PUERTO RICAN SPICES
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If you visit a Puerto Rican grocery store you will undoubtedly notice more root vegetables and potato looking foods. These roots are an influence of the Taino Indians who first inhabited Puerto Rico. One of the most common influences of the Taino is the consumption of the Yuca or cassava root. This dish is served similarly to how potatoes are eaten. Get the garlic sauce!
SPANISH CULINARY INFLUENCESOne of the more noticeable influences from Spanish culture is the use of olives or capers in meals. Most often the olives are cooked with the beans mixture that is to combined with rice and people are often puzzled by this ingredient since olives do not grow in the warm Puerto Rican climate. This tradition has carried over since the days of Spanish rule.
AFRICAN CULINARY INFLUENCESCoconuts were not a commonly used food until the introduction of African influences in Puerto Rico.
AMERICAN CULINARY INFLUENCESTurkey, or Pavo in Spanish, has become a more common dish in Puerto Rico since the Treaty of 1916. Whether it's for Thanksgiving or as a replacement to pork on the lechon grill, turkey can often be found on menus and it a lighter alternative to some of the fattier options.
LATIN AMERICAN CULINARY INFLUENCESOther foods native to Latin America were brought to the island with the Spanish trade, such as cocoa, avocado, tomatoes, chayote, papaya, bell peppers and vanilla fromMexico and Central America. Potatoes and passion fruit were also brought over by the Spanish or Portuguese from Peru and Brazil.
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