Ceviche and More: Latino and Caribbean Appetizers
Rafael Pereira
Instructor bio [+]
Rafael Pereira started teaching at CCAE in 1989. He has also taught at the Cambridge Culinary Arts Institute and both the Boston and the Brookline Centers for Adult Education, and has studied at the school of hotel administration at Cornell University. Besides teaching cooking classes, Rafael has written on culture and politics for La Planeta.
Rafael says, "My general approach is to give an historical basis and a cultural dimension to the food, and I do that by starting out with semi-lectures on the region whose food I am teaching. Teaching the way I do lets me combine my two passions -- history and cooking. Also, I love to share personal anecdotes, and because family is so important in Latin and Spanish cultures, I want to emphasize the significance of sharing food together. When I was growing up in Puerto Rico, my father used to come home late from work, but he would still sit us down and prepare us something to eat. It was implied that food was about the sharing of experiences."
Spain is well known for its tapas, but Latin America and the Caribbean truly reign in the "little dishes" culinary department. One has only to think about the endless variety of snacks to nibble on provided by the Mexican kitchen to confirm this. Here we will sample appetizers that one could find in homes, or among street vendors or restaurants of the region. Among them are carnitas (glazed pork tacos with guacamole); salt cod, avocado, and olive salad; plantain frites with garlicky dip; ceviche; vegetarian curried patties with homemade hot sauce; Chinese-Cuban chicken nuggets with tamarind dip; shrimp with cilantro and garlicky oil; yuca croquettes; and curried red lentil salad with capers and raisins. We will accompany the recipes with some of the regional drinks, like mojitos, mango daiquiris, or rum punch. The atmosphere will be joyful, with great collective participation, lively conversation, and lots of culinary history. Limited to 16.
Sec. 01: 3 Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 pm. Begins Mar. 31, 42 Brattle St. | $152
LACA–01
$152.00