥人还常常把墨西哥薄饼当作一种餐具。美国西部大开发时期，“牛仔”们就发现了墨西哥薄饼的多种吃法，一种很简单快捷的食用方法就是用这种薄饼卷肉或者其他食物，然后围坐在篝火前享用。Thanks in part to the widespread popularity of Mexican and Southwestern cuisines, Americans love tortillas. In fact, tortillas are more popular today in the U.S. than all other ethnic breads, such as bagels, English muffins and pita bread.美国人喜爱墨西哥薄饼的部分原因是由于墨西哥菜和西南菜系的流行。事实上，墨西哥薄饼当今在美国比百吉饼、英式玛芬、皮塔饼等其他民族面点小吃都要更受欢迎。According to Tortilla Industry Association’s (TIA) available statistics, Americans consumed approximately as much as 85 billion tortillas in 2000 (not including tortilla chips). And in 2004, tortilla sales in the U.S. reached the $6.1 billion mark and continued to grow at 10% per year.根据墨西哥薄饼工业协会（TIA）公布的数据显示，美国人2000年消费的墨西哥薄饼数量就已经达到了850亿左右（不包括玉米片），其风靡程度由此可见一斑。到了2004年，美国的墨西哥薄饼销售额突破61亿美元，并持续以每年10%的速度增长。Tortillas have found their place in the American mainstream diet, where they now serve as substitutes for traditional breads in such popular fare as hot dogs, lasagna, pitas, sandwiches and pizza. Tortillas can be used to hold a variety of fillings, used as tasty food scoops, toasted and topped with salad, or served hot and plain.墨西哥薄饼在美国主流饮食中已经占据一席之地，替代了传统的面点小吃，同热狗、千层面、皮塔饼、三明治、披萨等一起成为大众所喜爱的美食。墨西哥薄饼既美味又实用，像一把勺子一样可以装满各种馅，经过烘烤，放上沙拉，味道可辣可淡。标签：美食 墨西哥 墨西哥薄饼 传统