It’s so important to the Guatemalan diet that Guatemalans are called “mujeres y hombres de maiz” -- "women and men of corn." They’re literally made of corn!
One food (or drink, rather) that I had never tried before coming to Guatemala is atol (ah-toll). Atol is a kind of beverage common in Guatemala and other Latin American countries. It’s hot and thick, but can be made of almost anything -- fruits like apples and plantains, grains like oatmeal and rice and, of course, corn. Pinol (pee-nohl) is made of toasted, dried corn kernels. Atol Quebrantado (ah-toll kay-brahn-tah-doh) is like grits with a coarser grind, with big chunks of corn and a raw sugar called panela (pah-neh-lah). Atol de elote (ah-toll de ee-low-tay) is made of sweet corn and tastes like a cornbread drink! Atol blanco (ah-toll blahn-ko) is made of mature grain corn that is ground, salted and eaten with beans and chips!
When I tried atol for the first time, I was skeptical (unsure). I'm used to drinking coffee, tea and hot chocolate. All are warm and comforting drinks, but none of them require chewing. Atol isn’t just a beverage to Guatemalans, it’s a way of life. It’s a gift, a sign of hospitality and a labor of love.
An arroz con leche (ah-roze con leh-cheh), which is like a sweet rice pudding, is comforting and seasoned with vanilla or cinnamon. It has to be stirred gently on the stove for almost an hour. When a neighbor gets a cold or the flu, it’s polite to visit and bring a small gift.
