Gastronomy in America: these are the most popular dishes of the entire continent

(CNN Spanish) – Gastronomy in the American continent encompasses all kinds of food and preparations. Each of its regions is a world with a different flavor.

In Latin America, for example, there are 12 dishes that are among the 100 most popular in the world, according to a list on the gastronomic website TasteAtlas.

But the recognition of Latin American foods doesn’t just stop there. TasteAtlas also makes other listings, including those of the most popular foods in each region of America.

The website has reviewed more than 10,000 foods and drinks; its users vote to choose the most popular ones. This is how we also have rankings for the dishes of North America, Central America Y South America.

Next, we present the five most popular dishes from each of these three regions of Latin America.

North America

5. Brownies – United States

“Brownies are one of the most popular American desserts. Some claim that Bertha Palmer, wife of the owner of the Palmer House Hotel, asked the chef to invent a new chocolate dessert to serve at the Colombian Exposition of 1893, “says TasteAtlas.

This dish, ranked fifth in North America, has a rating of 4.3 stars (out of 5), which was given by users of the website.

4. Tortillas – Mexico

“The tortilla, originally a corn flatbread, is one of the essential varieties of bread that has been present in Mexican culture for thousands of years. The first tortilla was created from the basic ingredient of indigenous cultures: corn, ”says TasteAtlas.

Fourth in the region, tortillas have a 4-star rating, but are more popular than US brownies.

3. Cupcake – United States

“A cupcake is a tiny cake that is baked in a thin paper mold or in an aluminum cup. A cupcake is often served as a personal dessert. The first mention of ‘cupcake’ dates back to a 1796 cookbook titled American Cookery, written by Amelia Simmons ”, details the gastronomic website.

The TasteAtlas user rating is 3.4 stars; however, as in the previous case, its popularity is greater than that of tortillas.

2. Tacos – Mexico

“Tacos are the national dish of Mexico, dating back to the Mexican silver mines of the 18th century when the word taco referred to gunpowder that was wrapped in a piece of paper and pushed into the rocks. It was used to extract the precious mineral from the mines and were called miner’s tacos. Nowadays, the word is widely known to designate the main street and fast food in Mexico: tortillas (…) with numerous fillings, folded and that can be eaten without any utensil ”, explains TasteAtlas.

Although they don’t rank first in popularity, they do have the highest rating in North America’s top five: 4.5 stars from users.

1. Hamburger – United States

“The hamburger (burger in English), the quintessential American food, evolved from German meat Deutsches beefsteakaccording to New York Times food critic Mimi Sheraton. His other name (hamburger in English) it is because many German immigrants came from the port of Hamburg, ”explains TasteAtlas.

This dish, which is practically popular worldwide, had a 4.3 star rating on the website.

Central America

5. Married – Costa Rica

«Casados, also known as ‘typical food’, are the most popular dish in Costa Rica. Whichever traditional restaurant (called ‘sodas’) you visit, it’s most likely on their menu. The casado consists of white rice, beans, meat such as chicken, beef or fish, and a salad using so-called iceberg or cabbage lettuce, ”says TasteAtlas.

This typical Costa Rican dish has a 4.3 star rating on the website and starts with the top 5 foods in Central America.

4. Pupusa – El Salvador

“Pupusa is the national dish of El Salvador, a thick, stuffed, pan-cooked corn tortilla traditionally served with a side of tomato sauce and coleslaw. Pupusas are almost always handmade, sold in many corners of the country and eaten by hand, ”the website describes.

This is one of the highest rated dishes on TasteAtlas: 4.8 stars out of 5 total.

Pupusas are also eaten in Honduras.

3. Tres leches cake – Nicaragua

«Tres leches cake is a dense and moist dessert that consists of a spongy cake covered with three types of milk: evaporated, condensed and whole. Although its origins are quite confusing, most sources claim that it was invented in Nicaragua, but the cake is popular throughout Central America, the United States and Europe, where it is a staple in many celebrations and festivities, ”says TasteAtlas.

This dessert, typical for birthdays, has a rating of 4.2 stars.

You may find this dessert in other countries in America.

2. Tanning – El Salvador

«Curtido is a tasty preparation from El Salvador that consists of fermented cabbages. It is sometimes called Salvadoran sauerkraut due to the similarities between the two dishes. Tanning is often used as an accompaniment to the famous pupusas, as well as being a good complement to pancakes and quesadillas, ”explains TasteAtlas.

The rating given by users of the website amounts to 4.6 stars.

1. Baleada – Honduras

“The baleada is one of the most famous Honduran dishes. It is a thick wheat flour tortilla filled with fried bean puree and, optionally, other ingredients such as cheese, eggs, avocados, hot sauce and Honduran-style sour cream, known as butter, “explains the website.

This dish, which is the most popular in the Central American region, was rated 4.1 stars.

South America

5. Grill – Argentina

«Parrilla is an Argentine word with two meanings: it can be used to describe a typical Argentine meat restaurant, or it can denote a metal grill used to prepare meat. The metal grill is part of the traditional roasts. It comes in many shapes and sizes, but it usually consists of a main grill with a fire pit (called a brazier) on one side, ”says TasteAtlas.

The Argentine grill, number five in popularity in South America and also known as barbecue, can include all kinds of meats and vegetables. It adds a user rating of 4.3 stars.

4. Asado – Argentina

«Considered an emblem of Argentine gastronomy and culture, asado is much more than just a meal. In Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay and other South American countries, it is a culinary and social event where friends and family come to share the joy of cooking outdoors ”, explains the website.

This Argentine tradition (and other South American nations) differs from the grill because in the first one only meats are cooked and in the second one can also add accessories such as vegetables. It has one of the highest ratings of any cymbal seen so far: 4.7 stars.

3. Alfajor – Argentina

«Alfajor is a type of candy filled with dulce de leche or milk jam between two sweet cookies. They are covered with a layer of chocolate or sprinkled with icing sugar. The name alfajor comes from the Arabic word al-hasú, which means ‘filler,’ ”says TasteAtlas.

Another food from Argentina. In addition to its high popularity, users rated the alfajor with 4.2 stars.

2. Churrasco – Brazil

“Churrasco is a Brazilian barbecue method in which juicy pieces, slices, fillets and chops of beef, lamb, pork and chicken are placed on large skewers and roasted over a wood fire,” says TasteAtlas.

As the number two in popularity in South America, it has a 4.3 star rating.

1. Ceviche – Peru

“Ceviche is Peru’s national dish, consisting of slices of raw fish or shellfish that are seasoned with salt, onion, and chili peppers, and then marinated in lemon juice. Due to the acidity of the juice, the texture of the fish changes, as does its color: from pink to white ”, describes TasteAtlas.

The most popular dish in all of South America (and number 58 worldwide). It has a user rating of 4.3 stars.