Quiebradientes, teethbrakers, are typical and traditional hard candy from Guatemala. As the name implies, it is hard and it can break your teeth you have weak pearly whites. These candies may be appropriate to entertain the trick-or-treaters for a long while on the eve of Día de los difuntos, Day of the Dead, also known … Read more
Here are many traditional Guatemalan desserts and sweets to take to the cemetery on Day of the Dead and All Saints’ Day. Wow, I can’t remember when was the last time I have any of these desserts; maybe the espumillas back in May. How about you? When was the last time you had any of … Read more
For three years I have focused on world-famous and omnipresent dish of Fiambre as the main food served for Day of the Dead and All Saints’ Day in Guatemala. I believe that has been too much emphasis on a salad, which mostly has meats, all kinds: sausages, hams, chicken, sea food, meats pork and beef; don’t you think?
Once again, I have to thank Erin who mentioned last week it was about time to begin preparing “fiambre” and the dulce de ayote. It is amusing that one needs other people to point the obvious. I say this because every year my girlfriend and I set up a Day of the Dead Altar which amalgamates the Mexican and the Guatemalan tradition with foods from both cultures and of course with plenty of desserts.
Chilacayote is basically a Guatemalan-type of squash sweet or candy. I don’t have the recipe, but I am sure Erin or other kind Guatemalan will come forward with the recipe for chilacayote, camotes and dulce de ayote… anyone, anyone?
Here’s one more dose of Sobrevivencia… A Guatemalan Mayan rock band. This time Sobrevivencia performs a rock version of “Guate caricia.” Enjoy!
If there were an unofficial anthem for Guatemala, that would be El Grito. Most Guatemalan grow hearing El Grito and even dancing the “son” in school events. Here’s a question for the Guatemalans living abroad, when was the last time you heard El Grito and what kind thoughts crossed your mind? Here’s yet another dose … Read more
These caramelized apples are a good example of the syncretism found in the Guatemalan gastronomy.
As Pascu mentioned yesterday, “I find Guatemalan cuisine unique: the blend of three cultures, each completely different. Mayan heritage brings the slow cooking stew style with thick sauces. African, the taste for deep fry food. Finally Spanish culture brought the oven, baked delicacies: bread, dough, roast, “dulces”… local fruits and vegetables mixed with 3 european basic ingredients: milk, sugar and eggs.”
Erin also added a few ingredients to stew, “It is important to keep in mind that the lists of local ingredients and dishes were enlarged and improved in many ways, during the colonial times. I am not taking out any credit to the local indigenous ingredients and methods; I am only saying that what we now know as ethnic food is a glorious combination of our past in its purest form, the colonial times, and some contemporary additions. Anyway, whatever the background in our extensive list of dishes, all of them are a feast to the senses. What a joy!”
How funny that Erin should mention Feast of the Senses since that was precisely the name of the exhibit of Central American gastronomy in which I participated two years ago. As always, follow the white rabbit to see some of the photographs that were on display at Fiesta de los Sentidos.
On a totally unrelated subject, it just occurred to me that the United States is one of the largest Spanish-speaking countries since it has one of the largest populations of Spanish speakers. Spanish has been spoken in the U.S. from a time before its independence; heck from before English was spoken there. And at the rate at which the Spanish-speaking population grows, faster than any other, you may have to hablar español sooner or después or move to Canada. 😉 Remember that you can always come to La Antigua Guatemala to take Spanish classes in the more than 65 Spanish Schools available in this tiny colonial town.
Por favor dejar sus comentarios y preguntas abajo; hay mucho espacio abajo y esta bitácora digital es ecológicamente verde, panza verde verde verde pues.
Guatemala’s rich gastronomic heritage is “disappearing” right before our own very eyes. I try to capture and document some of it, but I am afraid I am doing it too slow.
Let me explain.
The other day I went to the tienda to buy some papalinas and I asked the girl at the counter for bag of papalinas. She looked dazed and confused and her hand kept on moving between the papalinas, plataninas and yuquitas. Finally, she admitted she did not know which was which. She solicited help to show her which was papalinas. She was about 18 years old so I inquired about her provenance; not willing to admit to myself that it was feasible for a Guatemalan teenager to not know what papalinas were.
In Guatemala, however, everyday the limits of what’s possible are pushed further out.
The tienda attendant was from a village not to far from La Antigua Guatemala.
Guatemala is certainly the land of “los desaparecidos (as).” 🙁
To counteract el olvido, here’s a dose of Sobrevivencia… A Guatemalan Mayan rock band. Enjoy and let me know if you need more doses of Sobrevivencia!
First of all, my apologies to all those masochist Guatemalans who live abroad and visit this humble site to get their daily nostalgic capsule. Loroco is the green flower you see on top of the pupusa above, which I call Mayan pizza because is made from corn dough and cheese. Pupusas are normally top with … Read more
Back in June, a few photography enthusiasts from La Antigua Guatemala, myself included, funded the Club Fotográfico de Antigua (Antigua’s Photo Club). With each passing month the Club Fotográfico de Antigua (CFA) receives new members and visitors interested in sharing a good time while admiring the photographs taken by the members, participating in the monthly … Read more
There’s got to be as many salsa dancing schools in La Antigua Guatemala as there are Spanish-language schools. Unlike, the online Spanish tutors available from LAG, with salsa classes you must physically be in La Antigua Guatemala. Interesting enough, Guatemala is not known as a salsa dancing Mecca and since I don’t dance it is … Read more
I ‘d like to know the name of this kind of bird, which comes to tweet and chat with our little white kitten everyday. I know the bird is native to northern Central America and can be found often in Coffee Plantations of Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and El Salvador. Also, I know the bird belongs … Read more
I was explained by these chicharroneros how they make their chicharrones, chicharrines, carnitas and costilla. First buy the best quality pork skin, meat and ribs. Cut all of it into fist-size pieces. Let all the meat marinate over night with salts and spices in the refrigerator. Next day, set the fire and pour chicharrones into … Read more
Because today is a holiday in Guatemala (read the aside below), we are going to skip all the controversial stuff and just have Empanadas de leche as dessert, postre in Spanish. It was a little over year ago that Lucía requested “photos of some ‘empanadas de leche’ (las que tienen manjar adentro), pleaseeeeyyyy?” See, sometimes … Read more
If you are planning to leave Guatemala before November 1, you will certainly miss the Giant Kites of Santiago and Sumpango. You won’t be able to see the kite runner in the cemeteries of Guatemala. However, if you are in La Antigua Guatemala, you can head over to Nim Pot to see some samples of … Read more
The “strong winds” begin making their way to Guatemala; Vientos fuertes would say Miguel Ángel Asturias. With the vientos fuertes also appear the barriletes, kites, and giant kites which help to reunite the dead with the living during the celebrations of Día de los difuntos, Day of the dead. What do you know about the … Read more
Some people out there can never see the good things, even if they were blinking right on their face. All they do is complain and nag about the most mundane stuff. I believe you have to show everything to give a more realistic picture. That also includes that good things that happen everyday but go … Read more
