Best Central American

A pupusa is a thick, hand-rolled flatbread from El Salvador made from cornmeal dough that is stuffed with various fillings before cooking. Common fillings include soft cheese, refried beans, and pork cracklings known as chicharrón. The stuffed dough is flattened and cooked on a hot griddle until the...

The Fiery-throated Hummingbird, *Panterpe insignis*, is a small bird found exclusively in the highland forests of Costa Rica and western Panama. It’s notable for its brilliant iridescent plumage, particularly the male's throat patch which displays vibrant reds and greens. This coloration serves as a...

Hylocereus costaricensis is a climbing cactus native to Central America and cultivated for an edible fruit commonly called red dragon fruit or pitaya. It develops long, three-angled stems that climb or trail with aerial roots, as well as large, nocturnal flowers. Its fruit typically has red skin and...

Schistocerca piceifrons, commonly known as the Central American locust, is a grasshopper species within the Acrididae family. This insect is notable for its ability to form massive swarms, causing substantial damage to crops across Mexico and Central America. Agricultural researchers and pest manage...

The Snowcap hummingbird, *Microchera albocoronata*, is a diminutive species native to Central America. It’s notable for the male's striking white head feathers which sharply contrast with its deep reddish-purple body. This trochilidae is found primarily in Honduras and Panama. Ornithologists and bir...

Pupusas de frijoles are dense, savory corn cakes originating in El Salvador. They consist of a masa dough filled with black beans and often queso quesillo, a local cheese. These street food staples provide a substantial and flavorful meal. They are particularly popular among those seeking authentic...

Mamey sapote, Pouteria sapota, is a tropical fruit tree in the Sapotaceae family, native to southern Mexico and parts of Central America. Its large, rough-skinned fruit contains dense salmon, orange, or reddish flesh with a sweet flavor often compared with pumpkin, sweet potato, and almond, surround...

Gallo pinto is a staple bean dish originating in Central America, particularly Costa Rica. It’s created by combining cooked rice with black beans, typically seasoned with spices like onion, garlic, and cilantro. This flavorful combination serves as a common breakfast or accompaniment to meals. It’s...

The Violet Sabrewing is a large hummingbird species native to Central America. Its distinctive long, forked tail feathers create a “sabre-like” appearance and contribute to its iridescent coloration. Belonging to the Trochilidae family, it’s notable for being one of the largest hummingbirds in the r...

The Elephant Beetle is a sizable scarab beetle native to Central and South America. It’s notable for its impressive size and distinctive horn present on male specimens. These beetles belong to the Dynastinae subfamily and are particularly appreciated by insect collectors and researchers studying sca...

La Siguanaba is a supernatural woman in Central American folklore who appears beautiful from behind, then reveals a horrifying face to wandering men.

Atol de elote is a traditional warm beverage and porridge originating from Central America, with strong roots in Guatemalan and Mexican culinary traditions. It is prepared by blending fresh sweet corn kernels with water or milk, then straining and simmering the liquid until it thickens. The mixture...

Gallo Pinto is a traditional Nicaraguan bean dish featuring rice cooked with kidney beans. It’s considered the country's national food and is commonly eaten for breakfast. The dish utilizes Lizano sauce, a key ingredient in Nicaraguan cuisine, adding savory depth. Gallo Pinto is popular among Nicara...

The Central American Locust is a destructive swarming insect native to Mexico and Central America, recognized as a severe threat to agricultural crops.

The bumblebee hummingbird (Selasphorus heloisa) is a small bird species endemic to the humid highland forests of Mexico. Weighing between 2 and 2.4 grams, it is one of the smallest birds in the world, comparable in size to a large bumblebee. Males display iridescent reddish-pink throats and green cr...

Curtido is a lightly fermented cabbage relish from El Salvador and other parts of Central America. It is made from shredded cabbage, carrots, onions, and oregano, sometimes with the addition of jalapeño or other chili peppers, and is cured in a vinegar-based brine. Unlike fully lacto-fermented prepa...

White sapote, Casimiroa edulis, is a subtropical fruit tree in the citrus family, Rutaceae, native to Mexico and Central America. Its rounded fruit typically has thin green to yellowish skin and soft, pale flesh with a sweet, custard-like texture, while the seeds are not eaten. The tree is cultivate...

The Scintillant Hummingbird (Selasphorus scintilla) is a small hummingbird species measuring approximately 7.5 centimeters in length and weighing around 2 grams, making it the smallest bird species found in Costa Rica. It is endemic to the highland regions of Costa Rica and western Panama, inhabitin...

Casamiento is a Central American preparation that combines cooked rice and beans, especially in Salvadoran cuisine. Its name means marriage in Spanish, referring to the union of the two principal ingredients. Depending on the household, the components may be cooked together or combined after separat...

Epiphyllum crenatum is an epiphytic cactus native to Mexico and parts of Central America, where it grows on trees or rocks rather than as a rooted desert cactus. It has flattened, leaflike green stems with scalloped margins and produces large, fragrant white flowers. The species is cultivated as an...

The unspotted saw-whet owl is a small owl of humid montane forests from southern Mexico through parts of Central America. Unlike several related owls, it has largely unspotted reddish-brown underparts, along with a dark facial disc and pale eyebrows. It is nocturnal and difficult to observe in dense...

The Wine-throated Hummingbird (Selasphorus ellioti) is a tiny montane bird species found in the cloud forests and pine-oak woodlands of Central America. Its range extends across the highlands of southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Males of the species are noted for their vibrant m...

Atol Shuco is a traditional beverage or porridge originating from El Salvador. It is made from ground purple corn that is left to ferment naturally, resulting in a distinctive sour flavor. Often consumed as a street food, it is seasoned with ingredients such as chili and salt.

A Central American custard apple native to Mexico and Guatemala producing large fruit with pink or white flesh, less widely cultivated than other Annona species.

The Slender Sheartail (Doricha enicura) is a hummingbird in the family Trochilidae, native to Guatemala and southern Mexico. The species is named for the male's exceptionally long, deeply forked tail, which is dramatically longer than that of the female and represents one of the more extreme example...

The Volcano Hummingbird (Selasphorus flammula) is a small hummingbird species endemic to the high-altitude volcanic mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama. It inhabits páramo grasslands, elfin forest, and scrub near or above the treeline, typically at elevations between 1,800 and 3,000 meters. M...

A Mexican persimmon-family fruit whose flesh turns dark chocolate-brown when fully ripe, commonly called 'chocolate pudding fruit' for its color and creamy texture.

The Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) is a hummingbird endemic to Honduras, where it is restricted to dry thorn forest habitats in interior valleys including the Aguán Valley. The male features a turquoise-blue throat and breast with bronzy-green upperparts, while the female is generally duller. Th...

The Magenta-throated Woodstar (Calliphlox bryantae) is a small hummingbird endemic to the highlands of Costa Rica and Chiriquí in western Panama. The male features a vivid magenta-pink gorget and elongated tail feathers, while females are duller with a buffy throat and shorter tail. It inhabits mont...