Ripe tomatoes, white onions, cilantro, lime juice and salt.

Pico de Gallo

Water

Variety of Soft Drinks

Cacao

Milca

White Rice

Slow cooked red beans typically prepared with onions, peppers, and spices.

Red Beans

Shredded cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, vinegar and salt.

Cabbage Salad

Yuca Fries

Tortilla

Tostones

Fried Cheese

Cassava- Fried Yuca

Fried Sweet Plantains

Fried Green Plantains, known as Plantain chips or Tajadas Verde

Fried Green Plantains

Tostones & Fried Cheese

Beef Tacos

Chicken Tacos

Fried Green Plantains & Fried Cheese

Veggie Bowl

Chicken Bowl

Shredded beef bowl

Pork Bowl

Steak Bowl

Wash the tomatoes. Remove the cores with a small paring knife, then dice the tomatoes into approximately 1/4-inch (6 mm) pieces. If tomatoes are very watery, scoop out and discard most seeds and excess juice before dicing to avoid a soggy salsa. Yield should be about 4 cups.

Prepare tomatoes

Peel the white onion and finely dice to match the tomato dice size (about 1/4-inch). Rinse the diced onion under cold water briefly and drain if you want a mellower onion flavor; otherwise use raw for a sharper bite.

Prepare onion

If using jalapeño, cut off stem, slice in half lengthwise, remove seeds and membranes for milder heat (or leave some for more heat), then finely mince. Use all or half depending on desired spiciness.

Prepare jalapeño (optional)

Wash cilantro, shake or pat dry. Remove any large tough stems. Stack leaves and tender stems and roughly chop to yield about 1/2 cup packed (finely chopped).

Chop cilantro

In a medium mixing bowl, combine diced tomatoes, diced onion, minced jalapeño (if using) and chopped cilantro. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Add 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon sugar if using to balance acidity. Gently fold with a spoon until evenly mixed.

Combine and season

Let the pico sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt or lime juice in 1/4 teaspoon or 1/2 teaspoon increments as needed.

Rest and adjust

Serve immediately with tortilla chips, tacos, grilled meats, or as desired. To store, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days. Before serving after refrigeration, give it a stir and, if tomatoes have released excess liquid, drain slightly or stir in a little extra lime juice and salt to refresh the flavor.

Serve or store

ripe tomatoes (Roma or vine)

white onion

fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)

fresh lime juice

sea salt

jalapeño (optional)

black pepper (optional)

sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

If desired, rinse a clean drinking glass with warm water, then discard the rinse water. This step is optional but ensures the glass is free of dust or residues.

Rinse glass

Place 4 ice cubes into the glass if you prefer chilled water.

Add ice (optional)

Run cold tap water through a home filter (or use bottled or previously filtered water). Fill the glass with 2 cups (about 470 ml) of filtered cold water. If using a litre batch, pour the measured litre into a pitcher.

If you want a subtle flavor, float one thin lemon slice on top of the water and optionally add a fresh mint leaf. Allow to sit 1–2 minutes for a light infusion, or serve immediately.

Serve immediately while cold. Refill as needed. Discard any water left at room temperature after 24 hours for best taste.

Cold tap water (filtered)

Ice cubes (optional)

Lemon slice (optional)

Fresh mint leaf (optional)

Filtered water

Fill a tall glass with 1 cup of ice cubes. Add 3 tablespoons cola syrup or concentrate, then 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice.

Assemble

Pour 2 cups cold carbonated water slowly over the back of a spoon to preserve fizz. Stir gently once with a long spoon just to combine — avoid vigorous stirring to retain carbonation.

Garnish with a lime wedge. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity by adding up to 1 teaspoon simple syrup or a few drops more lime juice if needed.

In a serving glass, combine 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, and 1 tablespoon simple syrup. Stir to dissolve the syrup.

Mix Base

Add 1 cup ice. Slowly pour 2 cups cold carbonated water over the mixture to retain bubbles. Stir gently once to combine.

Garnish with lemon and lime slices. Adjust sweetness with more simple syrup to taste.

If using fresh grated ginger, lightly muddle the grated ginger in the bottom of the glass with 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon ginger syrup to release aroma and flavor. If using pre-made ginger syrup, simply combine syrup and lemon juice.

Prepare Ginger Flavor

Add 1 cup ice, then slowly pour 2 cups cold carbonated water. Stir gently once to incorporate flavors.

Taste and adjust spiciness by adding more grated ginger or syrup. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

In a glass, mix 2 tablespoons berry purée or syrup with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Add 1 teaspoon simple syrup if extra sweetness is desired.

Combine Fruit and Acid

Add 1 cup ice and pour 2 cups cold carbonated water slowly over the mixture. Stir gently to blend.

Garnish with fresh berries. Taste and adjust sweetness or fruit intensity by adding more purée or syrup.

Lightly muddle 3 cucumber slices and 6 fresh mint leaves in the bottom of the glass with 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice to release cucumber and mint oils. If using elderflower cordial, add 1 tablespoon now.

Infuse

Add 1 cup ice and slowly pour 2 cups cold carbonated water over the muddled herbs and cucumber. Stir gently once to combine.

Garnish with an additional cucumber slice and a sprig of mint. Taste and adjust floral/sweet intensity by adding more cordial or a splash of simple syrup.

carbonated water

cola syrup or cola concentrate

ice cubes

lime wedge (garnish)

fresh lemon juice

simple syrup (1:1 sugar:water)

lemon and lime slices (garnish)

fresh ginger (grated)

ginger syrup or ginger concentrate

lemon wheel (garnish)

berry purée or berry syrup (strawberry, raspberry, or mixed)

simple syrup (optional, to taste)

fresh berries (garnish)

cucumber slices

fresh mint leaves

elderflower cordial (or mint syrup)

If using whole cacao beans: lightly toast 1 cup of whole cacao beans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking pan, until fragrant. Let cool briefly then rub in a clean towel to remove loose husks, and roughly chop or break into smaller pieces. If using cacao nibs, skip to next step.

Prepare cacao

Place the toasted/chopped cacao or nibs in a spice grinder or a strong blender and pulse briefly to a coarse grind. You want small pieces, not a fine powder, so the beverage retains texture and oils.

Grind or crush (optional)

In a medium saucepan combine 4 cups water and the ground cacao. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and simmer very gently 10–12 minutes to extract flavor. Stir or skim any foam.

Simmer cacao

Add 3 tablespoons piloncillo (or dark brown sugar), 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt to the simmering cacao. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Continue to simmer 2–3 minutes to let flavors marry.

Sweeten and spice

Remove from heat and strain the hot cacao liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a clean pot or large bowl to remove solids. Press with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.

Strain

Return the strained cacao liquid to the saucepan. Add 1 cup evaporated milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Warm gently over low heat—do not boil—stirring until hot and slightly frothy, about 3–4 minutes. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed, adding up to 1–2 tsp additional sugar or piloncillo.

Finish with milk and vanilla

Ladle the cacao into mugs. Garnish optionally with a cinnamon stick and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Serve hot.

Serve

Make-ahead: Prepare through the 'Strain' step, cool, then refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat and finish with evaporated milk and vanilla before serving.

Iced cacao: After finishing with milk, chill the mixture completely, then pour over ice and serve cold. For a creamier iced version, blend briefly with ice for a frothy drink.

whole cacao beans (or nibs)

water

evaporated milk

piloncillo (or dark brown sugar)

ground cinnamon

vanilla extract

salt

cinnamon sticks

freshly grated nutmeg

Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar and water in a small saucepan. Add the cinnamon stick. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugars dissolve completely (about 4–6 minutes). Do not boil hard; just maintain a low simmer so flavors infuse. Once sugar is dissolved, reduce heat to low and simmer very gently for 5 minutes to extract cinnamon flavor.

Make flavored simple syrup

Remove pan from heat. Stir in vanilla extract and lime zest (if using). Let the syrup cool to room temperature with the cinnamon stick still steeping for 10–15 minutes for more flavor, then remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Taste and adjust: if you want a stronger flavor, add another 1/2 tsp vanilla. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a clean jar. Refrigerate until cold. This yields roughly 1 to 1 1/4 cups (about 250–300 ml) of syrup; you will use 180 ml per 1 L of soda.

Chill: Make sure your carbonated water is well chilled. Also chill serving glasses if desired.

Measure syrup: For a balanced Milca-style soda (moderately sweet, vanilla-cinnamon notes), measure 180 ml of the prepared syrup. If you prefer sweeter soda, increase syrup to 220–240 ml; for lighter, reduce to 120–150 ml.

Combine: In a 1 L pitcher or directly into a 1 L bottle, pour the measured simple syrup. Slowly add 1 liter of chilled carbonated water to the syrup. Pour gently down a spoon or the side of the pitcher to preserve carbonation and avoid excessive foaming.

Stir: Using a long spoon, gently stir 4–6 slow strokes to integrate syrup and soda. Avoid vigorous stirring which will flatten the carbonation.

Serve: Fill glasses with ice (about 1/2 to 1 cup per glass). Pour Milca soda over the ice. Garnish each glass with a lime slice and, if desired, a cinnamon stick. Taste and adjust: if the soda is too sweet, dilute with a splash more chilled carbonated water; if too weak, add a tablespoon of syrup at a time.

granulated sugar

light brown sugar

cinnamon stick

lime zest (optional, for brightness)

chilled carbonated water / club soda

simple syrup (prepared from base)

lime slices (garnish)

whole cinnamon stick (garnish, optional)

Measure 1 cup long-grain white rice into a fine-mesh sieve or bowl. Rinse under cold running water, gently swishing the rice with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear (about 3–4 rinses). This removes excess surface starch and helps keep the cooked rice light and separate.

Rinse

Allow the rice to drain in the sieve for 1–2 minutes to remove excess water.

Drain

Place the rinsed, drained rice in a medium saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cups water and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. If using, add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or oil. Stir once to distribute ingredients evenly.

Combine

Set the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the water to a gentle boil with the lid off. Watch carefully to avoid boiling over.

Bring to a simmer

As soon as the water reaches a rolling simmer, reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting that still maintains a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.

Reduce heat and cover

Let the rice cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time — lifting releases steam and alters the water-to-rice cooking balance.

Cook undisturbed

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat but keep the lid on. Let the rice rest, covered, for an additional 10 minutes to finish steaming.

Rest

Remove the lid and use a fork to gently fluff the rice, separating the grains. Serve immediately.

Fluff and serve

long-grain white rice (e.g., jasmine or long-grain)

kosher salt

unsalted butter or neutral oil (optional)

medium saucepan with tight-fitting lid

fine-mesh sieve or bowl for rinsing

fork for fluffing

Sort beans to remove debris. Place beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by 2–3 inches. Soak overnight (8–12 hours) or quick-soak: bring to a boil 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit 1 hour. Drain and rinse before cooking.

Soak and Rinse

Peel and finely dice the onion. Core and dice the green bell pepper. Trim and finely chop the celery. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Slice the andouille sausage into 1/2-inch rounds if using.

Prepare Vegetables

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add diced onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.

Sauté Aromatics

If using andouille or smoked sausage, add the sliced sausage to the pot and cook 3–4 minutes to brown the edges and release fat and flavor. Remove briefly and set aside with the smoked meat if using separate pieces.

Brown Sausage (if using)

Add the drained beans to the pot along with the chicken or vegetable broth and 2 cups water. Stir in the smoked ham hock (or pork neck bones) if using. Add dried thyme, dried oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.

Add Beans, Liquid & Seasonings

Reduce heat to low so the pot maintains a gentle simmer (small bubbles). Cover partially (lid slightly ajar) and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 15–20 minutes and checking liquid level. If liquid reduces too much, add up to 1 more cup water or broth. If using smoked sausage removed earlier, add it back in after the beans begin to soften (about 45–60 minutes in) so it warms and flavors the beans.

Simmer Slowly

When beans are tender and creamy (no chalky center), remove the ham hock. Use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to mash about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth. Return the ham hock meat (if shredded) and sliced sausage (if removed) to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or more cayenne if you like heat.

Test for Doneness and Thicken

Stir in 1 teaspoon file powder if using (optional) and 1 teaspoon lemon juice or a splash of hot sauce to brighten flavors. Simmer 5 more minutes to meld flavors. Discard bay leaves before serving.

Finish

Ladle beans over steamed white rice or serve with crusty bread. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions. Serve hot.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth to loosen.

dried red kidney beans (or small red beans)

low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

yellow onion

green bell pepper

celery stalks

garlic cloves

smoked ham hock or smoked pork neck bones

andouille or smoked sausage (optional)

olive oil or vegetable oil

freshly ground black pepper

dried thyme

dried oregano

bay leaves

smoked paprika

cayenne pepper

file powder (optional, for finishing)

fresh parsley or green onions

fresh lemon juice or hot sauce (optional)

Remove any tough outer leaves from the cabbages. Quarter the heads, cut out the cores, then thinly shred the cabbage using a sharp knife or a mandoline. Measure out approximately 4 cups green cabbage and 1 cup red cabbage and place both in a large mixing bowl.

Prepare cabbages

Peel the carrots and shred them using a box grater or food processor until you have 1 cup shredded carrot. Dice the tomato into small pieces to yield 1 cup. Add the shredded carrot and diced tomato to the bowl with the cabbage.

Pico De Gallo