Nuts, Seeds, and Raisins

At the time of the Conquest, a long Moorish-Spanish tradition of cooking with almonds and sesame seeds met a long Mesoamerican tradition of cooking with pumpkin and other seeds. The Portuguese are thought to have brought peanuts from Brazil to West Africa, and from there, they were taken to the Caribbean islands and the Gulf coast of Mexico with the slave trade. The slaves may also have helped popularize sesame in Veracruz, because it was an important African crop.

The most important nuts and seeds in Veracruzan cooking are peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and almonds.