The University of Texas San Antonio is bringing the history of Mexico into our kitchens. The university is releasing cookbooks that are collections of historic Mexican recipes. Right now, the desserts book is out and online for free. Main dishes and appetizers/drinks are coming soon.

You can now taste historic Mexico thanks to the University of Texas San Antonio.

What a great project. https://t.co/Dy1JcEP8bW

— Troy Welch (@TroyWelch1) July 30, 2020

UTSA has had an ongoing project of preserving, collecting, and digitizing cookbooks from throughout Mexico’s history. Some books date back to the 1700s and offer a look into Mexico’s culinary arts and its evolution.

UTSA has been digitizing Mexican cookbooks for years and the work is now being collected for people in the time of Covid.

I wrote about the ongoing digitization of @UTSA's remarkable Mexican & Mexican-American cookbook collection, for @GastroObscura @atlasobscura https://t.co/Xazxi3qBXS

— Nils Bernstein (@NilsBernstein) February 11, 2020

Millions of us are still at home and projects like these can be very exciting and exactly what you need. The recipes are a way to distract yourself from the current reality.

“The e-pubs allow home cooks to use the recipes as inspiration in their own kitchens,” Dean Hendrix, the dean of UTSA Libraries, said in UTSA Today. “Our hope is that many more people will not only have access to these wonderful recipes but also interact with them and experience the rich culture and history contained in the collection.”

The free downloads are a way for people to get a very in-depth look into Mexican food history.

Library Journal shares an article about UTSA Libraries publishing an e-book with recipes from their Mexican Cookbook Collection. A good way to spend time at home learning new recipes.🧑‍🍳 #lis453su20 @mikeleach42 https://t.co/ppOqBZur3m

— Mariella Metz (@metz_mariella) July 22, 2020

The first of three volumes of the cookbooks focuses on desserts so you can learn how to make churros, chestnut flan, buñelos, and rice pudding. What better way to spend your quarantine than learning how to make some of these yummy desserts. We all love sweets, right?

If you want to get better with making your favorite desserts, check out this cookbook and make it happen.

UTSA hopes cookbook will inspire new beginnings from old stories https://t.co/En9czAgMiq

— John O'Jones (@Curesario) July 19, 2020

There is nothing better than diving into your history and using food as your guide. Food is so intrinsically engrained in our DNAs and identities. We love the foods and sweets from our childhood because they hold a clue as to who we are and where we come from. This historical collection of recipes throughout history is the perfect way to make that happen.

READ: The Laziest Food Hacks In All Of The Land Would Send Your Abuela To The Chancla

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Netflix has a new food show out and it has everyone buzzing. “Street Food: Latin America” is bringing everyone the sabor of Latin America to their living room. However, reviews are mixed because of Argentina and the lack of Central American representation.

Netflix has a new show and it is all about Latin American street food.

If you need something to watch, Netflix just dropped a show on latin america street food from Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Bolivia AND Argentina. AND I’m ALL for it. pic.twitter.com/NePzucRSnb

— danny 🇨🇴 (@d_annyc) July 21, 2020

Some of the best food in the world comes from Latin America. That is just a fact and it isn’t because our families and community come for Latin America. Okay, maybe just a little. The food of Latin America comes with history and stories that have shaped our childhood. For many of us, it is the only thing we have that connects us to the lands our families have left.

The show is highlighting the contributions of women to street food.

Street Food: Latin America on Netflix is so beautiful – the way they captured the stories of women in the smallest corners of different cities in such a beautiful way from the insight they share about their personal struggles to the images of their home/restaurants!!!

— dlvpz (@dlvpz) July 22, 2020

“Street Food: Latin America” focuses mainly on the women that are leading the street food cultures in different countries in Latin America. For some of them, it was a chance to bring themselves out of poverty and care for their children. For others, it was a rebellion against the male-dominated culture of cooking in Latin America.

However, some people have some strong opinions about the show and they aren’t good.

Started watching “Street Food: Latin America” and the FIRST THING THEY SAY in the Argentina episode is:

We’re closer to Europe than Latin America… pic.twitter.com/hddji0nTxC

— DJ KA5 (kas) (@DJ_KA5) July 26, 2020

There is a lot of attention to native communities in the Latino community culturally right now. The Argentina episode where someone claims that Argentina is more European is rubbing people the wrong way right now. While the native population of Argentina is small, it is still important to highlight and honor native communities who are indigenous to the lands.

The disregard for the indigenous community is upsetting because indigenous Argentinians are fighting for their lives and land.

Watching Street Food: Latin America and hearing an Argentinian chef proudly say that Argentina doesn’t have native people + glorifying their resemblance to Europe doesn’t sit right with my spirit.

— sin vergüenza. (@SinByDefault) July 21, 2020

An A Jazeera report focused on an indigenous community in northern Argentina who were fighting to protect their land. After decades of discrimination and humiliation, members of the Wichi community fought to protect their land from the Argentinian government grabbing it in 2017. Early this year, before Covid, children of the tribe started to die at alarming rates of malnutrition.

Another pain point in the Latino community is the complete disregard of Central America.

A lil disappointed, yet not surprised, ALL of Central America was not included in Street Food’s Latin America season. I was so excited. Like they really didn’t include any Central American country🥴

— DEFUND THE POLICE (@woahjaz) July 24, 2020

Central America includes Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Belize, and Panama. Central America’s exclusion is not sitting right with Netflix users with Central American heritage. Like, how can five whole countries be looked over during a Netflix show about street food in Latin America?

Seems like there is a chance for Netflix to revisit Latin America for more food content.

I’ll watch Street Food: Latin America when they decide to dedicate an episode to Centeral America. Until then, hard pass.

— illz (@_locaaxo) July 26, 2020

There are so many countries in Latin America that offer delicious foods to the world. There is more to Latin America than Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, and Bolivia.

READ: This Iconic Mexican Food Won The Twitter Battle To Be Named Latin America’s Best Street Food

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