Story by Isabel Carmona, Summer 2019
“There’s no way I’m eating that!” I yelled the first time my Dad held up a Jicama in the Mexican grocery store. It was summertime and my Dad was preparing for a family get-together, which required lots of food and appetizers. At first glance, the Jicama looks unappetizing, compared to other bright foods, with its rough, light brown exterior reminiscent of a round turnip. It was not until I got home and watched him peel the exterior with a knife to reveal a watery, white interior that it piqued my interest. He sliced and diced the Jicama into a mixture of other fruits and vegetables such as cucumbers, watermelon, and orange slices. He handed my brother and me a bowl that almost overflowed as we gathered in the patio. Atop, he seasoned everything with lime juice and chili powder to give it texture and flavor.
Once you take a bite of the Jicama, the crunch and the water feels refreshing on warm days. For my family, it is a hydrating snack at parties or even after a long day outside in the heat. Jicama can also be found throughout my neighborhood, Pilsen, sold in a cup by street vendors on carts. Whenever we would spend the day at the park, my parents would buy all the kids in my family these fruit and vegetable cups that included jicama in them. The Jicama has remained a staple throughout many Latinx households and communities during the summer, packed with water, nutrients, and fiber. The spanish word jicama actually derives from the Nahuatl word xicama as it is native to Mexico and South America. Its versatility and flavor makes Jicama one of the most memorable summer treats of my youth.