El Ratón de Los Dientes
THE TOOTH FAIRY GOES INTERNATIONAL
One of the most beloved myths in many Spanish-
speaking countries involves a magical mouse. This mouse
goes by Ratón Pérez or El Ratón de Los Dientes, and he is exactly what his name suggests: a mouse who collects
Toothy Traditions Around the World Every night, children in houses all over the U.S. crawl into their beds with anticipation, their recently lost baby teeth stashed carefully under their pillows. Why? They await the arrival of the tooth fairy, of course! Nearly everyone has at least one memory of falling asleep with a tooth under their pillow and waking up a dollar or two richer. While the tooth fairy we know and love didn’t flutter her way into the American social consciousness until the 1920s, other countries around the world have their own tooth-centric traditions dating back several centuries. My Dog Ate My … Tooth? Rather than sliding the tooth under your pillow, throughout Central Asia, it’s traditional to put the tooth into a delicious fatty snack and feed it to a dog. Children take part in this tradition to ensure that their adult teeth grow in to be as strong as the dog’s teeth. No dog? No problem! The next best practice is to bury the tooth by a tree so that the new tooth has strong roots.
teeth. Like the tooth fairy, Pérez gets the teeth only after they’ve been lost and put
under children’s pillows. In Argentina, a lost tooth is placed in a glass of water before bed. When Pérez shows up, he’ll drink up the water, grab the tooth, and leave his gift in the empty glass. Toss Those Teeth In countries like China, India, and Japan, kids will toss their teeth rather than hide them under their pillows. Teeth lost from the lower jaw are usually thrown up onto a roof, while teeth from the upper jaw are tossed onto the floor or ground. The logic behind this practice is that the strategic placement of the old tooth will help the new tooth grow in strong.
Have a Laugh
CAULIFLOWER SOUP 30-Minute
This hearty soup is a quick, easy, healthy addition to your holiday table. It can also be made vegetarian by substituting chicken broth with vegetable broth.
Inspired by Good Housekeeping
Ingredients
• 1 small head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cored and sliced • 1 leek, chopped • 1 medium onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth • 1/2 cup heavy cream • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions 1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter into warm oil. Add onion and leek, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 10–12 minutes. 2. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add cauliflower, broth, and cream. Simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. 3. Using a blender, purée in batches until smooth. 4. Top servings with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of pepper.
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