Why would a Gringa want to write about Latin food?

I'm what you would call "una gringa con sazón." In other words: not-your-average-American-chic. Let me explain.

I was born in Rhode Island, where my ancestors (on both sides) had settled 14 generations earlier. When I was six, my family moved to southwest Florida where I lived until my early 20s. While in Florida, my dad decided to buy my sister and I some Spanish sing-a-long tapes (yes, tapes!) to help us learn the language because he realized how invaluable knowing Spanish would be. So, we learned some silly songs and eventually enrolled in Spanish classes at school.

Let me also mention that I'm a rather type-A person in many situations, your classic over-achiever. So, of course I wanted to be the best student in Spanish class. Check.

At 14, I started traveling to Latin America. I fell in love with the Spanish language, culture and people. I also became addicted to traveling. Since that time, I have had opportunities to discover Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and several parts of Mexico.

I graduated from Florida Southern College with a B.A. in Spanish and later taught ESL and Spanish. All the meanwhile, I continued developing my lifelong passions for writing, photography and cooking (I come from a food family and have been cooking since I was two). I guess you could say I'm like a good sancocho - like a soup of many flavors, I'm a girl of many interests and passions.

Now I am working on a master’s in journalism in Boston. I recently decided it’s about time to connect all of my interests, so hence this blog.

With this blog my hope is to share the great passion and flavor of the Latin culture through food. Food is a common ground that brings people together. However, there are many misunderstands and misconceptions about food, the Latin culture and language. Mexican food and Spanish food are about as different as night and day. Dominican food and Puerto Rican food are not the same. Not all Latin food is spicy and not all Latinos eat tacos. And no, Tex-Mex is not authentic.

I hope this blog will serve multiple purposes. Initially, I plan to visit Boston-area Latin eateries, eat a lot of yummy food and talk with restaurant owners and chefs. I hope that my blog will become an information hub and tool for people who are interested in discovering Latin food in Boston. I also hope to educate readers about history and family, provide recipes and fun facts about Latin food. Ultimately, I hope this blog will be fun, educational and that readers will be inspired by my passions.


Barriga llena, corazón contento. (Full belly, happy heart)


¡Buen provecho!