The secret of good gazpacho rests in the tomatoes. Prepare this dish only in tomato season and choose the reddest, juiciest, ripest tomatoes. Throughout Latin America, dinner usually begins with soup. Often, soup such as pozole, birria, cocido, or asopao is an entire meal. Rice and pasta dishes are also considered thick sopas .
Traditionalists consider any meal incomplete without soup.
Fried cornmeal cheese patties are popular throughout South America. A great accompaniment to any meal instead of tortillas or bread.