Arizona '', a popular Mexican-style hot dog from
Sonora, Mexico, typically topped with
pinto beans, tomatoes, onions, and various sauces, wrapped in bacon and served in a soft bun. The cuisine of Arizona is influenced by its location and proximity to Mexico and reflects a blend of Hispanic, Native American and pioneer culinary traditions. The
O'odham peoples cultivated crops like
maize and
tepary beans around the
Sonoran Desert area located at the base of the
Tucson Mountains. Local dishes include
raspado,
huevos rancheros and
tamales. The
Sonoran hot dog is an Arizona specialty served with
pinto beans,
guacamole,
jalapeños,
salsa and layered with other southwestern flavors.
Tucson, Arizona became the first American city to receive the designation of "City of Gastronomy" by
UNESCO. Restaurants use local ingredients, many grown with heirloom seeds distributed by non-profit organizations like
Native Seeds/SEARCH.
California '' steak cooked on the grill, served alongside a saucepan of
baked beans and slices of toasted bread, a classic combination in American barbecue cuisine. Santa Maria-style barbecue is a regional traditional cuisine rooted in the
Santa Maria Valley in
Santa Barbara County on the Central Coast of
California. It originated during the
mission era of California when local
rancheros and
vaqueros would host Spanish-style feasts during spring. They barbecued meat over earthen pits filled with hot coals of local
coastal live oak. Meals are often accommodated with
pinquitos, small pink beans that are considered endemic to the Santa Maria Valley.
Colorado The traditional cuisines of
Colorado is similar to the cuisine of
New Mexico: being influenced by its ties to the
colonial Spanish,
Mexican,
Native American and the
American Chuckwagon. Emphasis on wild game such as
Bison,
Elk,
Trout, and
Rocky mountain oyster accompanied with local products such as
Paliside peaches and
Olathe sweet corn sets them apart from the cuisine of New Mexico. Furthermore, varietal differences between the heirloom crops of local
Hispano populations in southern Colorado also exist, with the
Garcia bolita beans (as opposed to the
New Mexican bolita) and the
New Mexico chile pepper from
Hatch, New Mexico, as well as peppers from
Pueblo, Colorado. Due to this there exists a friendly rivalry between Colorado and New Mexico over who grows the best chile. The Pueblo chili tends to accompany itself to traditional dishes like that of the
Slopper and Coloradoan green chili.
Nevada The indigenous cuisine of Nevada is mainly
New Mexican as well as
Utah influenced
Mormon foodways, these remain popular with Nevadans. New Mexican restaurants have success in the state, take for example the
Las Vegas Valley area with Carlito's Burritos and former
Garduño's locations, like Carlito's Burritos offer
New Mexico green chile roasts in early Autumn. This native food style is also greatly influenced by the myriad of
buffets and
global restaurants in the
Las Vegas area, leading to a distinctive culinary scene. Other foods such as
Basque cuisine also have a presence in the area, with many Basque restaurants in Las Vegas, and a
Basque festival in
Elko. There are some
California influences, like the
Picon Punch beverage not often found outside Nevada in modern times.
New Mexico The most prevalent cuisine type of
New Mexico is that of the cuisine originating in the historical region of
Santa Fe de Nuevo México, with
New Mexican cuisine continuing to be a blend of traditional foods of the
Puebloans and
Hispanos of New Mexico with modern American and Mexican influences.
Texas Tex-Mex cuisine was first created from the early
Tejano people in Texas as a mix of native Mexican and Spanish foods. This type of southwestern cuisine is heavy on cheese, beans, and meat. Dishes include heavy usage of the
Chiltepin pepper. Popular dishes include
enchiladas,
fajita,
menudo, and
chili con carne.
Utah , especially Utah, typically made by mixing
mayonnaise and
ketchup, served here with
French fries. Potatoes were the first crop planted by the pioneers when they arrived in the
Salt Lake Valley in 1847 with seeds from the eastern states. According to
William Clayton the first settlers in Utah also planted
turnips,
oats,
corn,
buckwheat and
beans.
Peach pits and
apple seeds were planted at the insistence of
Brigham Young. Veterans of the
Mexican–American War brought back seeds from California, introducing
club wheat and the
California pea to the state. In modern times Utah is not noted for its culinary traditions except its
fry sauce, a mix of ketchup and mayonnaise. ==Southwestern dishes==