Hispanic Influence on the U.S. Food Market

Hispanic Influence on the U.S. Food Market

One in seven Americans is of Hispanic descent, therefore it is should come as no surprise that this population has greatly influenced the United States food market. This influence will likely continue to grow based on current estimates that Hispanic Americans will account for 25% of the U.S. population by 2050.

With this large population comes tremendous buying power. 2002 estimates stated that Hispanic families spent about $117 per week on groceries compared to an average of $87 per week spent by all U.S. grocery shoppers. This is likely related to the fact that Hispanic families are more likely to prepare and serve food at home. This demographic looks for fresh, flavorful, authentic produce and food products in supermarkets. Food plays a large role in the Hispanic culture due to the common beliefs that foods are classified as “hot” or “cold” and can influence health and illnesses.

Food preferences and uses vary greatly between different Hispanic regions. For example, Mexicans eat much corn and amaranth, while coastal and Caribbean Latin Americans prefer rice. While beans are used in many Hispanic dishes, different types are also used in various regions. For example, Cubans, Southern Mexicans Venezuelans and Central Americans often use black beans in their dishes while Northern Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Dominicans typically use pinto beans. The use of spices also varies - Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic do not use very much chili and hot spices while other regions prepare very hot dishes.

Many Hispanic foods have become mainstream in the U.S. Salsa, flan, tortilla-based products such as enchiladas, tacos, and tamales are available all over the country. Companies specializing in Hispanic foodstuffs, such as Goya, have experienced large growth and their products are available in more stores than ever before. Goya and other companies have helped to bring ethnic food to the mainstream market.

Both Hispanic and Non-Hispanic companies and organizations have developed and/or modified campaigns to reach the Hispanic population. For example, many companies advertise on both English and Spanish television channels. Other organizations, such as the California Dairy Industry, have marketed toward Hispanics, attempting to influence this population’s attitude toward their product(s) and profit from increased sales.

It is truly interesting to watch how the dynamic food market of the United States will continue to be influenced as the Hispanic population grows. In the future, companies producing and marketing Hispanic products will likely continue find a receptive market. As this culture becomes more integrated throughout the United States, both Hispanic and non-Hispanic consumers will benefit from and enjoy the diversity of Hispanic food products and produce available in their local grocery and specialty stores.

Country Cuisine Profile - Puerto Rico

Hispanic Cuisine Profile - Puerto Rico

Most of us have heard of Puerto Rico and have a good idea of the country’s geographic location, but how much do we really know about the cuisine of this beautiful country? Puerto Rico is not just a great destination spot for sunbathing and relaxing, but also for experiencing fine food and new flavors!

Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States. This country is made up of a group of islands located in the Caribbean. The people of Puerto Rico have been considered to be United States citizens since 1917. Since 2003, there have been more Puerto Ricans living stateside (in the U.S.) that in Puerto Rico. Current estimates suggest there are over 4 million Puerto Ricans living in the U.S. Puerto Ricans forms the second largest group of Hispanic people. Puerto Ricans reside in all 50 states, but the largest community is in New York City.

In the United States, Hispanic cuisine is often considered to be “Mexican” food. Therefore, it is very interesting to learn about the foods of other Hispanic countries and see if perhaps some of the dishes you currently enjoy are actually a part of Puerto Rican cuisine!

Traditional Puerto Rican Cuisine

Puerto Rican cuisine is considered by many to be the finest in all of the Caribbean. Puerto Ricans refer to their cuisine as “cocina criolla.” This country’s food features a unique blend of ingredients which create superb flavor and appeal! Puerto Rican cuisine is thought to have a variety of influences:

• Arawak and Taíno (Mayan) - Puerto Rican cuisine incorporates both Arawak and Taíno influences. These groups were the original inhabitants of the island. Their Influence can be seen through the use of tubers and roots such as taro and Yuca (cassava) which is used to make casabe, a thin type of bread. Other influences include the introduction of multiple varieties of peppers, tropical pumpkins, peanuts, corn and beans.

• Spanish and European - These influences can be seen through incorporation of a variety of ingredients including wheat, garbanzos, onions, garlic, meats and poultry, as well as herbs and spices such as cilantro, oregano, basil and parsley. Other items including cheese, cocoa and sugarcane were also introduced. Cooking methods including pot cooking (rice and beans) and stewing are also thought to originate from European influences.

• African - African influences were also brought to Puerto Rico by the Spanish. Common items such as plantains and root vegetables as well as coffee are included. This culture also introduced deep frying.

• United States - In the beginning of the 1900’s, the United States began to influence Puerto Rican cuisine. Perhaps the strongest examples of U.S. influence can be seen in through the incorporation of items such as corn oil and bacon into traditional dishes. Other items such as soda crackers and pasta have also found their way into the Puerto Rican diet.

Puerto Rican lunch and dinner meals often feature appetizers such as bacalaitos (cod fritters) or surullitos (cornmeal nuggets). Soups made out of beans or fish are common. An example of a classic soup is sopón de pollo con arroz (chicken soup with rice). A traditional gumbo dish made of chicken or shellfish known as asopao is also commonly served.

Main dishes are typically made using adobo and sofrito. These are blends of herbs and spice blends used to season a wide variety of recipes. Entrées are often prepared through stewing, roasting, breading or barbecuing. The most popular Puerto Rican chicken dish is Arroz con pollo (chicken with rice). Other traditional entrees include mojo isleño (fried fish with sauce) and jueyes hervidos (boiled crab). Meat dishes include carne frita con cebolla (beefsteak with onions) and various roasted meat entrées made with adobo.

The fertile lands of Puerto Rico also allow for growth of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Produce items such as chayote (christophone) and breadfruit are common. Fried green breadfruit slices called tostones are served with many meat, fish, and poultry dishes. Tostones may also be made from plantains.

Traditional desserts include flan and many types of cakes as well as preserves and jellies. Common ingredients include coconut, guava, papaya and banana.

Today’s Puerto Rican Cuisine

Today, Puerto Rican cuisine is continually influenced by the melting-pot culture of the U.S. Prime examples of stateside Puerto Rican cuisine can be seen in a new class of restaurants which are popping up in large cities such as New York and Chicago. These restaurants feature something usually referred to as Nuevo Latino cuisine. This class of cuisine combines traditional elements of Hispanic (Puerto Rican) cuisine with ingredients and preparation techniques not commonly used in traditional cuisine. As with other types of Hispanic cuisine, Puerto Rican cuisine will likely influence and blend with the foods flavors of many other cultures.

Be sure to give the delicious, flavorful, intriguing cuisine of Puerto Rico a try! It’s truly a mouthwatering experience!

[photo courtesy of j_bary via Flickr]

Country Cuisine Profile - Mexico

Hispanic Cuisine Profile - Mexico

We all know that Mexican food is GOOD food, but how much do we really know about traditional Mexican cuisine? For example, did you know that a burrito is not truly Mexican cuisine, but a type of food known as Tex-Mex? Tex-Mex cuisine is actually a combination of Northern Mexican and Southern Texan foods combined. Knowing a bit about the history of Mexican cuisine is not only interesting, but can bring a renewed appreciation to the culture’s delicious dishes, desserts, and beverages.


Mexican Americans in the U.S.

The Mexican community and culture has become an integral part of the United States. There are over 45 million Hispanic people in the U.S. , and more than 60% of these people are of Mexican descent. While this population is spread out across the country, a large proportion of Mexican Americans live in California, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. Interestingly, the largest community of Mexicans outside of the border states is in Chicago, Illinois. Because Hispanic people are such a large part of North America‘s population, it is not surprising that Hispanic cuisine has become very popular in the U.S.


Traditional Mexican Cuisine

Authentic Mexican food is colorful, flavorful and just plain delicious! The cuisine, like the country, reflects a rich history of many different influences:

• Mayan - Authentic Mexican food is thought to have been derived from the Mayan Indians. Mayan food was a direct product of their nomadic, hunter-gatherer culture – wild game, fish, beans, and maize (corn).
• Aztec - Aztec influence was incorporated in the mid 1300’s. In addition to the Mayan staples, ingredients such as honey, vanilla, salt, chili peppers, and cacao were introduced to the cuisine. Poultry, such as wild turkey and duck, were also domesticated.
• Spanish - The strongest influence on Mexican cuisine came through Spain’s conquest for Mexico in the 1500’s. The Spaniards introduced livestock such as pigs, cows and sheep as well as many herbs, spices, and wheat.
• Other - Other influences in Mexican cuisine include French, Caribbean, and South American.

Mexican cuisine typically incorporates many types of fresh fish and seafood, which can be attributed to the country’s coastline borders. The country also boasts grazing lands to the north, fertile agricultural land to the south, and a climate which allows many types of tropical plants to thrive. These elements of the country bring an abundance of ingredients together to create dynamic cuisine which truly has something for everyone.

Examples of delicious traditional Mexican dishes include:

• Tamales
• Tortas
• Nopales
• Tacos
• Posole
• Carnitas
• Sweet Pastries
• Hot Chocolate
• Picadillo
• Mole
• Agua Fresca
• Sopa de Fideos

Today’s Mexican Cuisine

As you might expect from reading this introduction to the history of Mexican food, modern Mexican cuisine is very diverse and incorporates ingredients from a wide variety of influences. While authentic Mexican dishes are still a large part of current Mexican cuisine, many modern dishes incorporate ingredients and preparation techniques outside of the traditional category. In fact, many of today’s fast food and chain restaurants feature foods so varied from traditional dishes that many people do not consider them to serve “Mexican” food. Mexican cuisine will likely influence and fuse with dishes from many cultures as the food industry of the United States continues to progress.

[photo courtesy of y6y6y6 via Flikr]

Country Profile - Mexico

Hello everyone, be sure to keep an eye out for our first country profile on Mexico! Updates will begin this weekend!



[photo courtesy of Esparta via Flickr]