Pinol, Pinolillo & Co.
Pinol and Pinolillo are sweet traditional drinks that have become some of Nicaragua's most recognizable symbols. Indeed, it is very common to hear locals proudly refer to themselves as Pinoleros or Pinoleras!
Pinolillo is a ground mixture of toasted white corn, a much smaller proportion of toasted cacao beans, and spices such as cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
Pinol is a much simpler dish, made only of corn and spices. Pinol and Pinolillo are both made by adding water or milk and the desired amount of sugar to a dry mixture to create a slightly gritty drink.
There are variations on these recipes, such as tibio, a thicker drink that is served warm. It is traditionally consumed early in the morning or just before bed after cooking Pinol or Pinolillo powder in water or milk for some time.
Tiste, on the other hand, is served cold, but the mixture used to make it is a dough rather than a powder due to the significantly higher cacao content.
All of these drinks, as well as semilla de jicaro and pozol, are traditionally served in handcrafted gourds known as jicaras or cumbos, which are popular souvenirs in many Latin American countries. These containers are made from the shells of jicaro (Crescentia alata) tree fruits that have been emptied and dried before being decorated.
