fiesta rosa

I'm going to tell you how special quinces in El Salvador are, but first I have to say that salvadoreñas are BEAUTIFUL! One of my favorite supermodels of all time is salvadoreña Christie Turlington (her mom is from El Salvador). Also, my friend, reporter Elizabeth Espinosa from KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles, is another gorgeous and talented salvadoreña. Elizabeth is actually the one who inspired me to write a post about la Fiesta Rosa.

Quinceañeras in El Salvador are called "Fiesta Rosa," or "rose party." The reason for the name is obvious. Everything is pink: pink dress, pink hat, pink gloves, pink bouquet, pink shoes, and pink decorations. In some cultures, rosa or rosado signifies innocence and girlhood.

El Salvador is a very Catholic culture, so that is why to start off the Fiesta Rosa, there is a traditional Thanksgiving mass, when family members present the quinceañera with gifts. A lot of Fiestas Rosas are celebrated in August, when salvadoreños also honor the patron saint of El Salvador, named El Salvador del Mundo. August 6 is the national day of celebration, but the parties and parades last during the whole first week of August — which is actually happening right now, as I'm blogging!

La Fiesta Rosa is a big feast, usually prepared by the family and consisting of typical Salvadorean dishes, like casamiento, which is a mixture of rice and beans, and pupusas, which is cornmeal stuffed with cheese, refried beans, and chicharrón (fried pork fat).

Pupusas are one of the most important typical dishes of El Salvador and can't be missed at the Fiesta Rosa. Similar to the Venezuelan arepas, the pupusa is handmade tortilla made of masa de maíz, a thick corn dough frequently used in Latin American cuisine. The pupusa is usually stuffed with either queso (cheese), refried beans (frijoles refritos), fried pork rind (chicharrón), and squash (ayote). Here's a recipe if you want to add a piece of El Salvador to your own quince, or Fiesta Rosa!

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