rosita Morales-peralta
Our
STORY
A Short History:
I was born in the small town of Ocotal, Nicaragua and grew up in different towns in northern Nicaragua. My mother also from Ocotal grew up to be an authentic cook. She had the love for flavorful dishes and in many occasions, she altered the recipes to her own taste; adding a new spice or maybe an extra ingredient to give that recipe a gourmet taste. Nicaraguan food is a mixture of flavors, aromas and fresh ingredients that put together make for these wonderful dishes.
For those who have never visited Nicaragua, I will give you a short tour through this beautiful country.
Nicaragua is called the land of lakes and volcanoes due to its beautiful lakes and majestic volcanoes. It is also a land of beautiful tropical forests and magical islands. One of the largest country in Central America, rich in culture, traditions and ethnicity, evidenced by the diversity of races of Spanish, African, Mestizos and Mayan descent. Nicaragua has the beauty reflected in her people, her music, her dances and traditions but best of all her food. I hope that with this cookbook people will enjoy the many dishes and tastes of different cultures all linked into one.
Legacy
This cook book is in remembrance of my mother Esperanza Jarquin, everyone used to call her Mimi. She loved to cook and had a good taste for authentic and flavorful dishes. Most of these recipes are from our home country of Nicaragua, though lots of them were altered to her own taste; her own creative way of cooking. Some recipes are from my grandmother, her mother, who also loved cooking and used to do many dishes that people remembered her for.
I hope this cook book will be a gift to future generations who want to learn how Nicaraguan food tasted in Mimi’s Kitchen. It was a place filled with love, good manners and history of the woman who loved life and lived it in her kitchen. With all the things life would bring her; happiness, sadness and at times turmoil, she was always ready to accept them with a positive attitude. She was at her best in the kitchen with a good home-cooked meal and a story to tell.
