Cuisine of Mexico City

As the colonial era drew to a close refined multi-court meals had become standard for the Mexico City aristocracy, beginning with a soup like albondigas, usually followed by a fried Spanish rice garnished with slices of hard boiled egg.

[2] 19th century cookbooks rarely included recipes for corn-based dishes like atole, tamales, quesadillas or enchiladas, and those that did called them almuerzos ligeros (light brunches).

As unlicensed vendors began selling corn-based dishes on the street, authorities struggled to tax local taquerias, imposing licensing requirements and penalties, they recorded some details of the types of foods being served by these establishments.

There is evidence of some regional specialties being made available for the recent migrants; at least two shops were known to serve pozole, a type of stew similar to hominy that is a staple of Guadalajara, Jalisco.

The technique of wrapping the lamb in maguey cactus leaves and cooking it overnight in an earthen oven is borrowed from traditional Maya cuisine.

Most foods were prepared at home using corn, squash, beans, chiles and other locally grown crops available from the markets, usually accompanied by pork or beef.

In 1891, at the behest of Ignacio de la Torre y Mier, Parisian chef Sylvain Daumont opened a restaurant in the city.

At Mexican president Porfirio Diaz's birthday celebration the wives of banquet guests watched from the balcony, as only men were seated for the meal.