Tales of the Nostalgic

This week we get to chose out own topic so I thought I would share my nostalgia with you.

Like many students who go to school away from home, most of my nostalgia relates to food. The kinds of food my family eats isn't exactly what one would find in a school dining hall. This goes especially for the Puerto Rican food that I'm used to. I miss the exotic flavoring, the bright colors, that fresh taste. Puerto Rican food reminds me of family, home, and happiness.

What exactly constitutes Puerto Rican food you may ask? Well what's interesting about foods from the Spanish speaking Caribbean is that many of the foods are the same with slight variation. Rice and beans are a staple to almost any meal. Though they're a staple, different countries make them differently and sometimes use different names. For example, in the Dominican Republic when arroz con habichuelas (rice with beans) are made, they typically use white rice with red beans. In Puerto Rico, they typically use yellow rice with red beans. Different Spanish speaking Caribbean countries also make the same items but use different names. For example, do these look familiar?

Las Canitas Restaurant, http://www.lascanitasdelivery.com/store/product.php?productid=16159

People typically know of these as Empanadas. But in Puerto Rican culture, they're called pastelillos. 

This being said, Spanish speaking Caribbean countries are also known for their foods typical only to them. In Puerto Rico, pasteles are one of these foods. Pasteles are like tamales with a Puerto Rican twist. They're dinner pastries wrapped in banana leaves. They usually contain well seasoned meats, herbs, and plantains. Pasteles are not your typical food. They take a long time to make and are usually only made during holidays. No Puerto Rican Christmas is complete without them. They're honestly the best food to ever be put on this planet. What's so great about them is that their preparation usually takes a lot of people. Because there are many steps in order to prep them, they're usually made in an assembly line. Making pasteles always causes the people in the kitchen to bond for the hours it takes to make them.

In Puerto Rico, the African descent of the people of the island is somewhat of a social taboo. People on the island don't like to talk about their Black heritage there. That's what is so interesting about pasteles. They're known as strictly Puerto Rican food which means they're strictly a part of Puerto Rican culture. What many people don't know about pasteles is that they're actually derived from African women. These women came from all parts of West Africa to Puerto Rico and brought their food culture with them.

The Healthy Dish, http://www.thehealthydish.com/2011/12/20/pasteles-masa/

That's how they look. Each family makes them differently. Pasteles are basically tamales with a Puerto Rican twist. The easiest way to differentiate tamales from pasteles is the wrapping. Pasteles are wrapped in a green banana leaf while tamales are wrapped in the corn leaf from the corn they're made from. I chose to talk about pasteles because they're a perfect example of African influence in Puerto Rico. And because they're amazing.
Here's how you make them:





From there, you boil them for about an hour. Then you remove the wrapping and enjoy! Thanks for enjoying my nostalgia.


Sources:
"Pasteles Recipe (Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves) | Puerto Rico | Whats4Eats." Whats4Eats | International Recipes and Cooking Around the World. http://www.whats4eats.com/vegetables/pasteles-recipe (accessed March 2, 2012).

Louie, Elaine. "From One Island, a Savory Blend of Three Cultures - New York Times." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/12/garden/from-one-island-a-savory-blend-of-three-cultures.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm (accessed March 2, 2012).