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

scotchbonnet

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, tamalesalso 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