La guinda en el pastel

[poli]

Pastel en Puerto Rico es tamal.

[Rusty]

This has probably been discussed before, but 'pastel' means different things to different people. I've seen the following translations for 'pastel' (none of them interchangeable in American English):

cake
pie
tart
turnover

pastel = cake
This dessert is made from flour, eggs and other ingredients. It is usually baked in a round pan, but other molds are available for special occasions. Cakes are often stacked, with a layer of frosting in between them. Frosting usually covers the entire cake. There are all kinds of cakes.
A smaller version is called a cupcake. The same ingredients go into a cupcake; the pan is different and sometimes the batter is dropped into a paper cup that fits in the cupcake pan.

pastel = pie
This dessert typically has a (flour dough) crust on the bottom and a fruit filling, or some other filling (custard (lemon, chocolate), vegetable and/or meat) placed in the crust. Some pies also have an upper crust.

A tart is a smaller version of a pie, typically.

pastel = turnover
A turnover can contain the same fillings as a pie. Empanadas remind me of a turnover.

[poli]

Yes, but in the Caribbean it is a savoy tamal . In Puerto Rico they made with plantain and yuca mush, and in coastal Colombia rice---and
no guindas.

[aleCcowaN]

Aquí los únicos pasteles que comemos son el de papas y el de carne (parecido al meatloaf). Lo demás son tortas y tartas. Pastel en el sentido de cake se conoce por los doblajes y en expresiones fijas como "comedia de pastelazos" -muy común en la política-.

[chileno]

En Chile los pasteles son los que aparecen en la mayoría de las dos primeras hileras del siguiente enlace

En las pastelería se hacen las tortas (birthday cake) y similares.

No se en el resto del mundo.

[JPablo]

Wow, thank you for all the input...
I'll try to answer or comment on all the posts when I get a couple more minutes.

My original question was more in the direction of the second usage of "guinda" in the expression "poner la (última) guinda en el pastel" as in perfecting or finalizing something.

Moliner gives
guinda 2
1 f. Cierta *fruta semejante a la cereza, pero más ácida. Cereza póntica.
2 (inf.) Cosa que culmina o remata algo.

Example:
El Atlético de Madrid puso la guinda en el pastel con un tercer gol al final del partido... para ganar la Euro League...

(Remató la victoria...)

What do you think about this usage?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by JPablo

Wow, thank you for all the input...
I'll try to answer or comment on all the posts when I get a couple more minutes.

My original question was more in the direction of the second usage of "guinda" in the expression "poner la (última) guinda en el pastel" as in perfecting or finalizing something.

Moliner gives
guinda 2
1 f. Cierta *fruta semejante a la cereza, pero más ácida. Cereza póntica.
2 (inf.) Cosa que culmina o remata algo.

Example:
El Atlético de Madrid puso la guinda en el pastel con un tercer gol al final del partido... para ganar la Euro League...

(Remató la victoria...)

What do you think about this usage?

Sí. Está bueno. También podrías usar:

http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthrea...ghlight=broche

[JPablo]

Fenomenal. Gracias por el enlace.