Pico 101
What does pico de gallo mean?
Rooster beak
What staple grain was the foundation of the Aztec diet?
Maize (corn)
What green fruit is the main ingredient in guacamole?
Avacado
What dairy product is often melted over nachos?
Cheese
What is the name of the traditional wide-brimmed Mexico hat?
Sombrero
Name three key ingredients in a traditional pico de gallo recipe
Tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, limes, garlic
What spciy ingredient, still used in pico de gallo, was beloved by Aztecs?
Chili peppers
What common ingredient is added to guacamole to give it a spicy kick
Jalapeno or serrano pepper
What are nachos traditionally made with?
Tortilla chips, cheese, and jalapenos.
What holiday honors deceased loved ones and is celebrated with altars?
Day of the dead (Dia de los Muertos)
What time of day is pico de gallo often served in Mexico?
Breakfast
What fruit used in guacamole was sacred to the Aztecs?
True or false - guacamole can be traced back to over 500 years ago
True
What is the base ingredietn of tortilla chips?
Corn
What is the name of the traditional Mexican celebration where children try to break a decorated container filled with candy?
Pinata
How should tomatoes be prepared for pico to prevent it from getting watery?
Remove the seeds and pulp (inside bits)
What small creatures were eaten by the Aztecs and is still a delicacy in Mexico today?
Grasshoppers
What ingredient helps slow down browning in guacamole due to oxidation?
Lime juice
In Mexico, street vendors often top chips with lime juice and what red powder?
Chili powdre or Tajin
What is the name of the ancient stone city built by the Maya, home to a famous pyramid?
Chichen Itza (chee-chen it-suh)
What regional name is sometimes used in Mexico for pico de gallo, meaning "fresh sauce?"
What did the Aztecs believe chili peppers could do besides flavour their food?
Ward off illness or purify the body and soul
What common kitchen tool is traditionally used in Mexico to grind guacamole ingredients?
Stone mortar and pestle (molcajete)
What was the original purpose of nachos?
To serve American military wives a quick snack at a Mexican border restaurant
What ancient game did Mesoamerican civilizations, like the Aztecs, play with a rubber ball, which sometimes had ritual stakes for the losers?
Ollamaliztli (mesoamerican ballgame) - If you can describe it you get the points:
Keep the ball up and can't use arms or feet. There were sloped structure on both sides of the court which were used to bounce the ball off of. Try and take the ball to the opposing side.