Philadelphia, PA - The 100,000-square mile Sonoran Desert lies along both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border from California through Arizona to Sonora in Mexico, and its cuisine reflects this harsh yet beautiful environment. While Tex-Mex often incorporates several Mexican styles into one dish, Sonoran food typically features its style with more modesty.
Sonorans live off their land with pride and enjoy its bounty in all forms - beef (carne asada, carnitas), seafood, beans, or fruits. Sonoran cuisine celebrates this natural bounty through rustic yet satisfying and delectable dishes like carne asada (barbecued and carnitas), seafood dishes such as ceviche or ceviche asado, and beans and fruit dishes.
Sonora is unique among Mexican states as a wheat-growing region, making flour tortillas particularly popular here. Additionally, Sonoran restaurants favor burritos and chimichangas, said to have originated in Hermosillo - its capital city.
Beans are an integral component of Sonoran cuisine, and their variety has a deep history dating back centuries. When Father Kino introduced Criollo cattle from Northern Mexico and Southern Arizona in 1640, these heat-adapted cattle quickly became staples among ranchers and became one of their staple crops.
Food culture often emphasizes individual ingredients over regional style, yet regional flavor plays a crucial role in chile sauces. Take Sonora, for instance; their version of an "enchilada" involves rolling tortillas stuffed with cheese before topping them off with sauce made of oregano- and cumin-forward mild red or green chiles seasoned with oregano- and cumin-forward mild red chiles for instance.
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