#KidsintheKitchen: Learning Puerto Rican Cuisine at The Empanada Lady
Our LTYC students put their cooking skills to the test this past spring at The Empanada Lady, a boutique cafe residing in Baltimore City’s Motor House. Hosted by restaurant owner, Elisa Milan, students learned about Milan’s Afro Latina culture, her Puerto Rican roots and, of course, made delicious empanadas.
Milan, affectionately known as The Empanada Lady, is a self-proclaimed foodie, celebrated entrepreneur, and curator of Puerto-Rican culture. Born in California, and raised in New York by way of Baltimore, Elisa is the owner of The Empanada Lady, a full-scale restaurant in the heart of Baltimore at the Inner Harbor.*
The Empanada Lady is renowned for their traditional Puerto Rican empanadas known as pastelillos which are deep fried meat pies stuffed with ground beef or other meats, green olives, onions, and sauce variations. Milan uses a cherished family recipe passed down from her beloved ‘Mama,’ her maternal grandmother.
Once students hit 10 South Street where The Empanada Lady is nestled, they were greeted by Baltimore’s historic architecture. Located in the Maryland Life Building built in 1905, its rich history is eminent. As students trailed inside, they were overtaken by the restaurant’s eccentric design including velvet, plush seating; black, wood wall paneling; stunning artwork and chandeliers that could have been fresh off an episode of Property Brothers.
Their awe quickly transformed to action as it was time to get to work. The students were thrilled as Milan introduced them to the ingredients that would create their masterpieces, some of which they were familiar with and others that were new to their palettes. Cheese, ground beef, chicken, and more filled their tasty turnovers. Now things were really cooking. Students watched and assisted as the pros fried their creations to a golden-brown finish. Have you ever been so proud of a job well done that you had to pat your own self on the back? Well, that was the case for our budding cooks as they bit into crunchy flakes of perfection.
This was a bar none top-notch experience that our students will never forget. It’s not every day that children have the opportunity to visit another country in the kitchen. They were able to utilize all of their senses in a project that gets to the heart of what all cultures have in common: food!
Establishing community partnerships with businesses like The Empanada Lady are near and dear to us at LTYC. It allows our students to gain new interests and our partners to add to their stamp in the community. There is value in our kids witnessing people of color as entrepreneurs, leaders, and outright bosses.
LTYC offers art workshops to broaden the minds of the youth. Their exposure to culinary arts and other unique art forms expands their reach and introduces them to worlds they may have never imagined. We want to see our students head chef Michelin star restaurants, bring their unique style to local cafes, and explore possibilities that are endless. To learn more about our workshops, visit us at ltyc.net or email us at info@ltyc.net.
