Editing Sonora (section)

===Gastronomy===
[[File:IMG 0558-746804.jpg|thumb|A ''sobaquera'' tortilla, a large flour tortilla traditional in Sonora]]
As in other parts of Mexico, Sonoran cuisine is basically a mixture of indigenous and Spanish influences. When the Spaniards moved north from the Mexico City area, they found that the diet of the area was simpler, with the basics of corn, beans and squash, but without the further variety as existed in the lusher south. The Spaniards had a great impact on the diet of the region. They brought European staples of wheat, beef, dairy products, pork and more, as well as dishes and ingredients from the center and south of Mexico, such as [[tortilla]]s, more varieties of [[chile pepper]]s and [[tamale]]s.<ref name="jamison46">{{cite book |title=The Border Cookbook |url=https://archive.org/details/bordercookbookau00jami |url-access=registration |last=Jamison |first=Cheryl Alters |author2=Bill Jamison  |year=1995 |publisher=The Harvard Common Press |location=Boston, MA |isbn=1-55832-102-0 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bordercookbookau00jami/page/4 4–6]}}</ref> The cowboy/''vaquero'' culture has been an important aspect of Sonora's culture since the colonial period and much of the cuisine is based on what cowboys ate on the range, even though most Sonorans no longer work outdoors.<ref name="jamison9"/> Sonoran cuisine is not limited to the present state. Arizona, especially in southern border area, has a cuisine that is also heavy on wheat, cheese and beef introduced by the Spaniards, back when the area was part of Sonora. Both states continue the cowboy tradition.<ref name="griffith"/> Because Sonora is a border state, its cuisine has received significant influence from the United States as well.<ref name="jamison46"/>

Two important staples in the diet are [[seafood]] and beef, the latter playing a larger role in the cuisine of Sonora than in the rest of Mexico. Beef is often cooked over an open flame, and Sonorans prefer robust cuts such as [[brisket]] and [[skirt steak]]. [[Machaca]], or ''[[carne seca]]'', is still enjoyed, although refrigeration has eliminated the need to dry meat. Sonora also has a reputation for producing fine cuts of beef, but the lean Spanish cattle of the colonial period have been replaced by [[American Angus|Angus]], [[Hereford (cattle)|Herefords]] and [[Holstein cattle|Holsteins]]. Dishes based on or usually containing beef include ''carne desebrada'', ''carne con rajas verdes'', [[burrito]]s, ''carne con chile colorado'', beef ''[[chorizo]]'', ''carne seca'', machaca, ''menudo'', ''gorditas'' and meatballs.<ref name="carnesgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/guisos-con-carne/ |title=Las carnes de Sonora |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=The meats of Sonora |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-date=December 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226094545/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/guisos-con-carne/ }}</ref><ref name="jamison1011">{{cite book |title=The Border Cookbook |url=https://archive.org/details/bordercookbookau00jami |url-access=registration |last=Jamison |first=Cheryl Alters |author2=Bill Jamison  |year=1995 |publisher=The Harvard Common Press |location=Boston, MA |isbn=1-55832-102-0 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bordercookbookau00jami/page/10 10–11]}}</ref> Seafood is an important staple, especially along the coast as there is a large variety of fish and shellfish in the Gulf of California. Seafood is generally cooked in very simple dishes, such as fish tacos, seafood soups, rice with shrimp or squid and shrimp meatballs. Favored fish include [[comber (fish)|cabrilla]], [[flounder]], [[marlin]], [[sardines]], manta rays and various types of jacks.<ref name="mariscos">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/mariscos/ |title=Los mariscos en la cocina sonorense |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Seafood in Sonoran cooking |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-date=December 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227173335/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/mariscos/ }}</ref>
[[File:Parrillada Carne asada.jpg|thumb|Grilling carne asada]]
Tortillas are the base of the diet, but they are made from wheat, rather than corn. In Sonora, these tortillas are much larger than those prepared elsewhere and paper thin. Dairy products are common in dishes with chile peppers playing a smaller role.<ref name="jamison1011"/> However, one important native chile pepper is the ''chiltepín'' (''[[Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum]]''), which people continue to harvest wild in the mountains of northwestern Mexico. In a dry year, about {{Convert|20|t|lb}} can be harvested in Sonora, with as much as {{Convert|50|t|lb}} during a wet year.<ref name="cartron66">Cartron, p. 66</ref>

The cuisine contains a number of soups and stews, which combine native ingredients with Mexico-wide staples of beef, pork and corn. Seafood soups are popular along the coast. These dishes include ''pozole de trigo'', ''pozole de res'', ''menudo con pata'', ''verdolagas'' (''[[Portulaca oleracea]]'') broth, ''sopa de elote'', ''caldo de calabazas'' and ''sopa de camarón''.<ref name="caldossopas">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/caldos-y-sopas/ |title=Los caldos y sopas |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Broths and soups |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-date=December 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226093620/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/caldos-y-sopas/ }}</ref> Tamales are made with cornmeal dough and fillings such as beans, vegetables, potatoes, ''chile colorado'' and other ingredients, wrapped in dried corn husks and steamed. Tamale fillings vary in the state but the most popular include fresh corn with cream, green chile strips with cheese, beef with ''chile colorado'' and seafood.<ref name="tamalesgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/tamales/ |title=Los tamales sonorenses |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Sonoran tamales |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-date=December 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226095722/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/tamales/ }}</ref>

The various cultures that have come through the state have influenced the development of breads, desserts and sweets. Most sweets are made from cow's milk, sugar cane, peanuts, rice, nuts, sesame seeds and [[piloncillo]]. These include ''pipitoria'', ''jamoncillo'', ''cubierto de viznaga'', ''cubiertos de calabaza'', ''cubiertos de camote'', squash in honey, ''piloncillo'', ''pitahaya'' ice cream, crystallized oranges and limes, cakes made from corn and rice pudding.<ref name="dulcesgob">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/postres/ |title=Pan, dulces, postres sonorenses |publisher=Government of Sonora |location=Sonora Mexico |language=es |trans-title=Sonoran bread, sweets and desserts |access-date=February 15, 2011 |archive-date=December 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227173339/http://www.sonoraturismo.gob.mx/conoce-sonora/cocina-regional-en-sonora/postres/ }}</ref>

Bacanora is a local liquor that has been made for decades in the town of the same name, located in the center of the state. Its base is an agave plant (''[[agave lechuguilla]]'' or ''[[agave angustifolia]]'') like [[mezcal]] and [[tequila]], and it comes in various styles including aged. It has a distinct flavor.<ref name="bebidasgob"/><ref name="rincones51">Gonzalez, p. 51</ref> It is estimated that half a million plants are harvested from the wilds to make this beverage each year, leading to concerns of overexploitation.<ref name="cartron65">Cartron, p. 65</ref>