| Those who believe the Dominican Republic serves | | | | day.Many see the Dominican Republic as a poor |
| typical Caribbean cuisine, guess again. With a | | | | area, but despite this image, their food is rich and |
| plethora of fresh seafood, fruits, vegetables, and | | | | hearty. The lack of wealth for some does not |
| meats, the Dominican Republic blends culinary | | | | cause the dinner table to go empty. Full lunches |
| styles from Latin America, Spain, and France. As | | | | together still occur five days a week. Many |
| a result, the dishes are an amazing blend of | | | | wealthy families in other countries cannot boast |
| flavors, mild spices, and varying textures.Unlike | | | | having so much quality family time!Sancocho, a |
| the chain stores in many countries, the Dominican | | | | delightful soup filled with huge chunks of meat and |
| Republic prides itself on selling fresh ingredients | | | | vegetables, is served for many meals. The soup |
| from their local markets. Typical foods are sweet | | | | usually contains pork or beef and then onions, |
| potatoes, goat meat, pig meat, fresh saltwater | | | | sweet potatoes, potatoes, yucca root, plantains, |
| fish, shellfish, mangoes, papayas, plantains, | | | | cassava root, and broth. For celebrations, seven |
| cassava melon, coconuts, citrus fruits, tomatoes, | | | | meats are mixed to enhance the glamour of this |
| and passion fruit. Given the abundance of high | | | | dish.Pastel en Hoja blends marinated meat cubes |
| quality foods, it is not surprising that locally | | | | with other ingredients and then slowly steams the |
| prepared dishes are delightful treats.Pigs are an | | | | mixture inside banana leaves. Fish steamed with |
| important aspect in the Dominican Republic's meat | | | | vegetables in coconut milk is also served in many |
| markets. Spicy longaniza sausages hang from | | | | homes. For dessert, fried portions of dough similar |
| racks in many butchers. Pork is slowly roasted | | | | to Churros or fresh fruit are both extremely |
| over a spit to a tender state of perfection.The | | | | popular.Chicharrones de Pollo is the Dominican |
| Dominican Republic follows a traditional Spanish | | | | Republic's answer to fried chicken. Chicken pieces |
| custom in which workers leave their jobs at noon | | | | are coated in a mildly spiced flour mixture and |
| and go home for a leisurely meal with their family | | | | then fried to golden perfection.The food of |
| before returning to work two or three hours | | | | Dominican Republic is a culinary treat that no |
| later. This leisurely break is called La Bandera. | | | | person should miss. Even if one is not traveling to |
| During these lengthy meals, bowls of rice, meats | | | | the area, it is easy to make some of these |
| stewed with beans, vegetables, fried plantains, | | | | dishes in the comfort of your own home. What a |
| and pitchers of water or other beverages are | | | | way to celebrate a fabulous country's |
| shared. The family enjoys time together, clean up, | | | | cuisine.Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre |
| and then return to finish their work or school | | | | Beach, Florida. |