For the snacks, tostadas con frijoles volteados are super easy to make and can be made either from pre-made packages at the store or can be blended from cooked black beans with onions, garlic, and chiles. Warm it up, spread it on the tostada, and garnish generously with queso seco (dry cheese). When making pico de gallo and carne de res, it needs tomatoes, onions, cilantro, limes, and a cut of beef. With all the ingredients, they need to be diced finely so they can fit on a tostada or chip, and then add a generous amount of lime juice. The lime juice is vital for "cooking" everything, and will need an hour or more to fully be ready.
Finally, the desserts. A granizada is shaved ice topped with lime juice, condensed milk, peanuts, strawberry puree, mango puree, and nispero (a local fruit). The street vendor will put all the juices and creams first and then add the toppings at the end. I buy my espumillas at a chain panadería where they cook egg whites, sugar, and cornstarch and bake them at a low temperature for a couple of hours. Then they are allowed to cool down and then sold.
Due to the special climate of Guatemala, most fruits and vegetables are available year-round. Unlike in the United States, where we experience four seasons. In Guatemala, there are only two seasons: rainy summer and dry winter. As a result, I can buy certain fruits and vegetables like limes, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and beans year-round. This is why these foods are common in most Guatemalan cooking. Plus, meat can be really expensive to buy in certain parts of Guatemala.
