This spring semester the students in SPA 2895 La Cocina del Mundo Hispano (“Cuisine of the Hispanic World”) studied the connections between culture and cuisine in Spanish speaking countries. They practiced Spanish vocabulary and grammar needed for a variety of culinary activities and read Like Water for Chocolate by the novelist Laura Esquivel and food-themed odes by the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Putting theory to practice, their professor, Dr. David C. Julseth, arranged for a series of hands-on cooking workshops that were taught in Spanish by Hispanic chefs in a professional community kitchen located in the new Casa Azafrán Community Center. Here the students learned to make the recipes from the Mexican novel by Esquivel, as well as Salvadoran pususas, Peruvian ceviche and Colombian sancocho stew. Cassava (yuca) fries, chile rellenos and cooked plantains were some of the semester favorites!
