As the hotness that Georgia has to offer approaches rapidly, I welcome its very warmness with the coolness that my favorite antojos – or cravings – offer me. Although I eat these snacks or treats all year round, eating them during the summer brings me a different type of fulfillment. These snacks range from sweet to spicy. They are not in order of how much I like them.
Ice Cream
I love ice cream. I eat ice cream all the time. My favorite ice cream flavor, maybe controversial, is chocolate. I enjoy the sweetness of the chocolate and the crunchiness of the cone. My favorite place to get ice cream is at a place called La Michoacana. They give more than one scoop! Just one scoop of ice cream should be illegal everywhere. Upon eating it though, there’s only one way to go at it, by licking. I’ve seen people biting into it and that’s a no for me. Chocolate ice cream is the go-to every time and if I want more, then I get a banana split or a sundae. But, of course, with chocolate.
Corn
I adore corn on the cob. When I was younger, I remember eating it with my mom because she loved corn. She would only give me half though because I never managed to finish it, but now I can. I enjoy eating it with mayonnaise, cheese, chili powder, hot sauce (specifically Valentina) and with the best ingredient, lime. Personally, without lime the corn is bland. It might be a little messy but it is so worth it. If it is not corn on the cob then the next option is esquites, which is the same thing but in a cup. The only difference is that esquites have an added flavor because of the corn juice that is added. Both are great but I prefer to eat esquites during the fall and winter seasons, whereas corn on the cob can be eaten pretty much whenever.
Tostilocos
This snack can be eaten on your worst and best days. The immense and diverse flavor that this snack has is unbeatable. You can choose your favorite bag of chips, I prefer the Doritos Flamas Tortilla Chips, and the following is added; pork rinds, peanuts, cut cabbage, hot sauce, and (some places might do this) mango. This might not be the healthiest combination of flavors but I assure you, it is very delicious. The pork rinds go well with the chips, like the main course of this antojo. The peanuts and the cut cabbage would be the side dish providing more pazazz. Lastly, the mango is like the dessert, the sweetest flavor in this combination. It is a handful so it is better when shared. I always (well, most of the time) share with my brothers.
Mangonada
The “healthier” side of the spectrum of antojos is mainly made of up frozen mango, yum! It is accompanied by more mango slices, chamoy, Tamarind Candy straws, and chili lime seasoning. I usually eat this year-round, but it is extra sweet during the summer because of how cold it is. But the brain freeze that it causes is no joke. I eat it slowly so that I can taste every spoonful that I consume. My favorite part of this antojo is giving my Tamarind Candy straw to someone in my family because then they ask for my mangonada and I’ll say yes.
Coffee
Finally, a drink. After all the food mentioned above it is nice to settle on something simple yet delectable. I enjoy making my own coffee, where I boil the water and add cinnamon. Then I add instant coffee and two and a half, probably more, spoonfuls of sugar. I have to be careful because at times I’ll drink three cups of coffee, which is not good. But it is so simple that it can be accompanied by other delicacies, like bread. Because it is a hot beverage one might only drink it during the cold seasons. I don’t. I drink it all the time.
These are my favorite antojos. Now you may wonder, how am I able to enjoy so much sweetness and spiciness, and to that, I have no clue. I enjoy eating the food but it is the people whom I share with, is when I enjoy it the most. I cannot imagine eating an ice cream cone alone while sitting at a park bench, how lonely! I’d rather eat all of my anotjos with someone I love.
