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Article: America’s Taste Heads South…of the Border - Food Product Design By Susheela Uhl Contributing Editor September 2001 
Across the foodservice spectrum — from taco stands and quick-service outlets to restaurants offering haute cuisine — U.S. consumers are finding a large selection of Hispanic-inspired foods and ingredients. What factors contribute to the increased influence of Hispanic food in North America? Hispanic cooks on television show us recipes and the cultural aspects of Hispanic cooking. Moreover, more North Americans travel for pleasure and business to Latin America. Thus, there is a better flow of culinary goods, culture and experimentation. The greatest impact, however, is the fast-growing Hispanic population. Hispanic baby boom The U.S. Hispanic population has skyrocketed by 58% since 1990, compared to a 5.3% growth rate in the non-Hispanic Anglo population. By the middle of the 21st century, Hispanics will make up 24.5% of the total population. Three out of four Hispanic households are found in large metropolitan areas; one-half live in suburbs. "Hispanic" is an ethnic description created by the U.S. government in the early 1970s to provide a common denominator to a large but diverse population with a common Spanish language. The Hispanic category includes Spanish-speaking people living in the United States who have ancestry from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Central and South America, and other Spanish-speaking regions. However, their diversity is growing and their taste differences are as great as their similarities, based on their country of origin and their socio-cultural adaptation to the United States. The U.S. Mexican population — the largest Latino group at 60% — grew by 53% in the 1990s. The next two largest groups are 3.4 million Puerto Ricans and 1.2 million Cubans. These groups make up three-fourths of the U.S. Hispanic population. But the fastest growing U.S. Hispanic groups are from Central and South America, where populations nearly doubled to 10 million during the 1990s. California has the largest Hispanic population — 10.7 million — comprising one-third of its population. Texas had a 32% increase in its Hispanic population between the years 1990 and 2000. Its increase was mainly in Houston and Dallas. Florida’s diverse Hispanic population — from Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Colombia and other regions — lives not only in southern Florida, but throughout the entire state. At 16.8% of the Florida population, Hispanic Americans have surpassed African Americans in numbers. New York is 29% Hispanic, with recent immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Colombia and Peru. New Mexico and Arizona have populations that are 25% Hispanic. Illinois and New Jersey also have substantial Hispanic populations. Understanding where each diverse group settles in the United States and their degree of acculturation is important to marketing Hispanic products. For example, in New York, Puerto Ricans represent the largest group. In Los Angeles, Mexicans are the predominant inhabitants. In Miami, Cubans make up the majority. Trends drive the market According to a Packaged Facts report, "The U.S. Hispanic Market," available at www.marketresearch.com, Hispanic purchasing power — about $400 billion — is affecting the way products are created and marketed. To tap into this profitable market, food product designers must understand cultural factors influencing Hispanics’ buying patterns. A Food Marketing Institute (FMI) report, "The Profile of the U.S. Hispanic Grocery Shopper 2000," states that Hispanics live in larger households than non-Hispanics, with 25% of households having five or more persons. More than 80% of Hispanic households consist of families, and more than half of households contain children. Hispanic females are more likely to purchase, prepare and serve food and spend more time doing so. Hispanics spend more on food because they generally have larger families and food plays an important role in their culture. Among Hispanics, language preference is a factor in shopping decisions. The FMI study shows that because Hispanics are loyal shoppers, labeling, advertising and speaking in Spanish gives companies an edge. Accordingly, even in mainstream shopping, ethnic communication is growing and advertising firms are providing messages that are culturally and linguistically relevant to Hispanics. For example, bilingual packaging is offered on Nestlé canned milk, Knorr’s bouillon, Betty Crocker’s rice pudding and flan, and Procter & Gamble’s tortilla-based snacks. "When a product is translated into Spanish, care must be taken because there are important semantic differences among Hispanic groups," says Rosita Thomas, president, Thomas Opinion Research, Woodbridge, VA. "The same Spanish word can have different meanings among Hispanic groups. For example, ‘bodega’ means a small store to Cubans and Mexicans, a huge warehouse or store to Colombians, and a small specialty store to a Spaniard." Most Hispanics (58%) prepare food at home, but as they become more acculturated to American lifestyles, they want ready-made prepared foods and seasonings. Wheaton, IL-based NPD Group Inc.’s Chain Account Menu survey, "Report on Eating Patterns of Hispanics," states that nearly one-third of Hispanics buy take-out foods for eating at home. However, they are less likely to eat in restaurants than other groups and eat more frequently with family. While Hispanics spend more on food at home, when they eat out, they take more time and spend more money. Supermarket News reports that many Hispanics want food brands that are familiar. Many supermarkets, such as Fiesta Mart in Houston, TX and Tianguis in Los Angeles, are entirely geared towards Hispanics. Food companies in Latin America export their products, such as canned chiles, cookies, confectionary, cakes and packaged tortillas, to the United States. Hispanic brands are preferred most by foreign-born Hispanics, Puerto Ricans and Central Americans, and those with lower incomes. This includes conventional American favorites, such as Old El Paso, Ortega and Taco Bell, alongside ethnically familiar brands such as Goya, Su Cocina, Maizena, Bimbo, Gansito and Maseca. FMI reports that freshness is an important quality for 61% of Hispanic shoppers. Hispanics, who go shopping for fresh and authentic fruits, vegetables, cheese and cut meats, spend 40% more per household on fresh fruit than the average U.S. household. However, only one-third of Hispanics agree that supermarkets understand their needs. To meet these needs effectively, food processors must understand that the market is not static, nor are all Latino customers interested only in foods from their country of origin. For example, generational differences and adaptations to new cultures also need to be considered when developing Latino foods. The first generation has eating patterns and buying behaviors that are different from the second, third and later generations who have adjusted to a new culture. This creates a challenge for the food and beverage industries to create unique products for Latino consumers who desire a "taste of home" with American cooking, or products that preserve the traditional savor of their regional favorites. Segments within Hispanic cuisine "While there are many differences in taste among U.S. Hispanic groups, some foods, ingredients and flavors have common appeal. Salsas, marinades, various root vegetables, tortillas, beans, rice and milk- and sugar-based desserts have mass appeal. There are, however, preferences among U.S. Hispanic groups. Mexicans favor corn and amaranth. South Americans favor wheat, quinoa and potatoes. Rice is preferred by those from the Caribbean and coastal regions of Latin America. Beans are popular, added to rice or seasoned for soups, stews and salads. Meats include chicken, pork, beef, turkey and sausages. Starchy vegetables, or viandas, such as plantains, green bananas, malanga, tania, sweet potato, chayote and yams, are part of the daily meal. Salads consisting of shredded lettuce, tomato slices and mashed avocados are popular side dishes. Diets of younger generation Hispanics are Americanized, including hot dogs, pizza, cold cereal, canned soup and spaghetti. Hispanic influences "Many Hispanic companies offer "real products" or authenticity to Hispanic consumers. Goya Foods Inc., Seacaucus, NJ, is the largest Hispanic-owned company in the United States. Conrad Colon, vice president of marketing and sales, says, "We began catering to Cubans, Puerto Ricans and Caribbeans on the East Coast, but have expanded to the West Coast to reach all Hispanics." According to Colon, Goya’s products have wide appeal among various Hispanic groups, but also cater to specialized tastes. "Corn, rice, beans, chilies, corn husks, root vegetables, olive oil and fruits, like guanabana, pineapple and mango, are enjoyed by all Hispanics, but quinoa, moles, recaos, nopalito and hearts of palm appeal to specific groups," Colon says. Ruiz Foods Inc., Dinuba, CA, is the largest Mexican frozen food company in the United States. It manufactures burritos, chimichangas, taquios, tamales, enchiladas and chile rellenos under the El Monterrey brand. Ric Alvarez, Ph.D., president and CEO, says, "Mexican foods are not just hot stuff loaded with jalapeños. They have wonderful flavor nuances from different regions, which Ruiz Foods duplicates in its varied product lines. We use authentic recipes. Our burritos are the largest selling category, while the biggest growth rate is in taquitos made with flour, for mainstream and acculturated Hispanics." Hispanic products are becoming a significant force in mainstream markets with salsa replacing ketchup as the No. 1 condiment, tortillas as "wraps" for snacks and lunch, fajitas in chain restaurants and jalapeño poppers as appetizers. Queso blanco, a white melting cheese, sofritos and plantain chips also are gaining favor with mainstream consumers. Many of today’s mainstream North American companies are introducing Hispanic products. Stone-ground corn fries, called cornados, manufactured by Simplot Food Group, Boise, ID, can be served with burgers, sandwiches or tossed with a spicy chile-lime-cilantro blend. According to Simplot, corn-based chips have surpassed potato chips in volume and corn offerings are up to 48% on chain restaurant menus. Dulce de leche, caramelized sweetened condensed milk, is popular with all Hispanic groups. Häagen Daz introduced it to America two years ago as dulce de leche premium ice cream. M&M Mars will soon launch its dulce de leche candies in five U.S. cities with the largest concentration of Hispanics: Miami, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Antonio, and McAllen-Brownsville, TX. Foodservice chains Tex-Mex cooking, a fusion of Mexican and Texas cuisine, represents both the fun and funky. To some, it is considered substandard Mexican fare, but it really is authentic to its region. Southwestern cooking combines Mexican, Native American, Asian and European flavors and techniques. Cubans in the Miami region have given us tangy, citrus-garlic mojos, malanga and black beans. Exposure to Mexican, Cuban, Southwestern and Tex-Mex cooking has made many Hispanic-influenced foods mainstream foodservice menu items. Frozen margaritas, flour-based tortilla wraps, salsa dips, plantains, cilantro and many fruit-based beverages are very popular American foods. Today, Tex-Mex and Southwestern cooking are being redefined. Nuevo Tex-Mex uses higher quality authentic ingredients with more sophisticated techniques and visual appeal. Lighter marinades with less cheese, fresh spices and ingredients in sauces, and enchiladas and quesadillas with crab and shrimp are replacing messy presentations and heavy use of cheese. Mainstream chain restaurants serving Tex-Mex and Southwestern fare, such as Applebee’s, Bennigan’s, Chili’s, TGI Friday’s and IHOP, are increasing the number of Hispanic-influenced dishes and adding more authenticity to their traditional menus. Many Tex-Mex chain restaurants are creating fusion twists to old favorites, such as guacamole, chilis, fajitas or quesadillas. Menus include Mexicali burgers, chipotle lime chicken quesadillas, Mexican fiesta omelets, fajita nachos, Baja burritos, potato taquitos, chicken tortilla soup, taco salads and guacamole burgers. More authentic salsas, desserts, beverages and other products are emerging. Innovative restaurant chefs drive this trend. Restaurants play a significant role in making customers aware of various cuisines. The 1999 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Ethnic Cuisines 2 study shows that 97% of Americans are aware of Mexican cuisines, 63% are aware of Latin American fusion cuisines and 59% are aware of Brazilian/ Argentinean cuisine. Also, 90% of North Americans have tried Mexican food at least once, 53% eat it frequently and 93% eat it occasionally. Mexican restaurants, once dominated by Tex-Mex margarita bars and Cal-Mex burrito bars, are evolving slowly into authentic regional Mexican cooking, or are combining authentic ingredients with traditional European techniques. Salsa-topped nachos and burritos loaded with melted cheese are replaced by "true" Mexican fare, such as chile en Nogada, huevos rancheros, chuletas fritas (fried pork chops), soft tacos with carnitas and menudos (tripe-hominy soup). Puerto Rican cooking has roots in Spain with African and Native American influences. In New York, Puerto Rican fare is called Nuyorican cooking. Favorites include chicken with rice, pasteles, chuletas en salsa (pork chops in sauce), spaghetti with pernil (roast pork) and mofongo (mashed plantains). Desserts include tembleque (coconut pudding), flan (caramel custard) with cheese or vanilla, and budin de pan (bread pudding). Puerto Rican nueva cocina criollo, or new home cooking, includes conch egg roll, foie gras over plantain, grilled veal chops with tamarind and grilled fish on a bed of mofongo. South American restaurants gaining in popularity are called rodizios or churrascarias, the Brazilian term for restaurants serving grilled meats. The term is derived from the gauchos or cattle ranchers who shared their favorite cuts of meat cooked on large spits. Rodizios, similar to steakhouses or barbecue joints, feature all-you-can-eat marinated grilled meats served at the table from skewers. A basic marinade contains olive oil, rosemary, cilantro, sour orange and lime. Nuevo Latino, also called Nuevo York, New Californian or Floribbean, is one style of cooking that is growing in popularity. It mixes and matches ingredients, cooking and presentation techniques of Latin America with contemporary North American cuisine, such as eggs benedict with chorizos, fried rice with plantains and burgers with yuca fries. Pan Latin cooking, a fusion of Latin regions, also is growing in popularity. The NRA says that although two-thirds of American consumers are aware of Latin American fusion foods, only one-fourth have tried them. Nutritional considerations According to the American Heart Association, Dallas, only 26% of Hispanic adults have high cholesterol compared to 30% of non-Hispanic whites. Mexican Americans have the lowest "bad" cholesterol compared to any other ethnic group. However, Hispanic cooking often calls for deep-frying or refrying with lard. These fried foods contribute to obesity and other health problems. In 1996, two Boston-based organizations — Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust and Harvard School of Public Health — developed a Latin American Food Pyramid. It takes into account the culinary patterns of the pre- and post-Colombian period. Under the new Latin American Food Pyramid, certain foods are suggested for every meal, including grains (corn, rice, amaranth and quinoa), vegetables (squash, spinach, chile peppers, cactus and tomato), fruits (banana, mango, guava, pineapple, guanabana and papaya) and legumes. Other foods, including seafood, milk, cheese, poultry and plant oils, are recommended for daily consumption. Beef, lamb, pork, eggs, pudding, cookies and creams are permitted weekly and in small quantities. Alcohol is allowed in moderation. Vegetable oils, such as corn, olive and peanut, are recommended for cooking. Many companies are taking this health-oriented approach when developing food products for the Hispanic market. They are making low-fat tortillas and using more chicken and chile-cheese based tamales and tacos as alternatives to beef and pork. Olive oil is used to replace lard. Ingredients Companies interested in serving Hispanic foods or Hispanic-inspired foods must be familiar with popular Hispanic ingredients. They also must be aware of any preferences that exist based on country of origin and degree of acculturation. Many ingredients come by different Spanish names and are used differently. Staples. Rice, corn, beans and starchy vegetables are staples in Latin American cuisine. Corn is made into flour for many products, including tortillas, tacos, tamales, flautas, sopaipillas or arepas. Tortillas, popular with Mexicans and Central and South Americans, are not as popular with Hispanic Caribbeans, who favor rice with meals. For all Hispanics, corn is eaten as a vegetable, ground and baked, boiled, stewed, or wrapped with banana leaves and steamed as tamales. For many South Americans, corn is added to soups, salads, and sauces, or made into corn fritters or casseroles. Rice is a staple for Caribbean Hispanics, Brazilians and Costa Ricans. Hispanics prefer rice cooked tender, dry and grainy, not mushy. Some particularly enjoy the burnt bottom portion in the pot, called arroz pegao. Rice often is served as a seasoned main dish, as rice and beans, fried rice, or paellas with chicken or seafood, including Puerto Rican asapao or Mexican sopa seca. Asopao with sofrito, annatto, olives, chorizo, chicken and ham is a comfort food for Puerto Ricans, while arroz con gandules is its national rice dish. Puerto Rican paella generally contains chicken, chorizo and local seafood, while Cuban paella, called boracha, or "drunken" paella, is cooked with lager beer. Dry beans are essential ingredients in Hispanic kitchens and come in different varieties and names. Hispanics use beans as snacks, dips, sauces and tortilla spreads, cooked with rice, added to stews, refried (mashed and recooked in lard) or pickled. Different Hispanic cultures prefer different beans. Cubans, Southern Mexicans, Central Americans and Venezuelans typically enjoy black beans. Pinta or pinto beans are popular with Northern Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and in Tex-Mex cooking. Cubans, Central and South Americans, and Hispanic Caribbeans enjoy red kidney beans, also a favorite in Tex-Mex chili. Puerto Ricans and Dominicans prefer pigeon peas (gandules) and pink beans (rosadas), while cranberry and lima beans are the choice of Chileans and Peruvians. Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are popular with Venezuelans and Brazilians. Costa Rican specialties include frijoles molidas, pureed black beans topped with sour cream, crumbled bacon and cilantro, and congris, rice with red beans. Root vegetables, a must in Latino meals, are boiled and mashed to make smooth, rich purees and to provide creaminess and earthiness to soups and stews. They are deep-fried to make crisp fries or baked with butter, cream, cheese and seasonings. Yuca, also called manioc or cassava, is to Hispanics what potato is to North Americans. Yuca has a buttery flavor with a tinge of sweetness. When made into fries, yuca absorbs little oil and stays crispy longer. Yuca fries can be salted and served with lime or lemon wedges with ground chile, paprika, melted cheese, vinegar or ketchup. Ritz Foods International, Inc, Delray Beach, FL, which promotes its Tropics Yuca Chips as a healthy alternative to potato chips, reports that yuca chips have high dietary fiber and about 40% less fat than regular potato chips. Boiled, mashed yuca served with garlic-lime sauce is a comfort food for Cubans. Nicaraguans enjoy yuca with cabbage and citrus dressing topped with pork cracklings, or chicharrones. Toasted manioc flour, called farofa, is a must on the Brazilian meal table, where it is served with roast meat and poultry dishes or used as a topping for stew and soup. South Americans enjoy potatoes, called papas or batatas, as fries or added to soup, stew and sauces. Potato and cheesecake served with peanut sauce, called llapingachos, are popular with Ecuadorians. Peruvians add cheese sauce and chiles to boiled potatoes. Yam, called igname, are roasted, boiled or fried. Boniata, also called batata dulce or Cuban sweet potato, gives a slightly sweet chestnut-like flavor. Colombians and Venezuelans often eat boiled or mashed arracacha or apio, which has a slightly sweet and celery-like taste with a potato-like texture. Malanga, or yautia, is boiled or fried to give a nutty flavor and creamy texture to soups and served alongside meat, fish and sausage. Taro root, also called dasheen, comes in two varieties. The more popular one is large, with an off-white color and speckles, and turns gray when cooked. It has a sweet, nutty flavor. Its leaves are consumed commonly in the Caribbean. Jicama, called Mexican potato or yam bean, has a crispy, crunchy texture and sweet taste similar to water chestnuts. In the United States, it is eaten raw or cooked and is used commonly in salsas or Pan Latin cooking. Mexicans enjoy jicama sliced or cooked, added to salads, or rubbed with limejuice and chile powder for a snack. Plantains, called platano macho or cooking bananas, are becoming popular as a side dish in mainstream restaurants. These starchy vegetables are high in potassium and vitamins A and C. Green plantain chips are the Latin equivalent to potato chips. Plantains are thinly sliced for fries or thickly sliced for crunchy tostones, which are added to mofongos, pasteles, soup and stew. Platano verde, green plantains, have a high starch content and mealy texture. Ripe plantains, or platano maduro, have a more tender, golden-brown color and sweet, caramelized taste when sliced and sautéed in butter or oil. Hispanic Caribbeans serve ripe plantains at almost every meal. Cubans sometimes sprinkle them with salt, garlic and limejuice. Venezuelans serve them with cheese. Puerto Ricans puree plantains for pasteles and mofongos. Dominicans add coconut, scallions, garlic, chicharrones and milk to cooked mashed green plantains. Mexicans use mashed ripe plantains in tamales and chile rellenos, or sprinkle them with cinnamon, sugar and butter for a sweet dessert. Fruits and vegetables. Hispanics enjoy fresh fruit in all forms. If unavailable, fruit pastes called ates, or fruit concentrates, are used. Popular Latin American fruits include papaya, passion fruit, pineapple, guava, cherimoya, strawberry, custard apple, soursop (or guanabana), jackfruit and guarana. Citrus fruits, including lime, lemon and Seville orange, are used in marinades and seviches. Hispanics enjoy mango, papaya and pineapple freshly cut and sprinkled with a chile-lime mixture. Cherimoya, a seasonal fruit found in Florida and California, tastes like mildly sweet custard with a fruity (mango-banana-strawberry) taste and hint of vanilla. It is popular raw and in sorbets and fruit drinks. Hispanic Caribbeans enjoy the sour taste of guanabana in drinks, jams and sorbets. Paletas, frozen popsicle-like mixtures of colorful, freshly chopped fruits with sugar, are emerging in Hispanic grocery stores. Popular with Mexicans, they come in coconut, tart apple sorrel, carrot kiwi mango, cucumber lime pickle, papaya and mango flavors. To perk up grilled items, chefs use tomatillos, which have an acidic, lemony taste, for dips or sauces. Mexicans and Guatemalans remove their loose, papery outer brown skin and eat them raw, or cook them in salsas, seviches and stews. Nopales or nopalitos, the edible paddles of the cactus plant, are sold as canned items in the United States for Mexican, Central and South American consumers. They have a mild, refreshing tart flavor. The paddles are grilled, boiled and added to salad, stew and scrambled eggs. Vegetables, or verduras, such as avocado, zucchini, lettuce, okra, hearts of palm, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes, squash and kale, are served as popular side dishes in Hispanic meals. Avocado, or aquacate, has become a mainstream item in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines, in the form of guacamole. Venezuelans enjoy a chile-spiked creamy avocado sauce. Colombians add diced avocado to soup, stew and milkshakes, and in a frozen cocktail called guacamaya. Brazilians enjoy avocado ice cream and Mexicans use its leaf to wrap food and spice pastes. The crispy textured, bland tasting pear-shaped chayote (called chayotl or cho-cho) is popular with Mexicans, Central Americans and Hispanic Caribbeans. It is added commonly to raw salad, or cooked in stew and soup, scrambled with eggs and mashed or sautéed for stuffing. Costa Ricans stuff it with cheese, raisins and sugar. Calabaza, or green pumpkin, is pureed as a thickener for stew and soup, or boiled with sugar for candies. Squash blossoms, used in Mexican and Southwest cuisines, are used in more upscale pudding, sauces, soup and salad. Okra (called quimbombo in Spanish), native to Africa, is popular in Brazilian and Hispanic Caribbean dishes. Brazilians cut kale into ribbons and sauté it in garlic and bacon fat to accompany their feijoadas. Fresh or canned palm hearts, called palmitos, which resemble white asparagus without tips, are served as appetizers or added to soup and salad at Brazilian restaurants. Coconut, or cocos, is a popular flavoring with all Latinos. It is grated or juiced and added to dessert, candy, beverages, stew and soup. Oils, nuts and seeds. Latinos commonly use lard, or manteca, to cook refried beans and to make enchiladas, tamales, chalupas, moles and baked goods. It is derived from cooking chunks of pork fat. The Wall Street Journal (June 15, 2001) reports that consumption of lard in food has increased. In major cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, Hispanics buy two to five times as much lard as the general population. Other common cooking oils are corn, dende (palm oil), peanut, coconut, olive and aceite de annatto (annatto oil), which generally are found in Hispanic bodegas. Oils and fats also are used to flavor cooked rice, soup and stew. Brazil nuts, which have a high oil content, are added to confections and cake as flavorings and texturizers. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pine nuts (pinons), peanuts, sesame seeds (ajonjoli), cashews, walnuts and almonds are the basis of Mexican moles, pipian verde, recados and the popular chicken-based creamy sauces. Peanuts are pureed for popular Brazilian and Caribbean sauces. Mexicans and Central Americans grind annatto seeds into a paste with other spices, or add it to lard or other cooking oils to flavor and color rice dishes, soup, and chicken and meat dishes. Milk and cheese. Canned evaporated and condensed milk are favorites in Hispanic desserts, confections and beverages. Cajeta, also called leche quemada or burned milk (usually goat’s milk), is a sweet, syrupy, thick and golden-brown sauce made by simmering condensed milk with sugar and sometimes vanilla. Mexicans use it as a dessert topping and in candy or crepe filling. Authentic Latino cheese, called queso in Spanish, is replacing North American types in Mexican cooking. Queso blanco or asadero (lightly salted cheese similar in taste and texture to mozzarella) is used in authentic quesadillas. Queso fresco (a mild, crumbly cheese similar to feta or ricotta) is used as a topping on tacos and enchiladas. Munster cheese is a South American favorite, while queso anejo (an aged, salty sharp cheese similar to Parmesan or Romano) and queso Chihuahua (a medium sharp, white Cheddar-like cheese) are popular in Mexico. Crème fraiche is a runny, fresh cream cheese that Venezuelans and Colombians use on arepas. Seafood and meat. Many types of fish, shellfish, conch, crayfish, lobster, oysters, octopus and shrimp are deep-fried, stewed, grilled or baked, or served as seviches. Hispanics from the Caribbean and coastal regions of Latin America stew fish, prepare them as tamales or marinate them for escabeche. Menu items that are popular in Hispanic restaurants include red snapper Veracruzana style, arroz mariscos, shrimp scampi, fish flan, octopus salad, moquecas (Brazilian stew) and fish steak with pepper and onions. Dried and salted cod fish (called bacalao/bacalhau) and dried ground shrimp perk up many Brazilian, Mexican and Caribbean sauces, snacks, eggs and stew. Seviches, with origins in Peru, are raw seafood "cooked" in a marinade of lime, lemon or sour orange juice. They are made with a variety of seafood combined with chile peppers, cilantro, mint, onions, fruits or vegetables. There are many flavor and texture variations. Ecuadorian seviche, a popular type in Pan Latin menus, is marinated in a blend of sweet orange and lime juice, and served with fried corn nuts. Most Hispanics enjoy barbecues or spicy grilled meat called barbacoas or churrascos. These include chicken, beef cuts, chorizo, linguica (hot spicy pork sausage), blood sausage, anticuchos (spicy skewered beef hearts) and organ meat. They are marinated, skewered and grilled or barbecued, sometimes wrapped in banana leaves, and served with varied sauces. Chorizos imported from Mexico are seasoned with red chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano and vinegar, and are spicier than Spanish types. Marinated, thin-cut flank steaks (biftecs) topped with onions, sweet peppers and tomatoes, served with rice or fries, are an everyday meal for many Hispanics. Dried meat, called carne seca, similar to beef jerky, is eaten as-is or combined with spices and added to stew, sauces and soup, or used as fillings for empanadas. Ropa vieja, found on many U.S. Cuban menus, is flank steak slowly simmered with bell peppers, cinnamon, garlic, capers and pimentos. It generally is served with steamed or boiled white rice, yuca or tostones. Hispanics favor pork, particularly pork loin, flavored with citrus juice, chile peppers and coconut milk. Pork is eaten fried as chops (chuletas fritas), stewed (carne guisado), as cutlets (lomitos) or added to rice and beans. The Yucatan cochinita pibil and Puerto Rican mofongo are popular pork dishes. There are many rice dishes with pork and bacon. Fried pork rinds (chicharrones), smoked ham (jamon Serrano), Mexican salted beef (cecina), linguica, Puerto Rican blood sausage (morcilla) and chorizo are popular flavorings for sauces, stew, rice, and soup and fillings. Chicken is a staple meat with Hispanic Caribbeans. It is marinated and roasted, pickled or grilled, or added to stew, rice and soup. Pollo frito, polla a la Milanesa, pollo a la brasa, pollo saltado and pollo parilla are popular poultry dishes. Turkey and duck also are eaten. Slow-roasted pollo pibil, spicy Peruvian aji de Gallina or Alino chicken have become popular dishes in many trendy restaurants. Spices, seasonings and flavorings. Sweet, pungent or hot chile peppers provide flavor and heat to many Hispanic dishes and beverages. They are used dried (chile seca), fresh (chile fresca), smoked or roasted. Habaneros, jalapeños, serranos, piquin, chipotles, anchos, guajillos and tabascos from Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean, and ajis and rocotos from the Andean regions, are becoming better known. While jalapeño has been the soul of Tex-Mex cooking, its smoked version, chipotle, is fast becoming a favorite in barbecue sauces, meat marinades, bean dips, salad dressings and stuffed into quesadillas. Mexican bodegas sell many roasted or smoked dried chiles, such as anchos, guajillos, mulattos or pasillas. The chiles’ smoky, deep flavors perk up salsa, chili, mole, meat and soup. Serranos heat up Tex-Mex, Southwestern and Mexican cooking, while poblanos, a longtime favorite with chile rellenos, is gaining popularity through an authentic Mexican dish called chile en Nogada. Originating from Puebla, Mexico, it is stuffed with ground meat (picadillo), refried beans, cheese, corn kernels, and then deep-fried and topped with walnut sauce and pomegranate. Fresh green chiles are used abundantly in fresh salsas, as sauces for enchiladas, guisados, and breakfast items such as huevos rancheros, omelets, and chilaquiles (tortilla strips cooked with chorizo, eggs and melted cheese). Habaneros have become a mainstream ingredient in Mexican and Caribbean cooking. Whole or paste forms of ajis and rocotos from the Andean regions are becoming better known through South American cooking. Ilender Corporation of America, Lima, Peru, distributes bottled pastes of aji, or Peruvian chile pepper, from the Capsicum. baccatum family; rocoto from C. pubescens; and panca from C. chinense. The yellow aji pepper, native to Peru, has medium heat and fruity overtones. With a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) rating of 15,000, aji complements seafood dishes, is recommended for sauces and as a table condiment. Rocoto, which has over 70,000 SHUs, adds heat. Panca chile pepper, a mild pepper with 5,000 SHUs, is a deep red to burgundy color when ripe. It is used to color and add zest to salad dressing and sauces. Garlic, black pepper and cilantro are favorite spices in Hispanic kitchens. Cilantro is added fresh to salsa verde, avocado and bean-based sauces and soup, and is a garnish for almost all dishes. Its root flavors Puerto Rican stew, soup and sauces. Epazote, which has a bitter taste, is popular in Mexican and Central American bean and tortilla dishes. Parsley and mint are popular as garnishes in South American beverages and meals. Oregano is a favorite with Puerto Ricans. Canela (Ceylon-type cinnamon) is an essential flavoring in Mexican mole, dessert, confections, beverages and stew. Ginger, allspice, lemongrass, anise, Mexican oregano, cloves, vanilla and chocolate also are popular seasoning agents. Tamarind, or tamarindo, is a popular sweet-sour flavoring added to cooked food, beverages, jam, jellies and confections. Corn husks and a variety of other leaves, such as banana, papaya, avocado, agave and plantain, wrap seasoning pastes, meat, poultry and seafood before they are steamed, barbecued or baked. Popular sweeteners are piloncilo, honey and agave nectar. Piloncillo, a light brown to black strong-flavored unrefined sugar, sweetens Mexican foods and coffee. Under the brand name Nekutli (from the Aztec word, necutli), Colibree Company Inc., Aspen, CO, manufactures and distributes agave syrup, which is derived from the heart of the agave plant. Sabra van Dolsen, president, says the syrup, that comes in three grades, is enzymatically hydrolysed from the inulin in the agave plant. It contains 80% to 90% fructose and is added to iced tea, baked goods, cereal and fruit juice-based beverages. It is sold as a tabletop sweetener in health food stores. The better-known Hispanic seasonings include adobos, mojos, achiote, sazon and sofritos, which add traditional flavor and color to food. Mojo with oil, parsley, garlic and Seville orange juice is a must for Cuban poultry and meat marinades. Puerto Ricans add thyme to their mojos and Venezuelans use cilantro. Many Nuevo Latino recipes add other herbs, such as mint, dill or rosemary. Adobo is an all-purpose seasoning that is indispensable to Caribbean barbacoas. Adobos are used as base seasonings to zip up stew, sauces or rice and to marinate beef, pork, chicken or fish. Dominicans use an adobo mixture of soy sauce, lime and garlic. Mexicans add ancho and guajillo chilies, Mexican oregano and garlic. Sofrito, the essence of Puerto Rican cooking, is an aromatic, mild to slightly hot seasoning brought from Spain. It has garlic and onions, which are slowly sautéed in olive oil then blended with tomatoes, bell peppers, spices and chiles. It is a base flavoring for beans, rice, pork, tamales, soup and stew. As a sauce, it is poured over baked chicken or fish. The Mexican variation can be peppery with habaneros. The Cuban type is mild with parsley, cumin and cured ham. Puerto Ricans add aji dulce, recao leaves, annatto and salt pork (tocino) to create a pungent version. Breads. Bread made from corn or yuca, including tortillas, arepas, tacos, chalupas and casabas, is a mainstay in Hispanic diets. Tortillas, made from corn or wheat, are baked, fried or toasted, and contain varied fillings and toppings. They are made into burritos, enchiladas, sopapillas, chilaquiles or tlayudas. As snacks, or antojitos, they are made into a variety of shapes and sizes (sopes, tostados, chalupas or tlacoyos) with different fillings (shredded chicken, pork, picadillo, chorizo, sardines or cheese). Arepas are corn meal cakes with a creamy center. They are favorites with Venezuelans and Colombians. Arepas are served with butter or cheese and sometimes stuffed with beans, cheese, chicken, pork or avocado. They also can be purchased as pre-packaged mixes. European-introduced wheat-based sweet breads, such as bolillos, pancakes, pan dulce or bunuelos, are popular with Hispanics. Venezuelans add ham, olives and raisins to the pan, called pan de jamon, for Christmas and New Year’s meals. Colombians have an aromatic yeast-based bread stuffed with guava paste that melts upon baking. Mexicans enjoy an airy bread, called sopapilla, that is fried and rolled in sugar and cinnamon, dipped in honey or stuffed with cheese or ham and topped with chile sauce. Mexican sandwiches, or tortas, contain fresh ham, chorizo, chicken, fried pork, avocado, tomato, onion, queso blanco, steak or beef tongue. Homemade mayonnaise, made from avocado, chipotle, jalapeño and garlic, is used as spreads. Cuban sandwiches, which have an outer crispy crust and inside airy texture, are piled high with ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese or pickles, and then spread with mustard and mayonnaise. The sandwich is grilled until the cheese melts. Salsas. Salsa, an essential flavoring of Latino foods, comes in many colors, forms and flavors, and is known by varying names. Most Hispanic salsas contain dried, roasted or fresh chiles with roasted tomatoes, spices or tomatillas. Latinos use salsas poured over eggs, fajitas, seafood, boiled potatoes, grilled beef and roasted chicken. Salsa is used as a dip for tortillas, tacos and breads, or as a topping for quesadillas, enchiladas or antojitos. Nuevo Latino and mainstream cooking use salsas as dips and sauces for grilled or roasted meat or fish. Mexicans’ favorite table salsas are salsa verde, tart and hot green salsas, and salsa rojo, sweet, smoky and spicy red salsas. These appear on tables like salt and pepper do in the United States. Guacamole, popular in Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican cuisine, is made with avocadoes, tomatoes, chiles, onions and cilantro. Other popular salsas are chimmichurri (mild to hot vinegar-parsley sauce) from Argentina, and Chilean pebre, a tomato-chile-based sauce. Nuevo salsas contain roasted corn, black beans and popular fruits such as mango and pineapple. Mole comes in several colors and flavors, depending on regional origins and family recipes. Called the "royal sauces of Mexico," they are smooth, thick, rich, nutty and pungent. Mole’s key ingredient is roasted and rehydrated dried chiles, which are blended with almonds, peanuts, spices, garlic, tomatillas, chocolate and/or sesame seeds. Mole negro is the reigning mole in Mexico. Mole poblano, which comes from the Puebla region of Mexico, is the more commonly served type in restaurants. Guatemalans also enjoy mole sauce over tamales, poultry or fried plantains. Dessert. Hispanics have a sweet tooth. Pastry, gelato, custard, such as flan or natillas, pie, ice cream and cakes flavored with coconut, fruit, nuts, raisins, burnt milk (cajetas), cinnamon or anise are popular with Latin Americans. Colombians, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans make fruits and tubers, such as guava, green papaya and sweet potato, into confections and serve them with white cheese. Most Latin desserts are extremely sweet and milky with abundant sugar, coconut milk and burnt milk. Flan, a smooth custard of eggs, milk and caramelized sugar, has become a familiar item to North Americans. This pudding traveled from Spain and became its comfort food. Latinos have created numerous versions using chocolate, coffee, cream cheese, mango, pumpkin or chestnuts. During Lent, Mexicans eat capirotada, a bread pudding containing piloncillo, cinnamon and cloves. Puerto Ricans and Cubans enjoy coconut pudding with chopped fruit. Some other popular desserts include Brazilian cocoada (coconut custard pudding), dulce de leche (milk pudding), Ecuadorean quimbolitos (steamed puddings), tembleque (Puerto Rican coconut custard) and Colombian dulce de queso (cheese dessert). Product developers and marketers need to understand Hispanic diversity, tastes, culture and acculturation to create dishes that meet the growing demand for authentic Hispanic-influenced foods. When we create marketing strategies and product development efforts that reflect Hispanic communities, we can successfully compete in the marketplace. Susheela Uhl is president of Horizons Consulting Inc., a Mamaroneck, NY-based food consulting firm. She creates culinary concepts and develops ethnic, fusion or "new" American products for U.S.-regional, national and global markets. She provides culinary demonstrations, workshops and presentations on ethnic foods, spices, spice blends and other flavorings, as well as on cultural factors related to trends, product development, menus and nutritional enhancement. Uhl can be reached via e-mail at suhl246@aol.com, or by visiting www.Susheela Consulting.com. 3400 Dundee Rd. Suite #100 Northbrook, IL 60062 Phone: 847/559-0385 Fax: 847/559-0389 E-mail: contactus@foodproductdesign.com Website: www.foodproductdesign.com |
