1. Latin American

2. Latin America Latin America: landmass that stretches southward from the Rio Grande to the tip of South America Official language is either Spanish or Portuguese, based on Latin ▫Spanish were the first to explore and settle

3. Latin American Dishes Chorizo: Spicy sausage, flavors many stews Ceviche: appetizer of raw fish marinated in citrus juice until firm & opaque ▫Fish drained and served with chilies, tomatoes & onions Sopa: soup features meat as the main ingredients

4. Mexico

5. Geography and climate of Mexico Deserts, mountains, grasslands, woodlands, and tropical rain forests Depending on the climate depends what they can grow ▫North – hilly – suited for ranching ▫South – coffee & sugarcane

6. Mexican culture Aztecs: original inhabitants of Mexico ▫Contributed chocolate, squash, tomatoes, vanilla, corn, peppers, peanuts tomatoes, avocadoes, bean, sweet potatoes, pineapples, papayas ▫Boiled, broiled, steamed, or ate food raw Spanish introduced peaches, rice, beef, wheat, oil, wine, cinnamon, cloves, apricots, & chickens

7. Mexican culture cont. Mexican life style ▫Living quarter wealthiest home but simple - handmade items  Sala: living room ▫Close-knit families ▫Mexican holidays  Most Roman Catholics  Food plays a major role

8. Mexican culture cont. Mexican agriculture ▫Farmers - cannot afford modern machinery or fertilizers ▫Land closets to United states is dry and not suitable for large animals ▫Corn is major crop - beans are second ▫Sugarcane, coffee, tomatoes, green peppers, peas, melons, citrus fruits, strawberries, and cocoa beans ▫Depending on part of the country if there is seafood or livestock, what kinds of fruit and field vegetables

9. Mexican Cuisine Corn ▫Tortilla: flat, unleavened bread made from cornmeal and water  Comal - lightly greased griddle  Northern Mexico with use wheat flour ▫Enchiladas - fill tortillas, baked and serve with cheese and red/green tomatoes sauce ▫Tostadas - fry tortillas and garnish

10. Mexican Cuisine cont. Corn ▫Quesadillas – tortilla folded around cheese & grilled ▫Burritos - tortilla wrapped around meat & beans ▫Taco - crisp, fried tortillas filled

11. Mexican Cuisine cont. Corn ▫Tamale - use corn husk stuffed with masa and cook over open fire ▫Masa: corn is dried, cooked, soaked in limewater and then ground into a dough ▫Masa harina: dried ground masa – course-grained corn flour

12. Mexican Cuisine cont. Bean ▫Frijoles refritios: refried beans: cook beans, smash, and fry them again  Red or pinto beans Peppers ▫Sweet peppers - mild flavor ▫Chilies: hot peppers ▫Red - dried except red bell and pimientos ▫Green - ripe ▫Chipotle chilies – smoked jalapenos

13. Mexican Cuisine cont. Vegetables & fruits ▫Vegetables are used in dishes but rarely eaten raw ▫Guacamole: avocadoes smashed with tomato and onion ▫Squash ▫Tomatillos – green tomatoes ▫Plantains: green starchy fruit that have a bland flavor and look like large bananas - usually cooked

14. Mexican Cuisine cont. Desserts ▫Fresh fruits and sweet tamales ▫Flan - large amounts of egg and sugar (caramel custard) ▫Rice pudding Chocolate ▫Came to Mexico from Maya in Central America ▫Different forms of hot chocolate ▫Used in sauces and main dishes

15. Mexican Cuisine cont. Sauces and stews ▫Simple sauces - chilies and/or sweet peppers mixed with finely chopped onions and tomatoes ▫Mole: chilies, almonds, raisins, garlic, sesame seed, onions, tomatoes, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, and anise food  Finely chopped and added to chicken stock  Just before serving add unsweetened chocolate ▫Stews are cooked for long time over low heat

16. Mexican Cuisine cont. Beverages ▫Chocolate drinks and coffee ▫Molinillo - used to beat chocolate into a foam before serving ▫Café con leche - coffee served with milk

17. Salsa Salsa: may refer to any type of sauce ▫In American English, it usually refers to the spicy, often tomato-based, hot sauce typical of Mexican cuisine, particularly those used as dips. ▫United States has popularized and commercialized as a Mexican creation, there are many types of salsa which usually vary throughout Latin America.

18. Salsa cont. Types of salsa ▫Salsa roja - “red sauce“ - is used as a condiment in Mexican cooking  Made with cooked tomatoes, chili peppers, onion, garlic, and fresh cilantro ▫Pico de gallo - “fresh sauce”, “chopped sauce”, or "Mexican sauce"  Made with raw tomatoes, lime juice, chili peppers, onions, cilantro leaves, and other coarsely chopped raw ingredients. ▫Salsa verde - "green sauce"  Made with tomatillos, usually cooked.

19. Salsa cont. Types of salsa cont. ▫Mango salsa is a spicy-sweet sauce made with mangoes  Used as a garnish on grilled chicken or grilled fish due to the sauce's complementary flavors. ▫Chipotle salsa is a smoky, spicy sauce ▫Made from smoked jalapeño chili peppers, tomatoes, garlic and spices.

20. Mexican Meals Families with large incomes often eat 4 meals a day Desayuno - substantial breakfast ▫Fruit, tortillas, bread or sweet rolls, eggs or meat, coffee or chocolate Comida: main meal, served in middle of the day between 1 and 3 ▫Six dishes - appetizer, soup, small dish of stew, main course, beans, dessert, and coffee - tortillas ▫Siesta: rest period

21. Mexican Meals cont. Merienda - light snack, around 5 or 6 ▫Coffee or chocolate, fruit, and pan dulce (sweet bread) Cena – supper – between 8 and 10 ▫Similar to comida but lighter and smaller

22. Central America

23. Allspice – flavor sweet & savory dishes ▫Dried unripped berry Chayote – squash like fruit, eaten raw or cooked and stuffed with cheese Guatemalan ▫Oysters ▫Pollo pepian – chicken in a spicy sauce with sesame and pumpkin seeds

24. Central America cont. El Salvador ▫Pupusa – corn cake filled with refried beans, cheese & pork served with cabbage, onion, and carrot slaw Nicaragua ▫Nactamal – cabbage, plantain & pork steamed in banana leaves Costa Rica ▫Gallo pinto – fried black beans and rice ▫Arroz contuna – rice with tuna

25. South America

26. Geography and climate Mountains Grasslands Jungles – Rain Forest Forests Plateaus Deserts

27. South American Culture Inca: group of Native South Americans ▫High level of civilization ▫Built large empire in the Andes Mountains Great wealth and great poverty

28. South American Cuisine Food customs in South America have developed on a regional basis because of the geographic isolation of the different areas European colonists introduced many staple foods ▫Wheat & hog being important to many Latin American except Argentina & Mexico Manioc or Cassava: starchy root plant eaten as a side dish and used in flour form in cooking and baking

29. Andean Countries Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, & Chile Geography – mountains, seacoast, and tropical rainforest Usually less spicy than Mexico & Central America Potatoes may have originated here Cassava and chilies thrive in tropical areas Grazing land limited so meat often from chickens, guinea pigs & llamas ▫Llama meat salted dried to make charqui (jerky)

30. Andean Countries cont. Ecuador ▫Bananas Colombia ▫Potatoes high in the mountains ▫Ajiaco: soup made with potatoes, chicken, corn, and cassava ▫Do not eat much meat ▫Coffee is their number one export ▫Coffee is available but they do not drink much

31. Andean Countries cont. Peru ▫Reflects traditions of the Inca and Spanish ▫Inca’s would preserve their potatoes by freeze- drying them - they would freeze at night and then set them out in the sun to dry, repeat this process unit they became hard and light ▫Potatoes - used in many dishes, poverty level will depend on what they will do with potatoes ▫Aji: local chilies, used for seasoning and is made into a hot sauce ▫Ceviche: marinated raw fish

32. Venezuela Fertile soil and tropical areas Banana, plantain, and coconut Arepa: corn pancake similar to tortilla

33. Chile Very little red meat Seafood is plentiful and inexpensive Ceviche – many different forms ▫Marinated raw fish Dished ▫Porotos granados – bean stew ▫Pastel de choclo - ground beef casserole with corn batter topping ▫Chupe de marisco – shellfish casserole

34. Argentina Pampas - rich lands where large herd of cattle and sheep are raise ▫Gauchos: nomadic cowboy of the South American pampas Beef major industry and national food ▫Beef often grilled outdoors Empanadas: small turnovers fill with meat, vegetables, & fruit ▫Appetizer Pasta & yeast bread are as common as tortilla

35. Brazil Dende oil: palm oil that gives dishes a bright yellow-orange color Manioc, rice, and beans are all staple foods Feijoanda completa: variety of meat served with black beans and seasonings Guarana fruit – whose seeds contain caffeine, is made into a popular soft drink, a powder, and syrup

36. Uruguay Dulce de leche: milk cooked with sugar slowly at low temperature and develops a taste like caramel Meat cooked on open flame over charcoal ▫ Meat skewered before grilling Hungara: spicy hot dog, popular grilled item