7804dc+Ancient+Civ.+Report

Clever Cooks By Daniela

When you hear the word corn, tortillas or tamales, by any chance do the Mayans come up? If not, I have a lot to tell you. The word Maya means illusion. The ancient Maya lived in Mesoamerica. Mesoamerica is made up of five countries. México, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. There are two bodies of water nearby which are the Gulf of México and the Pacific ocean. Today the Mayan culture is alive. But they surely don’t look the same. The Mayans also had a legacy. Their legacy was their food. It showed what they cooked in everyday life. This is why they are remembered.



It was their food that was the best. They ate tamales, tortillas, corn, chili peppers, and other foods, which is important because if they hadn’t had made good dishes then they wouldn’t have been remembered that well. They also cooked their food on clay balls. Some of their well known staples are chocolate, hot chocolate, tortillas, tamales, etc.

One thing that is very famous: chocolate. The mayans made chocolate. Instead of eating it as a snack they used it for special ceremonies. Interesting, huh? The only difference was that they never put sugar in it when made. That makes the chocolate bitter. No wonder they didn’t eat it as a snack! Aren’t I filling your brain with wondrous knowledge so far?

Next off is the different types of food they ate. On a daily basis corn was eaten a lot. They also would eat tapir, monkey, armadillo, etc. I’ve noticed that the Mayans ate balance. Tortillas are grain,Tapir are meat, and fruit would obviously be in the fruit group. And finally, corn would be in the vegetable group. As you can tell the Mayans ate very healthy.

Last is how they prepared food. Back then they cooked differently than we do today. If you remember, before I said they cooked their food on clay balls. They used as a makeshift stove. First you lay out the balls. Then you make the fire and put it on top. Next you then put your food to cook. Piece of cake. Once the food was done, it was served hot and ready to eat.

To finish off everything I have to tell you that the culture has changed but will still thrive forever. The Mayans have a very unforgettable legacy indeed. The lesson I learned is to remember those unforgettable legacies of cultures. Now that I have sent you the knowledge of the Mayan meals and foods, ka’ ajxi’ ikte’ ex utsil!

**Return to My Index**

Return to Home Page