In central Colombia, especially in Bogotá and Cundinamarca, a perico is coffee with a little milk, served in a small cup: a tinto «painted» with hot milk. In other regions of the country the same drink is ordered as a pintado.
It’s an everyday drink at breakfast, in cafés, and in neighborhood shops, and it often comes with arepas, almojábanas, or bread.
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Colombian Perico
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: 2 small cups
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients
- 2 small cups of freshly brewed Colombian coffee (tinto)
- Hot milk, added gradually until the coffee just lightens
- Grated panela or sugar, to taste, to sweeten (optional)
Preparation
- Brew the tinto, brew the Colombian coffee with a coffee maker, cloth filter, or drip method, and pour it into two small cups.
- Heat the milk, warm a little milk over medium heat until it steams, without letting it boil.
- Add the milk, add a little hot milk to each cup, just until the coffee lightens slightly; a perico is coffee with only a little milk.
- Sweeten and serve, if you like, sweeten with grated panela or sugar, stir, and serve right away.
Practical tips
- Use freshly brewed coffee: a perico has only a little milk, so the coffee’s flavor leads.
- Heat the milk without letting it boil so no skin forms.
- If you add more milk, the drink becomes a café con leche.
Traditional variations
Depending on the region, the same drink is called perico or pintado; with half coffee and half milk it’s called café con leche instead. It can be enjoyed unsweetened or with panela.
Traditional serving style
Serve the perico hot in a small cup, like a tinto, at breakfast or mid-afternoon.
Recommended pairings
- Arepa with cheese
- Almojábana
- Pandebono
- Pan de yuca
- Huevos pericos
- Colombian soft bread
A cultural note
The Diccionario de americanismos records «perico» in central Colombia as a «small café con leche», and the Spanish Royal Academy dictionary equates it with a cortado.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's coffee with a little milk, served in a small cup; the term is used mainly in central Colombia (Bogotá, Cundinamarca). In other regions it's called a pintado.
A perico has much more coffee than milk: just a little hot milk to lighten the tinto. Half coffee and half milk is a café con leche.
Yes, although freshly brewed Colombian coffee gives the traditional flavor. Dissolve the coffee in hot water and add just a little hot milk.
