We’re headed to Nicaragua this week. I’m meeting Joan from Foodalogue as part of our ongoing virtual culinary series, “South of the Border.” The trip has been delightful and eye-opening — if you enjoy exploring regional foodways, I highly recommend joining us. Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America and enjoys a warm, tropical climate. About a quarter of its population lives in the capital, Managua, which is one of the region’s largest cities.
What draws me most is the food. Nicaraguan cuisine blends indigenous ingredients with Spanish and Creole influences, and it changes noticeably from coast to coast. On the Pacific side, corn and fresh fruits feature prominently; along the Caribbean shore, dishes lean toward seafood, coconut, and tropical produce like pineapple. While traveling I discovered a wonderfully refreshing chilled pineapple-and-rice drink that quickly became addictive. It’s sweet with a subtle nuttiness and faint warm notes of cinnamon and cloves.
Back home in Sydney the temperatures were soaring, so I wanted to recreate that cooling beverage. The drink is surprisingly simple: pineapple skins, rice, sugar, a cinnamon stick, cloves, and water. I came across a few variations, but all recipes instruct you to simmer the rice until the grains burst and the liquid turns slightly cloudy from the rice starch. The finished drink has a faint, candy-like sweetness that’s hard to describe but very pleasant. I like to dress it up with a few chopped pineapple pieces for texture; for an adult version, add a splash of Malibu rum to make a tropical cocktail.
Recipe: Fresco de Piña y Arroz — Chilled Pineapple and Rice Drink
- The skin and rind of one pineapple
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup plain uncooked white rice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 10 cups water
- Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
- Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rice grains split or burst and release their starch — about 30–45 minutes, depending on your stove and rice.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture cool. Strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove solids and pineapple skins, pressing gently to extract flavor.
- Chill well, then serve over ice. Garnish with chopped pineapple pieces if you like. For a boozy variation, add a splash of Malibu rum.
