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Libraries
celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
By Kevin Milliken for La Prensa
Oct. 6, 2012: Hispanic Heritage Month wrapped up Sat., Oct.
6, 2012 with a multi-level celebration of culture, dance, and
cuisine at the main branch of the
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library
downtown and at the Lorain South Public Library. The
events are traditionally some of the last ones scheduled for the
Latino communities.
In Toledo, El Corazón de México Ballet Folklorico kicked
off the celebration with one of its many public dance
performances in the Wintergarden Room.
But the smells of a typical Latino Sunday afternoon meal with
family wafted from the
Huntington Meeting Room,
where Lina Barrera and and her sister-in-law Syndi
Guerrero were preparing a traditional feast of fall flavors.
That aroma drew more than 100 people who were treated to a lunch
of
Calabacitas
con Pollo (chicken with autumn squash, corn, and
zucchini). The pair also prepared fideo, a Mexican pasta
side dish, ranchero pinto beans; homemade salsa, and flour
tortillas.
“It’s a one-pot meal, a family-oriented dish—especially with all
the squash and zucchini that we have ample supplies this time of
year,” explained Ms. Barrera, who hopes to soon open a catering
business with her sister-in-law. “Sometimes it’s made as a
vegetarian (dish), sometimes with chicken or pork.”
She laughed about the large number of people they cooked for,
because the pair ends up making meals for that many people in
their own family. But she stated she enjoys cooking traditional
dishes to share with the general public at the annual event.
“Sharing the culture for one thing,” said Ms. Barrera. “Now you
see a lot of our products in the mainstream and people are very
curious about the products they see on the shelves and they
don’t know how to use them. Our goal is to teach them how to and
not to be afraid to use them.”
“They bring a different twist, a different flavor than what
you’d expect from Mexican food,” said library supervisor of
facilities and operations Mateo Espinoza, who co-chaired
the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. “You don’t see a lot of
squash or pumpkin in typical Mexican foods. They bring it out
there and show you how to do it.”
The two women have cooked together for more than 35 years and
currently teach cooking classes as well.
It’s just so fulfilling in many, many ways. We’ve met so many
people and they are very, very curious about it—about our food
and our culture,” said Ms. Barrera. “It’s a creative way—it’s
artistic: using all the different colored vegetables and all.” |
