SIOUX CITY — Derek Diaz-Ochoa wasn’t afraid of mixing and matching multiple carbohydrates.
The Riverside Elementary School fifth-grader said the perfect way to eat Chancho con Yuca (a Guatemalan dish made with pieces of pork, cabbage and a potato-like vegetable called a cassava) was with a piece of bread.
Derek was one of the English Language Learning (ELL) students, sharing the traditions of his native country at Sioux City Community School District Multicultural Fair recently held at Irving Dual Language Elementary School.
According to English Language Development instructor Jessica Fielding, such events give students a chance to introduce others to different cultures, which often means unique foods.
That was also the case with Nefthaly Umah, a Unity Elementary School fifth-grader who didn’t know the origin of his mom’s Arroz ala Valencia (a paella-type of meal made with chicken and rice). But he sure did enjoy eating it.
Many years ago, …