I love how cooking connects geography and history to our lives.  Today, Girelle displayed spices that Islamic Moors brought to Spain between 800 and 1400, and that Spanish conquerors brought to the "New World" after 1492.
     After a bus ride to Girelle's Mom's home, the students cooked wonderful foods.  The ingredients for Pollo Guisada (chicken stew) came from native American traditions (e.g., tomato paste, tomatoes) and from Spanish and Moor traditions (e.g., olives, pepper, sugar).  This is the best chicken stew I've ever had.   Furthermore, the recipe for Moros y Christians combined rice-olive oil-cloves (inherited from Spanish Moors) and beans and chile habanero (inherited from central American groups).  I wish I could have captured the magnificent aromas today.  We also had Rose-scented Corn Pudding (rose-scent from Islamic Moors)  and Chocolate Corn Pudding (chocolate from Aztec America).  Throughout our meal, we benefit from the special combination of Old World and New World!
     All the students pitched in to turn recipes and ingredients into a most delicious meal.  They cut, measured, stirred, double-checked the recipes, and then ate.   But, even more important, everyone contributed to a most memorable day.  

I hope our photos convey the shared spirit of today.  (cutting and measuring; browning the chicken)  ~Carol