As we are right in the middle of Hispanic Heritage month (September 15-October 15), I wanted to take a few posts to spotlight some of the wonderful books that have come out in recent years by Hispanic and Latinx authors. I knew that my very first post had to be Anita and the Dragons by Hannah Carmona and Anna Cunha. This is one of the most beautiful picture books that I have read recently, both the words and the illustrations. Anita is happy living in the Dominican Republic, with loving family all around, her favorite foods, and the bustle of a friendly village. She loves to pretend she is a princesa, loved by all her loyal subjects. Her only fear is of the large, loud airplanes that fly overhead, planes that Anita pretends are dragons. So, when Anita’s parents tell her one day that they are going to fly away on one of those dragons, far away to a new home, she is a little scared. Anita isn’t only scared of flying in one of the noisy dragons, but is also nervous about leaving behind all the people and places she loves. Despite her fear, however, Anita chooses to face the dragon bravely, with her chin held high, and, in facing her fears, she finally feels like a dragon herself.
I love everything about this book but I especially like how simply and clearly it portrays fear of the unknown. This is a feeling that any child can relate to, even if their changes are not as big as the ones Anita faces. Anita’s story would be especially enlightening and reassuring for kids experiencing anxiety or worry. She clearly walks through the steps of being frightened, anxious about the changes she faces, and then copes with that anxiety productively. The illustrations in Anita and the Dragons are absolutely gorgeous. The soft pastel colors give them a dreamy, fairytale quality that seems to bring Anita’s vivid imagination to life.
The only food mentioned in Anita and the Dragons is Arroz con Leche, a dish that Anita uses to gain the love of her “royal subjects”. The only kind of rice pudding I have ever eaten before is a recipe from my Swedish grandmother which is quite different from Arroz con Leche. While Swedish rice pudding includes eggs and is baked in the oven, Arroz con Leche is cooked on the stove and thickened only with the rice and cream. I have actually never loved rice pudding in the past, but I was completely won over by Arroz con Leche. Flavored simply with vanilla and cinnamon and slowly cooked to perfect creaminess, this is a dessert worth the extra effort! Arroz con Leche is creamy, sweet, and just a little bit spicy, the perfect combination. I departed a little from traditional Arroz con Leche recipes here in that I added a little bit of nutmeg along with the cinnamon, but feel free to leave the nutmeg out if you want a simpler, more traditional version.
Arroz con Leche
Add the rice to a medium saucepan along with the water, cinnamon stick, and a pinch of salt. Place over medium-low heat and heat, stirring, until the water begins to simmer. Turn heat down to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice begins to soften and most of the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Pour in the sweetened condensed and whole milk, then stir in the grated nutmeg. Continue to simmer on low heat, stirring constantly, until the rice is very tender and forms a thickened, pudding-like consistency. Turn heat off, remove the cinnamon stick, and stir in the vanilla extract.
Divide rice pudding between 4 8-ounce glasses, ramekins, or bowls. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the top of each pudding to prevent a thick skin from forming then refrigerate until cooled and ready to serve, at least 1 hour. Right before serving, sprinkle each rice pudding with some of the ground cinnamon.
Ingredients
Directions
Add the rice to a medium saucepan along with the water, cinnamon stick, and a pinch of salt. Place over medium-low heat and heat, stirring, until the water begins to simmer. Turn heat down to low and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice begins to soften and most of the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Pour in the sweetened condensed and whole milk, then stir in the grated nutmeg. Continue to simmer on low heat, stirring constantly, until the rice is very tender and forms a thickened, pudding-like consistency. Turn heat off, remove the cinnamon stick, and stir in the vanilla extract.
Divide rice pudding between 4 8-ounce glasses, ramekins, or bowls. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the top of each pudding to prevent a thick skin from forming then refrigerate until cooled and ready to serve, at least 1 hour. Right before serving, sprinkle each rice pudding with some of the ground cinnamon.
