subject: The Unique Cuisine of Baja [print this page] The cuisine of Baja California is rich, varied, and created using the freshest natural ingredients, oftentimes grownhere in theregion. It consists of mainly fish and seafood dishes made of tuna, swordfish, manta ray, clams, shrimp, lobster, oysters, octopus, crab and squid, but there are also excellent quality cuts of beef, pork and lamb to be found.
Located on Mexico's easternmost tip, the peninsula of Baja California lies between two large and bountiful bodies of water, the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean. This is where the locals catch most of the seafood used to make the many renowned dishes that have made Baja famous worldwide. The peninsula has a diverse geography that consists of a long coastline, valleys, mountains, and deserts. The climate is ideal to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as dates, several species of cacti, and nuts.
From Tijuana on the northern border to Los Cabos on the southernmost tip, the peninsula of Baja California offers visitors a true culinary adventure. You'll find a great variety of restaurants that serve the most representative dishes in the region, including Ensenada style paella, delicious Puerto Nuevo lobster, chocolate clams and manta ray "machaca" (jerky), as well as imperial shrimp with bacon, fish balls, beef jerky, flour tortillas and stuffed nopal.
More recently, the cuisine of Baja California, just like in the rest of Mexico and almost every country in the world, has been evolving and the chefs are experimenting with new techniques and flavors, resulting in what has now become an exciting international culinary trend. Mex Fresh or Baja-style cuisine has become incredibly popular, not only in Baja but in the United States as well. It is creative and delicious, placing emphasis on the use of fresh ingredients, including those grown organically, and it is often made using healthier low fat cooking methods.
One of Baja's many highlights is definitely the delicious cuisine, made from the ingredients grown and harvested from its fertile waters and plains. If you have the chance to visit the area in the near future, you must try the local regional cooking, but don't forget to also sample Baja's contemporary cuisine. Baja-style food has traditional origins with an added fresh and innovative flair, which pleases diners not only because of the rich fusion of flavors but also because of the many imaginative presentations.
