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I have recently learned from three Latinas - a Cubana, a Nicaraguan and a Colombiana - that they do not like spicy food.

This is culturally shocking to me.  I assumed that since Mexicans like spicy food, other Latin cultures had the same tastes.  

Does this lack of appreciation for the chili pepper include all of the non-Mexican Latino world?

Hamlet

... in response to Why don't Latinas like spicy food?, posted by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2002

If you have never had green chile from new mexico, you dont know what you are missing, talk about hot. but its a differnt spicy than mexico or texas and definitely california. You will get addicted to it, and crave it if you leave our state,

btw, MY EX was indian from india, and now i LOVE indian food, talk about spicey, but i avoid it since it reminds me of her lol

... in response to Try This, posted by outwest77 on Oct 15, 2002

Yeah people who have tried those New Mexico Chili's become addicted . They just have that pungent flavor to them. All the Wendy's and Mcdonalds restruants serve it on their burgers. Most flavorful chili I've ever had.

... in response to Why don't Latinas like spicy food?, posted by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2002

AOL just wiped out a long post. I will condense alot.
Colombians are not exposed to the variety of cultural food choices we have and can have a "ours is better " thinking without much experience with the alternatives.
My wife didn't like Mexican food,now he does.Our neighbor is from Mexico and her best friend.She makes this homemade hot sauce my wife puts on everything.
To me Colombian food is not very good.The Cubans do much better with basically the same ingredients.They know how to stew a tough piece of meat utill it is tender,using very good but subtle sauces.Colombians will fry it up,still tough,and smother it with not so great spices.
My wife did like chinese food before coming here.She liked shrimp,which is very expensive in Cali.She recently discovered lobster,her new favorite.We were at South Lake Tahoe and went to Harvey's sea food buffet.She cleaned them out of lobster,had what would be about 4 normal servings.
She had it recently here but it was not as good and she didn't get as much.We are checking out new restaurants for it.
My wife makes this sauce with lots of garlic and onions.I am really tired of it,a few bites and I can't handle anymore.
Reminds me of having lunch with Nick in Cali.There were these strolling musicians singing mellow spanish songs.I said it made me hungry for an enchilada.Unfortunately none on the menu.
We have a local Mexican market that has a Colombian food section.Some of it is quite expensive for simple basic stuff.But my wife likes it.Takes her home mentally I guess.
Our local Colombiam restaurant changed hands,bought by mexicans we hear.To me that will only improve the menu.Hopefully they will now have some choices I like.

Pete

... in response to Its just habit from limited exposure, posted by Pete E on Oct 15, 2002

You know Pete it seems to me that alot of Colombian women don't like seafood. I have a friend here in Denver and and his Colombian wife is not to crazy about it, so if your wife now likes lobster I would consider that a major victory.I did crave good Mexican food and a good thick prime rib when I was in Cali though.

... in response to Re: Its just habit from limited exposure, posted by Nico on Oct 16, 2002

Nick,
My wife likes fish as well as shellfish.I am not crazy about fish,will usually pass on it when she cooks it.In Colombia her family gives you this fish,skin, head and all that seems all bones.They eat almost the whole thing,I have trouble finding much on it.
I have yet to have a good steak in Colombia.I did finally find some that were at least mediocre.And the only good coffee I ever had in Colombia I took myself.They are a big coffeee producer but serve this canned Folgiers like stuff thats far off good coffee.

Pete

... in response to Why don't Latinas like spicy food?, posted by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2002

I am not much of a spicy food eater myself so I hadn't noticed that spicy food wasn't liked by Latin Americans.  But I am surprised at the number of people in Bogota that eat a lot of meat.  Every girl I have had a meal with got a large serving of meat and ate a lot of it while not eating so much of the rice or potatoes.  It surprises me because meat tends to be more expensive than starches or other sources of protein like beans. I haven't met a single vegetarian yet.

... in response to Why don't Latinas like spicy food?, posted by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2002

I cooked a dinner for a latin girlfriend once and just used some black pepper purposely avoiding adding my usual hot spices such as "Anal Fire".  but she still said it was hot.

I found in Mexico and Guatemala that hot chile is used on the side to accompany the dish and not cooked as much with the dish and men tend to use the hot chile liberally while women rarely used it.

... in response to women are more sensitive to taste, posted by LouieB on Oct 15, 2002

... many of the Latino men I know prefer food spicier than the women. I'm guessing it probably starts off as a macho thing, proving you can take it more fire than the next guy (I hear Mexicans ribbing each other sometimes when they come across a Mexican man who doesn't like it hot) but after a while, you get used to it and enjoy the strong chili flavors.

- Jeff S.

... in response to Why don't Latinas like spicy food?, posted by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2002

People on this board often talk about various struggles and challenges that face them with an LW. However people here don't often talk about food. I think many of these LW's have a tough time adjusting to the food period in this country. For the American man who enjoys dining out it may be tough to find a restraunt that his new wife likes.I would like to here some stories from American men and their experiences regarding their wives adjustment to the food in this country.

... in response to Food with an LW is  a problem often not ..., posted by Nico on Oct 15, 2002

I don't think this is a huge adjustment problem from what I've seen.  My wife discovered banana nut cake soon after arriving and was on a banana nut diet for a couple of weeks afterwards.

She cooks a variety of foods, mostly low fat things like fish, skinless chicken, and beans.  Most of it isn't "Colombian."  She does make fried platano (calls them tostadas) that are great and occasionally san cocho, which is basically what we would call stew, but with yucca and platano in it.  I like it.  The one thing I refuse to try that she's recommended a couple of times is fish head soup.

I'd just say to have an open mind when it comes to trying new foods with your wife.  As long as you're not an extremely picky eater, you'll probably be pleasantly surprized.  Just stay away from the fish head soup.

In terms of importance, I think food is way down the list from language.

... in response to Food with an LW is  a problem often not ..., posted by Nico on Oct 15, 2002

with my wife..  As you know Nico, Rodizio's is her favorite restaurant here in Denver because there are many choices of meat that are non-spicy.  She also loves all those Brazilian salad bar items.  So if I am thinking of taking her to a restaurant, I need to consider how spicy the food is.

She never uses black pepper.  When she first got here we had lunch at KFC one day and it was a little picante for her..  Yesterday afternoon she got back home after visiting her family in Cali.  We had some egg rolls and those were a little picante for her. lol

... in response to food is an adventure..., posted by Edge on Oct 15, 2002

Yeah, I know its been an adventure for you. But it seems as though she is staring to adjust little by little. Am I right?

... in response to Re: food is an adventure..., posted by Nico on Oct 16, 2002

tú tienes razón mr. nico - little by little she is getting adjusted with the food also..  I never realized she had such a sensitive palate when we were in cali.

... in response to food is an adventure..., posted by Edge on Oct 15, 2002

[This message has been edited by Cali vet]

I took my novia and her mother to dinner at one of the Chipichapi restaurants. I ordered peppered beef and her mother who doesn't go out to restaurants much just ordered the same. Boy did I feel bad, that poor woman was miserable!

I never got around to it but I always wanted to take my Korean ex-girlfriend on a tour of the southwest going into bars and announcing "I'll wager this young lady can eat more habanero peppers than any man in the house. Place your bets!" I'd have cleaned up for sure!

... in response to Re: food is an adventure..., posted by Cali vet on Oct 15, 2002

Korean food is right on the top on the "mouth on fire" list of ethnic cuisines. WAY more than the hottest of the Mexican foods.

- Jeff S.

... in response to LOL, You're right..., posted by Jeff S on Oct 16, 2002

I have had Mexican chile that was hotter than a Playboy calender shoot.  however, it is always served on the side allowing you to put as much or as little as you want.

... in response to Food with an LW is  a problem often not ..., posted by Nico on Oct 15, 2002

So far...

Regular milk has been a no-no for her. Fish, poultry & what little red meat she has eaten, hasn't been a problem. My wife (my that has a nice ring to it....lol) is still getting used to the way food is prepared here. We found a number of local markets that specialize in the spices, fruits & vegatables that she's used to. Stivalis is amazed at the amount of spanish that is spoken locally. BTW, the local water hasn't been a problem. I thought, that a filter would be needed for her. But so far, drinking & washing with the local aqua hasn't been a problem.

Visits to a couple of Colombian restaurants have been kool. It's amazing how easily convo's are started. Once the natives discover that she's a new arrival, Stivalis has to give first hands reports on what is happening "back home!".

... in response to Food..... , posted by Hoda on Oct 15, 2002

You mentioned the local water hasn't been a problem for your wife...and I *think* you're in NYC???  I remember an article from the NYT Magazine a few years ago that said NY has some of the best, purest water on earth.  It comes right from the Catskills through a series of huge pipes and all they do is add fluoride and a tiny, tiny amount of chlorine.  The article kind of poked fun at the people that spend big bucks on designer bottled water, which is often from municipal systems anyway.

... in response to Food..... , posted by Hoda on Oct 15, 2002

n/t

... in response to Food with an LW is  a problem often not ..., posted by Nico on Oct 15, 2002

Being from a country where not everyone has enough to eat, my wife [Peruvian] is not at all picky about food, she likes almost everything, spicy included.

... in response to Re: Food with an LW is  a problem often ..., posted by Red Clay on Oct 15, 2002

You got lucky I believe on this one

... in response to Why don't Latinas like spicy food?, posted by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2002

My girlfriend also couldn’t handle the local Mexican food here. Being 30 minutes from Mexico, we have a taco shop on every corner, and being half Italian, growing up with spicy spaghetti, im used to it. When I was in Bogotá, the food was not very spicy, and I myself, was very surprised. even found a mexican restaurant in Cali once, but it was kind of a letdown, very bland compared to the real mexican food. i have a friend from Guatemala( born there, but raised here) her mother never cooked spicy food either. go figure!!!!

... in response to Why don't Latinas like spicy food?, posted by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2002

My novia from Mexico City came to visit for a week at the end of September. If her food wasn't spicy, it was tabasco
sauce on everything, it didn't matter, breakfast, lunch or dinner.  She made a couple dinners, and breakfasts usually using different types peppers with each meal.  I agree, mexicanas
like it hot.
A1A

... in response to Why don't Latinas like spicy food?, posted by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2002

My family and former housekeeper all grew up in Bogota and detest spicy food.

... in response to Why don't Latinas like spicy food?, posted by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2002

My understanding is that spicy hot is only northern Mexican and isn't popular in Guadalajara and points south.