Dobladas: A Guatemalan Transformation
In the spring of 2018, I will be traveling to Guatemala. While there, my peers and I will be discussing topics around women, ethnicity, and humanitarian aid in a post-conflict society. Guatemala is a Central American country, known for its coffee, chocolate, and corn, which is often used in many traditional dishes. Corn represents an important aspect of Guatemalan culture. Unlike loose corn or corn on the cob, Guatemalans integrate it into things like tortillas often seen in every household with every meal. Corn tortillas are not only baked fresh at home, but they are also sold fresh in tortillerias everywhere. Tortillas are not the only foods Guatemalans use corn for; they also use it in dough and a hot drink called atol de elote. The incorporation of corn into food started with the Mayan dynasty. The Mayans believed that God created man and woman from a seed of corn. In result of the Mayan influence in Guatemala, corn became a staple food item that is not only uniquely significant in their foods but also tells about the Guatemalan history and culture.
Dobladas are one of the many traditional dishes that show the importance of corn in the Guatemalan culture. They are a customized version of the more well known dish empanadas. The difference between the two are ingredients. While empanadas require flour based dough, dobladas are made with a corn based dough. Besides the difference in ingredients and names, empanadas and dobladas are prepared using the same technique. Both have a typically fried pastry shell filled with a range of sweet or savory fillings like cheese, chicken, and tomatoes. This flavorful dish is not only popular in Guatemala, but also other Latin American countries. However, the idea of empanadas and dobladas did not originate there. This hand pie traveled from Portugal and Spain during colonization and still stands as a well known dish in Latin America and other parts of the Americas through migration. Dobladas are part of the history of Latin America through its similarity to empanadas, but it also connects to the history of Guatemala through its integration of corn.
The scarcity of dobladas in other countries is what brings pride and uniqueness to their culture. Considering one would not commonly see this dish anywhere else, the connection to Guatemala is even more pronounced. Corn exists in many, perhaps most countries, however, the Guatemalans’ high use of it puts an emphasis on the importance of it and why. Due to the high population of indigenous Mayans, the culture of corn has stayed alive and because of its deep integration, it will most likely go on forever. Not only has the use of corn not changed, but also its production. Often we see the world’s production of food changing based on supply and demand. Guatemalans challenge this idea with their daily production of fresh ingredients for fresh meals. They have not sacrificed culture, tradition, and taste for faster production, instead, they keep this deep tradition that in result leads to richer food. In comparison, other parts of the world like the United States have traded ingredients for supplements that make food more marketable. It’s interesting to think what a difference fresh ingredients can make and how they can in response damage a beautiful culture of traditions.
