“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are” ~ Jean Brillat-Savarin
Latin America is, without a doubt, one of the most culturally complex regions in the world. It’s home to 24 countries and half a billion people, with a rich human history that spans at least 10,000 years. This history has been scarred by exploration and conquest from both East and West – starting with cavemen across the Bering Strait and ending with the Spanish missionaries. As a result, the population is a true melting pot of culture and race.
Asian. African. European. Indigenous. This is the blood that runs through the veins of the modern latino and defines his worldly existence. He might identify as Mexican – Costa Rican, maybe – but in reality he shares a history and struggle with both these nations, despite their modern differences.
This is a dangerous truth. It bodes ill for politics and social power. So we’ve managed to bury it with clever distinctions like national borders, national holidays, and other national-related phenomena. These distinctions paint a picture of what it means to be Mexican or Costa Rican. Then we superimpose that image onto our daily lives.
Food is the one distinction that doesn’t fit that picture. Despite our attempts to define a national cuisine, there always tends to be significant overlap – seepage, if you will. This is especially true of Latin America. Traditional dishes like tamales, empanadas, and sofrito play a central role in the entire region’s gastronomy. Not just Argentina or Mexico.
Enter tostones: a celebrated side dish in many Latin American countries, including Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, and Haiti. Green plantains are flash-fried and served alongside meat and vegetables, much like french fries are served in the United States. Some regions call them patacones. I call them delicious.
The traditional way to prepare tostones is to fry the slices once, flatten them, then fry them again to obtain a crisp and crunchy exterior. But I put on a twist on tradition and fried mine just once, because I like the contrast between the crispy shell and the soft, sweet interior. And because I’m watching my cholesterol.
When our old friend Jean Brillat-Savarin said “you are what you eat,” he wasn’t talking about trans fat or the 5 food groups. He was making a much bolder statement than that, one that has both political and social ramifications in the modern world. Because if it’s true that you are what you eat, we humans have a lot more in common than we thought. If only Israel and Palestine were reading this. I’d tell them to stop arguing for 10 seconds and look down at what’s on their plate.
Ingredients:
green plantains
vegetable oil
garlic salt
lemon pepper
lime juice
Directions: Heat a thin layer of oil in a large pan. Peel and slice the plantains. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Toss with lime juice and garlic salt, to taste.
