| Puerto Rico is an island nation that is officially a | | | | own if experimenting with Puerto Rican cuisine at |
| territory of the United States. Puerto Rican cuisine | | | | home. While generally used for seasoning meats, it is |
| has evolved from several strong influences, including | | | | considered to be a sort of all-purpose seasoning |
| those of the original peoples, such as the Tainos, and | | | | mixture. |
| the Spanish conquerors that drove most of the | | | | Sofrito is made from onions, garlic, cilantro, peppers, |
| natives out and enslaved the remaining. African and | | | | and often includes achiote, which is from the seeds |
| Caribbean influence is also reflected in the cuisine of | | | | of the annatoo plant, and helps to produce a bright |
| the island, which has also been shaped significantly by | | | | yellow color in the finished product. This, too, is used |
| its climate and geology. | | | | in a variety of dishes, ranging from meat dishes to |
| Cocina criolla, one of the main cuisine styles particular | | | | soups to standard forms of beans and rice. |
| to the island has deep roots, extending far back to | | | | One pot dishes, or stews, are common to Puerto |
| the native Tainos and Arawaks. Their culinary | | | | Rican cuisine. These are often made of meats, and |
| traditions were based tropical fruits, native | | | | flavored with a variety of spices and ingredients in |
| vegetables, seafood, and corn. With the Spanish | | | | addition to adobo and sofrito. Among these are |
| came a host of other ingredients that expanded the | | | | Spanish olives stuffed with pimiento, sweet chili |
| criolla style. These included olive oil, rice, wheat and | | | | peppers, capers, potatoes, onions, garlic, fresh |
| meats, such as pork and beef. As enslaved African | | | | cilantro, and occasionally raisins. |
| peoples were imported for work on the sugar cane | | | | Chicken with rice is a dish that has become a Puerto |
| plantations, their culinary traditions took root as well, | | | | Rican specialty, with many families having their own |
| and their contributions, which included taro and okra, | | | | special style, handed down from generation to |
| became assimilated into the whole of criolla cuisine. | | | | generation. Chicken is a main ingredient of many criolla |
| Many of the island's main dishes are seasoned with | | | | dishes, and these dishes, while careful attention is |
| adobo and sofrito, spice mixtures that impart those | | | | given to spicing techniques, rarely are they what |
| flavors that the island is so well known for. Adobo, | | | | could be termed hotly spiced. |
| which can vary from cook to cook, or if bought | | | | Naturally, seafood is an important part of the island |
| prepared, from manufacturer to manufacturer, | | | | cuisine. Fried fish is often served with a special sauce |
| generally consists of black peppercorns, oregano, salt, | | | | made of olives, olive oil, onions, pimientos, capers, |
| garlic, olive oil, and lime juice. When bought prepared | | | | tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic and bay leaves. Broiled, |
| in powdered form, most include salt, powdered garlic, | | | | steamed or grilled fish is lightly seasoned, if at all, |
| citric acid, pepper, oregano, turmeric and MSG, which | | | | during the cooking process and served with a splash |
| is a good reason to spend a little time making your | | | | of lime juice with perhaps just a hint of garlic. |