Some interesting facts about dominican gastronomy

The flavors of the caribbean

Dominican cuisine is similar to European cuisine in taste.

They eat a lot of meat; the most common is chicken, followed by pork, then beef and goat meat. For side dishes, they consume fried plantains, puree, rice, potatoes, and vegetables.

Fruits are an important part of their meals, and as the island is rich in exotic fruits, they do not suffer from a lack of variety. Just to name a few: bananas, pineapples, papayas, mangoes, guanabanas, star fruits, dragon fruits, nonis, passion fruit, limoncillo, coconuts.

Dominican cuisine shows influences from Spanish, African, and Taino Indian cultures.

Their dishes are of European origin, but they also blend African with Caribbean culinary traditions.

Typical national dishes include "la Bandera Dominicana" (meaning the Dominican flag), "Sancocho", "Mangu ", and "Mofongo".

Out of these, I would like to highlight two:

"La Bandera Dominicana" is made of white rice, stewed beans, stewed meat, salad, and fried plantains. This dish is inspired by the Dominican flag; the white color is represented by the rice, the red color by the red beans, and, with a little imagination, the meat is associated with the blue color.

"Sancocho" is basically a thick stew, a potpourri of different meats and vegetables, usually served with rice and avocado as a side dish. It is consumed during holidays and family gatherings.

Every family has its own recipe, making it a diverse and a unique dish over time.

I hope everyone gets a chance to try Dominican cuisine when visiting!

Photo: Juan de Dios Valentín / Foodie and Traveller