November 30th, 2010
“Si me dan pasteles,
denmelos calientes,
que pasteles frios empachan la gente, Si me
dan arroz
no me den cuchara,
que mama me dijo
que me lo llevara”
Some of you know exactly what I am talking about. Others, well you are about to find out.
My grandmother used to make the best ”pasteles” at Christmas time. They are part of the traditional Puerto Rican delicacies at this time of the year. Along with aguinaldos, the parrandas or carolings, blood sausages and many other indigenous foods of the Island, pasteles are a must in every Puerto Rican household. There are so many recipes; some people make them plain; others put raisins, olives, chickpeas, etc. It is an all day cooking “ordeal”.
There were times my grandmother used to send them to me to the states overnight. I have never tasted any like hers. Everything so fresh and meticulously prepared, following the traditional “comida criolla” style.
About a year ago I met 2 of my childhood friends in Miami. They also took me to get Puerto Rican pasteles. I don’t know how I could possibly want to make them myself.
Upon returning to Delaware I decided I was going to tackle a few of the pasteles. Well, it was sort of a disaster because, of course, I don’t have a banana leaf in sight, and the day I went to get the ingredients, my good old trusted supermarket, did not have a lot of what I needed. Well, I did not despair and still made them. And, you know what? Even though they looked pretty ugly, the taste was very good.
A few weeks ago I reconnected with another childhood friend, Aileen, on Facebook. Then I saw a notice to her Facebook “friends”, mentioning that once again she was going to be making pasteles this year. Well, I just immediatedly contacted her. She is located in the town of Deerfield Beach, Florida, south of Delray Beach, about 15 minutes away.
What a surprise!! She has more than pasteles. I will give you her information. Her name is Aileen. Her tel. is 239-839-6535. You may also contact her by e-mail at Aileenpasteles@aol.com. She will be glad to send you her menu through e-mail.
Pasteles (minimum order 1/2 dozen)
Masa with pork or chicken $36/dz
Yuca with pork or chicken $36/dz
Arroz con Gandules Pastel $42/dz (I have never have these ones)
Empanadillas or Turnovers
Beef or Chicken $15/dz
Party Platters for 8-12 people (60 empanadillas) $48
Guava and Cream Cheese $9/dz
Party Platters for 8 – 12 people (60 empanadillas) $32
Spinach, Mushroom and Swiss Cheese $15/dz
Combination Platter (20 beef, 20 chicken, 20 Guava and cream cheese)
Seafood Fillings: (special order) Shrimp, crab, lobster, etc. Please call for price.
Alcapurrias (frozen)
Masa or Yuca (beef, chicken or pork) $18/dz
Seafood (special order) Call for price
Soup
Butter Squash/Carrot $3/person/bowl
With heavy cream and creme fraiche $1.50/person/cup
Flanes (The ever present Puerto Rican custard) (small, medium, large, extra large)
Milks/Eggs/Vanilla
Espresso Coffee
Cream Cheese & Coconut Milk
Butter Squash and carrots
Espresso and chocolate
Guava and cream cheese
Coquito or Puerto Rican Eggnog
Brandy/Rum $25 (750 ml) bottle
I thought some of you that live in Palm Beach County or nearby counties in Florida would want to know about Aileen’s pasteles.
It is so funny that it seems that at this time of the year everyone of Puerto Rican descent wants to be a “jibaro”. I hope you fill your freezer because as you well know the holidays in Puerto Rico start at the beginning of December and last until that last octavita.
And, for the ones that cannot be in La Isla Del Encanto during the holidays then there is Aileen’s Pasteles.
Talk to you later….have a good one.
September 30th, 2010
So many more posts for my blog could have come out from last week-end’s trip to Puerto Rico.
It is so funny because my friends, here in Rehoboth, are used to me not letting them touch their food at a restaurant until I have taken pictures. I had to work a little harder in the Island of Enchantment since they were not used to it. Slowly they got the hang of it. Some of the pictures were taken so fast that I am not really going to publish them. You are probably saying “thanks”. Enough is enough, right? Oh, well.
I stayed in Isla Verde, which is a district of Carolina, bordered to the north by the Atlantic Ocean and to the West by the San Juan area of Condado. It is a tourist area of Puerto Rico, where restaurants, bars, and casinos are found. Some of the hotels found are The Ritz Carlton, El San Juan Hotel, and The Intercontinental, among others.
The beach is a beautiful cove. Walkers, joggers and sunbathers are all over the place. Also, you will find the man selling fresh coconut ice cream. I did not have any, which is probably good since now I am paying for my indulgences.
I walked the beach in the early evening and also sat down to join all the beachgoers on Saturday for a little bit of sunbathing. The water was so warm; but cold to some of the natives.
I reminded myself how relaxing this visit was. But, all good things come to an end and so was my trip.
On Tuesday, the “primas”, or cousins got together for lunch at the Metropol Restaurant. It is a Cuban and Puertorican restaurant, located at Avenida Isla Verde, tel. 787-791-5585. It is right next to the Club Gallistico of Puerto Rico. This is the club where cockfights take place. Cockfighting in Puerto Rico is recognized as a cultural right of Puertoricans and I am leaving it at that.
The Metropol serves latin food and I wanted something typical since I was taking a plane that evening. We had croquettes, turnovers, corn sticks, alcapurrias, which are plantain fritters, accompanied with a red sangria.
One appetizer that brought memories was the fried plantain chips. These were long, just like my grandmother used to make them.
The service was good and the restaurant was comfortably crowded. The decoration was definitely Spanish.
I had been on a chicharrones de pollo kick. These are pieces of chicken, fried; but not just like any old fried chicken. I can’t explain it but they are delicious; crispy and so well seasoned. Puertorican rice and beans were a must, of course. Our waiter told us they were the best. My lunch also included fried ripe plantains.
For dessert we had the diplomatic pudding that was like a flan, but a thicker consistency and included coconut. To tell you the truth it was o.k. but not that great.
The vanilla flan also was good but I have had better, including my own.
Oh my gosh, we were so full. How can anyone eat this way at lunch? Do they still have siestas in Borinquen?
We decided to visit the El San Juan Hotel, which was down the street. Walking was going to be the way we were going to get there. A little exercise, por favor.
There are 2 hotels that I truly love in Puerto Rico. One in Old San Juan, El Convento, and this one, the El San Juan Hotel. I was longing to see if it had stayed the same.
 Entrance to El San Juan Hotel The El San Juan Hotel is located at 6063 Isla Verde Ave., Carolina, P.R. 00979. Website is www.elsanjuanhotel.com. It is part of the Waldorf Astoria Collection. There are only 24 hotels under this designation and 2 of them are in Puerto Rico. The Conquistador in Fajardo, on the eastern side of the island is also one of them.
 Silver Bar 
I cannot say enough about this hotel. It should be the pride of San Juan. It will take you back to a time of craftmanship, a time of ease and elegance; a time of sophistication and style.
I was mesmerized with the woods and floors used throughout, the shops, the restaurants and how the hotel still can be a tropical paradise exuding old-world classic elegance at the same time.
And yes, we went to the Casino and deposited $20 in no time.
This hotel is priceless; still one of my favorite hotels just like the one in Wilmington, Delaware, The Hotel DuPont, and The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia.
Guess what? The moment I laid my eyes on that beautiful chandelier, I knew it had not changed.
Enjoy…talk to you later….
September 4th, 2010
O.k., you already know that I grew up in the Island of Puerto Rico. Well, sometimes I like to cook some of the dishes that remind me of La Isla del Encanto.
These dishes might or might not look the part, but they usually do taste pretty good. That was the case tonight.
I had 3 ripe plantains on my counter. To tell you the truth the ripe plantains are not my favorite; green ones are.
My brother, Jose, who lives in Puerto Rico loves to cook. He also has a passion for the weather. If you are his friend on Facebook you will definitely know the weather patterns in the Caribbean. So, it’s great that the weather and recipes are at my disposal.
This morning I saw the recipe for “piononos”. I thought, why not?
Piononos
3 ripe plantains
Vegetable oil for frying
1 cup of freshly grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon water
Peel the plantains and cut them in 4 slices each. Easier said than done. I got 3 slices from each one. Maybe the plantains in Puerto Rico are bigger. I am not sure.
In a large frying pan heat oil and fry the plantains only until golden. That was not that bad.
Take out from oil and place on paper towels until they cool off and can be handled with your hands.
Form the plantain into a loose pinwheel and secure with a toothpick. That was tricky!! Either some were too ripe or some were not.
Stuff the cavity with the Cheddar Cheese. Please note that the recipe called for 2/3 of a cup of Cheddar Cheese but I ended using a cup and maybe even a bit more.
Whisk eggs with salt. Add water and flour and whisk a little bit more until it is all blended.
Pour over the stuffing and don’t worry I poured it all over the piononos.
Heat oil again and fry them, turning them once. They won’t fall apart because between the toothpicks and the egg mixture they are secured.
Take them out after a few minutes and place on paper towels to drain. Take the toothpick out.
Serve and enjoy.
 Piononos Made In Rehoboth Beach, Delaware To tell you the truth, they were really good.
Then, I started thinking, you know on the eastern side of the Island, by Luquillo Beach and also near El Yunque (rainforest) how could those women that work the “kioskos” make these piononos among all the other dishes they have to cook so fast? It took me longer than I thought.
Then, I have yet to hear any of my Puerto Rican friends say; Oh, I have been making piononos. Not one single one has ever told me they have made one. So, what am I doing here in Delaware making them for? I love to eat, that’s why and part of having a passion for cooking is not to complain about cooking. I will master the piononos and might even stuff them with crab meat. You will be the first to know.
My brother, Jose, is probably laughing his head off.
That’s my post tonight…..talk to you later….have a great evening….
June 4th, 2010
You are wondering if I am there or here. Well, I am here, at the Delaware Beaches. But, it is like anything. You go on vacation, had a good time and you spread the word. Plus, in our Delaware and Maryland beaches, we have a fair amount of residents that winter in Puerto Rico. These posts might give them a taste of what this Island is all about.
And this post will be about food. Puerto Rican food and its flavors.
We decided to try a restaurant called Raices in the town of Caguas. Caguas is only 20 miles south of San Juan but it might take you an hour to get there, depending at what time or day of the week you decide to travel.
Raices is located on Urb. Villa Turabo, H-31, Caguas. The tel. is 787-258-1570 and the website is www.restauranteraices.com. It is a great website written in English and Spanish. This restaurant also has another location in Old San Juan, on Recinto Sur Street #315. Tel. 787-289-2121. I am reviewing the one in Caguas, though.
I met my family there and decided to go very early to see if I could get some pictures of the restaurant. The restaurant is completely decorated as it would have been in 1949 in the Island, showing what was important at that time. The staff is dressed as the “jibaro” and you really don’t know what I am talking about.
Jibaro is the term used to describe the mountain people, just like hillbillies in the United States. They lived in-land and are the backbone of the Puerto Rican culture. The Jibaro was poor, uneducated and probably illiterate. But, they were honest, hospitable, self-sufficient and most of all, proud. The Jibaro is pretty much gone from the Island but there are some that are still jibaros at heart. Raices memorializes the soul of the Jibaro.
Puerto Rican food is unique; well seasoned, but not spicy unless you add some of home made sauce “pique”.
Cooking with foods of the island like coriander, papaya, plantains, root vegetables, annatto seeds, and the spice called adobo used as a base for many dishes give that “criollo” flavor.
My favorite tropical fruits used in cooking are pineapples, guavas, papayas, mangoes and coconuts; a real treat.
I was looking forward to tasting some of Raices’ food and someone suggested I try the Pork Chop Kan Kan served with Mofongo (plantain mash). It was huge, tasty, delicious and the edges of crispy pork rind probably gave my arteries a shock but worth it.
 Pork Chop Kan Kan I also had the cream of plantain soup and that was outstanding. I would recommend it anytime.
 Creme of Plantain Soup Other members of my family ordered the Tornado which was a skirt steak stuffed with Raices Mash and crowned with shrimp and mushroom and onion sauce.
A few other dishes ordered were served on the Mortar (Pilon) and it was Mofongo (Plantain) served with shrimp, octopus and mahi mahi.
Sangria, freshly squeezed orange juice and drinks were very well received, as well.
Raices gets crowded. On Thursdays, there is live music.
Enjoying lunch with my family; it is a time to exchange ideas and to remember how lucky we are to have each other.
Have a good one and talk to you later….
April 14th, 2010
No, we did not take La Lancha de Catano, (ferry) from San Juan to the town of Catano. Many years ago, taking La Lancha, was a novelty; probably to take a tour of the Bacardi Distillery; to sample Puerto Rican rum. I did that too. So, if you want to learn about the rum manufacturing industry in the island and the Caribbean, this might be a good place to start. Afterall, it is one of the largest rum manufacturers in the world.
Last Saturday, we drove to Catano. I did not dare to blink because I might have missed it. It was busy because a new “politico” was going to make a speech in the afternoon.
I was so pleasantly surprised to see the promenade along the San Juan Bay, where La Lancha launches. It was really nice; clean, good landscaping and kept up. Several monuments and sculptures will be found on this promenade, as well, including the Monument to Taino (Indian) Culture.
Just for information for anyone that does not know where Catano is, and that maybe on their next trip to PR might want to do something different, I will have to tell you more about this town.
Catano is located on the northern coast of Puerto Rico. My friends that go to Rincon, well, this might be a little bit of a trip for you. Catano is also part of the San Juan Metropolitan Area.
One of the first physicians that arrived in Puerto Rico during its colonization was Hernando de Catano. Part of his payment, upon accepting his position, was a piece of land across the San Juan islet. From then on, Catano was known by its owner’s name.
In the middle of the 19th century, Catano became one of the most prosperous “barrios” of Bayamon. They were trying to separate themselves from Bayamon all the time. Finally this happened in 1893 and Catano became a municipality called “Hato de Palmas de Catano”; shortened to Catano. It is the smallest municipality in Puerto Rico.
Catano has its own Flag and its own Coat of Arms. It also has several “apodos” or nicknames; “La Antesala de la Capital” (the Foyer of the Capital) because of its location across the Bay from San Juan.
Back to Don Tello; it really was the reason why I had been taken to Catano. I told you before, Puerto Ricans take their eating seriously. Don Tello is located at Avenida Las Nereidas #36, across from the ferry terminal. The telephone is 787-721-5000. Its website, www.dontellorestaurant.com. They are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. and on Sundays from 12 until 8 p.m. The specialty? Typical Puerto Rican food, of course.
Don Tello came from the town of Utuado with his wife, Louisa and 13 children. Again, I keep saying; Yikes! But, his real passion was the instrument called the “Cuatro”. The Cuatro is unique to Puerto Rico, smaller than a guitar with a violin shape. It is carved from solid blocks of Laurel woods. Originally, it only had 4 strings, but later changed to 5 sets of double strings.
One of the most attractive features on anyone is a smile. Don Tello’s waiters definitely had that smile and friendly disposition. A good sign.
Sonia, Mr. P. and I sat there, outdoors for quite some time. I had to be outdoors. The breeze, the palm trees, the sunshine, the conversation, and the view, all complemented that moment.
Some of the drinks made with rum were Passion which had Bacardi Apple, Passion & Guava Mix. Another was called Catano Vice which had Bacardi Select with Island Oasis Pina Colada & Strawberry. Mojitos are everywhere, so one with Bacardi Rum was also on the menu. The Rum Island Ice Tea had Bacardi Limon, Razz, Coco and Big Apple with Sour, coke and splash of cranberry.
We had appetizers of Sorullos de Maiz, which are corn sticks, mini alcapurrias, which are made with plantains and need to be fried, pastelillos, which are turnovers, croquettes, queso frito which is fried cheese (local), and fried beef.
 Carne Frita and Tostones (plantains) We left Catano pretty much satisfied and to La Plaza del Mercado in Rio Piedras, just for me to see all the little restaurants surrounding it. So much info. for my blogs, so little time, though.
That was it….We were saving for a big paella that evening…
Note: Information for this blog was taken from http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Cata%C3%B1o,_Puerto_Rico
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