It came to me, like a sign from the Gods served on a white napkin, at once familiar and yet unknown in my world of food. I could see the surprise in this Sous chef’s eyes: “How was it possible that I did not know about one of the staples of American Southern Cuisine?” His surprise, along with my curiosity, made me ask tons of questions, trying to figure out how it was made, what ingredients were used, and why I had not heard of, eaten, and enjoyed this delicacy before when I am known to pretty much be willing to eat anything put on my plate?

 

There, at the meeting we were attending, I suddenly fell into a dream. I believed I had just found the common denominator between my home in South America and my new home in the American South that I had been looking for all these years. He stated that this golden, delicious, crispy, sweet pastry was called “Apple Pie” or “Fried Apple Pie.” Back home, they are called “Empanadas”- golden delicious pastries that are filled with sweet and savory fillings and baked or fried. You can find them all over Latin America and Spain, and now here in Nashville,Tennessee too. I hope you enjoy them!

 

Let's create new memories together; Let’s share a culinary memory, a fusion of South America and America’s south. That is Casa Segovia-Paz.

 

Loraine Segovia Paz