¡Viva la Comida Yucateca!

Our students went on a culinary journey in history. They prepared and enjoyed dishes from pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial times. Sikil Pak, Lomitos de Valladolid, and Arroz con leche are the three Yucatecan dishes that our students learned to prepare as part of the great experience they are having in Mérida. They had a good time cutting herbs and meat, roasting tomatoes, mixing ingredients, pouring salsas, and even, washing the dishes! Everybody did a wonderful job and all the food they made tasted delicious. There was also a delightful pumpkin tamale.

We started with Sikil Pak as our appetizer. This dish has a Mayan name which translates ‘semilla y tomate’ (seed and tomato). It looks like paté and it is served with totopos (tortilla chips). Our entrée was Lomitos de Valladolid, a dish prepared with pork, tomatoes, habanero peppers, and spices. The students made some amazing tacos with the lomitos. Yummy! For dessert, we all enjoyed Arroz con leche (similar to rice pudding, but better). The smell of cinnamon in the kitchen when they were preparing the dessert was very inviting, and everybody was happy and excited when it was ready to eat.

Our Language and Culture students can add these dishes to their recipe list. I hope they try them again and share them with their families when they go back home!