*For native English readers (a.k.a. my parents, sometimes): papita para el loro means "small potato for the parrot"
My student said, "Next week will be papita pal loro (a piece of cake) because my boss won't be here."
I was wondering where the phrase came from in English, and I found some help on businessballs.com:
Brewer (a phrasebook first published in 1870) tells of the tradition in USA slavery states when slaves or free descendants would walk in a procession in pairs around a cake at a social gathering or party, the most entertaining couple being awarded a cake as the prize. This also gave us the expression 'cake walk,' meaning a job or contest that's very easy to achieve or win.
So, there are several more expressions which tie into this tradition:
cakewalk: Cristina's election campaign was a cakewalk. (And The Economist agreed)
easy as pie: They have developed an online tool to make it as easy as pie. (taken from)
By the way, a modern tradition of the cakewalk still exists in the States and is often found at county fairs and bake sales. People walk around in a circle with music playing. If you are standing on the winning square when the music stops, you win a cake.
Then:
Now:
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