Cooking in Mexico
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This page is meant to be a guide to purchasing Gringo foods in Mexico.  Its mostly for those who have recently moved to Mexico.  Hopefully it will help you in the transition.  It should also be helpful to anyone who wants to translate a recipe from Spanish. I like to cook and have had a hard time finding some of these words and terms.  Most Spanish/English dictionaries do not have spices in them.  

Meat... 
I suggest you start by purchasing your meat at Sams Club or Costco.  Both have American Beef.  You will still have a very hard time finding roasts, other cuts of meat are readily available.  The closest I have found to a roast is a cut of meat called the Cuete.  Or you can go to Costco or Sams and buy a Bola.  This is quite large but I cut it into 2 or 3 pieces and freeze part.  I put this in a cooking bag with some Onion Soup mix (thats hard to find to but make your own, its easy), sliced Onions, carrots, and potatoes and cook it for an hour or two.  Tastes great and makes excellent beef sandwiches.  Mexican beef is much leaner then US.  One of the best ways to cook is with a slow cooker,  Tough cuts of meat come out flavorful and tender.   

Real smoked ham (vs boiled ham) is hard to find, it seems to be a Christmas only item.  Sometimes you will find it in a larger store, I have asked for it and they have pulled one out of the freezer for me.  Its a real hit and miss proposition.  Costco seems to have it in stock more then any other store! If you can't find some real smoked ham you can  purchase a thick slice of the San Rafael Pierna and cook that like a center cut slice.  The Spanish word for a real ham is Pierna ahumada. (Ahumada means smoked)  When you find a real ham.  Save the label and when you go back show them the label and say you want another one.  

Pecho is what they call a brisket
Cooked slow then sliced when its cold is another excellent source for sandwich meat.  You will almost always have to ask for this, but they usually have one stashed away in the cooler.  I think its used primarily for hamburger (molida) here. 

Cold cuts.. 
San Rafael, Fud, and Kir are the brand names closest to what American cold cuts taste like.  The San Rafael is the best, and the most expensive.  Feel free to ask for samples,  the word is probar,  they will be happy to give you a slice to try before you buy.  Salchicha means hot dogs or sausage.  If you see this on a pizza menu it usually means hot dogs not sausage.  Pepperoni is Pepperoni and Chorizo is Chorizo.  Longanaza is Chorizo without any preservatives.  In other words Chorizo will last a long time, cook and serve Longanaza fairly quick.  Mortedella is close to bologna. Note.. If you are buying the cheaper brands of hot dogs and notice what looks like a clear plastic wrapper on it.  That's exactly what it is clear plastic.  You should take it off before cooking.  

Baking info
Baking powder is called Polvo para Hornear ( Royal seems to be the only brand) 
Baking Soda is called Bicarbonato de sodio puro (its not usually found in the baking section.  look around or ask for it) 
Corn Starch is called Fecula de Maiz (brand name is Maizena) 

Beans
You will find it very hard to purchase Kidney beans or Pork and beans.  I have found that a bean called the Rosita makes an excellent Pork and Beans or baked bean.  This bean is hard to find its not real popular, Sometimes its on the shelves sometimes you just have to wait a month or so for it.  I always stock up when I see them.   To make gringo type beans cook the beans.  When they are cooked add some Onions, brown Sugar, ketchup, and cooked bacon and simmer for a bit or if you have some molasses (almost impossible to buy in Mexico) (see Molasses below) you can bake them in the oven.  A white bean called the Puruano or the Bayo makes a good bean soup and an acceptable substitute for the Rosita.   Or a quickie for pork and beans is to purchase a canned bean called Frijoles Bayos enteros. This means a canned bayo bean. I like the La Costena brand best.   Drain the can and then add some ketchup, onions, brown sugar and bit of molasses to taste and it tastes just like pork and beans.  Add some hot dogs bake for an hour and a nice dinner. 

Suggestions
Best brand of tomato sauce is La Fuerte
Diced tomato.. La Costena has a finely diced tomato in a package  
Best brand of Tuna is Dolores
For butter I like Fern (from New Zealand) or the Wal-Mart house brand Great Value

Comments:

Before you embark on your next grocery shopping trip to stock up for that big pot of chili you've been craving, note that chili powder is not the same as chile powder. Chile powder consists purely of dried and ground chile peppers, while chili powder is a combination of ground dried chiles, oregano, cumin, garlic and salt. You cannot buy Gringo Chili powder in Mexico you have to make your own or have a friend bring you a bottle from the USA.

Molasses
Is very difficult to find in Mexico and then its usually horrible stuff.  The best thing I have found to use is Piloncillo, this is a dried form of Molasses.  Its like those cones you see all over but these are formed into little bb's.  They are much easer to use then the cones.  Most of the larger stores carry them. They come in a little bag like the beans, usually they are next to the sugars.  If you can't find them ask.

Pork and Beans
Mexicans don't like sweet beans.  They never ever add sugar to beans.  So you will never find Bush's best in a local store.  I have found something that is very close and its easy to make.

Take 2 cans of La Costena Frijoles Bayos Enteros.  Open the lid about 1/2 way and drain the can.  Put the beans in a pot/pan

Now if you like fairly sweet beans add 1/2 cup of so of Ketchup. If you don't want them real sweet use some Del Fuerte brand Pure de Tomate.  Throw in a handful (1/3 cup) of Piloncillo.  Some Onions if you like Onions and heat the whole up.  Thats all there is to it.  If you want real pork and beans fry some bacon and add it to the mix. 

Cheese
Some people like Mexican Cheese some don't. Its just different you have to try different brands and some you will like, some you might not.  One thing to remember is that most mexican cheese is made to be ground up and sprinkled on food or just placed on food and melted.  So most of it melts quite well.

Feta cheese is found at Sams Club or Costco.   Panala is the same texture but no where near as salty, it is nice on a salad.  Other stores also carry goat cheese (Cabra) from Sainte Maure  that is very good on Salads and crackers. 
Cheddar, the closest Mexican cheese is Chihuahua. American Cheddar can be found in most Supermarkets.  Velveeta is very hard to find, once every couple of years.  Kraft slices is very close to Velveeta, they have two different kinds normal slices and some that are extra grueso. This means they are twice as thick.  I love them.  The only difference in the packages is a small red banner under the words Kraft Slices.  That says Extra Grueso.
Mozarella  is very close to the Manchego

If you are shopping at a cheese counter they will be happy to let taste any cheese you like.  You just say Probar por favor.

Speaking of Wine... 
Many popular brands of Chilean and US wines are available in Mexico.  Mexican wine is getting better and there are some very good red wines  LA Citto comes to mind.  Good Mexican White wines are a bit harder to find but I have found two exceptional wines (also reasonably priced) that I really like one is the Castillo Del Rhin.  This is a inexpensive Riesling type that is very very good.  I tend to pickup 6 or 7 bottles every time its on sale.  Yes, they have wine sales in Mexico!   The second is the Domecq's Blanc de Blanc X-A a crisp dry white, that I really like.   A good inexpensive US wine is the Carlos Rossi brand most of the larger stores carry it.  It is usually found in 1.5 or 4 litter bottles.  Concha y Toro has some excellent red wines from Chili,  I am not to fond of its white wines.  But wine is a matter of taste what I might like you might not.  But the suggestions are there to help you along.  One last thought.  Mexicans tend to serve wine at room temperature.  This is not right.  Wine is meant to be served at a cellar temperature in France.  So the red wine is supposed to be cool not HOT.  If they serve you a hot bottle of wine in a restaurant complain !!!!!  

Spices... You can purchase many spices fresh in the markets, but you have to know what they look like, or you can ask and hope they give you the right thing.  Its not uncommon to ask for something and if they don't have it they might substitute something else.  So be careful.   They are much cheaper (and usually fresher) when buying them at the market then in the little bottles. 

One of the best places to buy spices in Cuernavaca is the bright yellow store across the street from Sams Club.  Commonly called the seed store.  They have a tremendous variety of spices and baking products.  By far the best in town.