Mesoamerican cuisine

thumb|Chocolate bars in dark, white, and milk variants (top to bottom). Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans that can be a liquid, solid, or paste, either by itself or to flavor other foods. Cocoa beans are the processed seeds of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao). They are usually fermented to develop the flavor, then dried, cleaned, and roasted. The shell is removed to reveal nibs, which are ground to chocolate liquor (unadulterated chocolate in rough form.) The liquor can be processed to separate its two components, cocoa solids and cocoa butter, or shaped and sold as

fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae

frameless|right|alt=Ripe, longitudinal section thumb|Dragon fruit sold in a market in Chiayi, Taiwan|alt=Market stall in [[Taiwan]]

heated beverage of chocolate

A taco (, , ) is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a small hand-sized corn- or wheat-based tortilla topped with a filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and eaten by hand. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, pork, chicken, seafood, beans, vegetables, and cheese, and garnished with various condiments, such as salsa, guacamole, or sour cream, and vegetables, such as lettuce, coriander, onion, tomatoes, and chiles. Tacos are a common form of antojitos, or Mexican street food, which have spread around the world.

Opuntia, commonly called the prickly pear cactus, is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family Cactaceae, many known for their flavorful fruit and showy flowers. Cacti are native to the Americas, and are well adapted to arid climates; however, they are still vulnerable to alterations in precipitation and temperature driven by climate change. The plant has been introduced to Australia, southern Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa.

upright|thumb|right|Vanilla planifolia, flower upright|thumb|right|Dried vanilla beans

A tortilla (, ) is a thin, circular unleavened flatbread from Mesoamerica originally made from masa, and now also from wheat flour.

culinary traditions of Mexico

species of plant

species of bird

A tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaves. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tamales can be filled with meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, herbs, chilies, or any preparation according to taste, and both the filling and the cooking liquid may be seasoned.

Dry biomass of cyanobacteria belonging to genus Limnospira, used as dietary supplement and food

Pulque (; ), occasionally known as octli or agave wine, is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey (agave) plant. It is traditional in central Mexico, where it has been produced for millennia. It has the color of milk, a rather viscous consistency and a sour yeast-like taste.

A chipotle ( , ), or chilpotle, is a smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper used for seasoning. It is used primarily in Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines, such as Tex-Mex and Southwestern United States dishes. It comes in different forms, such as chipotles en adobo (stewed in adobo sauce).

Atole (, believed to come from Nahuatl ātōlli or from Mayan), also known as atolli, atol and atol de elote, is a traditional hot masa-based beverage of Mexican origin. Atole can have different flavors added, such as vanilla, cinnamon, and guava. Chocolate atole is known as champurrado or simply atole. It typically accompanies tamales and is especially consumed during Day of the Dead (observed November 2) and Las Posadas (Christmas holiday season).

Mexican sauces containing a fruit, chili pepper, nuts, and such spices as black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and chocolate

Pozole (; from ) is a traditional soup or stew from Mexican cuisine. It is made from hominy with meat (typically chicken or pork), and can be seasoned and garnished with shredded lettuce or cabbage, chili peppers, onion, garlic, radishes, avocado, salsa or limes. Known in Mesoamerica since the pre-Columbian era, the stew is common across Mexico and neighboring countries, served both as a day-to-day meal and as a festive dish.

species of plant

culinary traditions in the Aztec Empire

the history of chocolate

cuisine originating from Costa Rica

latin American griddle

unleavened flatbread made from ground corn (maize)

species of plant

Mexican slow-roasted pork dish

right|thumb|250px|An 1836 lithograph of [[tortilla production in rural Mexico]] thumb|right|200px|Bowl of hominy (nixtamalized corn kernels)

thumb|right|200px|Chapulines and chili flavored peanuts at an artisanal food market in Colonia Roma, Mexico City Chapulines, plural for chapulín (), are grasshoppers of the genus Sphenarium that are commonly eaten in certain areas of Mexico. The term is specific to Mexico and Central America, and derives from the Nahuatl word chapolin (singular) or chapolimeh (plural).

culinary traditions of Guatemala

culinary traditions of Honduras

thumb|350px|Molcajete and tejolote with peppers to be ground A molcajete (; Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl molcaxitl) and tejolote (from Nahuatl texolotl) are stone tools, the traditional Central American and especially, the Mexican version of the mortar and pestle used for grinding various food products.

culinary traditions of El Salvador

mixture of indigenous Native American cuisine, Spanish cuisine, and Creole cuisine

culinary traditions of Belize

Champurrado is a chocolate-based atole, a warm and thick Mexican beverage. It is prepared with either a masa (lime-treated corn dough), masa harina (a dried version of this dough), or corn flour (simply very finely ground dried corn, especially local varieties grown for atole); piloncillo; water or milk; chocolate; and occasionally cinnamon, aniseed, or vanilla. Ground nuts, orange zest, and egg can also be added to thicken and enrich the drink. Atole drinks are whipped up using a wooden whisk called a molinillo. The whisk is rolled between the palms of the hands, then moved back and forth in

diet of the Ancient Mesoamerican civilization

Mayan dish

Memelas, also known as memelitas, are fried or toasted cakes made of masa topped with different fresh ingredients eaten as antojitos or snacks in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, Tlaxcala, and Puebla, Mexico, which have their origins in prehispanic food. They are similar to fresh corn tortillas, but are slightly thicker and usually shaped in an oblong oval. Memela is the local name for the almost identical sope and huarache served in other parts of Mexico, but with different toppings.

right|thumbnail|275px|Vendor mixing the beverage before serving it Tejate is a non-alcoholic maize and cacao beverage traditionally made in Oaxaca, Mexico, originating from pre-Hispanic times. It remains very popular among the indigenous Mixtec and Zapotec peoples, especially in rural areas. It is also very popular in Oaxaca and the surrounding regions. Principal ingredients include toasted maize, fermented cacao beans, toasted mamey pits (pixtle) and flor de cacao (also known as rosita de cacao). These are finely ground into a paste. The paste is mixed with water, usually by hand, and when it

thumb|Calabaza fruits for sale in a supermarket in the Philippines thumb|Calabaza vine Calabaza is the generic name in the Spanish language for any type of winter squash. Within an English-language context it specifically refers to the West Indian pumpkin, a winter squash typically grown in the West Indies, tropical America, and the Philippines. Calabaza is the common name for Cucurbita moschata in Cuba, Florida, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Philippines (where it is also spelled kalabasa). C. moschata is also known as ahuyama in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela; ayote in Central A

regional cuisine of Oaxaca, Mexico

thumb|Pinolillo in powder form Pinolillo is a sweet cornmeal and cacao-based traditional drink in Nicaragua. It is made of ground toasted corn and a small amount of cacao. It can be mixed with water or soy milk, and served sweetened or unsweetened. If unsweetened, it is rather bitter. The drink usually has a rough, gritty texture.

thumb|Papadzules thumb|Papadzules in Quintana Roo, Mexico Papadzules (; Mexican Spanish, from Mayan ) is a traditional dish from the Yucatán Peninsula resembling enchiladas. In its simplest form it consists of corn tortillas dipped in a sauce of pepita (pumpkin seeds) and filled with hard-boiled eggs, and garnished with a cooked tomato-pepper sauce.

hand-held stone tool used with a metate or quern to process or grind food by hand

food