Eco-Friendly Latin American Startups: A Sustainable Dream Journey
New green innovations from hispanoamérica.
Photo by Snowscat
by Brian Alcamo
Latin America is home to breathtaking Patagonian vistas (pictured above), delicious Puerto Rican cuisine, adorable Peruvian alpacas, and so much more. What do all of these things have in common? They’re all inextricably linked to Mother Earth. With so many cultural treasures at risk of severe change and damage, it’s a no brainer that Latin Americans are stepping up their game when it comes to beating climate change. These innovative latinx companies aren’t simply advocating for climate justice or positioning themselves as carbon neutral, they’re getting their hands dirty, combining cutting edge technology with a deep connection to humanity’s earthly physicality in order to transform the global economy into a one that is sustainable and circular.
To show you how amazing all of these companies are, we’ll be taking you through a journey showing how their innovations can work in tandem with each other. Let’s imagine we’re all venturing out into the world of sustainable food production. Pleasure doing business with you!
(Pro-tip: To beef up your Spanish reading skills, check out these companies’ websites en español)
Step One: Plants
Our food-production journey begins with sowing seeds and scouting soil. As eco-friendly food producers need to respond to the demands of a changing climate, we’ll be employing technology developed by Instacrops. Claiming to be “the most powerful AgTech full stack platform in Latin America,” the company bills itself as a virtual agricultural advisor, transforming data into concrete recommendations for farmers.
Based in Santiago, Chile, this startup’s goal is to connect Latinx farmers to data about their plants, including data on climate, soil, and irrigation, by installing devices connected to the now ubiquitous “Internet of Things.” What is the Internet of Things? It’s a system of web-connected gadgets that benefit from their integration with the ‘net by communicating with other data-sharing devices. If you’ve ever owned a FitBit, a smart thermostat, or an Internet-connected coffee pot (yes, those exist), then you’ve participated in the Internet of Things.
Instacrops also uses satellite and drone technology to provide farmers with easy-to-digest visualizations of their crop data to keep them up to speed on how their plants are faring in our rapidly changing climate. Plants may seem to grow slowly, but farmers need to know how their terrain is faring as our weather patterns shift and become increasingly extreme.
An Agricultural Vocabulary Check-In
El granjero/el agricultor - Farmer
Semillas - Seeds
El riego - watering/irrigation
Step Two: Factory
Once our crop yields are as abundant as can be, we’ll need to move them into a warm and secure indoor space to be processed and turned into delicious consumable products. We’ll use building materials provided to us by Green Bricks, a Chilean company that recycles plastic bottles into concrete alternatives that is heavily invested in creating and promoting the world’s transistion towards a circular economy. Our food processing plant will not only be sustainably constructed, it will also be beautiful. Green Bricks isn’t simply producing rigid building materials, they are interested in ensuring high quality, beautiful construction experiences for their customers.
A Quick Construction Vocab Break
Hormigón - concrete
El Ladrillo - brick
La fábrica - factory
Step Three: Production
To help the planet transition away from constantly consuming animal by-products, our factory will be producing some of the world’s most high-end plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. Two companies we might take inspiration from are Heartbest and NotCo. Heartbest is a Mexican plant-based food company founded by a father and son whose dietary restrictions helped them come to realize that being vegan in Latin America is can be challenging. They take a community-oriented approach to crafting plant-based “dairy” products made of amaranth and quinoa. The company tries to connect to people who are in search of a food experience that allows them to connect with their lifestyle goals.
Compared to Heartbest, NotCo’s operations are more wide-ranging. This Chilean plant-based company is growing fast in Latin America while still struggling to enter the US where the plant-based food market is more saturated with competition. Despite these challenges, NotCo’s production process sets itself apart from others with its ability to produce not only dairy alternatives, but meat alternatives as well. This is in contrast to companies like Impossible Meat and Oatly, whose products are sequestered to one side of the plant-based spectrum.
Plant-Based Vocabulary Pit Stop
Basado en plantas - Plant-based
Vegano - Vegan
Alternativas a la carne - Meat alternatives
Step Four: Packaging
After being chopped, blended, melted, and molded into delicious plant-based products, our foodstuffs will need to be packaged to be sent off to stores and consumers. In the Beforetimes, we’d most likely use plastic. Unfortunately, plastic takes 400 years to biodegrade. That’s such a long time that we haven’t ever seen any plastic biodegrade, since it was only invented in the mid-1800s.
Instead of using plastic, we would use plastic alternatives courtesy of Bioelements. To circumvent plastic’s degradation process that would take five and a half human lifetimes, Bioelements has developed a special resin called Bio-E8, which naturally degrades in fewer than two years, and fewer than six months in favorable conditions, such as in professional composting facilities. The Chilean plastic alternative startup has clients in Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and now the United States.
A Packing Vocabulary Wrap Up
La botella - the bottle
La caja - the box
El embalaje - packaging
Part Five: Consumption
After our food was ready to leave the factory, it would be sent out to happy consumers all over the region (or world). Satisfied customers would rejoice in their nutritious plant-based food, and have no qualms about sending their containers off to be composted and put back into the soil. These composted bottles could be used to create fertilizer suitable for growing more seeds for more plant-based goodies, and the cycle would complete itself time and time again. Welcome to Eco-topia!
We’ve highlighted only a few of the myriad Latin American startups looking to make our world a more sustainable place, but rest assured that learning Spanish will help you stay up to date with all sorts of wonderful innovations like the ones touched on during our journey through an eco-friendly production process!
Thanks for reading!
Excited about an environmentally conscious future? Tell us about it in the comments below, and be sure to share this post with your crunchiest Spanish learning peers!
Thumbnail photo by Cristian Castillo.
The Must Try Staples of Puerto Rican Cuisine
Learn about some delicious, authentic Puerto Rican food.
by Besanya Santiago
Travelers around the world would agree that aside from the friendly locals and captivating landscapes, the cuisine is a reason in and of itself to travel to Latin America. Within each dish, you can truly taste the depth of flavor, passion and love that goes into it. Food isn’t just food. It’s an experience. It’s a story. It’s a way of life. We don’t eat to live. We live to eat. However, it’s important to understand that Latin American cuisine is very diverse. Although some countries do share similarities, each one has its own history and with that, its own distinctive cuisine. In Puerto Rico, this cuisine is called La Cocina Criolla.
La Cocina Criolla, which literally means “Creole Cooking,” is somewhat different than what one might expect. Most notably, it is not spicy. This is a major misconception about Puerto Rican cooking. Countless travelers arrive to the island expecting foods that are as spicy as in countries like Mexico and are consistently disappointed when this is not the case. That’s not to say that no one eats spicy food there. We all know there are exceptions to everything. But it’s simply not what Puerto Rico is known for. More often than not, when you ask for hot sauce in a restaurant, they will give you a bottle of pique. This a homemade sauce that to the average Mexican is, well, kind of a joke.
So what is Puerto Rican cuisine best known for? One word: FLAVOR. With its roots and cooking traditions from Spain, Africa and the native Taínos, the locals have managed to develop a cuisine so diverse and profound in flavor, it is impossible for you to leave the table without an immense smile on your face. And considering the enormous portion sizes, it may even be impossible for you to leave the table at all. But really, that’s kind of the goal. As we like to say, barriga llena, corazón contento. In other words, a full stomach is a joyful heart. And what better way to achieve this than to try out some of the top Puerto Rican staples?
Mofongo
You do not travel to Puerto Rico without trying mofongo. It is a dish made with fried green plantains mashed together with garlic, salt, olive oil and broth, which is then formed into a ball with meat and chicharrón (pork cracklings). Normally, it is served with pernil on the inside (slow-roasted pork) but can also be made with steak, shrimp, chicken, octopus and even vegetables. Although, if you’re a traveling to Puerto Rico to just eat vegetables…good luck.
Pasteles
Traditionally eaten around the holidays, pasteles have a resemblance to Mexican tamales but are completely different in taste and ingredients. The masa, or dough, is made from plantains, pumpkins, yautía or sometimes yuca. The meat inside is prepared as a stew that is generally pork based but other meats can also be used. All of this is wrapped up in a banana leaf, boiled and served with rice and beans. Please note: These are extremely labor intensive, which can make them difficult to find. If you see them on a menu, order them right then and there.
Tripleta
If you have problems getting out of your chair after eating Cuban sandwiches, you’ll want to be near a bed after eating a tripleta. This sandwich is serious. You’ve got beef. You’ve got chicken. You’ve got pork. You’ve got crispy potato sticks. All slathered in ketchup, mustard, mayo and gently held together by your choice of freshly baked pan sobao or pan de agua. I highly suggest sharing it with someone. But respect if you can finish one by yourself.
Lechón
Another holiday staple, this one can be found year round. It’s an entire suckling pig cooked over charcoal for several hours and rotated by hand on a spit. In addition to rice and beans, it is also typically served with mofongo, which is the ultimate way to experience this dish. Although not exclusive to Puerto Rico, they are masters of it. There’s even a specific place dedicated to it. Tucked away in the town of Guaváte, the lechón route is one of the best spots to enjoy the authentic flavors of this masterpiece. And don’t worry, there’s a Planet Fitness conveniently located in San Juan if calories are a concern.
Asopao
If chicken stew and paella had a baby, it would be named Asopao. This is the dish that always reminds us of home. With ingredients like sofrito, achiote, oregano, cilantro and garlic, this soup has all the essential, aromatic flavors of Puerto Rico. It’s also the ideal food to eat if you’re traveling on a budget. It’s super filling, incredibly flavorful and relatively inexpensive to make.
Pinchos
Spanish for “Spikes,” Pinchos are Puerto Rico’s version of the kebab. This is the go-to street food that can usually be found in makeshift stands throughout the island. They are commonly prepared with marinated pork or chicken, onion and peppers, then grilled to perfection and topped with a piece of bread lightly brushed in garlicky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. And always, always, ask for an extra slice of bread when you order. Your endorphins will thank you later.
Tostones
Ahhh, plantains. Where would Puerto Rico be without you? I like to call tostones next-level plantains. They are generally served as a side dish but can also be an appetizer. Tostones are less sweet than maduros, their more popular cousin. Made with green plantains, they are fried, smashed and then fried AGAIN – because why not? The end product is a crispy, golden circle that will eventually replace your fork as you make your way through your plate of arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas). And don’t forget to try the garlic dipping sauce that accompanies them. We love our garlic.
Ensalada de Mariscos
A trip to an island is simply not complete without tasting the local seafood. Although the ensalada de mariscos, or seafood salad, looks a lot like ceviche, it is not the same dish. Everything on the plate is cooked prior to serving. The salad is made with octopus, conch and shrimp mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, white vinegar, olives, red onions and bell peppers. And if it is not served with tostones…..run. Seafood should always be accompanied with tostones. You may also just see ensalada de pulpo or ensalada de carrucho, since octopus and conch tend to be more popular.
More Resources
Want to learn more about Puerto Rican food or maybe even try some recipes yourself? Some great YouTube channels to check out are Jeff and Jo’s Puerto Rican Kitchen, Eat, Drink, Share, Puerto Rico and Sweets and Beyond. Puerto Ricans are experts in infusing joy into its culinary culture. They may not have their own “ultimate gastronomy destinations” episode on Netflix, but it doesn’t take a chef to appreciate the beautiful simplicity this cuisine has to offer. Whether you’re a tourist, a traveler, in town for business or an expat, this food will continuously make you feel like part of the Boricua family. So, grab a plate and make yourselves at home. Buen provecho!
About the Author
Besanya Santiago is an actress, writer and musician based in New York City. She is best known for her work on the Netflix series Orange is the New Black. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, studying language and traveling the world.
Read more of her work at besanyasantiago.com.
How to Make Authentic Tamales - Recipe for Meat Eaters AND Vegans!
Want to make your own tamales at home? Here are not one, but three versions for you to try.
Tamales are old (in a good way), dating back to before the Aztecs ruled central America. Their inception also dates back to before the domestication of the corn in which they’re wrapped. While the filling is a flexible and adaptable component, the outside of tamales has stood the test of time. It is corn masa (dough) wrapped and steamed inside a corn husk (sometimes banana leaves). Warning: making tamales can be a lot of work! Especially for a first-timer. Be patient, and be prepared to make a few mistakes along the way. They’ll be well-worth the reward.
Photo by @listo.vamos
Where the Word Tamale Comes From
The name came to Spanish from Nahuatl, the most widely spoken language of the Aztec Empire. There are a ton of other common Spanish words of Nahuatl origins, as well. In Nahuatl many of these words end in the suffix -tl, which changes to a -te in Spanish (think xocolātl versus chocolate). Most of these words also translate directly to English. Here are a few other Spanish words of Nahuatl origin:
tomate - tomato
tequila - tequila
guacamole - guacamole
coyote - coyote
chocolate - chocolate
However, the word tamale is not universal. It is still referred to by different names in the many languages that are spoken in Central America. In Mayan, they are called uah. In Veracruz, they are called zacahuil. in the Yucatan, they are called pibs. In Venezuela, they are called hallaquitas, while in the rest of South America, they are often called humitas. The variation in name speaks to the linguistic diversity of Latin America as a whole. For more history about Tamales check out this fascinating write-up on history.com.
If you missed out on our Instagram LIVE workshop in collaboration with Time Out New York that shows you step-by-step how to make tamales, no worries! You’re in for a treat, courtesy of our guest chefs Antonio and Ananda from @listo.vamos.
The Chefs: Antonio and Anada
“We are Antonio from Mexico City and Ananda from Rio de Janeiro. We travel and cook all around the world, vlogging and sharing all our trips, recipes, destinations, and best tips so you can travel and cook along with us from home... or if you are into the road, you can replicate our itinerary. We want to meet you and cook with you at your place #NextCityKitchen. You can find our Spanish speaking channel on YouTube and follow us on Instagram with more content also in Portuguese.”
En Español: Somos Antonio de la Ciudad de México y Ananda de Rio de Janeiro. Nosotros viajamos y cocinamos por el mundo. De paso, te mostramos todo en video: las recetas, los destinos y nuestras recomendaciones para que cocines o viajes con nosotros desde casa o si te animas puedas replicar las aventuras. Queremos conocerte y cocinar contigo en tu ciudad #NextCityKitchen Encuentranos nuestro canal en español en YouTube y contenido adicional en portugués y en español en nuestro Instagram
Image by @listo.vamos
Tamale Recipes
For Meat Eaters: Tamales Verde de Pollo (Chicken Tamales Verdes)
Rendimiento (Yield): 12 tamales, Tiempo de preparación (Preparation time): 25 minutes, Tiempo de cocción (Cooking time): 30 minutes
Ingredients for the Masa (Dough):
1 cup lard
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp salt
1 kilo corn masa flour (tamale insta masa flour)
1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock or water
Prepare the Masa:
Mix lard, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; whisk until lard turns white and fluffy.
Add the flour and 1 cup of stock; beat until dough comes together.
If dough is too dry add more stock until it looks smooth and shiny.
Knead for 4 minutes. If masa doesn’t stick in the palm of your hand dough is ready.
Ingredients for the Relleno (Filling):
1 cooked chicken breast, shredded
6 large tomatillos, husk removed, rinsed
½ white onion
2 cloves of garlic
3 jalapenos, seeded and halved
1 poblano chile, seeded and sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt and ground black pepper
¼ tsp dry oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
2 green onions, sliced (white and green parts)
Prepare the Relleno:
Toss tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeños and poblano chile in a bowl with olive oil.
Place them into a pan over medium heat and cook until the vegetables are soft and browned.
Transfer to your blender, add salt, pepper, oregano and cumin. Purée until smooth.
Put the green onions and chicken breast in the same bowl and pour the sauce over; mix well to incorporate.
The Armado (Assembly):
Use 16 dry corn husks, soaked in hot water for about 15 minutes; 12 for tamales, 4 for cooking
Working one at a time, place husk on a clean surface and gently stretch out wide end. Arrange husk so wide end is close to you. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of masa about 4” from the bottom. Using the back of a spoon spread masa in a thin, even layer, covering width of husk and going about 5” up the sides Keeping wide end closest to you, place 3 tablespoons of cold chicken filling in the center of masa, forming a long that runs down the center.
Fold 1 side of husk over filling, then fold other side over to cover. Holding tamale seam side up, fold narrow, pointed end of husk away from you and tuck under tamale. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with remaining masa and husks.
You are going to use a steamer pot to cook the tamales. Line bottom of the steamer insert with husk scraps and add enough water (about 3 cups) into pot carefully not to let the water touch the steamer insert. Arrange tamales at the center of the steamer insert, with the hole toward, and place it into pot.
Bring liquid to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium low. Cover pot and simmer tamales, adding more hot water as needed to keep some liquid in the pot; about 30 minutes.
Remove 1 tamale, let cool a couple of minutes, remove a little portion of folded husks; if masa sticks to husk, it’s not ready. If is easily removed, your tamales are fully cooked.
Remove from heat and let sit undercover 10 minutes.
You can serve tamales with salsa, cream and fresh cilantro.
* TIP To add more flavor to dough you can reserve and then add ¼ of the salsa verde, reducing the amount of liquid added to dough.
Image by @listo.vamos
For Vegans: Tamales veganos dulces y salados
(Vegan tamales, sweet and savory)
Rendimiento (Yield) 6 tamales de tu elección: 6 tamales of your choice, Tiempo de preparación (Preparation time): 25 minutes, Tiempo de cocción (Cooking time): 30 minutes
Ingredients for the Masa (Dough):
220g shortening
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt
500g fresh corn masa for tamales
1 cup amaranth or oats flour (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup of water or vegetable stock if you are making only savory tamales
(For sweet tamales): 2/3 cup of refined sugar
Receta básica de masa para tamales veganos (Standard plain vegan tamale dough)
Mix shortening, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; whisk until lard turns white and fluffy.
Add fresh corn masa, amaranth flour if used (it’s going to enrich the dough with good source protein) and ¼ cup liquid. Knead for about
4 minutes until dough comes together.If dough is too dry add more stock until it looks smooth and shiny. If masa doesn’t stick in the palm of your hand dough is ready.
Masa para tamales dulces veganos (Sweet vegan tamale dough)
Follow the same instruction to make the dough but add sugar into the shortening mix.
Relleno Para Tamales Salados (Filling for Savory Tamales):
1 cup of salsa verde
200g sautéed mushrooms (whichever kind of mushrooms you prefer)
1 green onion, sliced (white and green parts)
Relleno Para Tamales Dulces (Filling for Sweet Tamales):
1 cup of fresh fruit like pineapple, apples, pear, peach: chopped
1 cup of dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, blueberries, golden berries or nuts
The Armado (Assembly):
10 dry corn husks, soaked in hot water for about 15 minutes (6mins for tamales, 4mins for cooking).
Whether you choose to make savory, sweet or both types of tamales, mix all the ingredients for each flavor into a bowl and follow the next steps
Working one at a time, place husk on a clean surface and gently stretch out wide end. Arrange husk so wide end is close to you. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of masa about 4” from the bottom. Using the back of a spoon spread masa in a thin, even layer, covering width of husk and going about 5” up the sides. Keeping wide end closest to you, place 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of masa, forming a line the runs down the center.
Fold 1 side of husk over filling, then fold other side over to cover. Holding tamale seam side up, fold narrow, pointed end of husk away from you and tuck under tamale. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and repeat with remaining masa and husks.
Use a steamer pot to cook the tamales. Line bottom of the steamer then insert the husk scraps.
Add enough water (about 3 cups) into pot carefully not to let the water touch the steamer insert.
Arrange tamales at the center of the steamer insert and place into pot. Bring liquid to a boil over hight heat, then reduce to medium low. Cover pot and simmer tamales, adding more broth as needed to keep some liquid in the pot; about 30 minutes.
Remove 1 tamale, let cool for a few minutes, remove a little portion of folded husks. If masa sticks to the husk, it’s not ready. If it is easily removed, your tamales are fully cooked.
Remove from heat and let sit covered for 20 minutes.
*TIP - to add more flavor to the dough, you can reserve and then add 1/4 of the salsa verde, reducing the amount of liquid added to the dough.
Buen Provecho!
We hope you enjoy these delicious and authentic Tamale recipes! Don’t forget to share your handmade creations with us by emailing your photos to info@jplinguistics.com or by sending us a DM on our @JPLinguistics Instagram account. We will share our favorites with the community with a shoutout to you. Special thanks to Antonio and Anada from @Listo.vamos for sharing these incredible recipes with our community. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to follow them on Instagram for more delicious recipes and travel adventures! If you’re looking to brush up on your Spanish Language Skills, be sure to check out our Spanish Online Group Classes and Private Lessons, all taught by Native Instructors.