Judith Ortiz Cofer is known for incorporating her experiences as a Puerto Rican American into her writing, and "The Latin Deli: An Ars Poetica" is no different. Centered around a Latin market, the reader learns about different foods and cultural items that unite the diverse customers who visit the deli, and their common experiences as immigrants. Cofer weaves Spanish vocabulary seamlessly into the English lines, drawing the reader into the language that is central to the deli’s existence.