Thanks to Latin America's influence on our menus, the American palate is getting more sophisticated. Going beyond the moles and tamales of Mexico, you can now easily taste the bold flavors of Brazil and Peru in certain restaurants. 
Seafood is a huge thing on Latin menus. Brazilians love their mariscada, a seafood stew made with chilies, saffron, and coconut milk. As for raw seafood, La Mar Cebicheria in San Francisco serves up their popular cebiches, a national favorite in Peru. Raw fish and shellfish are marinated in a 'leche de tigre,' a mixture of lime and peppers.
Tapioca flour (manioc) is a staple in Brazil, and it's a key ingredient in pao de queijo, a cheese bread that's served in a typical churrascaria (Brazilian steakhouse). A coarsely ground version of this flour, called farofa, is toasted and served as a side dish. You can taste this at NYC's Via Brasil.
Other Food News Across The Web:
- American artisan cheesemakers plan to stake a market claim in Europe.
- Suffering from economic woes, Iceland closes all of their McDonald's restaurants.
- Celeb chef Morimoto will launch a yakitori-style restaurant in U.S. airports.
- Natalie Portman was a guest judge in this week's Top Chef Vegas.
- Using over 100 tons of chocolate, China plans to build an army of warriors and a 10-meter-long Great Wall at a chocolate theme park.
