The first time I heard the words “mangu con salami” was in Long Island, NY. I’ve never been to the Dominican Republic and yet throughout my years in New York this dish became part of my vocabulary and experience here in the Big Apple. I have tried mangu, but I have been told multiple times that that specific mangu wasn’t going to be just as scrumptious as my many friends’ abuelas in the Hispaniola territory. No matter how much I liked it, I will probably taste the best version of it only and exclusively in this dish’s motherland.

Food plays a huge role in Latin America. Foods and traditions are the quintessential cultural recipes that Latin Americans bring to their table, studded with a plethora of identities and ethnicities. Who they are is a reflection of what they eat. How food is prepared is the mirror of where they come from.

In 2020 the United States counted approximately 62.1 million Latinos in their territories, with Texas, California, and Florida at the top among all the states. North Americans, including Canadians, are not new to the mezcla of cultures that these people bring to their mainstream media, culture, and traditions. However, when it comes to scents and palates, once the borders are crossed Latin American authenticity seems to fade away a bit in order to make space for the North American taste.

The process of adaptation to Latin American cuisine in the US is a phenomenon that is mainly caused by three factors:

anthropological approach and openness towards non-traditional dishes, practices, and culture
FDA regulations and administrative decisions
suitable marketing strategies exclusively catered to North American audiences

Central American and South American people are a combination of multiple ethnicities and races, mostly of Indigenous and African ancestry. The ways these people relate to each other can be found also in the foods they consume, the dishes they prepare, and the culinary rituals they plan. Food in Latin America is important because it reflects the multifaceted and complex identities that each nation and population has, shares, and improve throughout History. Anyone can learn from and about Latin America through its food, flavors, and scents.

How can authenticity in food and culinary traditions be translated from country to country, through immigrants and expats? How does this work in the USA, especially in New York City?

New York City is the city of the world, where thousands of people from different parts of the world interact with and learn from each other. However, sometimes cultural authenticity can be lost in pragmatic manifestations, such as in food.

With more than 20,000 restaurants and cafes, the City That Never Sleeps has a few establishments that decided to stick with their Latin roots in their most authentic way, each one with its own style and mission.

Sobre Masa

Latin American cuisine is full of history, culture, and even religion. One of the most important foods from most Mesoamerican civilizations was corn. This vegetable, which can be considered also a fruit (USDA, 2019), was directly related to the gods and there are several stories from different regions of what was Latin America before its colonization that relate the relationship between this food and the spiritual. In Mexico, there is a Mayan legend that tells that the gods in a moment of boredom decided to give life to beings that would adore them. In a first attempt, they created a man of clay that a few moments after its creation was completely destroyed, then they created one of wood and although it was more resistant it lacked intelligence. In a third attempt, the gods created a man of corn and this turned out to be perfect, thanking the deities for this creation and for letting him inhabit the world. Since then, the indigenous began to use corn in their meals and this is how corn tortillas originated in Mexico. This is one of those meals that you can find in any household.

Sobre Masa, a small Mexican cuisine restaurant in Brooklyn, makes different colored corn tortillas depending on the color of corn used. There is a variety of yellow, blue, purple, white, and red corn. The color of the tortillas depends on the color of the corn that has been harvested. To maintain the authenticity in the preparation of these tortillas, the corn is brought directly from Mexico and processed through nixtamalization that allows maintaining the nutrients of this cereal and accentuating its flavor. For more information on Sobre Masa, you can contact Diana and Zack Wangeman through their Instagram account @sobremasanyc.

Quechua Nostra

Quechua is the language of the Incas and “nostra” is the Italian word for “our”. These two words form the name of a small Peruvian-Italian restaurant located in Manhattan. One of the most interesting foods offered on the site is the famous chicha morada.

In the previous post, we talked about the importance of corn for the ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. Just as corn was so important to the Mayans in Mexico, it was also important to the Incas in Peru. Corn was one of the most harvested foods in this civilization and was considered sacred. For this reason, they built a life-size cornfield made of gold, silver, and precious stones in the Coricancha temple in honor of Inti, the sun god. One of the most important drinks in Peruvian gastronomy also originated, chicha morada, which was prepared through the process of fermentation and for medicinal and religious purposes. At more than 500 years old, this sweet and refreshing drink is still consumed and you can get it at Quechua Nostra. Jorge Lazzo, owner and main chef of the place, prepares it by boiling the purple corn together with bits of pineapple and cinnamon, cloves, and a touch of lemon.

Casa Ora

When we think of Venezuela, the most common thing is to think of cachapas and arepas. However, Venezuelan cuisine includes many other dishes that are worth trying, like the hallaca. Many say that the hallaca is a tamale, but due to its complexity, others say that the hallaca cannot be called a tamale. As for its definition, its origin is not very clear either. Some say that the hallaca is of pre-Columbian origin, others that it arose from the leftovers of the Spanish that were used by Africans and indigenous people, but the Venezuelan writer Arturo Uslar Pietri gives us another explanation in his essay entitled La Hallaca Como Manual de Historia (1954):

La cubierta de hojas de plátano es el negro y el indio abriendo el cortejo de sabores encerrados dentro de una cubierta de maíz. La carne de gallina, las aceitunas y las pasas recuerdan a España. El azafrán [eventualmente el Onoto o Achiote se convirtió en el colorante de preferencia] para colorear la masa y las almendras que adornan el guiso nos muestran los siete siglos de invasión musulmana en la Península Ibérica. La búsqueda de las caravanas europeas hacia el oriente está presente en las especias usadas como condimentos. (You can access to the translation here and its source here).

In this way, the hallaca can be considered a testimony of miscegenation in Latin America. Its preparation consists of kneading cornflour seasoned with salt and painted with onoto. Then a thin layer of this dough is placed on banana leaves and filled with a pork stew with onion and paprika, olives, capers, and raisins. Finally, they are wrapped rectangularly in banana leaves, tied with a wick, and boiled in water for 45 minutes. This dish is made as a family, leaving the simplest steps for the little ones in the house and the most complex ones for the adults. The hallaca is celebrated during Christmas and New Year's Eve. However, at Casa Ora, a Venezuelan restaurant located in Brooklyn, you can eat it at any time of the year and appreciate its mix of flavors between sweet, spicy, salty, and sour, flavors that represent the history of miscegenation.

Black Ant

A variety of insects such as grasshoppers, maguey worms, ants, escamoles (Mexican caviar), and spiders complement Mexican cuisine since the time of civilizations such as the Mayans and the Aztecs. It should be noted that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization considers that this is the food of the future since it is more sustainable, more friendly to the environment, and healthier. In this sense, Mexico’s gastronomy is not only rich in various insect-based dishes but also is the first country in entomophagy with more than 300 species included in its food. However, when it comes to Mexican food, the most usual thing is to eat tacos and burritos. Although, if you want to have an interesting Mexican experience in Manhattan, you can get a variety of authentic Mexican insect-based dishes at The Black Ant. New, exotic, and delicious flavors make eating at this restaurant a unique experience.

Some of the ingredients of this delicacy are bechamel sauce seasoned with worm salt brought from Oaxaca and ground grasshoppers. Grasshopper salt, grasshopper in pieces, and panko are used to bread the croquettes. On the other hand, to maintain the authenticity of the food, the chef at The Black Ant works together with a family in Oaxaca whose tradition is hunting and preparing insects such as grasshoppers, escamoles, and worms. This hunting process is long and complicated since it is done seasonally and the quantity that must be sent to New York is high. It is important to understand that beyond the fact that these dishes are an important part of the culinary roots of Mexico, they are extremely nutritious foods with a high content of vitamins, proteins, and amino acids, as well as having a very pleasant taste on the palate.

Falafel Taco

Chocolate is of indigenous origin. In fact, it is attributed to the Mesoamerican civilizations of Mexico. This was consumed by the elites and also on special occasions, such as ceremonies. One of the most popular dishes in Mexico is mole, which is made from chocolate. Nowadays there are 50 different types of mole, and in this post, we will talk about the mole poblano. Some say that the story behind the origin of the mole poblano is religious. They say that Fray San Pascual Bailón was walking with a dish that contained chili and chocolate among several ingredients when he tripped over a pot with turkey and all the ingredients were mixed. Although this was an accident, the recipe was a complete success. Others say that this recipe was created by a nun named Andrea de la Asunción. However, historians believe that this is of indigenous origin who prepared it to give it as an offering to the gods. At Falafel Taco, a Mexican and Israeli restaurant north of Westchester, they prepare this complex dish with eighteen ingredients, among which are mulatto peppers, piquin peppers, tomatillos, almonds, chicken broth, and of course chocolate.

Jonathan, the owner, and head chef, gave us some advice when preparing the mole: “When the broth is already hot, turn off the heat and add the salt, sugar, and chocolate. You don't want to cook the chocolate in the fire because it might burn and all you need to do is melt it, not boil it." With the arrival of the Spaniards, many pre-Hispanic recipes were modified and bread was included in the preparation of the mole, but in Falafel Taco it is prepared with corn tortillas and its originality is maintained.

Point Brazil

While I was working on this project, something that really caught my attention was this dish from the south of Brazil, called abará. I found it very interesting thanks to its preparation and appearance since it is a bit similar to the Venezuelan hallaca. However, the abará dough is made from black beans. It is believed that this dish is of African origin and that it has a connection with the mythology of the Orixá and Yoruba mythology. One of the stories tells that the abará was the secret weapon of Oxum, the Yoruba goddess of love and fertility, who is a battle faced the army of Xangó, another Yoruba figure. As the soldiers approached, Oxum turned into a river and approached them with Abarás floating on the water. The hungry and tired soldiers went into the river to eat, and then Oxum disappeared into the land taking them with them. In this way, Oxum defeated Xangó.

Mrs. Ziza, who prepares this delicious dish in Point Brazil located in Queens, tells us that Abará is very popular in Brazil, and although at first it was considered a snack, many people eat it as an entree. She prepares it by removing the skin from the black beans and processes them in the food processor with warm water, a little salt, and onion. The most difficult part of preparing this dish is removing the skins from the grains since it has to be done by hand and takes time. Then a little of this dough is taken and placed on the banana leaves, wrapped and tied with a wick, cooked with steam, and filled with shrimp. A fundamental part of this dish is dendé oil or palm oil, which is very common in Bahian food and a hallmark of African culture.

We are a mixture of races with Indigenous, African, and European traces. This can be seen in our food. Our mezcla can be seen through dishes such as chicha morada since although it was originally created by the Incas, the Spanish modified it by including cinnamon, cloves, and fruits in its preparation. Likewise, a clear Spanish influence can be observed in the mole, since even in the history of its origin there are Catholic religious factors, and ingredients such as bread are included in its preparation after having been created by Mexican Mesoamerican civilizations. On the other hand, the hallaca and the abará are two dishes with several similarities despite the fact that one is of indigenous origin and the other of African origin. This demonstrates an exchange and cultural influence between various parts of Latin America. There is something that connects us to all Latinos, no matter what country we are from. It is our roots, our race, our food, and our history.

One way to honor this is by maintaining its authenticity, which is why it is so important to preserve it beyond our borders. Our heritage is beautiful and we can appreciate it through the different flavors that distinguish us.

We are what we eat: secular and peculiar comida Latina