HAPPY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH FROM MEXGROCER.COM!

Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries:

• Costa Rica
• El Salvador
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• Nicaragua

Other key dates include:

• Mexico – September 16
• Chile – September 18
• Belize – September 21
• El Día de la Raza (Columbus Day) – October 12

Why “Hispanic”?

At MexGrocer.com, we prefer the term Hispanic because it more accurately reflects the Spanish-speaking population, including those with roots in Latin America and Spain. Other terms may exclude certain groups:

• Latino – gendered in Spanish, requiring “Latino(s) and/or Latina(s)” for inclusivity.
• Latin Americans – excludes Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal.
• Hispano American – excludes Brazil and other non-Spanish-speaking enclaves.

In summary, during Hispanic Heritage Month, we support the term HISPANIC to embrace all individuals in the U.S. who speak Spanish or other Romance languages, and who have roots in North, Central, South America, or the Caribbean.

Felices Fiestas Patrias

While Mexico’s Independence Day falls on September 16, Hispanic Heritage Month (Mes de las Fiestas Patrias) celebrates cultural pride from mid-September to mid-October.

Hispanic Americans trace their roots to:

• Indigenous peoples such as the Arawaks, Aztecs, Incas, Maya, and Tainos
• Spanish explorers of the 1400s
• Africans brought as slaves to the New World

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanic refers to Spanish-speaking people in the U.S. of any race. Today, there are nearly 65 million Hispanics in the United States (20% of the population).

Recommended Reading

To learn more, we recommend “How to Win The Hispanic Gold Rush” by Francisco J. Valle. This book explains how to identify Hispanic consumer needs and market effectively through pricing, distribution, and promotion.

Hispanic Foods We Love

Where would we be without tacos, empanadas, enchiladas, salsa, tamales, chipotle, horchata, black beans and rice, and flan?

Celebrate with Recipes

Try some of our favorite Mexican recipes from /blogs/recipes:

Yucatan Habanero Salsa

This salsa is amazing. The habaneros, when mixed in lime juice, lose some of their heat. The habanero is the chile of choice in Yucatan and surrounding areas. It is said to have mysterious healing powers. Preparation time is about 45 minutes and this will make a little over a pint.

• 2 medium red onions, finely diced
• 6 large tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 5 habanero chiles, minced (remove seeds and membranes, using gloves)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tbsp Orange juice or 1 tsp Controy (similar to Triple Sec)
• Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together in bowl. Cover and refrigerate for up to three days. Serve with chips for dipping.

For nachos – layer tortilla chips on a plate, cover with grated cheese, microwave for 45–60 seconds, then spoon salsa over the top.

Pancho's Tortilla Soup

This delectable rendition of a Mexican classic comes from Restaurant Pancho's in Cabo San Lucas. It will warm your heart and soul. Takes about two and a half hours to make. Makes 10–12 servings.

Soup:

• 1 whole chicken
• 4 quarts water
• Salt, pepper, seasonings to taste
• 2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 8 large, ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 large white onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp oregano (dried or fresh)
• 6 bay leaves
• 6 tbsp powdered chicken bouillon (Knorr Suiza in Mexico)
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Garnishes:

• 12 corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 1/2 cup corn or canola oil
• 2 avocados, cut into chunks
• 1 1/2 cups Chihuahua or Jack cheese, grated
• 1 cup sour cream
• Fresh cilantro, sprigs
• 6 Chiles Negros

Boil chicken with seasonings for 1 hour. Remove chicken, debone, and cut into chunks. Sauté peppers, onions, and tomatoes with olive oil; add bouillon and cook 30 minutes. Before serving, combine chicken, stock, and vegetables. Fry tortilla strips, then divide among bowls with chicken, avocado, and cheese. Add soup, top with sour cream, cilantro, and chile. Serve hot.

Jalapeño Corn Bread

Jalapeño chiles, real corn, and cheese distinguish this cornbread from the all-American version. Serves 10.

• 2–10 jalapeño chiles, finely chopped
• 1 (3.5 oz) can diced green chiles
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 (17 oz) can creamed corn
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup corn or canola oil
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 cups yellow cornmeal

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x14 inch pan. Mix jalapeños, corn, and onion. Add baking soda, salt, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, oil, cheese, and cornmeal. Pour batter into pan and bake 40–45 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Totally Mexican Grilled Dorado

An astonishingly great recipe! Serves 8, takes 1 hour to prepare.

• 8 Dorado (Mahi Mahi) filets
• 1 (12 oz) bottle El Torito Serrano Grape Vinaigrette
• 1 (12 oz) bottle Kozlowski Farms Key Lime Salad Dressing
• 1/4 cup Hornitos tequila
• 1/2 bottle Tecate beer
• Juice of 3 limes
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except fish in a bowl. Marinate fish in mixture for 1 hour. Grill fish on both sides until cooked. Garnish with onions and cilantro. Serve immediately with Tortilla Soup and Jalapeño Corn Bread.

Recipe and tips provided by Ann Hazard.