Hermanas Kitchen and Cocktails
"Mexican-ish" - Latin American-Inspired Cuisine
February 2026
Location
136 S Wellwood Ave
Lindenhurst, NY 11757
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Dishing it with DCS
- Elote is an edible link to one of humanity’s most important food traditions. Maize was domesticated in southern Mexico around 7000–9000 BCE and was sacred to Mesoamerican civilizations; the Maya believed humans were made from corn, and the Aztecs worshipped a corn god. Elote, from the Nahuatl elotl (“tender corn”), was eaten long before European contact, simply roasted or seasoned with chile and lime.Spanish colonization introduced dairy, salt, and new fats, transforming elote into the charred, creamy, spicy dish we know today. By the 19th century, it became a staple of Mexican street life, sold by eloteros at markets, festivals, and summer gatherings. Culinarily, elote is perfectly balanced- its sweet corn, smoke, acid, fat, salt, and heat hitting every taste receptor.
- Chipotle is not a pepper but a smoked, dried jalapeño, from the Nahuatl chilpoctli (“smoked chili”). Before refrigeration, Mesoamerican cooks preserved ripe red jalapeños by slowly smoking them over wood fires, creating a seasoning that was sweeter, deeper, and shelf-stable. Smoking transformed chiles into a preservative and flavor amplifier that allowed complex sauces to be stored and transported in large cities like Tenochtitlán. In traditional Mexican cuisine, chipotle adds heat without harshness and smoke without meat, appearing in adobo, tinga, moles, beans, and salsas.
- Tostadas are corn tortilla fried or toasted until crisp, from tostar (“to toast”). Its origins predate Spanish influence: in pre-Hispanic Mexico, stale tortillas were revived by toasting on hot stones or frying in fat, creating a crunchy base strong enough to hold toppings. What began as thrift became a culinary platform. Tostadas solved everyday problems- leftovers, small portions, portability- by layering beans or avocado, meat or seafood, salsa, acid, and heat. They are Mexico’s answer to bruschetta or canapés: perfectly composed bites. Today, chefs embrace tostadas for their crunch, beauty, and versatility, elevating them with premium ingredients while honoring tradition.
- Churros are fried dough piped into ridged sticks, rolled in sugar and often dipped in chocolate. They’re not indigenous to Mexico, having emerged from Spain through their conquests. One theory traces them to Spanish shepherds who needed an oven-free bread they could fry over open fires, with ridges helping the dough cook evenly. Another links them to Chinese youtiao , fried dough brought to Europe by Portuguese traders and later sweetened by Spanish cooks. Churros arrived in Mexico with Spanish colonization, alongside sugar, cinnamon, and cacao. Mexico transformed them with dark chocolate dips, spice, and vibrant street-food culture, making them a breakfast treat, dessert, and late-night snack, especially at markets and holidays.