Eating the same type of food day after day can become really boring. Cooking also becomes nothing more than a chore when you're always making the same old stand-by dishes. To rediscover the joys of the kitchen, it might be time to expand your culinary horizons and try something new. Latin American cooking recipes are ideal, since they often use ingredients that are easy to find and they won't be too strange for the kids to try as well.
Many people think of burritos and tacos when they think of the cuisine of Latin America. However, the region is huge, with many different cultures. The landscape varies too, with tropical jungles, high mountain regions, wide plains, deserts and a coastline that stretches from the tropics to sub-polar regions. This means that there is a wide variety of ingredients to use and inevitable there are huge regional variations in what people eat.
Many foods that today are found everywhere in the world originally came from the Americas. They include avocados, chocolate and tomatoes. Probably the most important contribution to the world's food resources has been the cultivation of corn, which originated in Central America and is still the starch of choice here. People use it for making the ever-popular tortilla but also for different variations of tamales and pupusas.
Another staple from the Americas is the potato, which came from the Andean highlands and is still eaten almost everywhere. In tropical areas the plantain is often used instead and manioc is a Caribbean favorite. Rice often comes with red or black beans and it can be served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Different varieties of squash are just some of the vegetables served as well.
For protein, people tend to opt for meat or fish, depending on where they live. Beef is ubiquitous in Argentina and Paraguay while in many other countries, pork is more popular. Chicken is cheap and used in dishes from Mexico to Patagonia. The Peruvian national dish of ceviche, which is made with raw fish and lime juice, has become so popular that you'll now find it in most coastal towns as well as at lakeside locations.
Some desserts are found throughout Latin America, with only slight regional variations. These include dulce de leche and flan, as well as tres leches cake. At certain times of the year, for instance during Holy Week, you'll also be able to find seasonal specialties.
One of the greatest things about the region is the variety of delicious fruits to be found here. These make for a healthy, nutritious snack. They're also very tasty when blended into drinks similar to smoothies. In some areas, people make tasty, creamy drinks by using corn or rice as well. Rum is a popular alcoholic drink.
Food websites are great places to look for recipes from Latin America. Another option is to find specialty recipe books. A fun way to learn how to cook like a true Latina, though, is to visit the region and enroll in some cookery classes.
Many people think of burritos and tacos when they think of the cuisine of Latin America. However, the region is huge, with many different cultures. The landscape varies too, with tropical jungles, high mountain regions, wide plains, deserts and a coastline that stretches from the tropics to sub-polar regions. This means that there is a wide variety of ingredients to use and inevitable there are huge regional variations in what people eat.
Many foods that today are found everywhere in the world originally came from the Americas. They include avocados, chocolate and tomatoes. Probably the most important contribution to the world's food resources has been the cultivation of corn, which originated in Central America and is still the starch of choice here. People use it for making the ever-popular tortilla but also for different variations of tamales and pupusas.
Another staple from the Americas is the potato, which came from the Andean highlands and is still eaten almost everywhere. In tropical areas the plantain is often used instead and manioc is a Caribbean favorite. Rice often comes with red or black beans and it can be served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Different varieties of squash are just some of the vegetables served as well.
For protein, people tend to opt for meat or fish, depending on where they live. Beef is ubiquitous in Argentina and Paraguay while in many other countries, pork is more popular. Chicken is cheap and used in dishes from Mexico to Patagonia. The Peruvian national dish of ceviche, which is made with raw fish and lime juice, has become so popular that you'll now find it in most coastal towns as well as at lakeside locations.
Some desserts are found throughout Latin America, with only slight regional variations. These include dulce de leche and flan, as well as tres leches cake. At certain times of the year, for instance during Holy Week, you'll also be able to find seasonal specialties.
One of the greatest things about the region is the variety of delicious fruits to be found here. These make for a healthy, nutritious snack. They're also very tasty when blended into drinks similar to smoothies. In some areas, people make tasty, creamy drinks by using corn or rice as well. Rum is a popular alcoholic drink.
Food websites are great places to look for recipes from Latin America. Another option is to find specialty recipe books. A fun way to learn how to cook like a true Latina, though, is to visit the region and enroll in some cookery classes.
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