Blog Profiles: Hispanic Heritage Blogs, Part 1

Welcome to Blog Profiles! Each week, we select an industry or subject and a handful of sites that do a good job with promoting and blogging about the space. Do you have a blog that deserves recognition? Tell us why @BeyondBylines.

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins today.

It’s a time when Americans celebrate the histories and cultures of citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Here’s a brief history lesson, care of the Hispanic Heritage Month site hosted by The Library of Congress: “The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on Sept. 15 and ending on Oct. 15. … Sept. 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.”

To honor National Hispanic Heritage Month, PR Newswire dedicates this and next week’s Blog Profiles to fantastic examples of Hispanic blogs.

This week, we found a great many Hispanic bloggers who cook! So, this week we’re covering some of the incredible dishes that they are cooking up. (Read Part 2.)

Venezuelan Cooking

Venezuelan Cooking is the cooking blog of graphic designer and photographer Melissa Wolowicz.

“This is a blog about Venezuelan cooking and authentic Venezuelan food, by a non-chef, simple Venezuelan girl, who just misses her country and food,” Wolowicz writes. “An authentic Venezuelan who wants to share anecdotes, tips, ingredients, and photos of her own journey in creating and finding authentic Venezuelan flavor in the US.”

Wolowicz shared one of her favorite recipes – Hervido o Sancocho De Gallina – Venezuelan Chicken Soup. I appreciate that she takes some time to explain that “all soups are not created equally, and they do not serve the same purpose.”

“The word sancocho comes from the Latin sub-coctum, which means to cook at a low heat,” she said. “That is precisely what sancocho is, and even though it is also called hervido, which means boiled, in order to make sancocho, you must never let the water actually come to a boil. People also call sancocho the actual family gathering where they meet to enjoy this delicious dish.”

Another blog post I enjoyed was Recipe: Perico Venezolano – Venezuelan Scrambled Eggs.

Follow @mwolowicz on Twitter.

Recipe: Aguacate Relleno con Cóctel de Camarones | Venezuelan Shrimp Avocado Cocktail https://t.co/64o2fYdm9g

— Melissa Wolowicz (@mwolowicz) July 26, 2020

Sweet Life

Sweet Life is the blog of Vianney Rodriguez, a “proud Tejana who feels lucky to have the best of both worlds” – raised in Texas by Mexican parents.

“Sweet Life is a delicious blend of tastes and flavors from my life,” Rodriguez says. “On Sweet Life, I share my passion for good food and experiences and memories celebrated with family, through travel, entertaining and soul satisfying meals together with family.”

A couple of my favorite posts include Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tacos, Black Bean Tostadas with Green Chile Kiwi Salsa, and Cilantro-Lime Rice.

Follow @sweetlifebake on Twitter.

Blueberry Glazed Chicken https://t.co/sUBFIi2Qxn via @SweetLifeBake with @ImperialSugar pic.twitter.com/GNsrwybGdr

— Vianney Rodriguez (@sweetlifebake) March 30, 2022

Peru Delights

Peru Delights showcases the “ins and outs of Peruvian cooking.”

It’s managed by mother-daughter team Morena Cuadra and Morena Escardo.

“This blog is a loving tribute to the intoxicating flavors, colors and aromas of Peru,” they write. “We are foodies, travelers and passionate promoters of our gastronomy and cultural heritage.”

This is the kind of food blog that makes you hungry from just the pictures.

Some of my favorites include Rice with Pork Lima-Style, #MeatlessMondays – 30 Peruvian Dishes Every Vegan Should Try, and Turron de Chocolate (where has this been all my life?).

Follow @PeruDelights on Twitter.

RIP Anthony Bourdain, a friend of Peru – https://t.co/Dm7RbhYZcw

— PeruDelights (@PeruDelights) June 8, 2018

Laylita’s Recipes

This is the blog of Layla Pujol, who was born in Vilcabamba, Ecuador, and today resides in Luxembourg.

“My recipes are inspired mainly by traditional Ecuadorian dishes that I grew up eating in Ecuador,” Pujol says. “However, my love of food – and therefore the recipes posted here – go beyond Ecuador and include anything from Latin America, my mom’s spicy New Mexican cooking, my grandmother’s homemade Southwestern dishes and Texas style BBQ, my husband’s (and his family’s) delicious French food, new dishes introduced by my amazing group of international friends, and of course the great variety of seafood, vegetables and fruits available in the Pacific Northwest.”

So, it’s a mix – and an incredibly good one at that.

What immediately caught my eye were the food categories that Pujol covers, including: Ecuadorian recipes, empanadas, plantains, ceviches, main dishes, summer salads, and summer drinks.

Let’s start with the gorgeous (and likely tasty) Kiwi Blueberry Mojito that was inspired by the Seattle Seahawks. Also a couple of recipes I will be testing: Green plantain patties stuffed with cheese (Tortillas de verde) and langostino ceviche.

Follow @Laylita on Twitter.

Crab and avocado salad {Ensalada de cangrejo y aguacate}

Recipe: https://t.co/xktAcbaaEI

Receta: https://t.co/o1BqcpayFV https://t.co/5zGcbqXnVB

— Layla Pujol (@Laylita) May 17, 2019

P.S. Ever wonder how we come up with ideas for our blog profiles? Our handy list of industries and subjects on PR Newswire for Journalists stays top of mind. If you’re a blogger or journalist looking for food and beverage news or Hispanic-related news, let us know. We’re happy to customize that feed for you on PR Newswire for Journalists.

Christine Cube is the former media relations manager with PR Newswire and freelance writer. She’s going to be holed up in her kitchen for a few days, trying her hand at a variety of Hispanic food dishes. Unfortunately, she does not plan to share. Follow her @cpcube.