Although Mexican cuisine has been heavily influenced by Spanish seasoning, it owes as much to the French; underlying Mexican cuisine is centuries of the use of Native Indian herbs and spices – primarily chili peppers, maize (corn) and tomatoes – that were unknown to Europeans until the sixteenth century.
Many of these native Mexican herbs and spices did make their way around the world; chili peppers are found in the cuisines of the Mediterranean, the Middle East and even China and Southeast Asia, and tomatoes are a staple of French and Mediterranean cooking. Although Starwest's Spanish seasoning includes corn meal and chili powder, the foods of Spain are grounded in Mediterranean tradition and are more closely related to the cooking of Portugal, Italy, southern France and North Africa.
If you are thinking of preparing traditional Spanish dishes such as paella, you'll definitely want a good supply of Spanish rice seasoning on hand. Starwest Botanical's bulk Spanish seasoning is salt-free, certified kosher and made from a blend of the finest herbs and spices from around the world.
