Don Jose's Mexican Restaurant

In about 1960, about 150 miles southwest of Mexico City, in the Tehuacan Valley. The oldest known corn cobs were found. They have dated them around 3500 B.C. For thousands of years corn, beans, and squash were mainstays of the Mexican or more correctly "Mesoamerican" diets. The first ancestor of the common bean plant that now includes pinto, navy, kidney, black beans, and innumerable others are natives of Southwest Mexico, and then came into cultivation about 7,000 years ago. The common bean contains 22% protein, 61% carbohydrate, 11% water and only 2% fat. Regular rice (2% fat) when eaten with beans combines chemically to form a protein which rivals that of meat. Chili peppers (capsicums) are an excellent source of vitamin A, and by weight contain morel vitamin C than their old world cousin, the tomato (also Mexican by origin) which itself is very high in vitamin C. Recent studies indicate that the chili pepper stimulates healthy digestive action, and is an anti-bacterial. The tomato derives its name from the Aztec word "tomatl" and belongs to the same botanical (nightshade) family as potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and tobacco. Chocolate (favorite of Moctezuma II) derives its name from the Aztec "Cacahuatl". The avocado another Mesoamerican original, is at least 7,000 years old. This marvelous "fruit" is rich in vitamin B and minerals, and is soothingly digestive. Because of its high oil content it was once known as "Aztec butter" and later as "Midshipman's butter".