LATIN Menu Theme Ideas

Joanna Lefebvre, Freelance Contributor

March 1, 2007

1 Min Read

Joanna Lefebvre

Fiesta Bowl—Celebrate next year's Bowl Championship Series bowl game with a Latin fiesta! Serve traditional Latin street foods like ceviche (marinated seafood salad), plantain chips, roasted corn kernels, baleadas (wheat tortillas folded around a smear of beans and a grated cheese), corn-husk tamales stuffed with chicken and sour cream, and for dessert, serve a selection of
Churrascaria—Otherwise known as a Brazillian barbecue, a churrascaria (shoo-rah-scah-REEah) serves meat, mostly grilled, in a Brazilian-style all-you-can-eat affair dubbed Rodizio. Servers traditionally move among the crowd, offering small portions of different meats in succession to each individual diner, letting them "build" the plate they want. Set the mood with smooth Brazilian rhythms, like Samba or Bossa Nova.
Carnivale—Similar to Mardi Gras, Carnival is filled with the sounds of reggae, the smell of food and incense and all the colors of the rainbow. Host your own Carnival with hojaldras (Panamanian doughnuts), ceviche, sancho (chicken soup), tamales, fried plaintains, and batidos (fresh fruit smoothies).
Fiestas Patrias—Literally meaning patriotic parties, the Fiestas Patrias is the Chilean Independence Day (September 18). Celebrate with fondas, or refreshment stands, decorated with the colors of the Chilean Flag—red, blue, and white. Serve traditional food items such as empanadas (savory pastries), barbecue and drink chicha, which is made from grapes and it is very sweet.

PHOTO: SARA FOSTER

About the Author

Joanna Lefebvre

Freelance Contributor, Food Management

Joanna Lefebvre (DeChellis) is a former editorial staff editor and current freelance contributor to Food Management.