Journey through Puerto Rico with comedian Gina Brillon as she reads the Tiny Travelers Puerto Rico Treasure Quest book out loud. With so much to learn about Puerto Rico, from food to language, traditions, and more, you won’t want to miss out!

 

Pupusas are a favorite dish in El Salvador. Pupusas are a corn-based food stuffed with fillings like beans, cheese, and meat, and an edible flower called Loroco.  The loroco flower is native to Central America, and was called Quilite, which in the indigenous language means “herb you can eat.”

Pupusas are also enjoyed in neighboring Honduras where they are made with corn or rice flour. They are similar to arepas found in Venezuela and Colombia.  Pupusas originated from the native Pipil people in El Salvador and were first eaten by them almost 3,000 years ago!

In today’s lesson, you will learn how to make a cheese and loroco pupusa by collecting all the items to bring to the pupuseria, a special restaurant where they make pupusas. Have fun and enjoy today’s yummy activities!


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In today’s lesson, you will learn how to make a simple yet very delicious drink from the Caribbean islands, Morir Soñando.

This means to “die dreaming,” because this drink is so yummy! The origins of this drink are believed to be from the Dominican Republic, but Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and many more have their own versions to this sweet delight!

Today, learn how to make an all-natural version of this Caribbean classic with guidance from our friend Chef Issa from Issa’s Edible Adventures! While most recipes use evaporated milk or condensed milk and sugar, this recipe offers coconut milk, or nut milk version. Instead of sugar, this recipe uses dates! Have fun making this dreamy orange drink and enjoy it with your loved ones!



Tostones are a type of twice-fried green plantains that are eaten in different Latin American countries and the Caribbean

these countries include Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Panama, Honduras, and in Haiti. Did you know that a type of music and poetry that comes from the mountain regions of Puerto Rico known as Jibaro, brought over from Spanish settlers in the 1600s, talks about this side dish known today as tostones?  Tostones have a long history and today you can learn how to make tostones with the help of a grown up.

In today’s lesson, learn how to make tostones with a grown-up using our favorite recipe.


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Note to parents

This recipe should be done with adult supervision as it involves slicing and frying oil on a stove top.


Let’s get cooking, Tiny Travelers!

From pasteles to arroz con gandules, chicharrón to bacalaíto, Puerto Ricans love their food and take great pride in cooking from the heart. For today’s activity, we are going to focus on one of the most beloved sweets in Puerto Rico: an icy type of ice cream called limber.

Limbers can be found all over Puerto Rico; at roadside fruit stands, local colmados (convenience stores), and even gas stations! Limbers are commonly made with tropical juices and sometimes with milk! They are the perfect treat to cool down on a warm day, or when you want a light snack to satisfy your sweet tooth.

If you’re wondering about its unique name, limbers are actually named after Charles A. Lindbergh, the first pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. When Lindbergh flew alone to Puerto Rico on his 26th birthday, on February 4, 1928, he was offered a frozen fruit juice. He enjoyed it so much that the locals then started freezing the juice and calling it “limber” in his honor!

Today’s activity includes a fun Puerto Rico coloring sheet in which you can explore what foods you would traditionally find on the table at home. Once you’ve completed your coloring sheet, try making a limber with our recipe! This easy-to-follow recipe can be customized in a variety of ways to adapt to ingredients you have in your home.The flavor options are endless – you can use any fruit that you have available and it’s a kid-approved healthy alternative to a traditional popsicle!


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Note to parents

This recipe should be done with adult supervision.


Did you know that chocolate originates from Mexico?

The Olmecs of southern Mexico were probably some of the first people to grind cacao beans to make a chocolate drink for rituals and medicine almost 4,000 years ago! Aztec and Mayan people also used chocolate. Mayans have an earth goddess and goddess of the cacao tree that they called Ixcacao pronounced like eesh-cah-cow. Can you say that? IX means ‘her’ while cacao, of course, means ‘chocolate.’ Ixcacao was often called into prayer along with the corn mother and the rain god.

In today’s lesson, get to know the different foods of Mexico with a fun coloring sheet! Then, learn how to make Mexican hot chocolate with a grown-up using our favorite recipe. Did you know that in Mexico people sometimes use this wooden whisk called a Molinillo that makes the chocolate foamy? Also, in some parts of Mexico, hot chocolate is made with water and not milk, which makes each drink taste different. Lastly, people in Mexico don’t use a lot of sugar so that you can taste a bit of the spice from the chocolate itself.


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Note to parents

Note to Grown Ups: This recipe should be done with adult supervision as it involves heating milk and chocolate on a stove top.