BARBACOA

Barbacoa. The word looks a lot like barbecue. Most etymologists believe barbecue derived from barbacoa and can be traced back to the Taína people of what is now Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Jamaica and the Timucua of pre-Zimmer frame Florida. According to Wikipedia, barbacoa literally means sacred fire pit. Given the meat worship that happens around the modern BBQ, I think that's a perfect translation. The big difference today is that most Western barbecuing doesn't happen in a pit. However, in Mexico a barbacoa does still take place in a pit filled with burning coals, the meat wrapped in banana leaves, the whole thing covered and cooked slowly for hours. The traditional meat for barbacoa is goat. Lamb is also used. There is a famous pork dish cooked in a pit, called cochinita pibil, from the Yucatán. It seemed logical to partner this classic Mexican meat dish with another Mexican original - squash. Plus some home-made jalapeños en escabeche.

BARBACOA