1 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:11,120 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Saber production of iHeart Radio. I'm 2 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: any Reason and I'm more in bog Obam and today 3 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: we have an episode for you about my fungo. Yes, 4 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: any reason, this one was on your mind. I was 5 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 1: thinking about plantains, because I'm usually thinking about plantains. Um, 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: and I think, I think, I think my my My 7 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: process was that I was looking into different dishes and 8 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: I came across this really good wet Stone magazine article 9 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: about tostones and then it mentioned my fongo in there, 10 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh no, I want that now. 11 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: And so then I was like, let's just do an 12 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: episode about my fongo. So you've had it, yes, yes, 13 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: not in a not in a good hot minute, because 14 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: um there. I grew up in South Florida and went 15 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 1: to college in Central Florida, and there are more to 16 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: Rican restaurants there then there are in general around Atlanta. 17 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:07,039 Speaker 1: I mean we do have a few. We do have 18 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: a few restaurants here that served this dish. Certainly when 19 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: I was when I was googling stuff, it was like, 20 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: would you like to go to one of these restaurants? 21 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: And I was like, well, yes, but like that's not 22 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: what I'm doing right now. Uh so yeah, but now 23 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,680 Speaker 1: I'm like, oh, geez, but but you you have not 24 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: have you? I have never had it. Um, I didn't 25 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 1: know anything about it. Uh. It sounds amazing. It sounds 26 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: exactly like my jam. That's I think it would be. Yes, yes, yes. 27 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: And I as I was researching this, I was like, 28 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: I have heard about this. It was like ringing in 29 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: the back of my brain this word. Where have I 30 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 1: heard it? It was an Essen? There's an Essen l 31 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,920 Speaker 1: skit Keenan did about a baseball player that I do 32 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: not know. And I know plenty of you are going 33 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: to write it and yell at me. But he's a 34 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: famous baseball player and he would talk about the fungo. 35 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: Uh that's where okay, and I feel embarrassed and shame 36 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 1: to admit it. No, that's it. We're all just out 37 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: here learning every day. Hey, yes, yes, thank you for 38 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: your support. Yeah, I've got to get my hands on 39 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: some excited. That is extremely true. M hmmm. Uh. National 40 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: Mafungo Day is September and I'm pretty sure that's as 41 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: of one, so pretty recently this day was named Yeah, sure, 42 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: m hmm. You can see our episode on Sweet Potatoes 43 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: more yeah, or bananas um or like APAs is like 44 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: kind of adjacent. Yeah, I'm making I'm I'm making a 45 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 1: weird gesture. It's kind of like over here, but like, yeah, 46 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: it's not unconnected. It's not unconnected. We can say that. Yeah, 47 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: but I guess this springs is to our question, Yes, 48 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: it does? It does? I think my fungo what is it? Well? 49 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: My fungo is a a savory, starch bomb of a 50 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: dish made with green plantains that have been fried and mashed, 51 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: seasoned with things like salt and garlic, and served um 52 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 1: in a standing ball, often stuffed or studded with some 53 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: kind of protein like pork cracklinds or or shrimp. It's 54 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 1: also often served with a with a sauce or a 55 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: broth of some kind to kind of brighten and lighten 56 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: the dish. Depending on what you add to it, this 57 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: can be anything from like a side to more of 58 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: a maine but it is soft and savory and stick 59 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: to your ribs, often with bits of crunch from those 60 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: pork rinds or from the fry on the plantains. It's 61 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: like it's like mashed potatoes, but the potatoes were deep 62 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:04,119 Speaker 1: fried instead of boy old. Um, it's it's like it's 63 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: like you took just the densest cloud and you put 64 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: garlic in it. Oh I want that. Oh my gosh, Lauren, 65 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 1: why must you torment me? So it's my whole job, Mannie, 66 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 1: I'm sorry. Uh yeah. This is one of those dishes 67 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 1: where if you grew up with it, like everyone around 68 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: you had their own specific recipe and preferences. So I 69 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: am reporting this in broad strokes. As y'all know, we 70 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: enjoy strong opinions. So um, so if you have one, 71 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 1: let us know. And if I get anything wrong, I 72 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: am willing to accept correction as always. Um. But okay, So, 73 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: so the star of this dish is the plantains. And 74 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: this is not a this is not the plantain episode. 75 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: Um no, no, no, um. But they are a staple 76 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: starch in places where they grow, and they're like a firmer, 77 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: a firmer banana that um is very firm when it's unripe, 78 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: and um will will soften and sweeten, but but it's 79 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: still tart when it's ripe, like more tart than than 80 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: most of the bananas that you can are certainly more 81 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: more tart than like the Cavendish banana, which is the 82 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: one that we commonly eat. Uh. You can cook plantains 83 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 1: when right, right, they are more soft and sweet and 84 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: uh in golden, or when they are still green and 85 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 1: firm and kind of bland, but like running running towards 86 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 1: like there's there's a little bit of a flavor in there. 87 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: I I get's tart, it's tart adjacent maybe, yeah, um, 88 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: And that is what we are working with here, uh. 89 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: To to soften them into mash ability. You have to 90 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: cook green plantains. A related dish called mango does call 91 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: for boiling, but but in the case of my fungo 92 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 1: eu are deep frying. Recipes often call for soaking the 93 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: pieces of the plantains in saltwater first, which I think 94 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 1: is to preserve the color or something. I couldn't quite 95 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: get to get to the bottom of it. But yeah 96 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: then yeah, then then you fry them gently without allowing 97 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: them to to fully brown. Um. A mash might also 98 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: require a bit of um oil and or water and 99 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 1: or broth in order to accomplish like a good texture. Um, 100 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: So those things might be added along with garlic and salt. 101 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: The traditional tool for mashing is a pilon, which is 102 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: a mortar and pestle uh, as we talked about in 103 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: the APUs episode. Um, but you can use a potato 104 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: masher or like a food processor, whatever you want. UM. 105 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 1: Mix Ins like those pork rinds may be added at 106 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: this stage. Uh. Once your mixture is anywhere from like 107 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: smashed to smooth, it is ready to serve, and it 108 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: will be shaped into balls or maybe turned out of 109 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: a ramkins or other similar small dishes. Uh. Sometimes these 110 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: are given an extra like quick bake for cohesion. I 111 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: think yeah, um, and so yeah this this is your 112 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 1: basic fungo. Um, but there are endless variations. Um. You 113 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: often get them stuffed, that's my fungo with various proteins 114 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: or vegetables. Um. You can serve them in or alongside 115 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: a spicy or sweet or herbal sauces, or with a 116 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: with a chicken broth or a beef broth, which they 117 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 1: will either kind of soak up like or you can 118 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: dip bites of the phone go into it. Oh. Um. 119 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: You can also mix in other starches at the frying stage, 120 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 1: like you can use the sweet ripened plantains or yucca 121 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: or bread fruit. Two starches mixed together might be simply 122 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: called umfongo mixto, or it might be called bifongo. Uh, 123 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: if you've got three, it might be called trifongo. I 124 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: love this is pretty great. That's great, and yeah, it 125 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: is best served like fresh and hot. And because it 126 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 1: is a little bit labor intensive to make, it can 127 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: be hard to find. Um though there has been research 128 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: into developing like frozen manufactured versions, which I could not 129 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: find anything further about. Like there was this paper from 130 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: like the nineteen eighties and I couldn't find anything about 131 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: it after that. But maybe maybe maybe Google is doing 132 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: me dirty because I'm not looking in Spanish. So yeah, 133 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 1: could being could be well listeners, if you have any recipes, 134 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness. Oh yeah, let us know. But I guess, 135 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 1: uh what about the nutrition? Uh, this is a calorie 136 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: dense dish with with you know, a bunch of fats 137 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:54,439 Speaker 1: and starches, but does also have punch protein, lots of micronutrients. Um, 138 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: it will help fill you up to keep you going, 139 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 1: you know, eat a vegetable m Yeah, vegel is also good. 140 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:08,679 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I had a salad last night and I 141 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: was very happy about it. So we don't really have 142 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: a lot of numbers for you. We have some things, yeah, 143 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: we have like some thing sort of sort of singular. Uh. Well, yeah, 144 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: starting with fungo is the unofficial dish of Puerto Rico. 145 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 1: M Um, yeah, I think maybe maybe pigeon, peas and 146 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 1: rice is the official official dish. Oh gosh, I might 147 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: be misquoting, oh dear, but but but yes, um it 148 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: is more or less from there and uh and is 149 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: widely enjoyed. Um. And yeah, I couldn't find any numbers 150 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: on a phoneco specifically, but I will say plantain consumption 151 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:59,200 Speaker 1: per capita in Puerto Rico has been estimated at over 152 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: fifty pounds a year. That's a that's twenty two kilos. 153 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: So yeah, a true staple. Wow. Yeah. Uh. And we've 154 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: got we've got quite a history to inferral with this one. 155 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 1: We do, and we are going to get into that 156 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: history after we get back from a quick break for 157 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: a word from our sponsors. And we're back. Thank you sponsor, Yes, 158 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: thank you. Yes. And as we often say on this show, 159 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: this one is shorter. It's a shorter history section. I 160 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: think that's because, as you mentioned, Lauren, you know, Google 161 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: perhaps only returning English results instead of Spanish results. What 162 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: gets written down as well? Uh? And also, it's all 163 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: it's one of those ones that we could have if 164 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: we were different podcast, we could have expanded it out 165 00:10:56,760 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 1: way bigger, yahdcast. We're not not and um And I 166 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: think that a lot of the things were. I mean, basically, 167 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 1: everything that we're going to touch on here is is 168 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: going to be its own episode eventually. Um. And and 169 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: that's you know, this is one of those things where 170 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 1: I wish that we were still doing travel and interviews 171 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: because this is one of those dishes that um really 172 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 1: exemplifies the way that this this culture came together from 173 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: multiple cultures. Yes, absolutely, um. Okay, so yeah, tracing these 174 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:36,079 Speaker 1: dishes is always a bit messy. Um. But generally historians 175 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: agree that mafungo has roots in Africa, specifically Angola, where 176 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: folks would take a bunch of starchy foods, mash them 177 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: up and to soften them up they would add in 178 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: like liquid and or fat um. And then further back 179 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: then that some say it derives from West African foo foo, 180 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: which was which is a dish of boiled and mashed 181 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: yams uh huh um. In the fifteen hundreds, enslaved peoples 182 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: from Angola and other parts of Africa were forcibly brought 183 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:10,240 Speaker 1: to Puerto Rico, where they continued mashing and pounding foods 184 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:14,520 Speaker 1: with available ingredients. Um researchers suggest the name of fungo 185 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 1: comes from the Angolan word for quote A great amount 186 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: of anything at all, which I hope is true. I 187 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: love that. Yeah, yeah, that's very nice if it is true. 188 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: That's very nice if it is true. On top of that, 189 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 1: archaeological evidence suggest that the indigenous people of Puerto Rico 190 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: had a long history of mashing ingredients together. So maybe 191 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 1: all of this this came together at coalesced Um. But 192 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: to expound a bit, when the Spanish arrived in the 193 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: fifteen hundreds to Puerto Rico, they subjugated the Tayo Uh, 194 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 1: the indigenous people of Puerto Rico, forcing them to work 195 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:55,959 Speaker 1: in minds and on plantations, and this led to starvation 196 00:12:56,160 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 1: and disease and many many other terrible things, with the 197 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 1: indigenous enslaved folks dying under these harsh conditions. The Spanish 198 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:09,440 Speaker 1: relied more and more on enslaved African people's who brought 199 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:13,680 Speaker 1: over things like fu fu with them. Many of the 200 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:17,680 Speaker 1: key ingredients for this dish did come over with enslaved 201 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: African folks and colonizing forces, particularly the Spanish in this case. 202 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: Um and yeah, it is one of those dishes that 203 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:31,199 Speaker 1: showcases globalization, colonization, and the culinary contributions of enslaved and 204 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 1: subjugated people's. Um. Garlic, an ingredient culinarily important to Spain, 205 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,559 Speaker 1: was introduced to Puerto Rico in the fifteen hundreds plus 206 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 1: onions and herbs mashed together and so frito. Yeah, so 207 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: that's Sofrito sometimes shows up in recipes for from a 208 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 1: pun go for sure. Yes. Um. Rice and the traditional 209 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: pork arrived from Spain at the same time, though many 210 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: proteins can and have been used in place of pork. Um. 211 00:13:56,600 --> 00:14:00,719 Speaker 1: South Asian plantains arrived in the Caribbean, and by this 212 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 1: time too, and the indigenous people farmed yuca, a sort 213 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: of potato e starchy vegetables sometimes used as well. Uh. 214 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,199 Speaker 1: And then you have all the garnishes and toppings, some 215 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: local and others, not just all of this stuff coming together. Yeah. Yeah. 216 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: Of the starches that were brought to the area, um, 217 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: we did not do well. Um, But plantains and rice 218 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: did very well. And so plantains became really a staple 219 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:34,600 Speaker 1: food for a lot of communities. Yes. Um. According to 220 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 1: some sources, the first written recipe for mofungo appeared in 221 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: a book in eighteen fifty nine. The recipe called for 222 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: boiled green plantains, boiled hin and veal, all mashed up 223 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: with garlic, bacon or lard, ham and spices, which sounds 224 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: pretty good. Um. The whole thing was molded into a 225 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: ball and served with broth. The book featured several other 226 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: similar recipes, some call four yams or tarot uh, and 227 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 1: ingredients like tomato paste and onions, among other things, but 228 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: there weren't too many recipes I could find in the timeline. 229 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: Um more started popping up in the nineteen forties and fifties, 230 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:20,200 Speaker 1: especially for roasted plantain the fungo. And I imagine this 231 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 1: is both the product of what was getting recorded and 232 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: this dish being by nature a family recipe and often 233 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,120 Speaker 1: a difficult one. Or based on what I read, Yeah, well, 234 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 1: I mean I think that any time that you're that 235 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 1: you're deep frying and then doing the work of mashing 236 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: like that's deep deep frying alone. I mean, y'all know 237 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: my opinions on deep frying. If you've been listening to 238 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: the show. I'm terrified at it so like that's that 239 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: step alone. I'm like, oh no, no, um, but but yeah, 240 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: it is. It is labor intensive. Sure, mm hmm. I 241 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: did find this government document from nineteen eighty that described 242 00:15:55,160 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 1: ma fungo as a quote puert Rican matsi ball. It 243 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: seemed fond in the text, but I was kind of like, 244 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: m hmm, I guess not entirely. No, yeah, um, I 245 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: mean it's a it's like dumpling related. Yeah. Well the 246 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: documents up if you want to look it up. It's 247 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: it's it has that that kind of like vibe of 248 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: like and it takes like I'm matsumo. I don't know, 249 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: all right, okay, cool, yeah, no fascinating. Um. I will say, unfortunately, 250 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: damage from hurricanes over the past ten years, it's just 251 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 1: about haved um the production of plantains in Puerto Rico. 252 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: Uh you know that's those those hurricanes, especially Maria I 253 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 1: think in have really damaged. I made a lot of 254 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:07,920 Speaker 1: aspects of life there. Uh, certainly certainly the the restaurant 255 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 1: and tourist industry that a lot of people depend on. Right. Um, 256 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:14,159 Speaker 1: but but just but just getting but just getting your 257 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: staple foods for your daily life has become a lot 258 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 1: more difficult. Yeah. Yeah, um, so again, listeners, if this 259 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 1: is something you know more about, because I couldn't find 260 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: too much in the history section about it, or if 261 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:39,360 Speaker 1: you have any recipes or experiences. Um, I went through 262 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 1: a very strong plantain period. Yes, I it was kind 263 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 1: of it was like cowardice. I didn't really I was 264 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: afraid to cook with them. I didn't know what I 265 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: was doing. So I feel like I need to give 266 00:17:55,359 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 1: it another go because it was like a nerve racking experience. Yeah, 267 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: I've I've never I've honestly never thought to try cooking 268 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: with raw plantains. Um, despite the fact that meddos fried 269 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:14,520 Speaker 1: sweet plantains are one of my absolute favorite foods on 270 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: the planet. Yes, oh oh, what have you done? Continuing 271 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: the tormenting. Wow. I think that's what we have to 272 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 1: say about my fungo. For now, it is um. We 273 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:34,159 Speaker 1: do have some listener mail for you, though, and we 274 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: are going to get into that as soon as we 275 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: get back from one more quick break forward from our sponsors. 276 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 1: And we're back. Thank you sponsored, Yes, thank you, we're 277 00:18:49,560 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 1: back with listen. It was like condensing a flavor and 278 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: an explosion of the facial expressions on that one. We're 279 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: pretty good. I have to say, you'll never see them listeners. Yes, 280 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 1: Heidi Rouge first the background. Ever since my kids were 281 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 1: little they are now in college, we have had Thanksgiving 282 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:29,920 Speaker 1: at my in law's house and Christmas at my parents house. 283 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 1: Everyone lives in the same town and gets along well, 284 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 1: so this has been great. My mom and my mother 285 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 1: in law are slash were great cooks, and they let 286 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 1: me get away with just bringing them mashed potatoes. Yes, 287 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: I live a charmed life. Um. All this time, I 288 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 1: have thought, eventually, these traditional dinners are going to be 289 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 1: my responsibility and something is going to have to change. 290 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: I am terrible at multitasking, as a mentally handicapped level 291 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 1: of terrible, so the mere thought of getting all those 292 00:19:57,880 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: dishes ready at the same time that makes my stress 293 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 1: level go through the roof. This last October, my in 294 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: laws died suddenly and unexpectedly, so the rest of us 295 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,439 Speaker 1: are figuring out how to navigate the holidays for the 296 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: first time without them. Now. My mother in law was 297 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: always a stickler about tradition. Things must be this way 298 00:20:18,800 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: because they have always been this way, and my mom 299 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 1: and I would rather shake things up, so we did 300 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: traditional things especially at her house, just to make my 301 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 1: mother in law happy because we loved her, not because 302 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: we cared about the traditions. So when contemplating what to 303 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: have for Christmas Dinner this year, my mom and I 304 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:39,400 Speaker 1: thought we didn't need to be bound by tradition anymore 305 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:42,359 Speaker 1: because the person who cared most about tradition isn't here, 306 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: and we just had turkey for Thanksgiving, so we're not 307 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: doing it again. We were thinking about cast roles and 308 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: pad tie because that's from my brain goes, and many 309 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: miscellaneous things. My daughter protested that Christmas dinner must be special, 310 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: and most of our ideas weren't special enough. She wanted 311 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:04,640 Speaker 1: the giant piece of meat and the traditional side dishes. 312 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:08,920 Speaker 1: Here's the thing, she doesn't even like most of those things. 313 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:13,880 Speaker 1: For about fifteen years, she has eaten mostly stuffling for 314 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: these meals and complained that there was nothing else that 315 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: she liked. She's the pickiest eater I've ever known, and 316 00:21:21,359 --> 00:21:26,320 Speaker 1: I've known some picky eaters. So incredulous, I asked some 317 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: questions to figure out what was truly important to her, 318 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:32,360 Speaker 1: and eventually we arrived at the solution of homemade fancy 319 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 1: macaroni and cheese we also have three other picky eaters 320 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:40,680 Speaker 1: and some involuntary dietary restrictions to deal with, so meals 321 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,919 Speaker 1: together are always a puzzle. My mom suggested using an 322 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:48,439 Speaker 1: Excel spreadsheet the other day, Um, we are going to 323 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 1: have macaroni and cheese with ham and green onions in 324 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:54,480 Speaker 1: it and parmesan breadcrumbs on top. I hope this works 325 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 1: as a new tradition because it seems doable and will 326 00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: make several people quite happy. Now, just have to figure 327 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:02,360 Speaker 1: out what my dad and I are going to eat 328 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,719 Speaker 1: because I'm mictose intolerant and he just really doesn't like cheese, 329 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: but I think he might like pat time. Anyway, that's 330 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 1: my Christmas naccaroni and cheese story. I hope you and 331 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: yours have a wonderful Christmas or whatever else you may celebrate. 332 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:22,120 Speaker 1: Thank you. Oh wow, do I relate to a lot 333 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:26,399 Speaker 1: of this? Yeah? Oh yeah? These are These are always 334 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:30,640 Speaker 1: the conversations of like of like who right, like because 335 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 1: I and I do feel like it's like sort of 336 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: like your situation, Annie, where like the people who are 337 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 1: demanding these dishes are not the ones cooking them right, 338 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: and you know, like and like it's a lovely active 339 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:44,280 Speaker 1: service to like do this for your family, but it's 340 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: at a certain point if you don't enjoy them, then 341 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: like what are you really doing there? Right right exactly. 342 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 1: And I do think that this whole idea of when 343 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: tradition becomes like we're just doing it because of tradition, 344 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 1: you don't actually like the dishes. I like all of 345 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 1: the Thanksgiving dishes, but I'm not gonna live some fancy 346 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:14,920 Speaker 1: mac and cheese showed up. Yeah, oh yes, yes, yeah, 347 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: you know right, like I like, I do. I mean, 348 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:18,159 Speaker 1: and that's the thing, like if I don't get a 349 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: specific dish that I was kind of looking forward to 350 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 1: on one of those like traditional feast days, then I'll 351 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:26,679 Speaker 1: just make it myself and have too much of it 352 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 1: and eat it for a week and be really happy. Yes, 353 00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,919 Speaker 1: I'm all for that absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. And that like 354 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 1: spreadsheet thing I have, I've got multiple spreadsheets posted notes. 355 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:49,639 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I hear you. Oh yeah, um, Christine wrote, 356 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: I was listening to the Panatona episode on my way 357 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: at the supermarket and was overcome by Panatonic cravings. Given 358 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: it's become in a traditional Christmas food here in Australia, 359 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:02,320 Speaker 1: I decided to get one, because surely there will still 360 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: be some around. But no, there was not a Panatone 361 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: to be seen. They've all been replaced by hot cross buns. 362 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: I don't know how it is in the US, but 363 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: hot cross buns are hugely popular here in Australia and 364 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: come out on Boxing Day. I have absolutely no idea 365 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 1: why no one has tried to sell them year round. 366 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: I'm consoling my panatone lack with some excellent Norman debris 367 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:31,440 Speaker 1: and medieval quince marmalade. Mm hm, well that sounds okay, Yeah, 368 00:24:31,480 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: I mean that sounds basically pretty pretty all right. I 369 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:38,880 Speaker 1: have a lot of questions about it's actually follow up questions. 370 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,680 Speaker 1: A lot of you have written about Panatone, so that's exciting. 371 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:46,840 Speaker 1: It really struck a nerve with a lot of you. 372 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: Um hot cross buns. Okay, you still haven't had these, 373 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 1: have you? No? Okay? And I mean correct me if 374 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:00,080 Speaker 1: I'm wrong more And but in the US, that's a 375 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:05,040 Speaker 1: very easter that's a very easter thing here, yes, or 376 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:08,800 Speaker 1: I mean I guess, I guess you can sometimes find 377 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 1: them starting around, like like the carnival season. But but 378 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: I but I'm more strongly associate them with Easter. I mean, 379 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 1: we need listeners. I know we call on you a lot, 380 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: but I'm calling on you again because I need to know. 381 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:34,680 Speaker 1: We need a bread breakdown here. Yes, what I really 382 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: love comparing traditional foods around the world and around just 383 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 1: in our country, Like I just like seeing what people 384 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 1: eat and associated certain things. So so yeah, so what 385 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,959 Speaker 1: are your holiday breads? What are your important like like 386 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:56,440 Speaker 1: tent pole breads throughout the year, tent pole breads. Yes, 387 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:00,719 Speaker 1: that's what we need, that's what we need. We're counting 388 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,400 Speaker 1: on you. I'll have to I'll have to think about 389 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:10,080 Speaker 1: this for me. Actually, yes, but yeah, okay, we'll revisit this. 390 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 1: We'll revisit this. Okay. Pastries do also count? Do pastries count? Yeah? Okay, 391 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:20,159 Speaker 1: so okay, I'm I'm allowing pastries. Okay, all right, Well, 392 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: thank you to both of these listeners for writing. If 393 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: you would like to write to us with our bread 394 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:31,160 Speaker 1: in grease, which you're very important, you can Our email 395 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 1: is hello at savor pod dot com. So we are 396 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: also on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, 397 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: and Instagram at savor pod, and we do hope to 398 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,960 Speaker 1: hear from you about bread. Savor is a production of 399 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:46,679 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. For more podcasts my heart Radio, you 400 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: can visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or 401 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,480 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Thanks as always 402 00:26:52,520 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 1: to our superproducers Dylan Fagin and Andrew Howard. Thanks to 403 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: you for listening, and we hope that lots more good 404 00:26:57,480 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 1: things are coming your way.