I was introduced to cepa de apio for the very first time a few years back. I had been looking out for it since I first heard of its existence, when a friend told me it was an extremely rich source of calcium as well as one of the better-tasting tubers, or as Dominicans call them, viveres. I
After a few days during which our very hot summer gave way to intense and seemingly-random rain, we are back to sunlight and hot days. Fortunately we Dominicans have a few weapons in our arsenal to help us survive the heat. Fermented drinks are not uncommon in the Dominican Republic. I’d dare to say that
Today I am going to commit a sacrilegious act. One no Dominican child is ever allowed to do. I am going to criticize my mother’s cooking, may the cooking goddess have mercy on my soul. I hated my mom’s oatmeal when I was a child. There was something about that bland, slimy concoction that turned
Oatmeal is known and loved by people pretty much everywhere. Children and adults around the world eat it for breakfast. Although a steaming bowl of oatmeal is usually associated with winter, it doesn’t mean it’s only consumed in colder climes. Even under the tropical sun of the Dominican Republic, oatmeal is used in the preparation
Visitors who come to the Dominican Republic, especially those who come for a ‘holiday in the sun’ often arrive equipped with little background information about the country, its history and its culture. North Americans and Europeans, who make up the majority of these tourists, will have had exposure to Mexican cooking as their only example
Okra (also known as gumbo or ladyfingers) is a well-known vegetable worldwide. It is used in dishes from Southeast Asia to the Mediterranean. It is the main ingredients in the Gulf coast gumbo and the Trinidadian callaloo. The Dominican Republic is one of those countries where okra is a part of the local cuisine. In
Stop at any roadside eatery in the Dominican Republic and you can order this popular side dish. In fact it always reminds me of road trips and informal meals. Nothing like toping some tender guineítos with sauteed onions and peppers to make them even better-tasting. If you always though of bananas as just a fruit
> We’ve all heard about the Mediterranean diet, held up as one of the healthiest eating regimes the world has known. Just as beneficial but not so well known is – you guessed it – the Dominican diet. Or did you? At first glance Dominican eating does not hit you in the face as the
Let me tell you my story on ensalada de coditos. When you are a kid you tend to believe everything you read: I thought that all English ladies went picnicking once or twice a week and that they all wore long flowery dresses and big floppy hats or fascinators, sat on red and white-checkered tablecloths and
Avocado sandwiches or pan con aguacate are a typically Dominican snack. The classic version is made with a pan de agua (the ubiquitous Dominican bread roll) sliced in half and filled with scoops or slices of avocado. There are varying schools of thought: some mash the avocado onto the bread with a fork, others leave
It’s been over three months, and I am back in the DR at last. Like so many other returning Dominicans and Dominicans-by-adoption the first thing I did was treat myself to a ‘fria’ from the first petrol station on the road from the airport to Santo Domingo. My sensible side tried to remind me that
When vegetarianism was not so common, parents like me used to be accused of imposing an unconventional diet on their children, sometimes to the extent that it was believed to be a form of neglect. But don’t most parents impose some sort of belief system on their children, and don’t usually let them decide for
Despite my oft-misunderstood predilection for Marmite, there are some English institutions that have failed to rub off on me. Most notable has got to be the strong, sweet, milky tea that most English people can’t contemplate living without. The Dominican equivalent would be giving up coffee, and I can definitely relate to that. My love
Food contains natural chemicals that are essential to our health – vitamins and minerals are obvious examples. But did you know that in some foods lurk certain substances which may be harmful? Some of these items – like rhubarb – are not commonplace in our cuisine, but looking through the lists of these foods several
I write this article not as a chef, but as a teacher of Spanish to US high school students. What does that have to do with cooking? you ask. Everything. I believe in hands-on, in-depth experiences for my students. Food is a terrific starting point of getting to know and love any culture, and I
A few weeks ago we had a poll to determine how good our readers were in the kitchen. From this we learnt that 44% of our visitors were good cooks, 33% were ok cooks and 21% were a hazard in the kitchen. If I am surprised by the result it is because there weren’t more
This is written with children in mind but much of the advice applies to adults as well. Accidents in the home – especially in the kitchen – can be avoided if you apply several commonsense measures. My first and central tip would be: if at all possible, keep children out of the kitchen when you
I spent the summer in Europe where, like north America, the media is currently obsessed with childhood obesity and the increase in the girth of the population as a whole. The Dominican press has also been focusing on this issue, acknowledging that in this particular society we have the dubious honour of exhibiting both sides
I had visitors the other day, but I had a problem. A combination of little time and a shrinking budget found me with an almost-empty fridge and facing the conundrum, thus far unanswered, that has troubled every cook since cavemen were chasing mammoths: what to cook? Allow me to appear immodest and tell you that
I was astonished when I learnt that in the US there was a new product being marketed, something that sounds like having come out of Dr. Frankenstein’s kitchen: The Lipton Instant Mashed Potatoes with Knorr Beef Gravy Mix Kit®. My goodness! We have gone from fast food to instant meal. What’s next? Do not mistake me,
If I had to define this soup in one word that word would be “yum!”. This light, but rich and creamy soup is perfect as starters to a big meal, or as a light dinner or lunch. It is pretty filling, so a little bit of bread and you will have a dinner that is
It has sometimes struck me that for a country with a very hot and humid climate, there is very little about Dominican food that is light and refreshing. There are a couple of light salad dishes on the daily Dominican menu, but for most people the preferred salad is the more stodgy Ensalada Rusa, which especially
Aunt Clara's Kitchen is a collection of traditional Dominican and Dominican-inspired recipes, home ideas, crafts, and the chronicles of Aunt Clara and Aunt Ilana's adventures.
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