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FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Many of the foods we eat today, including such staples as corn, tomatoes, potatoes and coffee, were originally domesticated by the indigenous people of South and Central America. What would our world be like today without those foods? Dr. Michael Blake discusses the domestication of plants in the video 'Foods of Latin America'.Of all the foods that originated in Latin America, perhaps the most beloved is chocolate! Vancouver chocolatier Themis Velgis describes the history of chocolate and its many mouthwatering varieties and flavours in our video 'Xocolatl'.
Yerba mate, a hot drink made from the leaves of the Yerba plant, has been used for centuries by the indigenous inhabitants of Brazil and Paraguay. It is now a popular drink in many other parts of Latin America, and has been adopted by health aficionados worldwide for its restorative qualities. Watch the 'Yerba Mate' video to see Maria Cervino demonstrate the art of making and drinking this ancient tea.