There's Nothing Like Dominican Food!

 

I believe it's only right that before I throw you into the sea of Dominican culture, I make sure you're fed! 

That being said, Dominican food has been passed down from many generations, and certain aspects are found throughout other Caribbean cultures, like plantains. In the pictures above, there are foods you will see that you may recognize like the avocado, the fish seems pretty universal, and the pizza. However, if you take a closer look there are different variations of plantains on two dishes and on the last picture would you believe me if I told you that is a dessert soup made from beans!

I know there is a lot to unpack here but please stay with me!

To start the fish is your average catch of the day so yes there isn't anything particularly crazy about it. However, the pizza is a different story because in the Dominican Republic the people general add sugar in their tomato sauce to balance the acidity of the tomato paste. This was a complete shocker to me because at first glance it looked like a normal pizza but when you bit into it you were tasting sugar! 

Next, in the second picture the dish you see is called, "Los Tres Golpes" or "The Three Hits". This dish has an assortment of foods and is considered a Dominican Breakfast. The yellow looking mashed food is actually cooked plantains that are mashed into a mashed potato consistency served with pickled red onions. This dish is traditionally salty and the plantains are always soft but never as mushy as mashed potatoes due to the starch consistency of the vegetable. There is also fried Dominican Salami as the protein, alongside is fried cheese that isn't supposed to be stretchy but thick and creamy like butter on the inside. Also, the dish comes with a sunny-side up egg and half of a sliced avocado. Now, you may be thinking this is a lot for a breakfast, I would say the reason this is ate so often and to this capacity is because of what the work day may look for Dominican citizens. Often times they won't eat until it's dinner time so they ration their meals to twice everyday but making them bigger to keep them from going hungry. If you're interested in seeing how we make this traditional dish and possibly trying to make it at home, check out Tasty 10's video, Los Tres Golpes!

Lastly, now that you're all filled up with the savory details of DR, the last picture shows a sweet dish called "habichuelas con dulce" or "sweet cream of beans". This dish is typically made during Lent for Catholics or "Semana Santa" which is Holy Week for Catholics but even those that aren't in the religion make this dish around that time. This popular soup is made red beans, coconut milk, regular milk, sweet potatoes, and spices. It makes you feel warm inside not only because of it being actual soup but because it's always made with love and intentionally. I remember when I was visiting my family in DR I was over one of my aunts houses and everyone had gathered to enjoy each other's company, talk about life, joke around, and to eat some of this soup that all the older ladies had been working on earlier that day. You would wonder why it would take more than one person to make this soup, well it's because its regularly made in huge portions and in a metal pot over a big gas or wooden fire. I think that influencer Marlin does an excellent job at showing the traditional recipe for "habichuelas co dulce", I would check it the quick link out if you're ever interested in making something new and sweet at home!  

Well, that pretty much sums up some of the most memorable food's I've had the privilege of trying and a little bit of culture shock when I visited the island most recently. If you have any question's be sure to comment and I'll be happy to discuss! Thank you again for stopping by, chat with you later!