Desserts of Our Childhood (Los Postres de Nuestra Niñez)

Traditional Desserts From Latin America Have One Thing in Common: Milk

Who among us can resist the delightful desserts that sweetened our days growing up in Latin America? From creamy flanes and cinnamon-spiced arroz con leche to the indispensable manjar de leche, on the side or by the spoonful, these traditional sweets remind us of our heritage, our childhood and happy days spent in our countries of origin. This month, as nine countries in Central and South America observe their nation's Independence Day, TOMA LECHE takes the opportunity to celebrate each country's heritage with time-honored desserts from Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. To guarantee a sweet celebration and a trip down memory lane, TOMA LECHE has teamed up with different chefs and restaurants throughout California to unveil their favorite country dessert recipes. And the ingredient that is most prominent in all the recipes: good old fashioned milk.

"Milk is key to many Latin American desserts," says Maria De Jesus of Guelaguetza, a Oaxacan Restaurant in Los Angeles. "It is poured liberally in tres leches, flan and arroz con leche or condensed to a sinful caramel treat as in Mexican cajeta. These desserts bring Latinos back to their childhood because they accompanied practically every celebration. As kids, many Latinos would eat their vegetables or help clean the dishes so that they could get a bite of the prized dessert."

Available exclusively on www.tomaleche.com, Restaurante Guelaguetza, for example, contributes its arroz con leche recipe, a special version that has been passed down from generation to generation. San Diego's Latin American Restaurant Berta's in Old Town shares its secrets to making Chilean leche nevada while Sacramento's Mexican Restaurant, Zócalo, gives TOMA LECHE its recipe to its mouth-watering traditional flan.

"It's amazing how many of the most traditional Latin-American desserts have milk in them," says Steve James, executive director of the California Milk Processor Board, the creators of GOT MILK? and TOMA LECHE. "Milk is something that Latinos not only enjoy as a beverage on a daily basis. Latino families have been creative in incorporating milk into celebrations through their recipes."

Other recipes on www.tomaleche.com include empanadas de leche from El Salvador, pastel de tres leches from Nicaragua y plátanos al horno clarita from Costa Rica, among others. The Web site includes beautiful photos of the desserts and step-by-step recipes for families to make and enjoy these milk-based treats at home.

About the CMPB

The California Milk Processor Board was established in 1993 to make milk more competitive and increase milk consumption in California. Awareness of GOT MILK? is over 90% nationally and it is considered one of the most important and successful campaigns in history. GOT MILK? is a federally registered trademark that has been licensed by the national dairy boards since 1995. The CMPB's Spanish-language campaign began in 1994 using the tagline "Familia, Amor y Leche" (Family, Love and Milk). The TOMA LECHE (Drink Milk) campaign replaced it in 2006, following a growing trend in Hispanic food advertising that uses wit and humor to reach audiences. GOT ILK? gifts and recipes can be viewed at www.gotmilk.com. The CMPB is funded by all California milk processors and administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.