Exploring Cultural Heritage in French and Guatemalan Cuisine

Cooking is a way for people to share moments; it’s present during family meals, gatherings with friends, and social events of all kinds. It represents nurturing oneself, sharing with loved ones, and meeting new people. Importantly, it is greatly inspired by cultural heritage, sometimes in ways that we can’t see.

French Cuisine: A Royal Legacy

Take French cooking, for example. It is often characterized by complicated, intricate dishes that require fine ingredients, specific cuts of meat, meticulous techniques, and Grade A quality. French cuisine is deeply influenced by history and heritage. Historically, many royal families in Europe spoke only French, creating a culinary tradition aimed at pleasing the upper classes. This influence is evident in delicately crafted dishes meant to satisfy the highest of society, ranging from healthy options like steak frites to exquisite desserts such as classic croquembouche and delicate tarts.

Guatemalan Cuisine: A Working-Class Tradition

In contrast, many other cuisines draw inspiration from local people and the working class. As a Guatemalan born and raised in Guatemala City to a working-class family, I have experienced firsthand how our cultural heritage shapes our food. Guatemalan dishes are heavily influenced by the working people of Mesoamerica, often utilizing less desirable cuts of meat and heavily seasoning them with local and indigenous spices to enhance flavor.

One of my personal favorites, revolcado, uses pork fat and feet as its base. This dish features a robust sauce made with dried chilies, tomatoes, bay leaves, peppercorns, and other spices. The buttery texture comes from the collagen in the pork feet and the fatty cuts of meat. This starkly contrasts with French cuisine and other European traditions, showcasing how heritage and history nurture distinct culinary traits.

This emphasis on cultural heritage is reflected in my own cooking. When I opened a French café in 2022, I employed traditional French techniques, but I sourced ingredients locally, influenced by the flavors I grew up with.

The Role of Ingredients in Local Cuisines

The availability of ingredients significantly influences local cuisines. In Guatemala and southern Mexico, chocolate, beans, and tomatoes are prevalent in both sweet and savory dishes. For instance, the Mexican mole is a thick tomato- and chocolate-based chicken stew. However, in Guatemala, the term «mole» encompasses both savory and sweet dishes. Guatemalan mole is often a dessert, featuring a similar base of tomatoes, dried chilies, chocolate, and spices, paired with sweet, ripe fried plantains.

Chocolate has deep roots in Mesoamerican culture, especially among the Mayans, who once used cacao beans as currency. Tomatoes and beans have been abundant in the region for centuries, along with sugar cane, which has also found its way into our local dishes.

Recipes to Try

If you’ve ever wondered what the combination of sweet plantains, beans, tomatoes, and chocolate tastes like, allow me to share a couple of recipes for you to try. While they may be non-traditional, these Guatemalan recipes honor their origins.

Rellenitos

Ingredients:

• Ripe plantains
• Black beans (cooked with cinnamon and sugar)
• Artisanal chocolate
• Sugar (for sprinkling)
• Non-sour crema (optional)

Instructions:

1. Boil the plantains with cinnamon and sugar until fork-tender.
2. Mash the cooked plantains into a dough.
3. Cook the black beans in a pressure cooker with cinnamon sticks and sugar until soft, then grind them into a paste with melted artisanal chocolate.
4. Shape the plantain dough into small bags and fill them with the bean paste.
5. Fry the filled dough in low heat until golden brown.
6. Serve with a sprinkle of sugar and a drizzle of crema, if desired.

Mole

Ingredients:

• Ripe red tomatoes
• A mix of spices: pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon, peppercorns, and cloves
• Artisanal chocolate tablets
• Ripe plantains

Instructions:

1. Blister the tomatoes in a hot pan.
2. Toast the spices on the stove until fragrant, then grind them with the blistered tomatoes and artisanal chocolate to create the sauce.
3. Adjust the thickness of the sauce to your preference; it should be thick enough to coat the plantains.
4. Slice the ripe plantains and fry them on low heat until caramelized and soft.
5. Combine the fried plantains with the sauce and cook for a few minutes.
6. Serve hot, garnished with sesame seeds. For a unique twist, try it cold straight from the fridge to let the flavors mingle.

Let me know if you try them! I hope they warm your heart like they warm mine!

Love Ant

: )