Thursday, May 29, 2008

Latino Style

My husband and I are of Hispanic decent.
Latinos.
Spanish Speaking.
Non- gringos.

He is Cuban-American and I am Guatemalan-American.

My mother was raised in the US most of her life. My father lived in Guatelmala until he married my mother.

My hubs parents both came over during Castro's take over in the 60's. They have lived most of their lives here in the US.

We love our heritage.

We love the music, the food, everything.

There is nothing better than a huge family party. And let me tell you, we have huge families and we like to party. When Friends come to our family gatherings they are shocked. We have enough food to feed a small country. And everyone in the room is related in some way, shape or form.

We want our kids to have the same experiences we had. To have that sense of family esteem and bond.

My husband and I want our children to share in the love of our culture. So we do the following to be sure that our kid is surrounded with as much Latino influence as possible (Which, let me tell you, isn't easy because though we love our culture, we are inundated with Americana).

1. We forgo the veggie tales CD and put on Buena Vista Social Club, Mambo Kings, Celia Cruz or Gloria Estefan.

3. We Salsa and meringue in our kitchen.

2. I try to cook spanish meals...Lomito (roasted pork tenderloin), ropa vieja (Shredded beef), bistec empanizado (spanish chicken fried steak), arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) and lots of platanos or plantains.

3. Everyonce in a while we venture over to our local fiesta or other spanish market and buy ingredients from our "home" land. Stuff you can't find at your local grocery store like Horchata (spanish rice milk), Malta (a cuban malt beverage) and mexican pastries.

4. We give our child cafe con leche, that is coffee with milk. He LOVES it. He has this every other morning. People think we are crazy. We aren't crazy, we are Hispanic. We drank cafe con leche in our bottles and we are just fine.

5. When available, he eats cake for breakfast....Now I don't know if this is a Hispanic thing or my husbands thing. His family, being Cuban, loves sweets and sugar (Cuba-sugarcane, you get the picture) and he did this growing up and so my son gets the joy of this as well.I don't protest, because we barely ever have cake in the house. And in my husbands head cake has eggs and wheat, a great breakfast.

6. My son still drinks from his bottle. He is two. My husband doesn't care how long he has it, don't even ask how old he was when he "gave it up." I'm a little bit more squeamish about it...but truth be told, we aren't in a rush to take it away. I know some of you take away the bottle as soon as the baby turns one...yeah, Hispanics don't do that. Call it denial, but the longer he has a bottle, the longer he is a baby.

So those are some of things that we think will continue the love of our heritage. At least, we hope so.

For more flashbacks click on Sincerely, from me to you.

14 comments:

World's Greatest Mommy said...

Oh my goodness, my husband would mob me if I new how to cook any of that. I've barely mastered his Abuelita's chili con carne and enchiladas.

He's Mexican-American, but his great-grandparents immigrated before they met each other and married here. His father and he don't speak Spanish, but he loves authentic Central and South American Food. He knows every Taqueria in a 100 mile radius.

Funny story: One of my husband's student's names was Hortensia. In class one day on accident, he called her Horchata. The name stuck. She's in middle-school now and still goes by the nickname Horchata, and she doesn't mind.

j said...

You sound like a lovely family! As for the bottle, y'all are the parents, you do what you feel is best and don't worry what other folks do!!

Oh! And I dance in the kitchen too, but I tap dance.

Take care.

Jen

Anonymous said...

What a great post. My hubby is Puerto Rican - 1st generation to be born here. Just had to say that my kids get Cafe con Leche as well - and love it! I have learned to cook some of the typical meals, and in some case do it better than my MIL.

Mom to 5...Daughter of the King said...

What a great family you are!! We are sooo not latino, but have people we dearly love in Cuba. We met them on a mission trip and are going back in 6 weeks. I have even learned to make Cuban style beans and rice. Yum!!
Buenos diaz, amiga!

Kristen said...

I LOVE that picture!

And I think you guys have already learned the key to parenting: Do what works for you family and don't worry about anyone else.

And thanks for making me hungry for Mexican Food. I really appreciate since I'm eating a granola bar.

DD said...

Good job keeping the line of your family alive. :)

Bahama Shores Mama said...

I need two things:

1) your recipes...yum they sounded delish!

2) a perpetual invite to your parites........sounds like fun!


Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I think it's great that you're passing elements of your culture to your kids! I always love it when my mom's family prepares traditional foods while passing along anecdotes about my heritage. Your kids will have so many treasured memories of what makes your family unique!

Tammy said...

That is so neat. My husband is of Hispanic descent...his mom was first generation American with her parents from Mexico. Best "Mexican" food I ever had was at my husband's Aunt's house.

I am of Greek descent with my father being 100% Greek.

Thanks for sharing your story.

Valarie Lea said...

That is great that you do all those things. It is so important for kids to know about there families and have that family unit and bonding.

Mama Smurf said...

You make me wish I were Latino! Although, alot of the things you've listed are true for Italians also. Love this post.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful family and such great traditions and heritage you have to pass on to your children. Thanks for sharing!

Heather J. said...

The Food....the food.
My favorite place on earth is a little spanish market down the road.
Chavez Market not only carries wonderful hispanic foods, it has the BEST Taquería, EVER.

Heather J. said...

The Food....the food.
My favorite place on earth is a little spanish market down the road.
Chavez Market not only carries wonderful hispanic foods, it has the BEST Taquería, EVER.

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