Welcome to the Ultimate Food Atlas Blog Tour!
This week, join us for a fantastic food journey around the globe as we celebrate the release of the Ultimate Food Atlas (National Geographic Kids Books, ages 8-12). Five blogs across the web are featuring posts from the book as we “travel” from continent to continent to discover a rich diversity of foods and food celebrations from many different countries. Ready for a captivating around-the-world culinary adventure? Read on!
SOUTH AMERICA – A RICH BLEND OF TASTY DISHES
Extreme features dominate the South American landscape: the towering Andes, the huge Amazon Basin, and the fertile grasslands of the Pampas. The continent is also home to the very dry Atacama Desert, which is one of the most inhospitable environments in the world.
Culturally, the continent is quite varied, as well. Indigenous peoples include the Aymara, Quechua, Inca, Yanomami, Mapuche, and Chimú. Their cultures and traditions were greatly changed after the first Spanish and Portuguese explorers and settlers arrived in the 1500s and 1600s. More changes came in time with the arrival of people from Africa, Europe, and Asia, who brought their own cultures and traditions. Today, South American culture and its foods are a creative blend of both indigenous and non-native influences.
Five Cool Foods from South America
Cassava Pone (Guyana)
Made from cassava, a staple root vegetable grown in central and northern South America, pone is a sweet treat that is part pudding and part cake. It contains coconut, spices, and milk, and has a crisp texture on the outside surrounding a gooey middle.
Acarajé (Brazil)
This African-inspired deep-fried patty is a popular street snack in the town of Recife. It’s made of smashed blackeyed peas, onions, and a filling of cashew nuts or shrimp. Cashew trees are indigenous to Brazil.
Papas Rellenas (Guyana)
These balls of mashed potato are filled with delicious seasoned beef, then battered and fried. They are usually eaten with rice or salad and fresh salsa. Give these tasty bites a try in the street markets of Cartagena.
Quindim (Brazil)
Brazil is one of the world’s top sugar producers. Sugar from sugarcane is mixed with egg yolks and ground coconut and baked in molds to make quindim, a sweet custard. Quindim is very popular in and around the city of Belém, where coconuts abound.
Picarones (Peru)
Street vendors in the cities of Miraflores and Lima, Peru’s capital, make and sell these treats. The cinnamon-and-sugar-covered doughnuts are often made from the flour of indigenous sweet potatoes. Watch as the rings of dough are tossed into a vat of hot oil and then plucked out to eat.
DID YOU KNOW?
Chocolate originated in the Americas. However, today’s major producers of cacao beans—the raw material for chocolate—are West African countries. Most of the leading manufacturers of chocolate are located in Western Europe, mainly Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium.
Exploring the world has never been more yummy and fun! Discover how unique foods are grown, eaten, and celebrated by people all over the planet, get recipes for delicious dishes, and so much more!
Pull up a chair and dig into this bold and vibrant world atlas full of fun food facts, fascinating information about crops and farming, easy-to-read maps, recipes, and games from around the world. On the menu: vegetables, grains, meats, dairy products, and foods harvested from the water. Highlights include appetizing attractions, cool places to eat, and food festivals, and sustainable eating is promoted throughout. It’s a treat for kids who are interested in food and a valuable reference about geography, agriculture, and culture across the continents. Absolutely stuffed with mouthwatering tidbits for every reader! Kids are sure to come back to the table hungry for more!
About the Authors
Nancy Castaldo has written award-winning books about our planet for over 20 years from New York’s Hudson Valley. Her love of reading and writing outdoors began in her childhood, when she wasn’t searching for frogs, turtles, and salamanders, and climbing trees. Her curiosity led her to study science. As an environmental educator, Nancy combined all of those interests. She still enjoys spending her time exploring in the wild as she did while researching over two dozen books and many articles. Nancy writes to inform, inspire, and empower her readers about the world around them. Visit her online at nancycastaldo.com.
Christy Milhaly’s book Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought (co-written with Sue Heavenrich) explores this issue and offers pointers on preparing environmentally friendly―and tasty―meals using invasive plants,animals and insects. She has published other nonfiction books on topics including nature, history, politics, and crafts. Milhaly earned degrees from Dartmouth College and the University of California, Berkeley. Visit her online at christymihaly.com,
GIVEAWAY
- One (1) winner will receive a hardcover of Ultimate Food Atlas
- US/Can only
- Ends 7/17 at 11:59pm ET
- Enter via the Rafflecopter below
- Visit the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!
Blog Tour Schedule:
July 4th — From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors
July 5th — YA Books Central
July 6th — Pragmatic Mom
July 7th — Mrs. Book Dragon
July 8th — Randomly Reading
I enjoy cooking and baking and trying foods from around the globe. These books are always a delight to read.
Great-looking pictures & the opportunity to learn about food would be fun for my niece!
This would be a really fun read!
This looks fascinating! Many students at my school love books like this–I bet it would be off the shelf all the time!
Interesting and fun to read. The cover is bright and draws the reader in.