A day like no other.

My day started off a bit rocky but it got better within seconds. Today I taught the group a few "Azteca Danza" steps. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed seeing people get the steps. I'm not going to lie, it's not an easy dance to learn but I was extremely impressed by how fast everyone learned it. Yesterday and today my mom came to see and experience everything we've been doing. One of her ideas were for me to do a whole presentation for the group, of course everyone agreed with her. At first I hesitated because I don't really feel comfortable dancing all by myself, but Denis did it with me too, so it wasn't that bad. We were dancing for about an hour when our guest speaker arrived. She was teaching us so many things and bought a lot of the items for us to see. One item that really stuck to me the most was the azteca sonaja it's like a maraca used during the Aztec dance. ( i guess thats why it struck me the most) 

My favorite part was when she taught us a song about mother nature in Nahuatl. 

The beat of the song was suck in my head. Being Mexican and learning so much about my roots today has inspire me to learn more and explore everything I need to know to feel more connected with my culture. After the this we got ready to go to Girelle's house. The menu for today was Ceviche (which is shrimp cocktail) and Chifles which are Plantain Chips. Daisy, Jared, Jennifer and myself worked on the Ceviche. Once again everyone had a task and we all worked together. I personally had so much fun doing the Ceviche and the Chifles. The final results were amazing. 

  

I had to leave early :( So i didn't get to taste the Corn cake Fernanda and Stephanie did for us and the drink Wendy was working on. But I'm hoping to have some tomorrow. I came home and surprised my family by making the chips. They loved it and were all gone within minutes.

I've been super happy about everything I've been learning this past week that I am actually going to cook the Chicken Stew we learned on Monday for my family tomorrow. I'm kind of nervous but very excited. It won't be the same though, cause I wont have everyone around to help but I'm hoping it comes out just as tasty. 


I am really excited for tomorrow ! We are going to spend most of the day in the city  
Laura Lopez <3

Crazzzzyyy Latin Culture Fun!!

         Today as soon as I got to the school my group was setting up room 300 for the traditional Mexican dance Laura was going to teach us. She got there a few minutes late because her mother was so excited that she was going to be teaching us these dances that she wanted to get all the costumes for her, that just so happened to be at Laura's aunt's home. When Laura finally got to the school we were all anxious to learn how to dance. Since the room is pretty small we separated into two groups and took turns learning. While the first group went some of us took videos and pictures as well. I was really impressed at Laura's patience with us and she really knew how to break down all the steps for us when we didn't quite understand how to do it. Once the first group finished Girelle told me to go up, so I did, I was a bit embarrassed but I got over it quickly and got into the music that was playing in the background. The dancing with Laura was a lot of fun, I wish we learned more, but because of the time we weren't able to. After we finished dancing we made a circle for a guest speaker that was coming to teach us about the Aztec calendar and Nahuatl Language. She told us how for her its very important to keep the Native American culture alive. She showed us many different artifacts and explained to us what each one meant. She also showed us five books, three that she felt misrepresented the Aztecs, and two that were good. She passed all these items around and we all got to see them and read a few lines of the book. We learned that the Aztecs never actually sacrificed like we see in the movies, they actually don't roll sacrificed heads down the pyramids/temples Nor do they sacrifice hearts. These are all just myths that aren't true, they do however do small sacrifices, but nothing like this that is to the extreme. We even learned a song in Nahuatl, and our group is going to sing it on Friday during presentations (Fernanda's idea) Someone also asked a  question about 2012 and if it was true, she said that the calendar did end, but this didn't mean the world was going to end. Instead she explained to us how it meant that we wee somehow going to be closer to the earth and learn to appreciate everything we have. After we finished learning all about the Aztecs we prepared to head out to Girelle's house. Once we got there we had to try and be quiet because Girelle's voice was gone and she wasn't feeling that great. We began to cook immediately and separated into groups to make our jobs easier. I made Cheese Ceviche (an alternative to Ceviche de Camarones) with Brianna and Erica. The food was very tasty and we all worked as a team to get everything done and we worked well considering how much little space we had. When we finished cooking everything we all sat down and were able to eat in peace. Carol took some really great shots today and some good videos, so we were looking at them while we made some humus with Girelle. Today was overall a really fantastic day and I can't wait for tomorrow!! 

                                                                                                                            -Marcela Rodriguez :)

Bernardino de Sahagun, Lively Junior Girls and Tamales

For me, preparing lessons and materials has been one of the most rewarding aspects of Rensizzle. I have always loved cooking and history, and knowing that I would be learning about Latin America with a group of lively junior girls further encouraged me to investigate the food and life of the cultures that have molded the region. This Sunday, I spent some time at the New York Public Library researching the writings of Fray Bernardino de Sahagun, a Spanish priest and one the first outsiders to document life in the Aztec empire.

His narrative was so detailed and energetic I forgot the book was more than 600 years-old. In one passage, he described how young girls would stroll at the market chewing chiclet (gum) to make their breath smell well and, in this manner, attract young men.  The Tortilla Sellers at Tlatelolco Market hand-patted and toasted fresh tortillas surrounded by dozens of baskets filled with all kinds of steaming tamales: guajolote (turkey), fish, honey, cactus fruit, beans, chile, tomatoes, etc I will always remember with fondness how, upon reading the text on Monday, the students unanimously cried “ewwwww” at the mention of frog tamales. I simply loved seeing the students read an ancient text with smiles and joy.

Today, we visited Tortilleria Nixtamal in Corona and learned that, just like 600 years ago, making Tamales is still important in Mexico’s culinary tradition. Nixtamal is very special because it is the only place in New York City where tortilla-making follows the ancient Aztec tradition. After lying in the sun for week in the summer, the corn is packed and shipped to Nixtamal from Illinois. At Nixtamal, corn is given a bath of water and limestone until it becomes very soft. Then, it is washed and grinded into fresh masa. The Limestone increases the corn’s nutritional value, making tortillas a healthy alternative to bread.

Using fresh masa we made tortillas. We took turns pressing and toasting tortillas. Shawna, the owner, said that at least half of the people who try making tortillas this way make it wrong the first time. We set a record because ALL our tortillas came out beautifully. Honestly, these were the best tortillas I have ever had. I think Deisy and Wendy would also agree. 

Then we made sweet tamales with fresh masa plus milk, butter, brown sugar, pineapples and raisings. Carol pointed out these tamales show the Spaniards’ influence because they introduced milking cows, sugar and butter to the new world. Each one folded her own tamal in corn husk and got them ready for a steamy 40-minute bath!

~Girelle.

Tortilleria Nixtamal

So today, as a group, we went to Corona to visit a restaurant that Girelle reserved for us. It was a small restaurant that was called Tortilleria Nixtamal. The restaurant had its Mexican traditions with the food, the music, and the people. The front of the restaurant was very noticeable in the neighborhood. It was just full of bright colors. When we went inside, we were welcomed by a lovely person who worked there, Shawna. She wasn't like all the other workers there but she knew what was going on and what was being said for the most part. When we entered the small place, the first thing I heard was, "IT SMELLS LIKE MEXICO!" by Laura Lopez and Stephanie Hernandez. That just made me feel like Mexico. Anyways, the very first thing we noticed was a big green machine which I didn't know what it was called but I knew what it did. It made the famous TORTILLAS!! There was a guy by the machine who made them. What he had to do was insert some dough into the machine and then the machine itself would make the dough into a tortilla shape. Then, that would cook or warm up and the tortilla shaped dough would come out to be ... TORTILLAS. We took one and the tortillas were delicious.

After observing how they made the tortillas and tasting them, we went straight to the basement. Downstairs was the kitchen. This was where tortillas are used for making tostadas, nachos, tacos, and last but not least, TAMALES!! The kitchen was where the dough was being made to begin with. Shawna showed us the corn that they use to make the dough for tortillas. What they do it they put the dry corn into this huge sink. Inside that sink is where they wet the dried and corn and make them soften. Afterwards, they put it into a huge "funnel" where it makes the corn into dough. The dough is then ready to be used to make the foods. The ladies that were there already, taught us how to make the dough into tortillas. What they do is they make the dough into a round circle and then they place it into this "squisher". They use the "squisher" to flatten out the dough. We each took turns making one and it was fun.

The tortillas were delicious, but we had to move on. We moved on to what we have arrived for. TAMALES!! That's right! We finally made our own tamales. The dough that they had used to make the tamales was very unique, in my point of view. For these tamales that we were going to make, was going to be sweet. It had no chicken or any other meats involved. Just fruits and its sweetness. The lady that was there with us taught us how they make Tamales de Dulce (Sweet Tamales). She had a rectangular container where it contained the dough that was going to used. In order for her to make into the way she had to have it, she included milk, butter, food coloring (pink), pineapples, and raisins. It looked very good even though she was still making it. It looked very exhausting by the way she was mixing it because she was mixing it with her hands and it makes her arms move a lot. Anyways, after mixing it fully, she put the pink dough into two other containers for each of us to put into a "hard peel". It was an exciting experience making our own sweet tamales.

After making our tamales, we stayed and we munched on delicious Mexican dishes. We had people order tostadas, nachos, the famous tacos, tamales, and quesadillas. It was the best lunch we've ever had and this was a fun experience. Overall, this entire trip taught me a lesson:

DO NOT IGNORE TORTILLERIA NIXTAMAL EVER AGAIN!

 =) Jennifer (=

Yesterday:) the first day

Yesterday was our first official day of rensizzle  it was so fun we were talking about different foods and cultures behind them . but the ultimate joy was getting to cook at Girelle's mothers house we had a amazing time cooking spanish delicacies. I was able to make the vegetarian food. It was pretty interesting with all the different flavors . We made Fruit salad chicken stew plantains rice and beans and deserts.Today we wen to a little tamale place we were able to see how they make their tortia bread and everything it was a joy to be there and the food was good to . Over all the experience so far has been really good:)

~Brianna

tamales with the girls

Today in the morning we went to 103rd and Corona to Tortelleria Nixtamal. The lady that was giving us a tour was talking about the machine people use in Mexico to make tacos. She said that people barely use the machine in the U.S. After, she took us down stairs where the rest of the workers were. They showed us how to make flour with corn and then a lady showed us how to make sweet tamales. It looked really easy to make. The best part for me was when the lady added pineapples on the sweet pink tamales. We had to wait 45 minutes so we decided to eat.  What I had was delicious tostada de bistec. After that, my dessert was a Mexican coconut ice-cream. That was very delicious; I wanted another one. I learned a lot about Bachata and how in Santo Domingo, Bachata was misleading towards women.  People in D.R wouldn't listen to Bachata, but if they did listen Bachata, they would be known as a bad person because Bachata was only about violence, sexual abuse, and alcohol abuse.

~Daisy

Pollo Guisado at Girelles House

Yesterday was a very unique experience. We went to Girelles house, our goal that day was to make Pollo Guisado(Chicken Stew),Platanos Maduros Asados(Grilled Ripe Plantains), Ensalada de frutas (fruit salad), and Atole (Pudding). My goal for the day was to make Chocolate Pudding for dessert. I loved how everyone worked great as a group. All of us would procrastinate but still get all the food done. Everyone learned something new by the end of the day. Yesterday was the first time I made pudding from scratch.  I was really into making the pudding because I never had experienced cooking as a group.  Once we started eating, everything tasted so good. The whole group was satisfied after eating the food we had made.After that day I was really happy that we had accomplished making a whole meal by a group of teens.Everything came out great, no one complained about the food. All we herd were compliment.I Loved the experience I had that day and would never forget it .
                                                               -Stephanie H