We aim to end poverty around the world by harnessing the power of connection. By sharing cultural traditions like art, food, and special holidays, we hope to connect you, our supporters, with the communities you are helping improve.
As a bilingual member of our Sponsor Relations team in Honduras, Stefany C. has the honor of interacting frequently with sponsored children and their families. Getting to witness firsthand the impact of your support is her favorite perk. But it isn’t the only benefit: She also was given the opportunity here to share with you why a traditional Honduran dish, yuca con chicharrón, (with a bag of horchata to wash it down) is among her favorite foods.
After the cooked yucca has been placed on the plate, some shredded cabbage with pickled red onion and other ingredients are added.
As a sampedrana (a native of San Pedro Sula), I like to visit places that offer traditional food. Personally, I like to visit Yuquitas La Prensa (a family-run restaurant) because the flavor is maintained over the years. With friends, colleagues and family, we frequent this restaurant for their yuca con chicharrón. It's not a meal I'm going to eat every week, but it's one of those cravings I can indulge in when I'm out on the town, running errands or just if I feel like it.
I enjoy the mix between the spicy chicharrón (pork rinds) and the softness of the pork leg. But what I like the most is the broth or sauce where the pork leg is cooked. Because the yucca and cabbage are somewhat bland in their natural flavor, the broth from the pork leg brings out the flavors.
It is a simple but delicious dish. Now, while yuca con chicharrón is delicious, this dish is incomplete without the proper horchata, with plenty of ice. (Horchata is a refreshing drink traditionally made with rice, water, sugar and cinnamon. In Honduras, adding a bit of fruit, called morro, is common, providing a slightly sweet licorice flavor.) Everyone who visits this place asks for their yucca with horchata. I prefer it in a bag, because that's how I used to drink it when I was a child. Although the restaurant offers other drinks, the horchata is the most requested and delicious. I love that they make it with natural ingredients.
The chicharrón is plated. This type of chicharrón is totally crunchy since it is fried pork fat, unlike others that have just meat.
Pork leg is also added, but not all people like it because of its sticky texture. For those who don't prefer pork leg, just ask them to add the pork leg sauce, as it has tremendous flavor.
That bucket contains horchata, one of the most representative drinks of Honduras. It can be delivered in a glass, but the traditional way is to drink it in a plastic bag with a straw.
And one of the things I like most is the interaction with the staff who sell this dish. They are simple, humble and hardworking people. They are the kind of people who go out of their way to take care of their customers, and it's always nice to talk to them. They are people you genuinely connect with.
Yuca con chicharrón is definitely one of the dishes that should be highlighted within the Honduran gastronomy. It may not be the most famous dish, like baleada (a traditional Honduran street food that typically consists of a soft flour tortilla wrapped around a combination of refried beans, sour cream and crumbled hard cheese) or pollo con tajadas (fried chicken served on a bed of fried plantains with cabbage, sauces and pickled vegetables). Nonetheless, yuca con chicharrón is a dish that every Honduran can be proud of, not only for its flavor, but for those who prepare it, because they continue to honor the flavor over the years. Every tourist should try this dish at least once!
The restaurant is located at the edge of a street. There are people inside the door, but the space is dark and small. People typically order here for carryout.
Horchata being poured into a plastic bag.
from Nelson G., our Agency Journalist in Honduras, who filed this story:
Yuquitas La Prensa is a traditional family business in San Pedro Sula. It takes that name because it is located near Diario La Prensa, one of the most popular newspapers in Honduras. For decades, this family has stood on the street, with a couple of umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun.
With just a couple of tables and other utensils, they prepare the dishes. It began as a business without a name. It was the oral tradition of the citizens that gave fame to the term “Yucas La Prensa,” and later they went on to formalize it. Currently, they have several locations where they sell exactly the same menu; however, most people still frequent the original location.
Addicted to coffee, water, travel, photography, running, swimming and unhealthy food, I struggle with punctuality and procrastination. I hate wet socks on rainy days, I get bored easily and I need to start reading more! I like flowers, window shopping, having a clean kitchen and listening to jazz, blues and rock. Family and health are the greatest joys that exist. I’m Andre’s father and Karen’s husband. My best moments are spending time with Children International kids and families as I help tell their stories. Please, call me None (No-nay) Guevara.
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