Food for Today ©2010

Chapter 47: Foods of South America, Latin America, & the Caribbean

Chapter Summary

The cuisines of Latin America and the Caribbean are flavorful, diverse, and influenced by many different cultures. Three native cultures of Latin America—the Aztecs, Mayas, and Incas—had their own cuisines based on the foods they cultivated. Later, their food traditions blended with those of European colonists. Mexico, Central America, and South America are all parts of Latin America, each with its own distinctive cuisine. The Caribbean is comprised of hundreds of islands. Many people—including Caribs, Arawaks, Spanish, French, British, Dutch, and Africans—created a fusion of cuisines. Each Caribbean country, such as Jamaica, Haiti, or Cuba, has a unique history and cuisine.