Ancient Americans liked it hot -- Smithsonian study traces Mexican cuisine roots to 1,500 years ago

One of the world�s tastiest and most popular cuisines, Mexican food also may be one of the oldest.

Plant remains from two caves in southern Mexico analyzed by a Smithsonian ethnobotanist/archaeologist and a colleague indicate that as early as 1,500 years ago, Pre-Columbian inhabitants of the region enjoyed a spicy fare similar to Mexican cuisine today. The two caves yielded 10 different cultivars (cultivated varieties) of chili peppers.

The study will be published the week of July 9 in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.