Citation

Pilcher J. History Compass 2008; 6(2): 529-551.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1478-0542.2007.00509.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The international presence of Mexican cuisine has expanded tremendously since the 1960s. Before that time it was hard to find tacos or enchiladas outside Mexico or its former territory in the Southwestern United States, but Mexican restaurants and processed foods are now available around the world. This transformation has come about largely as a result of North American marketing of Tex-Mex, which raises important questions for theories of globalization. This article begins by surveying the political and cultural economy of the early modern Columbian Exchange, the mechanization of tortilla production, and the incorporation of Mexican agriculture into international commodity chains. This is followed by an examination of ethnic stereotypes and the class position of Mexican food within the United States. The article concludes by considering ethnic fast food and the origins of the taco shell as a tool for rethinking McDonaldization.