Don’t be fooled by the green engagement rock, Jenny still enjoys the block’s glorious fare.
On Nov. 30, Vogue caught up with Jennifer Lopez in its latest episode of “73 Questions.” In the video, the ‘Gigli’ star – who revealed she wants to film a sequel to the movie, by the way – talks about her acting career, her upcoming album ‘This Is Me…Now’, iconic fashion and what she likes to cook on her favorite vacation.
As Vogue explained in its December cover story with her, Lopez grew up in the Castle Hill neighborhood of the Bronx, in what she herself described as a typical working-class Puerto Rican household. With that comes her own set of food traditions that she shared during an airy Q&A.
In the clip, interviewer Joe Sabia asks a few questions about Lopez’s culinary tastes over a cup of tea in her garden, but not before asking her to place an order at the bodega.
“Ham and cheese on a roll with an orange drink – if you know you know – and a little bag of crisps,” Lopez says evenly.
And the food talk didn’t end there: When asked if she could only cook one thing for the rest of her life, Lopez replied, “rice, beans and cutlets chicken”, ingredients that make an appearance in the feast of what she calls her favorite holiday of the year: Christmas.
After revealing that the “sparkling” holiday is her favorite, she opens up about the Christmas tradition she and her family look forward to the most.
“We cook the same food every year, which I love because I look forward to this food all year,” Lopez says with a smile. “Pasteles and arroz con gandules and pernil and all the specialties. So this is my favorite.
After mentioning that she likes to wash everything down with coquito, she retreats to her recording studio for a session.
So what if you want to eat like J.Lo but don’t know where to start? Well, we’re here to help in case you’re unfamiliar with the dishes in her holiday spread.
Pastels
Pastels are a traditional Puerto Rican food made with pork and adobo stuffing wrapped in green plantain paste and wrapped in banana leaves. The savory, boiled dish is often made in the hundreds, served around Christmas time and then frozen to enjoy until the start of Lent.
Arroz con gandules, Puerto Rican rice with pigeon peas, is a savory side dish made with smoked ham or Spanish-style smoked chorizo, sofrito and spices including cumin, cilantro and paprika.
Alejandra Ramos
Alejandra Ramos, TODAY contributor and host of “The Great American Recipe,” says she likes to serve this classic dish with a dash of spicy, vinegary hot sauce, like Tabasco, on top.
Pernil is a Latin American dish consisting of slowly roasted pork shoulder marinated in a combination of mashed orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, onion, garlic, cilantro, chili Cubanelle and spice for up to two days, and in Puerto Rico, usually served with arroz con gandules.
Nathan Congleton / TODAY
Ramos says the slow-roasted dish is perfect for entertaining and celebrations, like, say, Christmas with Ben Affleck and other loved ones.
Coquito, commonly known as “Puerto Rican eggnog”, is a creamy, dairy-based rummy cocktail designed to be enjoyed during the holiday season.
Courtesy of Alejandra Ramos
Although Coquito shares some similarities with British eggnog, the Puerto Rican staple’s star ingredients are coconut, milk and sweet coconut cream, which thickens it to a fluffy consistency. . Enjoy it with the family after munching on your Christmas feast, whether you’re in the South Bronx, sunny Los Angeles, or anywhere else in the world.
