Last weekend we went over to Birmingham to drop off my daughter’s birthday presents and go out for a pre-birthday lunch. She wanted to try a Colombian café in Bearwood that she’d heard about called Colombian Picada Mix. As well as wanting to try the café, my daughter was keen to practise her Spanish, which she’s been learning for a while.

As we perused the menu, all in Spanish, we got to discussing burritos – even though they were not on the menu as they’re more associated with Mexico. What piqued my interest was discovering that the direct translation of burritos is little donkey. Curious; how did a little donkey become a food wrap?

My son-in-law, speculated that it might refer to the bags carried by donkeys on their backs. Turns out he’s probably right. Though there are a number of possible explanations for the word burrito, one is that it refers to the resemblance of a burrito wrap to the rolled up packs carried by donkeys.

What a wonderful time we had immersing ourselves in language and meanings. This is why I love words; there’s always something new to discover.

We also had a fantastic meal with exceptional hospitality at https://columbiapicadamix.co.uk