The food on the table at dinner time speaks volumes about the traditions, lifestyle, and health of those who are about to consume it. Nowhere is that more true than in America’s Hispanic communities, and as the largest minority group in the United States, their preferences are changing modern American cuisine.
Many traditional Hispanic foods fit right into the new modern emphasis on healthy eating. By looking into traditional foods, some of which date back to pre-Columbian times, Hispanics have been presented with the opportunity to change menus and taste preferences among mainstream diners. Items that would have once been considered exotic or niche foods now have a regular place on restaurant and at-home dinner menus across the country.
The Dominance of Hispanic Organic And Healthy Foods
When it comes to ruling the plate, organic and healthy foods play a large role in traditional Hispanic cuisine. Many of the health benefits come from the low level of processing that goes into the meal, allowing more foods to be very close to the farm-to-table ideal. Examples of this include salsas, dry beans, yucca breads, handmade tortillas, and the many varieties of tamales. While these foods may once have been reserved for Hispanics cooking at home, they are now much more broadly available.
To take a closer look at this trend, it is possible to focus in on just one Hispanic food item that has made a clear mainstream crossover. Once only available from native chefs, it is now offered on both high end fusion and humble local restaurant menus across the country. Tasty, simple to prepare, and open to endless variations, it has become a mainstream favorite even among those who claim not to like “ethnic food.”
The Not So Humble Humita
Humitas are a staple menu item throughout much of South America, and variations are also produced in Latin American countries where they are called tamales. Given their history, it is no wonder that humita variants have spread so far. The word itself is a Quechua phrase, and the making of humitas dates back to Incan times.
What makes humitas so attractive to western tastes are the same qualities that make it attractive to Hispanic consumers. Humitas require just a few simple ingredients, can be cooked quickly enough to qualify as a convenience food, and don’t contain any of the food additives that are rapidly becoming the ultimate evil for the kitchen table. There are no preservatives, no high fructose corn syrups, and no processed food additives in the standard humita.
A Simple Taste Revolution
The emergence of the humita as a popular choice on menus comes down to taste and nourishment factors. American diners are seeking out more intense natural flavors as they move away from processed foods, and they are also seeking out more nutrition in their diets.
In terms of flavors, humitas certainly deliver. The basic stuffing of masa harina, a traditional Mexican flour used to make tortillas, offers the popular touch of lime that American consumers have repeatedly demonstrated that they like in chips, dips, and breads. The cheeses, onions, and spices that complete the stuffing also make for a rich mouthful of flavor. Since chefs have the opportunity to make the top taste notes in humitas spicy, salty, or sweet, diners can eat them regularly without suffering from food boredom.
These strong flavors are enhanced by the use of organic ingredients to make most humitas. Organic corn and lime are used for the masa harina, and queso fresco, is one of the most popular Mexican cheeses, are used in humitas. Even when variation ingredients like eggs, cinnamon, or raisins are blended in, these are typically all natural, maintaining the food’s organic status.
Nutrition is also a factor when it comes to humitas. Unlike processed appetizers or side dishes, humitas deliver full servings of daily vegetable needs. The cheeses in the mix provide calcium, protein, and other dairy vitamins. Wrapped as they are in corn husk, humitas also avoid unnecessary carbohydrates, glutens, and processed flours. This is a critical consideration for many Americans who are on restricted diets as a result of poor health choices.
Cooking Variations
Humitas can be made in a number of different ways. However, preparing humitas is simple enough that American cooks, who do not always have the patience for complex dishes, can easily learn how to do them. Preparing excellent humitas is made easier if they are done in the special Ecuadorian pot developed for that purpose, but any cook with the ability to steam, boil, or bake food can make them at home.
This basic ease of preparation makes humitas very accessible to mainstream culture, and it also encourages variations. High end chefs have been known to bake them in order to capture nuances of rare spices or exotic cheeses, and boiling humitas is a common regional preparation variation. Humitas for boiling can also be prepared in advance and frozen, adding to the convenience of the food.
Providing A Smart Organic Alternative
All of these items taken together show how humitas provide American eaters with the smart organic alternatives they seek in their foods. Humitas simply make good logical sense for someone looking for a better quality appetizer or side with their meal.
Humitas also offer something that many other would-be crossover foods lack – a low price point for preparation and few barriers to entry. The main ingredients are inexpensive, and it isn’t necessary to visit a specialty store to pick most of them up. Both of these points have helped to pave the way for humitas to become a larger part of the mainstream diet.
Opening The Way For More Hispanic Food Influence
As humitas have become more accepted on restaurant menus, at community events, and in homes as a regular food instead of an exotic offering, they have opened the door for more Hispanic foods to join the mainstream menu. This is especially true for other foods that have a long history within the Hispanic culture, are made primarily with organic ingredients, and are relatively simple for American consumers to understand and prepare.