LISA’S KITCHEN
3 FASCINATING FACTS The Amazing Aztec Nation
With Cinco de Mayo upon us, we thought this delicious recipe would be fun to share. We love this rice as a side dish to all of our Mexican favorites! Inspired by At Home Café. FIESTA RICE
INGREDIENTS
The Aztecs were an expansive and vibrant nation when the Spanish arrived in the New World around 1519. They had a rich culture, innovative agriculture, and one of the world’s most impressive cities. Many fascinating facts about them are not taught in school, so prepare to be amazed. They worshipped chocolate. Chocolate was hugely important to the Aztecs — the delicious substance was part of many religious and cultural ceremonies. It was also used as currency to buy everything from food to clothes. As a result, only royals consumed chocolate because they were literally eating money. The most popular method for drinking chocolate was a cold and frothy concoction of ground chocolate, seeds, and spices sweetened with honey. Royalty emphasized frothiness and used various techniques to maximize it. For example, they poured cold cocoa while standing up into a cup on the ground. They built floating gardens. Aztec agriculture relied on floating gardens. They would create tiny islands called “chinampas” near modern-day Mexico City. Chinampas were built by braiding reeds with stakes underwater. These aquatic fences accumulated mud and vegetation until they became visible on the surface. The Aztecs built canals around them for transportation.
• 4 tbsp olive oil • 1 large onion, finely chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 1/2 cups medium-grain rice, uncooked • 4 cups water
•
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp chili powder • Salt and pepper to taste • 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated • 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 450 F. 2. In a medium saucepan, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until tender, then add rice and cook until golden. 3. Add water, tomato sauce, and seasonings, then cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes. 4. Spray 2-quart casserole with cooking spray or grease with butter. 5. Spoon rice mixture into casserole dish and top evenly with cheese. 6. Bake for 5–8 minutes or until cheese bubbles.
maintenance to allow him to enjoy life without any worries or hassles. Now, he is just five minutes away from us, a change that has brought immeasurable comfort and joy to our lives. This whole experience has underscored for me how real estate is not just about transactions. We help people navigate the significant
Why did they go through the trouble? Chinampas offer several benefits. First, they’re fertile and can grow anything from beans to flowers. They also allow people to take advantage of the river and maximize their limited space. Furthermore, they promote bio-diversity, which is helpful for everyone. For these reasons and more, chinampas are still used around Mexico City and the country’s southern areas. Their capital city was an ancient marvel. When the Spanish arrived, Tenochtitlan was among the world’s largest cities. It had a population of over 200,000. Only Paris and Constantinople were bigger. This ancient capital of the Aztecs was also built in the center of a lake. Boats surrounded the city and were used for trade, transportation, and agriculture. The Spanish drained the lake to expand the city’s borders, but the lake’s wet soil remains, and Mexico City sinks a little each year. Unfortunately, the Aztec Empire fell after disease ravaged their population and the conquistadors betrayed and murdered their leadership. That’s not to say the Aztecs vanished. While their reign ended centuries ago, their legacy lives on in Mexico.
transitions in their lives. For those of you contemplating similar moves for your loved ones, remember you are not alone. We are here to offer our expertise and resources, including discounted rates with moving services like Pods. In this full-circle moment, just as our parents cared for us, we now take our turn to do the same for them. Feel free to reach out to me if I can help make this transition smoother for you and your family! –Lisa Jones
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