Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month September 15-October 15 each year. Learn about the history, culture and geography of Hispanics!
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In Spain, potatoes are often served in "tapas" (tah-pas), or small snacks. People in the Andes Mountains often eat "chuno," a potato that has been dried out so that it does not go bad. Chuno is one of...
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A plantain looks like a large banana. It is a popular food in Central America and the Caribbean. Plantains can be eaten either green or ripe, but either way, they have to be cooked. When they are...
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Although the plantain did not originate in a Latin American country, they grow best in tropical climates. Countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Costa Rica are now major producers and...
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Chocolate is one of the best-loved sweets in the world. It is made from the fruit of the cacao tree, a species native to Central and South America. The Aztec Indians of Mexico used the cacao beans to...
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The drink was a favorite of the Aztec emperor Montezuma, who served chocolatl to Spanish explorers in 1519. Of chocolate, Montezuma said, "A cup of this precious drink [cocoa] permits a man to walk...
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In Spain, the recipe for chocolate changed a bit. The Spanish sweetened the chocolate drink with sugar and drank it hot. By the 1700s, chocolate was a prized sweet all over Europe. Today, churros with...
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People in Central and South America have grown and eaten many kinds of beans for thousands of years. Ancient cultures such as the Inca ate beans as a major part of their diet. During the 1500s...
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Black beans are native to Latin America. Fifty-percent of the beans eaten in the Latin American country of Cuba are black beans. In Cuba a meal of black beans and rice, or "frijoles negros con arroz,"...
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The chili pepper is used to flavor many Hispanic dishes. It was originally grown in South America, and it too was brought to Europe by Spanish explorers. From Europe, the chili found its way into...
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There are over 60 types of chili pepper. Some are really, really hot, so watch out when you handle them! If you want the pepper taste without the fire alarms going off, try the bell pepper.
