Spring Break
El Centro celebrates with food
Natalie Williams
Issue date: 5/1/98 Section: Undefined Section
Every culture has its own traditional foods and ways of preparing them. On Thursday, El Centro hosted the "Our Food" portion of their Brown Bag Series that included Latino favorites such as arroz, or rice, enchiladas, chips and salsa, fideo, a dish containing noodles, quesadillas, pico de gallo, and frijoles, or beans.
"We all need food to survive," said Rich Salas, the assistant director of El Centro. "So it is the best gift of all to celebrate."
Food served during the event can be prepared in several different ways since recipes differ from country to country.
"My family was poor and I was one of 10 kids, so most of our food was made with different sauces," said Lupe Salazar, the director of El Centro. "Fried foods like fried chicken and pork chops were a treat."
Salazar also discussed how her family only used silverware for soup because they would use tortillas to scoop up their food. She would combine everything on her plate because it made it "taste so good."
"When you're poor you appreciate food more, so you just mix it all up," she said.
For Salas, his mother was always cooking and feeding her family. Even when he wasn't feeling well, he recalls his mother preparing his favorite dish, and he would feel much better.
"I think most people can relate because mom's food is like medicine," Salas said. "But each of us enjoys some of those special foods that are a part of our own culture."
