
The food writer Illyanna Maisonet challenges stereotypes on Puerto Rico and its foodways in her powerful new book, Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook. “Quesitos and pastelillos (the dessert kind, not the savory kind) are exemplary examples of European pastry making and one of the few good things that colonization brought to the island,” she writes. “These little pastries are meant for rich people, which is probably why my grandma never made them. Quesitos and pastelillos use the same puff pastry dough; the only difference between the two is the shape and the filling. Traditionally, quesitos contained only cheese; but as time went on, we required more and more from the little pastry. What most people don’t know is that it’s traditional to brush the tops of the finished pastry with a simple syrup (some people add honey to the syrup), giving it an inviting shine. I go one extra step, for the sake of being extra, and sprinkle sanding sugar on top while the simple syrup is still warm. The big granules of sanding sugar give the pastry a nice crunch.”