Found this sub solely to not feel insane and hopefully find people equally as triggered lol. Friends were arguing toppings on tacos/burritos and a debate of sour cream vs guac or queso started and I brought up how sour cream only exists in Mexican food because honky asses (like myself) needed it for the spicy shit. They all are gaslighting me and think I’m saying sour cream was invented only for spicy stuff (which wasn’t the take). Help me feel sane please, thanks 🙏🏻
by Connect-Enthusiasm92
42 Comments
Actually the French brought sour cream over, or I should say crema. It’s not widely used, but it’s definitely been in Mexican cuisine for at least 200 years or so.
Mexican and French crema both have a slightly different consistency, and are less ‘sour’ compared to the American sour cream.
Their use developed independently, and are used on different dishes. But both are equally relevant.
Yes. Everything in the world is planned and designed to adjust to the Americans. /s.
Your friends are correct. Crema is used in many parts of Mexico, especially Jalisco. When Mexicans couldn’t find it in the US, they used sour cream, just like they used cheddar when they couldn’t get Mexican cheeses.
Okay, we do use crema in some dishes here in Mexico City. We use crema for sopa de tortilla, tostadas de tinga, enchiladas verdes, chilaquiles, fresas con crema, tamales or corundas, nogada sauce, but just a bit, not completely covered. [Right amount of crema](https://storage.googleapis.com/avena-recipes/agtzfmF2ZW5hLWJvdHIZCxIMSW50ZXJjb21Vc2VyGICAkKyViMwKDA/26-07-2022/r96i3Fg6Cmzm4konudgM1658846813297.jpeg)
As for queso or cheese, there are dozens of varieties. The most commonly used ones are quesillo (Oaxaca), panela, manchego, cotija, ranchero, queso crema, fresco, and chihuahua. We don’t use cheddar in Mexican cuisine because it tends to be too salty. There are plenty of dishes that incorporate cheese.
While guacamole may not be available everywhere, if you ask for a burrito, it is more likely to be served with guacamole or chipotle mayo as a side dish. Similarly, if you’re preparing a barbecue, there will most likely be guacamole available.
What local tacos do not have are lettuce, sour cream, and cheddar. What they do have are chopped onion, chopped cilantro, lime, homemade salsa with tomato, onion, cilantro, chile, and garlic, or other natural homemade sauces.
We use sour cream in flautas (taquitos dorados), sopes, tostadas, and everything. And I add salsa on top of that! As someone said before, the world doesn’t revolve around the US’ palates. Yes, you can use the sour cream to reduce the heat in certain dishes but you can say that about mayo too, that doesn’t mean it used in tortas or sandwiches for that.
Mexicans use “sour cream” but not the type you’re thinking of. There’s a few different types even in Central America
To me, I like crema mexicana for savory foods (tacos dorados, beans) and crema Oaxaqueña for sweet and or savory foods too (ex. Sweet plantain) but I don’t like sour cream in any Mexican food at all (like the one you’re thinking of)
I don’t use it in spicy foods as something to clean my palette though tbh
I mean, both are correct.
“Let me add sour cream to my food because it’s too spicy” – No Mexican Ever.
Considering how much cuisines affect each other over centuries, I wouldn’t worry too much if you “like sour cream on Mexican food”.
We associate potatoes with the Irish but they are native to central/south America. Thailand chilli peppers are descended from peppers from the Americas, too.
Not to mention the most famous example– that tomatoes are from the Americas and Italian cuisine was almost unrecognizable before the Atlantic trade opened up.
So if you allow yourself to eat marinara sauce on spaghetti than I think a little sour cream is probably ok too.
It also doesn’t mean that you can’t handle spiciness.
*shrug* I buy crema Oaxaqueña all the time and it is incredible! I’m in California, so the El Mexicano brand is available at practically every store I go to.
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*edit* and yes, it is MUCH different than the tubs of “USA style” sour cream.
I live in Guanajuato state. While I find a lot of crema, there’s no sour cream to be found.
Crema is used in many traditional dishes.
Not just for the gringos
i see mexican food with sour cream in the US and in mexico 🤷♀️. just depends on what you’re eating
Crema mexicana is delicious
Crema is widely used here in Sinaloa. As a topping in sopes, tostadas, enchiladas, tamales, etc. And a important ingredient in pollo en crema con salsa chipotle and Chiles en rajas con crema.
Crema is used EVERYWHERE in Mexico. Than and lime or lemon.
I feel like sour cream gets used in place of crema a lot since crema isn’t available everywhere in the US. They’re similar, but definitely not the same. Crema is actually really easy to make
I was born and raised in Mexico and before I moved to the USA we used sour cream in dishes. It’s not to diminish the spicy flavor but to add different flavors to our food. I sometimes added more salsa to my plate because the sour cream would take away some of the spiciness.
How about we just let people enjoy their fucking food. Mexicans live for machismo or be on that “I’m the most Mexican” amongst their own..it’s okay to have an opinion but when people start shutting on each other for food preferences……that’s a waste of time. Jesus…..Crema is a big deal in parts of Mexico, it’s not sour cream buts it’s just about the same thing.
That’s not what gas lighting is. One of you is wrong. Or maybe your both partly correct idk. But there’s no gaslighting going on here lol
As a Mexican living in Mexico city. It just tastes nice bro. Spiciness had nothing to do with it.
That’s not what gaslighting means. You are just having a disagreement. Oh, and your friend is right about sour cream, its been used for centuries all over Mexico in traditional dishes, nothing to do with gringos. You should apologize for accusing them of gaslighting.
My family are dairy producers in Queretaro. They sell to LaLa and a few other companies. We grew up putting cream on EVERYTHING cos it was so freaking good. It is so good specially fresh.
OP
You are a food moron, just stop
You know absolutely nothing about cuisine around Mexico which is regional by the way and there are many Ethnic groups across the country
Sour cream or crema whatever tf you want to call it, can aid in the flavor of spices. Yes milk helps dilute spice, but it’s also a complimentary flavor to it. I.E Buffalo wings and ranch or blue cheese. Shit still has a kick, but the dipping sauces give so much more flavor.
You aren’t even Mexican bro why are you arguing about cuisine you didn’t even grow up with
As a full living in mexico Mexican and knowing our roots as a culture we use Crema Agria or Media Crema to bñend with spices or Chiles to make salsas/cremas. For instance, Chile Poblano uses media crema, Pollo en crema Chipotle, or even Enchiladas Suizas that uses media crema or crema agria.
I know this came from French and middle eastern influences (salsa de cilantro for Adobada tacos) which became very popular in Puebla, CDMX, etc…
Its not because americans asked for it to tone down the spiciness, which its also true haha Many mexicans dont tolerate spicy food, we sauce everything but not fpr the spiciness.
Hmmm… So we have the French to thank for the creamy goodness? Merci beaucoup, France! 🇲🇽🥐
“Because of Americans” I hate reading dumb shit like that. I’m in the epicenter of Mexico and cream is widely used and for sale, everywhere. My girlfriend uses it on e everything.
There are cows un México, so there’s milk, butter, cream and cheese, and it’s been so for centuries and centuries. And just as most cultures dairy products are part of the Mexican cuisine sometimes.
The cream used in Mexico could be called “sour cream” but it is definitely NOT THE SAME cream used in the USA and known as “sour cream” in English speaking countries. They have different flavours but similar consistencies.
It CAN be used to reduce spiciness but the majority of the time it’s used because people like the taste.
this is literally so embarrassing for you
You can put crema or anything, some people put it in rice or fideo soup, and you can add salsa, so I don’t think is to mitigate spicy flavors.
Crema is used in cuisine all over Mexico m8. You’re the one in the wrong lol
What is gaslighting? Also, I’m an old white American guy that likes sour cream but have never seen it at a Mexican restaurant in the US.
I lived in Poza Rica, Veracruz for a long time. Every taquería there has a carton of media crema next to the salsa. There are no americans there, we just le ponemos mucha crema a los tacos.
I dont mean hard shell tacos, or flautas. Tacos de bistec, tacos de pastor, we add lemon, crema and salsa. It’s not sour cream, it’s media crema.
What about the sour cream/cream that’s used in non-spicy food?
You also have to understand that cream is something that separate and unite us mexicans, some love it and some hate it.
La creamA es Por tu culo picante en La manana. Lol
Ah, the magical journey of crema! From France to Mexico, transforming tacos everywhere. Viva la delicious confusion!
I’m from Tijuana and we’ve used La Suiza which is crema ácida on a loooot of dishes. It’s interchangeable with your typical sour cream and we don’t use it to deal with how hot/spicy the dish is. We use it to add a flavor and/or add a rich, creamy texture. Again, nothing to do with making a hot dish milder.
Yes (sort-of), crema.
But regardless, how is that “gaslighting”?