We are One, One United.

Valeria Salazar
per: 1-A

Once you try Mexican cuisine, you cant get enough of it The rumba that your taste buds get, when that delicious food touches your tongue, spicy at first, but then all you can taste is the delicious flavor. As you can tell by now, I love

Mexican food. Mexican food can be spicy, bland or sweet, it depends what you put on it. For instances you could have a bland taco, but if you add some cilantro, cebolla, and salsa, it makes a party in your mouth. Id say that real authentic, homemade Mexican food is the best because you you taste the real food, not the Americanized version of Mexican food. Lets start of with the history of Mexican food. Its believed that the authentic Mexican food , came from the Mayans/Indians. In 1521, Spain invaded Mexico. Spanish foods had the most influence on Mexican cuisine. They introduced new livestock, such as sheep, pigs, and cows. They brought with them dairy products, and garlic as well as many different herbs, wheat and spices. The early natives of Mexico did not have ovens, instead they heated food over an open fire, using cast iron skillets and ceramic ware. Another method was steaming. They would wrap the meat in cactus or banana leaves, over boiling water in a deep pit. Frying was also popular method. They used the molcaiete, or mortar and pestle, is a small bowl shaped container that can be made of stone, pottery, hard wood, and marble. My favorite Mexican dish are Tamales. Id eat them everyday if i could. The word tamale comes from the word tamalii from Nahuatl language spoken by the Aztecs. The word means wrapped food. No one knows for sure who invented the tamale, but we do know that have been written about since pre-Columbus time. In the 1550s the Aztecs served the Spaniards tamales during their visits to Mexico. Theres different types of tamales pork, beef, chicken, mozzarella cheese with slices a of bell pepper, veggies, and theres also sweet tamales. In some Mexican families like my, we all contribute to make the tamales for Christmas. My grandma makes the masa, the filing for the tamales. We spread the masa on the corn husk and we fill them with pork with mole, cheese and bell peppers, and sweet tamales that are made out of guava and

a little food coloring, to give it color. We usually make over 100 tamales, so we can take some home and enjoy the delicious taste of them. They are my favorite because we usually eat them during Christmas. The aromas fill my grandma's house in the winter, I wouldnt trade that for anything, Theres many positive attributes that Mexican food brings to a family and a happy stomach. First of all, the flavor of it is just outstanding. All the delicious species the chiles, the salsas, and the food overall. Another thing is that in a big Mexican family, the food brings us all together. In my family, food and our values are our main priorities. Where ever theres food, theres happiness, a happy stomach, and a happy family. Im proud of my culture and food. I love how not just in my culture, but my friends talk to me about how food is very important to their families, and it brings their families together. I asked my brother about his point of view on Mexican food, he said, Theres nothing better than Mexican food. Who doesnt love the spices and the chiles. I grew up eating Mexican food, I got used to the chiles and the salsas. I love Christmas time, we all gather around an eat tamales. Mexican food is the best because the flavor, like the delicious taste of chile. There are a lot of tex mex here in the US. Theres chimichangas, taco bell, fake enchiladas, nachos, and burritos are all Mexican American foods. I didnt even know that chimichangas were until two years ago. I tried it, I didnt like them. Real authentic Mexican food are enchiladas, posole, mole, tacos de asada, tacos de pastor, burritos de frijoles y queso fresco, homemade salsas, chilaquiles, and theres many more. In my home we cook everything from scratch. You know its real Mexican food when you can taste all the different spices. For example enchiladas, here in the US, they are served differently. They used canned red salsa that makes them look red, they add melted cheese, on top, and

chicken or pork to the inside. We Mexicans do it different. We put chiles in the blender, add some spices, to make the salsa to dip the tortillas in. We fill the inside with either beans, or mashed potatoes. We slice cabbage in very thin slices, we add queso fresco to go on top of the enchiladas, and lastly we make the salsa to top it off. The salsa is made from chiles verdes, tomatillos, there a lot like tomatoes but green and sour. Id say that real authentic, homemade Mexican food is the best because its authentic, no canned salsas, nor canned beans. You really cant get that spicy feeling out of your mouth for awhile, but you can taste the flavor. For me mexican food is the best, maybe because I grew up eating it, but I doubt that my friends that are from different cultures love Mexican food. If you give me a plate of ant Mexican food, Id be happy. You come to my house with an unhappy stomach, you better believe that Ill make your stomach happy.

Chicanos Chasing their Dreams Would you dare to step out of the box and dare to dream big. taking risks, and follow your most desired dream, even though youre a Latino? I think there should be a fair stereotype of us Chicanos Latinos. We often hear that Mexican cant do anything , lazy, and categorized as the bad criminal people. Just because we arent from American descent,

doesnt mean that we cant achieve our goals in life. Mexican Americans/Chicanos should have the same opportunity as the rest of the people in the US. One person that I admire a lot is Jose Hernandez. His parents come from Mexico, but he was born here in the US. He attended many schools, but he didnt learn how to speak English until he was 12. He attended Franklin High School, he was also enrolled in the IB program. As a young kid he didnt know how to speak English, but he learnt it and he graduated. He became an astronaut and was assigned to the crew of Space Shuttle mission STS-128. Hernandez recently developed equipment for full field digital mammography at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He got there, he achieved his goal, hes a great role model for all those Chicanos that want to do something big with their career. Some Chicanos are sometimes put down because of their race. They usually call us failures, screw ups, and bad people. Some students here in the US are put down because they dont have US residents. After high school they cant go to college. Except here in California. We passed the Dream Act, which allows the students to go to college and keep their education. All the students should have the same rights as everyone else. You never know if one of those students has the cure to cancer, the student cant go to college, the student cant work in a hospital, to save lives. I dont speak for all Chicanos, but I know that a large percent of them want to go to college and get the same opportunity as others. Me being a Latina, I want to prove all those people wrong that say that Latinos cant do anything right. What i would like to do after I graduate I want to either enroll in a four year university to become a news reporter, or study engineering and aerospace and work for NASA. Yes I might sound a bit crazy, but its what I want to do. Sometimes I get

put down, and I feel that if I try, I will fail, fail in life. My inspiration, is Jose Hernandez, he accomplished his dream, he made it to NASA, and now he wants to become a congressman. I know that there will be some obstacles in the way but I will over come them, and accomplish my dream, not matter what. I will work day and night if I have to. We all know that theres racism here in the US but all we can do is prove them wrong. Its the best thing we can do, show them what we got. We are all made equal, we should be treated like we are. Doesnt matter what race we are, Mexican, African, Asian, Indian,etc. we all are the same. We will keep on dreaming, and accomplish our dreams !!!

Christmas ,Tamales, Presents, and Family Its the most wonderful time of the year ! This little phrase can bring back so much memories! Christmas might be the best holiday out of the whole year. It brings all the family together in one place for one night, you dont get that much often throughout the whole year. Christmas has a very special meaning to me and my family, its important. In every culture theres that one special holiday that you enjoy the most. In Mexican culture, the special holiday is Christmas. You may ask yourself, why is it so important to me and my family? Its important because during Christmas family is the priority. Also

Christmas is very religious holiday for us because were catholic, and the birth Jesus. Christmas is the time of year that we celebrate the birth of Jesus, where our faith begins. The day virgin Mary gave birth to our savior. We value our religion because we have faith in it, we believe. We always pray before every Christmas meal. My family traditions are getting everyone together, have a good time and celebrate. In my family the day before Christmas most of my family brings all the stuff for the tamales and atole. Everyone helps prepare the food. While some are doing the spreading of the masa, other are putting the fillings inside. My grandma puts them in the pots to be cooked the next day. The mornings of Christmas are always busy. After the food is made, everyone is looking their best, its time to party. The cars start coming one by one. You go inside the house and you smell the delicious smells of the food. We wait until every single person is at my grandmas house to eat. We pray together, we hold hands. We pray for our health, money and family. Following we eat, we dance, and sing. What most Mexicans do we celebrate Christmas the 24, and stay up till midnight to be awake when Jesus was born. Christmas isnt just special to Mexicans, but to other cultures too. I have friends from around the world, that tell me how special its for them too. My best friend is Indian, she doesnt believe in the same religion as I do, but we can share that its the most wonderful time of the year. Presents are open, hugs are given, and most important, you have your family surrounding you. No matter in what circumstance we are in, we still have time for family. No matter what time it is, or what day of the week Christmas is, were there, together as one.

Christmas can either a pain in the butt or the best day ever. In my case its the best day ever. It has special meaning to me, as a Mexican teenager, and the rest of my family. It brings your most loved ones together. Being raised as a Mexican and catholic, I learnt that your family and your faith will never give up on you, as long as you dont give up on them.

Influences My culture has influenced the world a lot. Mexican culture is known all over the world. The food, and traditions are the ones that most are influenced. You go out to eat, what do you see? Mexican restaurant, taco truck, Asian cuisine, hamburger, taco bell, etc. Every where you go you see influences of the Mexican culture. Theres positive influences that Mexican culture has done. Such as the food. When the Spaniards had certain control over parts of the US, they left some of the traditions and food. When Mexican people started coming to the US, they brought the food, piatas, and

the traditions. For example, you go to a birthday party, any birthday party, theres going to be a piata. The food that sometimes is served are either nachos, tacos, or enchiladas at a Mexican restaurant. People dont realize how much the Mexican culture has impacted our society. The US is supposed to be the country where everyone comes and accomplishes their dreams. A country where all types of races are found, Mexican, Africans, Asians, Indians, etc. Mexican culture brings life into parties, taste in your food, colors to your life. Without Mexican culture, there wouldnt be piatas, no Mexican spicy food, no Mexicans!! What I see in the future of Mexican culture is that theres going to be more Mexican role models, more Mexican famous people. The Mexican culture is rapidly growing and spreading. In a couple years, Mexican people are going to be a large percent in the US population. Theres going to be people that are going to make the wrong choices and make the Mexican culture look bad, but we can only expect the good.

Like theres bad impacts theres also going to be good things coming out of it. Ive heard in the news that kids that dont have US residence have been granted a 2 year permission to be in the US, since the past July. This will have a great impact on the American culture. Theres going to be new careers opening up for those students. The future is on our hands, Mexicans, Americans, all types of races. Our generation has the option to change the world. I plan to be a part of that by becoming someone that Mexicans can say, Ohh, I want to be like her. I will contribute with the rest, I will encourage them to go out, and show them who we really are. I believe that Mexicans will be a huge part of American population, maybe we can have a Mexican president. Who knows, with what the world has

come to now, having a black president, gives us the hope that one day, a Mexican president will rise.