Despite common belief, you can enjoy a good wine with Mexican food. While you should drink whatever you like with whatever you like to eat, good combinations include a zinfandel for chili, a German Riesling or Italian Chianti for cheesy dishes, or Portuguese red wines with paella.

Lard is commonly used in Mexican cooking, but it's frowned upon these days because of its high fat content. To cut back on the saturated fats, use corn oil or other vegetable oils instead. However, olive oil isn't a good choice for cooking Mexican food.

Tomatillos are tomato relatives that come surrounded by a husk, and offer an excellent flavor to any meal; however, this fruit does tend to be a bit sticky. You can wash them with slightly soapy water to remove the stickiness, but be sure to rinse them thoroughly before use.