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

Pollo guisado al tomate.

Today was the first day of Rensizzle. I can honestly say we had so much fun! We spent the first few hours in school. It was worth it though; I learn where each Latin American country is on the map and where mole comes from. We had our laughs and jokes , but then it was time to get to work. We left to go to Girelle mom’s house to cook. We made a huge meal.

We made:

©     Moros y Cristianos
(Rice with Black beans)

©     Platano amarillo dulce
(Sweet Ripe Plantains)

©     Pollo guisado al tomate
(Tomato chicken stew)

©     Queso guisado al tomate
(Tomato cheese stew)

©     Atole de rosa
(Rose corn pudding)

We each had an individual task to do. I work with Daisy, together we made Pollo guisado al tomate. I’m personally not the type to be in the kitchen but, I actually had a lot of fun cooking today. Everything turned out great and delicious. I came back home and was beyond excited. I think I even told my mom I was going to cook it for them, I hope she didn't think I was serious. I would do it again but I think what made it a lot of fun was that we did it in a group. I was looking at the videos I took and in each video you can see someone doing something. Someone was stirring, chopping or slicing, all of us had a big smile on our faces and were laughing a lot! I’m pretty enthusiastic for tomorrow. We are making Tamales! 

-Laura