Pinolillo is a sweet cornmeal and cacao

Cocoa solids

Cocoa solids are the low-fat component of chocolate. When sold as an end product, it may also be called cocoa powder, cocoa, and cacao....

-based traditional drink in Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...

. It is made of ground toasted corn and a bit of cacao. It can be mixed with water or milk, served sweetened or unsweetened. If unsweetened, it is rather bitter. It can also be used in cooking some local dishes, such as garrobo con pinol. The drink usually has a rough, gritty texture.

It is traditionally served out of a gourd made of the shell of the jicaro fruit. Decorative gourds are also made for purchase by tourists as a souvenir; such decorations are rarely found in the homes of native Nicaraguans.

Pinol and Nicaraguan culture

Consumption of Pinolillo is so widespread and traditional that the substance has become one of many symbols of Nicaraguan culture. Nicaraguans often refer to themselves as "Pinoleros," either jokingly or with pride. The patriotic phrase "Soy puro Pinolero; ¡Nicaragüense por gracia de Dios!" (I'm a pure Pinolero, Nicaraguan by the grace of God!) is frequently used. The phrase comes from the patriotic song Nicaragua Mía by Tino López Guerra and has been covered several times. The popular saying is often used by Nicaraguan president, Daniel Ortega

Daniel Ortega

José Daniel Ortega Saavedra is a Nicaraguan politician and revolutionary, currently serving as the 83rd President of Nicaragua, a position that he has held since 2007. He previously served as the 79th President, between 1985 and 1990, and for much of his life, has been a leader in the Sandinista...

, in his speeches.