Latino Cuisine

Latino Culture Latin America - all areas of Spanish influence and Spanish descendent

Latino populations Criollos and Mestizos Spanish and indigenous intermarriage was common during colonial times

Political and Geographic Variety Mexico - regional variation Central America - Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama –Belize= unique political history South America - most, Brazil-Portuguese colony Caribbean - Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba other outlying areas, e.g. Philippines

Some aspects of Mexican foodways Central Mexico= original home of the Aztec empire –25 million people –Spanish conquest in 1520 –native people = Nahua (spoke Nahuatl) Maya heartland – Yucatan, Guatemala, Central America

POTATOES

Staple Foods of Central Mexico corn chilies turkey (domesticated) bee squashes and beans tomatoes fruits and veges

guava persimmonSapote- mamey carambola cherimoya soursop

Foods of Southern Mexico carambola cherimoya yuca achiote –annatto seed - tropical tree food color for cheese, margarine, ice cream and chickens moles- up to 18 ingredients

Some Like it Hot: Physiological Response to Chilies is a mouth and stomach irritant releases endorphins associated with pleasure may reduce toxicity of some other foods that it is mixed with

cayenne annaheim bird peppers serrano jalapeno poblano habanero scotch bonnet

Chocolate Theobroma cacoa Made a hot unsweetened beverage= Chocolatl added vanilla and chili

Tree with pods POD

Chocolate processing pods contain 5 cells –each cell has 5-12 seeds Seed contains chocolate seeds sweat - removes cover seeds are dried and cured roasted, crushed, winnowed result = chocolate gravel = nibs add sugar and vanilla extract some of fat = cocoa butter

Why do we like chocolate? caffeine theobromine - stimulant

Spanish introduced sugar and cinnamon Significance of phrase “Like Water for Chocolate”

Spanish contributions to latino diet pigs wheat garlic onion rice limes

Spanish introduced distilling Native fermentation of maize = chicha fermentation of century plant (maguey cactus)= pulque Spanish distilled pulque = mescal –very harsh –w/worm in bottle (purity, strength) twice distilled = tequila (is smoother)

Staple of Mexican diet = corn tortillas, enchiladas, tamales also in soups, menudo (hominy)

Corn preparation corn kernels are heated with lime –(cal-ash not the citrus) until soften kernels are pulverized on a metate meal is dried corn flour = masa harina –flour is mixed with water to make tortilla dough heated on griddle

Beat 1 cup lard until fluffy, then mix in 3 cups masa flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 2 cups water.

Corn and Health pellagra = niacin deficiency disease Processing corn with lime –alkaine lime solution releases niacin that is bound to a protein –lime also adds protein Consuming corn with beans prior to Spanish = similar effect

Variations to tortillas wheat flour is used to make flour tortillas –Texas invention, have more lard Fritos - San Antonio creation –based on old Mexican recipe for fried masa harina gordos (Taco Bell gorditas)

Food and Health Much of Latin America traditional concepts Balance of Hot and Cold foods

Latino Hot/Cold dichotomy how food is prepared how food is thought to affect the body how close food is to the sun

Hot foods meat alcohol tamales corn oil chilies onions

Cold foods citrus dairy goat most vegetables tropical fruits