Because of our last experience at the game bar, we decided to meet there again the next day. THe place had good food, drinks, and a cool atmosphere with nice card games. For our EOTO meeting, our group decided to focus on Valeria’s culture (Mexico)- and honestly, what better way to learn about a culture than to learn about their food?
Our cafe theme was mostly centered around traditional mexican dishes. Valeria spoke about enchilladas (a tortilla rolled around some filling and topped with sauce), quesadillas (two tortillas packed with filling inside), a traditional sauce called Mole Poblano, and the infamous tacos (tortilla with filling).
Unfortunately we did not make the food together this time, but did take time to talk about how it is made and eaten, and how it connects to the Mexican daily life. Most of these traditional foods are eaten with tortillas, which are usually wheat or corn-based, and topped with protein (meat or chicken) and a lot of vegetables.
One fun thing we learned is that not all Mexicans dishes include beans, which is a stereotype that is always assumed by. Valeria did explain that most dishes depend on the region, personal preferences, or family traditions. Another thing we learned is that in Mexico, the traditional tacos are soft-corn tortillas and not those hard shell tacos we usually eat. THe hard shell version is more of an American invention, which I grew up with too.
It was nice to talk about the Mexican food culture, especially as we all shared some similarities in our own culture with the food. For example, Carribeans love to eat arepa (a Colombian/Venezuelan dish), which is a food based on corn flour. Food can connect people through stories, but also through the feelings/memories it can bring up for someone.
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