By Jisele Garcia,
Co-Editor-in-Chief
In a hum, a low chatter fills the oven-warmed room with an occasional tray clatter or two as we surround the kitchen table, forming an assembly line of masa, pork, then, lastly, corn husk. Anticipation stirs among the workers, hands weary as they wait to gorge on the cooking tamales.
In my previous column, I dove into my mission of reconnecting with my culture in which I discussed how I found the importance of representation in art. Food is a significant aspect of Latino culture, so in the image illustrated in the above paragraph, I offer a small glimpse into my family’s festivities during the holiday season—producing traditional holiday dishes.
Thick, creamy coquito assembled out of coconut and cinnamon flavorings married with coconut pudding tembleque brushed with cinnamon; these desserts are essential to Puerto Rican Christmas palettes. Cheesy, sweet quesadilla bread sprinkled with sesame seeds is a popular confection in El Salvador eaten year round and especially during the holidays.
Though I am a concoction of Salvadoran and Puerto Rican heritages, I know little about the traditions of my culture because I had geographical barriers distancing me from family. I often adopt Nicaraguan and Mexican customs as they are representative of my grandparents who are my immediate family which I am closer with geographically and emotionally. Though I appreciate and love their heritage, it is easier to feel disconnected to my parents’ culture. As I get older, I realize that it is up to me to take the initiative to ask about essential aspects of our customs and traditions so I can pass them on to my future family.
It’s important to preserve customs like traditional recipes as it signifies connection and remembrance. The near complete eradication of the Taíno and Pipil people indigenous to the Carribean and Central America, respectively, by the Spanish encouraged descendents of colonization to preserve their culture. American culture has a history of discriminating against communities of color for their non-European food choices, and a general pattern of persecution against their customs which they treated with forced assimilation as represented in the 1800s Native American boarding school system. Learning recipes is a way to pay respect for my ancestors’ origins and the foods that they grew up with that provided them comfort and belonging.
Within recent years, I’ve reached out to family members with whom I rarely spoke to and I established a connection with them over our shared interest in cooking and baking. I documented and recreated their recipes as they stories of when they first learned how to make the desserts with their parents, I learned about family history I was unaware of which I cherish wholeheartedly.With my newfound knowledge, I shared my creations with my family which initiated feelings of nostalgia as we reminisced of other times we’ve indulged in quesadillas and coquito.
While it is easy to dismiss, food creates personal bonds between communities and has the ability to produce feelings of consolation and stir memories. Passing on recipes to younger generations is essential so that they don’t lose the love found in these emotionally-rich sentiments.