The ''cemita'' is a
sandwich
A sandwich is a Dish (food), dish typically consisting variously of meat, cheese, sauces, and vegetables used as a filling between slices of bread, or placed atop a slice of bread; or, more generally, any dish in which bread serves as a ''co ...
originally from
Puebla
Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...
, Mexico. Also known as ''cemita poblana'', it derives from the city (and region) of
Puebla
Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...
.
The word refers to the sandwich as well as to the roll it is typically served on, a bread roll covered with
sesame seeds
Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for it ...
.
Additionally, the ingredients usually are restricted to sliced
avocado
The avocado, alligator pear or avocado pear (''Persea americana'') is an evergreen tree in the laurel family (Lauraceae). It is native to Americas, the Americas and was first domesticated in Mesoamerica more than 5,000 years ago. It was priz ...
, meat,
Oaxaca cheese
Oaxaca cheese () ( ), also known as quesillo and queso de hebra, is a white, semihard, low-fat Cheeses of Mexico, cheese that originated in Mexico. It is similar to unaged Monterey Jack, but with a texture similar to mozzarella or string cheese.
...
, onions, the herb
pápalo and
chipotle
A chipotle ( , ), or chilpotle, is a smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper used for seasoning. It is a chili used primarily in Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines, such as Tex-Mex and Southwestern United States dishes. It comes in differen ...
adobado, or jalapeño.
Name
The
Real Academia Española
The Royal Spanish Academy (, ; ) is Spain's official royal institution with a mission to ensure the stability of the Spanish language. It is based in Madrid, Spain, and is affiliated with national language academies in 22 other Hispanopho ...
says ''cemita'' comes from "
acemite" (archaic Spanish for "bran")
which in turn comes from
Aramaic
Aramaic (; ) is a Northwest Semitic language that originated in the ancient region of Syria and quickly spread to Mesopotamia, the southern Levant, Sinai, southeastern Anatolia, and Eastern Arabia, where it has been continually written a ...
, and is related to Greek
σεμίδαλις (semídalis) ("semolina").
Reception
''
The Daily Meal'' reviewed the cemita, saying "there are numerous variations, but it's always a delicious mouthful" in their article "12 Life-Changing Sandwiches You've Never Heard Of".
See also
*
Mexican breads
Mexican breads and other Mexican baked goods were made from the blending of influence from various European baking traditions. Wheat, and the bread baked from it, was introduced by the Spanish at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empi ...
*
Mexican cuisine
Mexican cuisine consists of the cuisines and associated traditions of the modern country of Mexico. Its earliest roots lie in Mesoamerican Cuisine, Mesoamerican cuisine. Mexican cuisine's ingredients and methods arise from the area's first agr ...
*
List of bread rolls
*
List of Mexican dishes
The Spanish invasion of the Aztec Empire occurred in the 16th century. The basic staples since then remain native foods such as corn, beans, Cucurbita, squash and chili peppers, but the Europeans introduced many other foods, the most important of ...
*
List of sandwiches
Sandwiches are a common type of lunch food often eaten as part of a packed lunch. There are many types of sandwiches, made from a diverse variety of ingredients. The sandwich is the namesake of John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich, a British statesman ...
References
External links
*
Mexican breads
Egg sandwiches
Sweet breads
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