CHAPTER 6

LATIN AMERICAN CUISINE

OBJECTIVES

 Evaluate the historical attributes and influence of Latin American countries that
contributes an impact to their cuisine.
 Demonstrate technical knowledge on the different terms and concepts about the
cuisines of Latin America.
 Identify the impact of spices and authentic flavoring to their cuisine.
 Understand the factor of diet that reflect on their religion and climate.

INTRODUCTION

Latin America consists of the countries in Central and South America whose inhabitants
speak a Romance language (languages that were derived from Vulgar Latin, like French,
Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. (Sala and Posner, 2019]). Countries in Latin America
include Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua,
Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana,
Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Haiti.

Latin American cuisine is the typical foods, beverages, and cooking styles common to
many of the countries and cultures in Latin America, Latin America is a highly diverse
area of land whose nations have varying cuisines. It refers to a sauce of tomatoes,
roasted bell peppers, garlic onions and herbs, Rice and beans are also staples in Latin
American cuisine.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Pre-Columbian Period: the time before the first European contact with the Native
Americans Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas, the
domestication of agricultural products like corn, potatoes, chilis, plantains. Avocado,
squash, beans, and tomatoes.

Native American influence: Native American cuisine comes from a great vanety of
sources. Modern-Day Native peoples retain a rich body of traditional foods, some of
which have become iconic of present-day Native American social gatherings (for
example, frybread). Foods like cornbread are known to have been adopted into the
cuisine of the United States from Native American groups.

African influence: Africans brought and preserved many of their traditions and cooking
techniques. Enslaved Africans developed a way to clean the offal and season it to taste.

African slaves in the Southern United States did the same thing in the pig’s intestines
creating the dish known today as chitterlings. In South America, the scraps of food the
landlords did not eat were combined to create new dishes that nowadays have been
adopted into the cuisines of their respective nations (such as Peruvian tacu-tacu).

Asian Influence: A wave of immigrants from Asia, such as China and Japan, also
influenced the cuisine of Perú and Brazil. This case can clearly be seen in the Peruvian
chifa. Other countries in Latin America such as Uruguay and Argentina have adapted
Armenian and Israeli cuisine due to mass immigration from those countries to Argentina
and Uruguay.

In the Caribbean, most of the natives living in the islands have died in a combination of
diseases brought in bythe Europeans, poor treatment and conditions forced on the
natives by the invading Europeans. As a result, Africa was one of the most dominant
cultures that influenced Caribbean culinary traditions. Caribbean dishes with strong
African influences are callaloo [koo-LAH-loo] (a traditional Sub-Saharan African dish that
is essentially a stew with green leafy vegetables).

MEXICO

Mexican food is rich in color and flavor. Areas along the ocean are famous for their
abundant mariscos (seafood dishes). Desert areas have cultivated delicacies of
different sorts. In some desert regions, for example, there are numerous dishes
containing varieties of cactus plants. While Mexico is made up of thirty-one states and
one federal district, the country can be divided into six regions: northern Mexico, central
Mexico, southern Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, the Pacific Coast,
and the Baja Peninsula.

Northern Mexico:

 The states of Chihuahua, Coajuila, Durango, Nuevo Leon, Sonora, Tamaulipas, and
Zacatecas are part of this region.
 Cabrito is roast kid goat, a specialty of the city of Monterrey and its state of Nuevo
Leon.
 In the valleys of the eastern states farmers raise peaches, melons, nuts, and more
than thirty varieties of apples.
 The cheese Is named after its place of origin and is also called queso menonita
after the Mennonite communities that first produced it. In the 1920s the Mexican
government wanted to settle the barren northern areas of the country with
industrious farmers.

Central Mexico:

 The state of Michoacán derives its name from the Nahuatl terms michin (fish), hua
(those who have), and can (place), which roughly translates into “place of the
fisherman.”
 This state, along with the states of Morelas, Puebla, Queretaro, and Tlaxcala, are
known as “The Central Breadbasket, and are one of Mexico’s most important
agricultural regions.
 Masa is then shaped into flat, round cakes called tortillas, which are cooked on a
comal, or griddle. Specialties include corundas, a triangular puffy tamale made
with white com and unfilled.
 Mole (the word means stew, or “concoctions”) is a dish regarded with national
pride and a culinary touchstone of Mexican cooking. It is a rich dark sauce with
chocolate, chiles, spices, herbs, groundnuts, seeds, .Mexican household has its
version of a mole, most of which are named for the color given by the variety of
chiles used.
 The cities in this region all have their own enchiladas, from the Enchiladas
Potosinas of San Luis Potosi (cheese and onion, with red chile ground into the masa
tortillas) to the Enchiladas Mineras (miners’ enchiladas) of Guanajuato (cheese or
chicken filling topped with potatoes and carrots in a guajillo salsa).
 The zacahuil, a three-foot-long tamale that may weighas much as 150 pounds, is
perhaps the most famous food of the region.

Southern Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico

 This is where the European conquest started and where the Spanish first settled,
so there are significant Mediterranean influences.
 Veracruz is one of the few places in Mexico where people cook with olive oil, and
ingredients like green olives and capers and raisins have been incorporated into
the cuisine.
 More than half of Mexico’s coffee beans are grown in Chiapas, and this state is one
of the largest producers of cacao, used to make chocolate.
  The tamales are made of fresh corn and pork wrapped in the large leaf of the hoja
santa herb. When heated, the leaves produce a sweet, musky anise steam that
flavors the tamale

Yucatan Peninsula

 Ground spice pastes used for marinades are called recado. The red version (rojo)
contains annatto, Mexican oregano, cumin, clove, cinnamon, black pepper,
allspice, garlic, and salt.

The Pacific Coast

 The state of Oaxaca is one of the most mountainous states in Mexico. Specially
grown radishes some reaching over seven pounds, are carved into works of art.
Sometimes called the “land of seven moles, Oaxaca is best known for its seven
major varieties of mole.
 Chocolate con leche, or more commonly chocolate con agua (hot chocolate
prepared with milk or with water) is one of the most famous products of Oaxaca.In
many places it is served inside a large bowl accompanied with traditional bread
made with egg and anise (pan de huevo).

Baja California Peninsula

 This territory is divided into two states, Baja California and Baja California Sur. In
Baja California, Tijuana is one of the most visited border cities in the world. The
food in this region tends to be influenced by the north with the use of flour tortillas,
burritos, tacos, red meat, and machaca (the Mexican equivalent of beef jerky).
 In the coastal waters off Baja California and Baja California Sur the seafood
harvested includes sole, tuna, sardines, mackerel, clams, shrimp, and lobster.

Uniqueness of Mexican Cuisine

Cooking Ingredients

•Achiote Small, hard red seeds of the annatto tree, known as achiote, which are used to
give color and flavor.

•Avocado The pear-shaped fruit is sometimes known as the alligator pear. The word
“avocado” is derived from the Nahuatl word ahuacat!, meaning “testicle.”

•Avocado Leaves Fresh or dried; used for their flavor in Mexican cooking, particularly in
the states of Morelos, Puebla, and Oaxaca.

•Banana Leaves Available year-round, fresh or frozen, in most Latin American markets.

Cactus Paddles (Nopales) The prickly pear cactus is the most common type of cactus
eaten in Mexico. Nopal means cactus in Spanish and nopales is the term for “cactus
stem.

• Chayote The chayote, or vegetable pear, is a native of Mexico, and its name is derived
from the Nahuatl word chayutli.

•Chorizos This is a pork sausage is made all over Mexico, and each region has its own
balance of spices, chiles, and herbs.

•Casings made from pigs’ small intestine. Cilantro The fresh green leaves and tender
stems of coriander, or Chinese parsley.

•Epazote A weed that grows all over North America. It is a strong-tasting herb; the
flavor is dominant and should be used alone, not in combination with other herbs.

•Huitlacoche An exotic fungus that grows naturally on ears of com. The kernels are
swollen and deformed, black and juicy inside and covered with a crisp, slivery-gray skin.

•Jicama It is a round brown-skinned vegetable that yields crisp white flesh that looks like
an apple or raw potato.
•Masa, Masa Harina Masa means “dough” in Spanish, but in Mexico it is generally
understood as “com dough. Masa harina is factory-made powdered masa. It can be used
to make anything that calls for masa.

•Pepitas or Pumpkin Seeds These seeds have been used in Mexican cuisine since pre-
Columbian times.

•Plantains Unlike their common sweet banana cousin, plantains must be cooked. They
are starchy, only slightly sweet,and are no more appealing to eat raw than a potato.

•Seville or Sour Oranges Small, brilliantly orange, thin-skinned oranges. There is no real
substitute for the sharp, fragrant juice.

•Tamarind Seeds and Paste Widely grown in Mexico since the sixteenth century,
brown, irregularly curved pod, which produces a juicy brown to reddish brown acidulous
pulp.

•Tomatillos (Tomates Verdes, Mexican Green Tomatoes) The tomatillo is of

Mexican origin, how-ever, it now grows everywhere in the Western Hemisphere. It is a
pale green fruit enclosed in a green, papery husk that ripens to yellow. It is not an
ordinary unripe tomato.

•Tortillas Indispensable in Mexican cuisine, made with either corn or wheat flour.
Available both fresh and frozen.

Table1. Mexican Cheese

Types of American Description

Cheese
Queso Blanco A creamy white cheese made from
skimmed cow’s milk.
Queso Fresco A pale cream-colored, moist, crumbly, soft
cheese made in round cakes of different
sizes. It has a slight acidity but with a
creamy flavor. It is sometimes called
queso.
Panela The most popular fresh cheese in Mexico,
also called queso de canasta because it
carries the imprint of the basket in which
it is molded. It is a white, spongy, salty,
semi-soft cheese mild in flavor. It absorbs
other flavors easily.
Requeson A loose, ricotta-like cheese used to fill
enchiladas and to make cheese spreads. It
is typically sold in the markets wrapped in
fresh com husks. Requesón has a very
mild and semisweet flavor. Its color is
white and its texture is soft, moist, and
grainy.
Queso Oaxaca It is a semi-soft, white, string-type cheese.
It is stretched, kneaded, then formed into
a ball shape, which is plunged in brine for
several minutes. The flavor ranges from
mild to sweet and buttery.
Asadero The literal translation of this cheese’s
name is “broiler” of “roaster the cheese
itself is made by the same method as the
braided Oaxaca cheese. The cheese melts
easily when heated and strings
appropriately
Queso menonita This is a mild, spongy, pale-yellow cheese.
Unlike most Mexican cheeses, it is pale
yellow rather than white, and can vary in
taste from mild to a nearly cheddar-like
sharpness.
 Queso Jalapeño A smooth, soft white cow’s milk cheese
with bits of jalapeño chile in it.
Queso Quesadilla This cheese is smooth, soft, mild, and
white. It melts easily to make dishes rich
and creamy.
Queso Criollo This pale yellow cheese is a specialty of
the region around Taxco, Guerrero, and is
similar to Munster.
Manchego This cheese has a black, gray, or buff-
colored rind with a crosshatch pattern. The
interior ranges from stark white to
yellowish, depending on age. It has a
number of holes and a mild, slightly briny,
nutty flavor.
Anejo An aged cheese, white and crumbly, often
very dry and salty, rather resembling a dry
feta. This cheese is not as strongly
flavored as cotija. But can be easily
shredded or grated.
Cotija This is a sharp, crumbly goat cheese. This
cheese is strongly flavored, firm and
perfect for grating. It was originally made
with goat’s milk but today cow’s milk is
preferred.

Chiles the most prominent feature of Mexican cooking is the emphasis it places on
chiles, with more than seventy varieties. Dried Chiles has its own characteristics, flavor,
and quality, you should not interchange chiles within a recipe unless it is indicated in the
recipe.

Table 2. Mexican Chilies

Types of Chiles Description

Ancho Chile A ripened and dried chile poblano, one of
the most commonly used through-out
Mexico. Chile Ancho has a deep, reddish-
brown color-brick red when soaked in
water and a wrinkled, fairly shiny skin.
Árbol Chile This chile has a vicious bite, and should be
treated with caution. It has a tannic,
smoky, and grassy flavor, and a searing,
acidic heat on the tip of the tongue.
Cascabel Chile Small and round, it is so named because it
sounds like a rattle when it is shaken
(cascabel means “jingle bells” in Spanish).
It has a smooth, brownish-red skin, and
usually measures 1 inch in diameter.
Chipotle Chile This is chile jalapeño, ripened, dried, and
then smoked. Its light brown, wrinkled skin
smells distinctly of smoke and its name
means “smoked chile.”
Guajillo Chile This chile has a vicious bite, and should be
treated with caution. It has a tannic,
smoky, and grassy flavor, and a searing,
acidic heat on the tip of tongue.
Mora Chile This is a smoked and dried large red
jalapeño pepper. Blackish red in color, it
has a wrinkled, tough skin, with a round
tip.
Morita Chile A small, mulberry-red chile, triangular in
shape and about 1 inch long and inch
wide, with a slightly smoky flavor. This
smoked and dried small red jalapeño
pepper is very hot and spicy.
Mulato Chile This very popular Chile looks like the
 ancho, only slightly larger with tougher
and smoother skin and a brownish black
hue. This Chile is normally used soaked
and ground in cooked sauces the classic
example being mole poblano.
Pasilla Chile This is a long, slender chile with a rounded
tip. The skin is wrinkled with a blackish
tone. It is a standard ingredient in mole
sauces.
Guero Chile This chile can be very hot and has a
delicious and distinctive flavor.
Habanero Chile This extremely hot chile has a distinctive
fruity flavor. It is a light green color and as
it ripens it turns to one of various colors
including red, orange, salmon, white, and
chocolate, depending on the variety.
Jalapeños Chile The most well-known of Mexico's chiles. It
is a mid- to dark-green chile with a smooth
surface and more often rounded at the tip
than pointed.
Poblano Chile They are mild, large, heart-shaped
peppers with very thick walls, 5 inches
long and about 3 inches wide at the top,
tapering to the apex. They are great for
stuffing
Chile Verde, Anaheim Chile A light green chile with a rounded tip,
averaging 1 inch wide and 6 inches long.
Ariaheim chiles range from mild to hot.
They have a tough skin that is typically
charred and peeled before being used.

Kitchen Tools

 Cazuela An earthenware casserole used to make moles. Its great advantage is

that it heats evenly, eliminating that nemesis of all cooks, the dreaded “hot spot.”
 Coffee/Spice Grinder A necessity for many Mexican dishes that call for ground
achiote, pumpkin or sesame seeds, or spices.
 Comal A round plate, usually made of unglazed earthenware, cast iron, or tin,
about inch thick. It is a Mexican griddle used for cooking tortillas, toasting chiles,
garlic, and the like.
 Molcajete y Tejolote This mortar and pestle combination, made of basalt, is used
for grinding. The tejolote is a heavy, oval shaped rock used to grind spices, onions,
peppers, and tomatoes into thick purees in a molcajete.
 Molinillo Found in every Mexican kitchen, this wooden implement will, when
twirled between the palms of both hands, give hot chocolate a spectacular collar of
froth.
 Tortilla Press An absolute must if you plan to make your own tortillas, the wooden
variety of sortilla presses have largely been replaced by the cast-iron variety. There
is also an aluminum model that is decidedly less popular.

Cooking Method

•Charring, Peeling, and Cleaning Fresh Chiles and Bell Peppers In Mexican
peasant cooking this is done by charring peppers right on the charcoal or wood fire,
which also serves to enhance the flavor.

•Gulsar (Braising or Stewing) This is the most common way of cooking meat and
poultry (with the possible exception of northern Mexico, where much of it is grilled).

• Moler (Grinding) This is traditionally done in a molcajete but today a blender is more
frequently used.
The molcajete allows more control over the final texture of a salsa, however, if the sauce
is a smooth one, a blender does quite well.

•Poner a Sudar (Sweating) This refers to the method used for removing the skins
from fresh chiles, especially poblanos, which are usually cooked without skins, either for
stuffing or for making rajas, strips of chiles that are used in a great number of dishes.

•Sofreir (Soft-Frying/Sauteing) Not much deep-frying is done in Mexican cooking,

with the exception of some street snacks. A far more common technique is “soft-frying or
sautéing. Which is done to soften ingredients and intensify their flavor

•Tostar/Asar Toasting or dry-roasting. This is commonly done on the comal, but any
well-seasoned griddle or dry skillet will work. It is a quick process, done over high heat
and involving no liquid or oil.

SOUTH AMERICA

South America, the fourth largest continent, contains the world’s highest waterfall, Angel
Falls, the largest river (by volume), the Amazon rain forest; the highest capitalcity, La
Paz, Bolivia; and the world’s southernmost city, Ushuaia, Argentina.

In the high reaches of the Andes Mountains, along the border between Bolivia and Peru,
lies one of the highest regions inhabited by people anywhere in the world.

The Eastern Highlands of South America belong to the older geologic period (almost of
the same time as that of North America’s Appalachian Mountains). which consists of a
vast plateau marked by deep gorges and tropical rain forests, and is home to Angel Falls.

COOKING TECHNIQUE

More than 20 varieties of corn, 240 varieties of potato, as well as one or more varieties of
squash, beans, peppers, peanuts, and cassava (a starchy root).

By far the most important of the crops was the potato. The Incas planted the potato,
which is able to withstand heavy frosts, in elevations as high as 15,000 feet. Corn could
also be grown up to an altitude of 13.500 feet; it was consumed fresh, dried, or popped.
They also made it into an alcoholic beverage known as saraiaka or chicha.

The manioc tuber, or cassava root, was another important staple of the natives. This
carbohydrate-rich food was easy to propagate but difficult to process, The product was
toasted into coarse meal or flour known as farinha de mandioc.

For the children, small, sun-dried cakes called carima” were prepared. There was a
porridge or paste known as mingau, and thin, crisp snacks called beijus, made of either
tapioca flour or dough from a nonpoisonous, or sweet variety of manioc known as
macaxeira or aipim.

Soups are an indispensable part of the main meal and frequently are a meal in
themselves Variations of this type of soup, called sangos. The Spaniards introduced
potajes (hearty soups), pucheros (pot-au-feu-type soups), and cocidos (meat and
vegetables soups) that are popular in the southern countries of South America. Chile,
Argentina Uruguay, Bolivia, and Paraguay have locros-thick soups made with hominy,
beans, squash, and sweet potatoes.

VENEZUELA

, Venezuela has an ability to grow a wide variety of crops. Its main crop is sugarcane,
followed by fruits such as bananas, oranges, pineapple, papayas, strawberries, passion
fruit, watermelons, limes, and avocados. Venezuela has a strong fishing industry,
famous for sardines, shrimp, clams, mussels, crabs, and tuna.
Arepas, thick, flattened balls of fried or baked com or wheat flour, are the main staple of
Venezuelan cuisine. Arepas usually accompany Venezuela’s national dish, pabellon
criollo.

White cheese is grated over the top. Hallaca is a special dish served only during the
holidays. A packet of cornmeal dough is steamed in a wrapping of palm leaves with a
filling of pork, chicken, and beef, and mixed with olives, capers, raisins, tomatoes,
peppers, nuts, and spices.

BRAZIL

Brazil’s population is the largest in Latin America and constitutes about half the
population of South America. s, Brazil is one of the most urbanized and industrialized
countries in Latin America. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are among the test largest cities
in the world.

A felioada completa, or complete feijoada,” is accompanied by rice, fresh orange slices, a

side dish of peppery onion sauce, chopped greens such as collards, and farinha (toasted
manioc flour).

Seafood stews predominate in the north, while the south is the land of churrascos.
Churrasco is a Brazilian word that means “to barbecue and stems from the pampas of
Brazil, The range of barbecued meats includes pork, beef, chicken, goat, and the very
special galinha do coracao, or chicken hearts

COLOMBIA

Located in the northwest corner of South America, Columbia is the only country in South
America with both Caribbean and Pacific coastlines. With its two coastlines, seafood
makes a major impact on the cuisine, along with chicken, pork, potatoes, rice, beans,
and soup.

Columbia’s cuisine also has a strong Spanish influence. a large ant that is fried and
eaten; and lechona, a whole suckling pig, spit-roasted and stuffed with rice, which is a
specialty of Tolima.

ECUADOR

This county’s name comes from the Spanish word meaning “equator” as it sits directly
on the equator. It is bordered by Colombia, Peru, and the Pacific Ocean and includes the
Galápagos Islands Ecuador is renowned for its ceviche, made with bitter orange juice and
chilies.

Com and potato pancakes and soups, as well as grilled cuy (guinea pig), are popular
further inland along the Andes. There is also high-quality fish and seafood, and the
countless varieties of Andean potatoes.

Foods are cooked in achiote oil or lard. Refrito, a fried mixture containing chopped
onions, green peppers, tomato, achiote, and salt and/or garlic, Fanesca is a soup made
of many ingredients including twelve different grains and salted cod served during Lent.
Other popular dishes include lomo salteado (thin sliced steak, covered with onions and
tomatoes) and choclo (grilled Andean corn) sold by street vendors.

PERU

Peru, just south of the equator, is located on the western coast of South America. It is
bordered by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, and the Pacific Ocean. Most corn
and beans cannot grow in the Andes Mountains because of the cold and the short
growing season, thus, the potato was the main staple grown by the Incas and Indians.

The Indians also grew quinoa and the grain kiwicha, which grows at high altitudes and
produces small seeds that are very rich in protein. Ceviche comes in many variations,
and is typically served with boiled potato, sweet potato, or cancha (toasted corn
kernels). Grilled or fried guinea pig (cuy) is a favorite in the highlands. The cuisine’s
flavor is spicy and sweet and it varies by region. Some Peruvian chile peppers are not
spicy but give color to sauces.

BOLIVIA

The landlocked country of Bolivia is located in west-central South America and is

bordered by Peru Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Chile. Bolivia is known for its saltenas
and empanadas, which are meat or vegetable pies. chuno (freeze-dried potatoes), or
saice (meat soup with onions and tomatoes). Bolivian beer is popular, but the most
favored local drink is chicha cochabambina, a very potent alcohol made from corn.

PARAGUAY

Paraguay is bordered and crisscrossed by navigable rivers. Corn and manioc are the
comerstones of the cuisine in Paraguay.

The most popular dishes are based on corn, meat, milk, and cheese. Yerba mate is a
national drink made from the green dried leaves and stem lets of the tree llex
paraguarensis and is an important ritualistic process among the people of Paraguay
and Argentina.Yerba mate is supposed to have powers that include mental stimulation,
fatigue reduction, and stress reduction. Another local drink preferred by Paraguayans is
locally produced dark rum made from sugarcane.

CHILE

Chile is located on the western coast of South America and bordered by Argentina,
Bolivia, and Peru, as well as the Pacific Ocean. A

Chile’s long coastline makes it a natural for seafood such as abalone, eel, scallops,
turbot, king crab. Sea urchin, and algae.

Many of Chile’s lamb dishes, such as lamb ribs or lamb shish kebabs, as well as baked
deer dishes and cakes, stem from Welsh influence.A more common Chilean pastry is the
alfajor, which consists of dulce de leche (caramelized milk) sandwiched between thin
pastries and rolled in powdered sugar Another favorite is macedonia

ARGENTINA

Argentina, which means “land of silver,” is a rich and vast land the second largest
country (after Brazil) in South America and eighth largest in the world. Located in
southern South America, it is bordered by Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, and
the Atlantic Ocean. Argentina’s heartland is a broad grassy plain known as the Pampas.

Argentina is the world’s fifth largest producer of wine. The grape varieties are almost
entirely of European is the world hardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignes that can be
considered exclusively few of some 60 Argentinean in different varieties cultivated. There
are two varieties that can be quality if not in origin. The first is Malbec, a grape not
considered particularly distinguished in France.

URUGUAY

Uruguay is located on the southeastern coast of South America, bordered by Brazil.

Argentina, and the Atlantic Ocean. Sheep and cattle ranches make up 80 percent of the
land. With the arrival of large numbers of italian immigrants in the twentieth century,
many businesses opened by Italians were pasta-making factories They also imported
Parmesan cheese and prosciutto ham into Uruguay and these foods have made their way
into the national cuisine.

South American Dishes

 Aj de Gallina Shredded chicken in a piquant cream sauce (Peru).

 Alfajores Wafer-thin spirals of shortbread dusted with icing sugar, served with
manjar blanco (a caramel sauce) (Peru).
 Anticuchos Strips of beef or fish marinated in vinegar and spices, then barbecued
on skewers (Peru).
 Arepa Flour A precooked corn flour used to make arepas and tamales in Colombia
and Venezuela. It has a grainy texture. It should not be confused with Mexican
masa harina.
 Arepas The native bread made from primitive ground corn, water, and salt
(Venezuela).
 Asada (Asado) Spanish for roasted or broiled. A roast cooked on an open fire or
grill. Often served with chimichurri sauce.
 Bacalao Dried, salted codfish. Introduced by Spanish and Portuguese settlers, it is
very popular in Latin America. The whiter bacalao is the better quality.
 Café con Leche Coffee with warm milk, the preferred South American style.
 Camarao Seco Dried shrimp. In various sizes, dried shrimp are utilized in many
dishes. Before use they are covered with cold water and soaked overnight.
 Carbonada An Argentine stew with meats, vegetables, and fruits.
 Cau Cau Tripe cooked with potato, peppers, and parsley (Peru).
 Cazuela A stew made with beef, chicken, or seafood along with various vegetables
 Chimichurri Sauce Vinegar-based mixture of herbs, vegetables, and spices,
traditionally used as the marinade or main sauce with grilled meats (Argentina).
 Chupe de Camarones Chowder-type soup made with shrimp, milk, eggs,
potatoes, and peppers (Peru).
 Dulce de Leche Caramel-like candy popular in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay,
Peru. Uruguay, and other parts of the Americas. Its most basic recipe mixes boiled
milk and sugar. Or it may also be prepared with sweetened condensed milk cooked
for several hours.
 Empanada Salteña A Bolivian national specialty that is a mixture of diced meat,
chicken, chives raisins, diced potatoes, hot sauce, and pepper baked in dough.
 Ensaladas Salads. The most popular salads are cooked vegetable salads and
those that in clude fresh beans. A common characteristic of South American salads
is the sparse use of dressing.
 Escabeches Escabeches is a very popular technique of pickling food used
throughout South America. The technique is of Arab origin introduced by Spanish
explorers and traders, adopted as a way of preserving foods, such as fish, poultry,
meat, and vegetables
 Fritada Called chicharron in the areas around the Andes, usually made with
different cuts of pork. In Argentina it is made with beef. This dish requires the meat
to be cooked in beer until tender and then browned in its own fat.
 Ilajhua A hot sauce consisting of tomatoes and pepper pods, used to add spice
and flavor (Bolivia).
 Linguica Brazilian garlic pork sausage of Portuguese origin. Polish sausage may be
substituted
 Llapingachos Pancakes stuffed with mashed potato and cheese (Ecuador).
 Lomo Montado Fried tenderloin steak with two fried eggs on top, rice, and fried
banana (Bolivia).
 Matambre Rolled stuffed flank steak (Argentina).
 Milanesas Breaded cutlets brought to South America by Italian immigrants. They
are especially popular in Argentina and Uruguay.
 Morcilla Dulce Sweet black sausage made from blood, orange peel, and
walnuts.potatoes, and tamales. The food is placed inside a sack and buried in hot
rocks to cook. It has to be repeatedly checked to see when it is done because the
temperature is unstable. An important part of Peruvian cuisine.
 Parrillada A selection of meat grilled over hot coals, often including delicacies
such as in-testines, udders, and blood sausages (Argentina and Chile).
 Postres y Dulces (Desserts and Sweets) Before the arrival of the Portuguese in
1502. South America Indians did not have sugar. They did have honey and a few
fruit and vegetable
sweeteners. Most early sweets or desserts were fresh fruit, and fruit-based sweets
remain the South Americans' favorite desserts.
  Quimbolitos Sweet tamales of Ecuador, served for dessert or as a snack with
coffee.
 Tamales An important food that has sustained cultures in Central and South
America, as well as the southwestern region of North America for millennia.

THE CARIBBEAN

The Caribbean is a region of the Americas that comprises the Caribbean Sea, its
surrounding coasts, The region lies southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and of the North
American mainland, east of Central America, and north of South America.

A mostly tropical geography, the climates are greatly shaped by sea temperatures and
precipitation,These weather changes will greatly change the economies of the islands,
and especially the major industries of agricultural and tourism.

The islands originally inhabited by the Arawak and Carib Indian tribes had established a
varied combination of foodstuffs and cooking techniques.The Arawaks, on the other
hand, devised a method of slow-cooking their meat by placing it over an open fire on a
makeshift grate or grill made out of thin green sticks. They called this a barbacoa, which
gave rise in both method and name to what is known today as a barbecue.

COOKING TECHNIQUES

The Caribbean’s proximity to Mexico and South America encouraged trade between the
early settlers. Mexico traded papaya, avocado, chayote, and cocoa. Potatoes and passion
fruit came from South America. The Africans brought crops of okra, callaloo, and ackee
Cuisine is similar from island to island, but each island has its specialties.

CUBA

Include black beans, white rice, yellow rice, citrus marinades, garlic, and fried sliced
banana (plantain). Olive oil and garlic Ajiaco, a thick soup made with pork along with
different kinds of edible vegetable roots and stems, is the national dish of Cuba.

The taste depends on the vegetables and the seasonings chosen by the cook. Jamaica's
saltfish (or codfish) fritters, called Stamp and Go, an island form of fast food, are made
from a batter of soaked, cooked, skinned, and flaked saltfish, with scallions, chiles, and
tomato, fried in coconut oil until golden brown.

Jamaican jerk is another signature dish of the island. The Blue Mountains of Jamaica lend
their name to the famous Blue Mountain Coffee, renowned for being smooth and full
flavored.

PUERTO RICO

Puerto Rico come adobo and sofrito-blends of herbs and spices that give many of the
native foods their distinctive taste and color. Adobo, made by crushing together
peppercorns, oregano, garlic, salt, olive oil, and lime juice or vinegar, is rubbed into
meats before they are roasted

Sofrito, a potpourri of onions, garlic, and peppers browned in either olive oil or lard and
colored with achiote (annatto seeds), imparts the bright yellow color to the island's rice,
soups and stews.

Soups include sopón de pollo con arroz (chicken soup with rice), which tastes different
across the island's regions; sopón de pescado (fish soup),
The most traditional Puerto Rican dish is asopao, a hearty gumbo made with either
chicken or shellfish. One well-known and low-budget version is asopao de gandules
(pigeon peas). Another is asopao de pollo (chicken.

Chicken is a Puerto Rican staple, arroz con pollo (chicken with rice) being the most
common dish. Other preparations include pollo al Je ‘rez (chicken in sherry), pollo
agridulce (sweet-and-sour chicken) and pollitos asados a la parilla (broiled chicken).

ST. VINCENT

In St. Vincent the national dish is roasted breadfruit and jackfish, Seafood is abundant,
including lobster, crab, conch (pronounced conk), shrimp, whelk, and mahimahi.
Originally from Africa, is made with commeal, coconut, spices, and brown sugar. The
ingredients are tied up in a banana leaf (hence its other name, Tie-a-Leaf), and slowly
cooked in boiling water.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Beef is expensive (Dominicans raise fine cattle, but mostly for export) and local favorites
are pork and goat meat. Breakfast typically calls for a serving of mangu, a mix of
plantains, cheese, and bacon. Mangu has been called “mashed potatoes” of the
Dominican Republic.

Goat meat, a staple in many Dominican homes, may also be used in this recipe. It offers
a unique addition to the character of any dish since these animal’s graze on wild
oregano. Locrio, or Dominican rice, varies.

BARBADOS

Barbados is distinguished for its flying fish/coo-coo dinners. Sleek, silver-blue fish with
finsthat resemble dragonfly wings, flying fish are able to propel themselves in the air at
speeds up to thirty miles an hour to escape predators. Coo-coo is a polenta-like porridge
made from yellow commeal, water. Salt, pepper, butter, and okra. Other specialties
include conkies, from Ghana, which are steamed sweet or savory preparations with
mixtures of commeal, coconut, pumpkin, raisins, sweet potato, and spices, in preboiled
banana leaf pieces. Eddo,

ANTIGUA

Antigua’s national dish is fungi and pepperpot, a thick vegetable stew with salted meat.
Ducana (sweet potato dumpling) is served with saltfish and chop up (mashed eggplant,
okra and seasoning). Black pineapples from Antigua are famous throughout the East
Caribbean for their unique, extra-sweet flavor Conch is available at various roadside
stops and local restaurants in Antigua.

CURACAO

The signature dish of Curaçao is keshi yená or “stuffed cheese.” This dish is
traditionally made with chicken, vegetables, seasonings, and raisins, which are stuffed
into a scooped-out Edam or Gouda cheese shell. The “top” of the cheese is replaced and
the whole is baked for at least an hour.

Some fancy eateries will shape the funchi into ramekins or other molds. Tutu is like
funchi but with the addition of mashed black-eyed peas and is mixed with a le ‘le (a
stick with three points, used like a whisk.)