1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha. I'm welcome to Stephen. 2 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: Never told you a production of iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,279 Speaker 2: Uh, y'all. Today we are doing things a bit differently 4 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 2: for our Feminist Book Club. You know how we love 5 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 2: to throw in different types of books and reading materials, 6 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 2: and so today we're decided we're gonna take on a cookbook. Yeah, 7 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 2: and I feel like we've been talking about Puerto Rican 8 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 2: culture a bit more than usual, which I love, so 9 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 2: fils are appropriate that we are actually going to feature 10 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 2: Ileana Masonette's Dsporican the Cookbook. And it's a Puerto Rican 11 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 2: cookbook that's not a Puerto Rican cookbook, as she would say, 12 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 2: I think. And this is from her website, Ileana Maisonette 13 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 2: dot com. Ileana Masonette spent years documenting her family's Puerto 14 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 2: Rican resides and preserving the islands disappearing food waste through rigorous, 15 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 2: often bilingual research. In Dasporikan, she shares over ninety recipes, 16 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 2: some of which were passed down from her grandmother and mother, 17 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 2: Classics such as tostanes pernil and erls con gandules, as 18 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: well as pinchols with barbecue, guava, sauce rabbit frigacy with 19 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 2: chote and Flon de Casol. There's a lot in there, y'all. 20 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 2: There's a lot of It's a giant book, wonderful pictures, 21 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: really great storytelling as well, don't you read any. 22 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, she gives so much context and background and personal 23 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: experiences that the photographs are amazing, and it was There's 24 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,440 Speaker 1: just so many different recipes in there, and all of 25 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: them tell kind of the history of Puerto Rico on 26 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: how they ended up there. So it was great read 27 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: with great recipes. 28 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 2: Yes, and yeah, she really has a huge variety of 29 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 2: recipes that we can use for this. Annie and I 30 00:01:57,880 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 2: decided to pick different recipes as dry and I actually 31 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 2: too because I was like, oh, these are easy, let 32 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: me let me do these two. And I will say, 33 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 2: I think it's like cheat sheet level of like I 34 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 2: picked the recipes, it is like ingredients I can find 35 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 2: very minimal cook time, thank you very much. And we 36 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 2: are really fortunate that I'm specifically very close to an 37 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 2: international market that has a lot of Latino and Asian 38 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 2: ingredients that you can't find on a regular so I 39 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: was able to it to take me some hunting, though. 40 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 2: I was like, oh, we'll find this Weirdly enough, one 41 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 2: of the ingredients polina, I could not find except for 42 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 2: the American I'm putting this in quote section that they 43 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 2: have in the international market because I think they just 44 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 2: use corn corn mill, but she said polina, and I 45 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 2: am a stickler. I'm like, I gotta figure out exactly 46 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 2: what this is. But for the most part, when you 47 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,639 Speaker 2: read her book, she talks about the corn mill and 48 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 2: it's from a specific type of corn flint. I'm assuming 49 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 2: you already know this any a safer Yeah, yeah, she's not. Yes, 50 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 2: So I couldn't find that. So I was like, you 51 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 2: know what, I need to stick with the polenta, even 52 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 2: though it's the same thing, and I'm going to do it. 53 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 2: And I did. But again, like I said, I didn't 54 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 2: find it in the Mexican Flash Latino section. It was 55 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 2: in the America quote unquote American section. That's interesting, right, 56 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 2: I just don't think I understood what I was looking for, 57 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 2: to be honest, because I'm such a like on edge 58 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 2: about making sure I get the exact ingredient, especially for 59 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 2: the initial Are you like. 60 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: That's funny because I'm like, this will have to do. 61 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 2: That's what I am really good at that I was 62 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 2: just thinking about the talent that comes with cooking and baking. 63 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 2: Baking is different, I know, but like the level of 64 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 2: creativity you have to have to make things, and for me, 65 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 2: I need everything prepared beforehand, like I need to know 66 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 2: what I need to have it and not have a 67 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 2: panic attack about not having that ingredient, which is an 68 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 2: odd thing. And I think it's a talent but what 69 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 2: I but yeah, So back to when it comes to 70 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 2: Puerto Rican cuisine, it is flavorful, unique and diverse, and 71 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: Masonette does a beautiful job not only sharing her love 72 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 2: for the food, but her love for her family and heritage. 73 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 2: Because it is a cookbook, it isn't your typical biography 74 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 2: or autobiography or memoir obviously, but she does a great 75 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 2: job in folding in her stories and life lessons with 76 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 2: a recipe. So let's jump in. We're going to do 77 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 2: themes with quotes, so follow a longer if you can. 78 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,039 Speaker 2: And when I say themes, we're just gonna go with 79 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 2: her recipe, like with her categories and types of recipes, 80 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 2: So follow if you can. If you can't, you should 81 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 2: also buy this book because you should, like it's a 82 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 2: fantastic cookbook. In general. She begins her book with the 83 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 2: memories of our grandparents immigrating to the west of the 84 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 2: US and the food that influenced her life, and how 85 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 2: her culture has transformed through the pains of colonization but 86 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 2: still remain deep in their original culture, and why she 87 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 2: wrote this book. 88 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,600 Speaker 1: Yes, here is a quote. There are Puerto Ricans who 89 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: don't know about their own cuisine, no shade. That tends 90 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 1: to happen when you believe it is your birthright, you 91 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,559 Speaker 1: take it for granted. Sometimes it feels like somewhere along 92 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 1: the line, Puerto Rican's lost their way and with it 93 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 1: their food, with colonization that isn't entirely unintentional. There can 94 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: be several arguments against why there's no emphasis on the 95 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 1: beauty of Puerto Rican cuisine. Puerto Ricans don't tend to 96 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: be cerebral about their food, but rather emotional. 97 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 2: Oh and I'm going to reference this a lot because 98 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 2: I have a pretty good friend who is Puerto Rican 99 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 2: and he actually started a restaurant called me a Boilis 100 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,799 Speaker 2: with his sister, and he wanted to focus on Puerto 101 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 2: Rican food. And he was the first one to introduce 102 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 2: me to this type of food. And that is so correct, 103 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 2: that level of like emotion. He cooks with feeling, he 104 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 2: cooks with love, and he says that, and I know 105 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: that's kind of gooey type of thing to say in cooking, 106 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 2: but he truly did. This is how he cooked with 107 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 2: love and with honor to dedicate to his grandparents and 108 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 2: his parents, and really pushed it forward. And it's interesting 109 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 2: to see her recipes and the similarities and then also 110 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 2: the love that she has and the memory she has 111 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 2: of our family, because he puts the same amount of 112 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 2: dedication in his food, and you can tell, like it 113 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 2: is so beautiful. But going back to what we were 114 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 2: talking about, she writes, we are Teano, Spanish and African. 115 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 2: The peaceful Tano was never native to the Caribbeans, much 116 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 2: like their enemies, They migrated to the Antilles from South America. 117 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 2: Lots of Tano culture still runs through our veins and 118 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 2: our vocabulary words such as barbecue, hammock, canoe, and iguana. 119 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 2: The Tano presence is still felt of the island of Borinquan. 120 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 2: The Tano called the island Borinquans land of the Brave Lord, 121 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 2: which is why Puerto Ricans call themselves Barriqua's to this day. 122 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 2: My grandparents came to Sacramento from Puerto Rico in nineteen 123 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: fifty six, so my grandmother didn't adopt many of the 124 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 2: gastronomic influences that the US had on Puerto Rico. If 125 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 2: we had ever added ketchup to her pastelles, she'd lose 126 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 2: her mind, which I think is funny because they do 127 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 2: love some ketchup. When I was in Puerto Rico for 128 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:18,559 Speaker 2: a short time, they love their ketchup too. 129 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: I do too, and it's it's one of those things 130 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 1: which again has a lot of downsides, but when you 131 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: see like how cuisines come together, Ketchup is one that 132 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 1: shows up in a lot of different places and you're like, oh, catchup, 133 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: and I'm. 134 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 2: Going to talk a little bit. But like the Mayo Ketchup, 135 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:42,120 Speaker 2: which that's one of their sauces, that's all that is international. 136 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 2: It's such a weird like phenomenon of the like Mayo 137 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 2: being huge, Ketchup being huge, and they're like, we're going 138 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 2: to combine these. And when he when he first introduced me, 139 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 2: because I'm like, I hate Mayo, but he was like 140 00:07:55,280 --> 00:07:58,559 Speaker 2: this is I'm like, I'm not making that. That's disgusting. Again, 141 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 2: nothing to do with the culture is everything to do 142 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 2: with Mayo. I despise it so much. But yeah, and 143 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 2: going back about Masonette's own experience, she says, I grew 144 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 2: up in the unincorporated county of South Sacramento, a place 145 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 2: that often feels forsaken. It was a neighborhood where you 146 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 2: could tell what time of year it was by the 147 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: activities being performed. And then she goes on it was 148 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 2: a working class part of town, consisting of a diverse 149 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 2: immigrant population and a dining scene that reflected it. The 150 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 2: smell of charred chiles and cooking cortillas and the sound 151 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 2: of a wooden pestle pounding against the crook would escort 152 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 2: you on your evening walks home, all smells and ingredients 153 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 2: that would inevitably end up in my Californian, Puerto Rican 154 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 2: or callea Rican cooking style. And that's why this is 155 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 2: not a Puerto Rican cookbook. This book is for the 156 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 2: diaspor Rican, the five point five million people living stateside 157 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 2: who continue to cook the food of our homeland. This 158 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 2: is for the tribe of the nide Qui nide Aya, 159 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,599 Speaker 2: not from here, not from there. I thought it was 160 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:04,439 Speaker 2: beautiful well, and I think it's speaks to so many 161 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 2: people immigrants and refugees and people who have multicultural background. 162 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 2: It reflects, you know, that feeling of being assimilated but 163 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 2: at the same time keeping your own, and so what 164 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 2: that looks like when you start diverging the two is 165 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 2: quite beautiful. So Masonette starts off her cooking book with 166 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 2: a one on one on traditions and flavors as well 167 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:32,199 Speaker 2: as the ingredients or the tastes and seasonings of Puerto 168 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 2: Rican cuisine, and she of course talks about washing of meat. 169 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,760 Speaker 2: I swear it's I think I'm gonna say just people 170 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 2: of color who talk about this, because Asian people do 171 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 2: this too a lot. And then going back and forth 172 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,439 Speaker 2: of like do you do this, she talked about the 173 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 2: fact that she does not wash her meat, but she 174 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 2: does pad it down, and I was like, that's the 175 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: new generation of understanding. Okay, don't don't wash chicken because 176 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 2: if you do, who you're just spreading more germs. Stop that. 177 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 2: Stop it. But that's the the thing is still a thing, 178 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 2: as well as the other hotly like hotly contested rinsing 179 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 2: of the rice, yeah, which you need to rinse your rice, y'all. 180 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 2: If you're if you're, if you're making home and he's 181 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,719 Speaker 2: looking down, I have a feeling she does not, but. 182 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: I do rince noodles. I rinch rice noodles, but not rice. 183 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: I know, makes sense. I'm an enigma. 184 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 2: That's the opposite. Anyway. Going back to and of course 185 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 2: the different flavors and sauces like Mayo ketchup, which we 186 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 2: just talked about, which is essentially what you think it is. Yeah, 187 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 2: Mao and ketchup and combined. But it is a specialty 188 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 2: sauce that they named Mao ketchup. At least it's on point. 189 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 2: I will say that. You know. 190 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:46,720 Speaker 1: The interesting thing though, is being on a food show 191 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 1: every now and then I'll just say something and people 192 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: will write it and they'll be like, actually, this is 193 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: a huge thing in Utah. I'm pretty sure they call 194 00:10:54,640 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: it fry ketchup. It's Mayo and ketchup, but they call 195 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,960 Speaker 1: it fred ketchup. And I've never heard of price sauce. 196 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 2: That's and you know what that is in like the 197 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:07,400 Speaker 2: South that was an island. 198 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's the thing. 199 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 2: We have all regional, which I never liked and I 200 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,199 Speaker 2: cannot stand and I knew it from childhood, and my 201 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 2: mother tried to check me into eat well. My mother 202 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 2: was really obsessed with me eating mayo. 203 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: Man, I don't know why. It's like a lot of 204 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: Southern foods. 205 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 2: I guess so, and I hated it. I hated as 206 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 2: a kid. Well, did I tell you that my dad 207 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 2: admitted that he remembers those incidents because my mom has 208 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 2: now gotten to the point which I think we all 209 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 2: get to when you're like, oh, yeah, I try to 210 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 2: traumatize my kid, so I'm gonna I didn't do it. 211 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 2: My mother was like, I don't. I don't remember trying 212 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 2: to sneak in Mayo and. 213 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 1: Your girl trees. 214 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 2: And my dad waited till she left, and he was like, 215 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 2: I remember that, Smantha, it happened, never fear. I was 216 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,680 Speaker 2: like you, and he did in front of my partner, 217 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:58,320 Speaker 2: So I was like, see anyway. But Thousand Islands also 218 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 2: was my family's uh dressing. So because I didn't like it, 219 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 2: she eventually relented and got me Italian. Yeah, but like 220 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 2: for the longest time, that was also a point of 221 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 2: contingent in our house because I did not like it. 222 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 2: Turns out it's just pretty much mail cotch up with relish, 223 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:19,679 Speaker 2: which makes that worse to me, but whatever. And then 224 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 2: of course the very famous safrito. We don't really talk 225 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 2: much about this in We won't be talking about much 226 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 2: about this in the episode, but she has an amazing 227 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 2: recipe in there and talks about the different ways to 228 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 2: make it and like the depths and the history behind it, 229 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 2: like the Chile's and bring in all the different types 230 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 2: of spices and to remind people spices not necessarily spicy, 231 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:47,559 Speaker 2: so spices good use it anyway. Moving on, so sofrito 232 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 2: is what she says is the soul of Puerto Rican cooking. 233 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 2: A fleck day are based that starts and ends almost 234 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 2: every savory recipe in the card file. So if you 235 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 2: want to truly understand in Puerto Rican cuisine, figure out 236 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 2: the sofrito. Okay okay. In her book, she divides her 237 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 2: recipes under these categories for doras, bean, soup and stews, seafood, poultry, pork, beef, 238 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,559 Speaker 2: rice and other grains, salads and sides, sweets and drinks. 239 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 2: So those are the different sections that you should go 240 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 2: look into. We're gonna talk a little bit about each section, 241 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 2: and then when it comes to the section that any 242 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 2: Night cook from, which is not till the end because 243 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 2: gotta wait, gotta hold you in suspense. But yeah, so 244 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 2: we're gonna go talk a little bit about them. But 245 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 2: there's so many different recipes in the history of the 246 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:50,719 Speaker 2: food in Puerto Rico's pretty, uh, heartbreaking and enlightening at 247 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 2: the same time. So you really should get this book. 248 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 2: Bet Duves. A shout out to colt Flaves, which is 249 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 2: a YouTube channel slash. I watched them on TikTok as 250 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 2: a couple who reviews different books and how like accessible 251 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 2: it is, and they recommended this book and loved this book, 252 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 2: and I was like, yeah, so that's kind of where 253 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 2: I got this book from. 254 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 1: FYI. 255 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 2: So going to Fretturas or Fritter's, she begins the chapter 256 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 2: talking about her angsty teenage years and about how her 257 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 2: family was interconnected or reconnected through the baccolottos, and this 258 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 2: is what she writes about it. Before you even taste 259 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 2: the flavor of baccalatto, you hear the crunch, the shatter. 260 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 2: The center was toothsome like ar hints our people's resistance, 261 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 2: salty from the tears we've shed. But the edges were delicate, 262 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 2: and vulnerable, like when we reveal our underbellies. A boila 263 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 2: amilias baccolatto was also familiar. I had eaten it before 264 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 2: because it was my nana's bacolatto. They hadn't seen each 265 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 2: other in forty years, but their identical baccolatos proved they 266 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 2: were still connected, whether they liked it or not. And I, 267 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 2: oh man, this sounds amazing. I love the way she 268 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 2: wrote this, and I do remember these. I did eat 269 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:12,400 Speaker 2: some in Puerto Rico and I'm like, yeah, I want one. 270 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 2: I'm craving it now, like I want to. This is 271 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 2: something you would dip in the mail ketchup. Some people 272 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 2: would breaking their hearts. But I just know, like kind 273 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 2: of right up there with the tostona ass which I 274 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 2: have made. So I'm gonna reference again my friend who 275 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 2: ran the restaurant I would help, and this is the 276 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 2: one thing he put me on. He's like, you can't 277 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 2: stick this up right, so let me put you on these. 278 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 2: It is satisfying the little testonic makers that you crush 279 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 2: and you see those little tiny like platinums just like 280 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 2: squished that You're like, yeah, I did that, and then 281 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 2: they come out all crispy and fried and salty and yummy. 282 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 2: I need one. 283 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you do. I do. 284 00:15:56,480 --> 00:16:09,160 Speaker 2: I got some Puerto Rican food too. And then the 285 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 2: next chapter is beans, soup and stews. She writes this 286 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 2: about her grandmother, and I thought it feels so familiar. 287 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 2: Just when you talk about soups and anything stews and hardy, 288 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 2: you know this. And also when it comes to Latina 289 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 2: cultures and Puerto Rican cultures, beans are on a different level. 290 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 2: You know. When you have these beans, it's not what 291 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 2: you would get from your from my white mother. I 292 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 2: love you, mom, but I don't like your black eyed peas. Anyway. 293 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,320 Speaker 2: Moving on, here's what she writes. When guests line up 294 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 2: in the warm kitchen, the frenzy of gathering and passing 295 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 2: plates and utensels begin. We serve ourselves from the steaming 296 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 2: pots of beans and rice on the stove, grabbing a 297 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 2: few tortillas, we sit down at the aged dining room 298 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 2: table and silently dig into our homemade tortillas. Beans and 299 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 2: rice home made. The beans are simple, only five ingredients, 300 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:06,160 Speaker 2: and yet they are buttery, creamy, salty, and floral. They 301 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 2: are meaty and melty. We're all thinking this is the 302 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:13,399 Speaker 2: single best thing I've eaten in a long time. My 303 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 2: Nina apologizes for not having company appropriate food in the house. 304 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:20,199 Speaker 2: She complains that the tortillas are tough they are not, 305 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 2: and the beans are too simple they're not. And my 306 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:27,200 Speaker 2: mom finally tells her, oh, will you shut up and eat? 307 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 2: And that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I 308 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 2: feel like this is just all cultures when it comes 309 00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:37,239 Speaker 2: to a matriarch in general, that they know that they 310 00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:41,639 Speaker 2: made something good, but they have to just in case 311 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 2: downplay it and criticize it and wait for the compliments 312 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 2: to roll in. But I will say for myself, and 313 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:51,439 Speaker 2: I think for a lot of especially Southern women, they 314 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 2: really do doubt that. They really are like questioning whether 315 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 2: or not it's that good, and then people have to 316 00:17:57,119 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 2: validate it. It's not. It's not passively aggressive thing, not 317 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 2: for everyone, but it's truely like, it's not my best, 318 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 2: this is how I would improve it, but everybody's like, no, 319 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 2: it's amazing. 320 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: Shut up. Yeah, my mom is really bad about this everything. 321 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: She's like, oh, I should have had this, and I 322 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: shouldn't have done this. This is too dry, or this 323 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:20,959 Speaker 1: is too and we're all like this is delicious. We 324 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,480 Speaker 1: love it. And she's even said, you know, if you 325 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: cooked for me, I wouldn't have this. I wouldn't be like, 326 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,239 Speaker 1: oh I should have had this or this or this. 327 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 1: It's only it. Yeah m hm. 328 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 2: That's self criticism, but it's always delicious and like having 329 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 2: that like that kind of there's like a bean soup 330 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:43,920 Speaker 2: ish and she immediately says, beans are not stew. This 331 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 2: is not soup. But it's a meal that could stand 332 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 2: on its own. And it really is like having a 333 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 2: good actually well made m h. Like Mexican Puerto Rican beans. 334 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 2: It's so satisfying. It's just delicious and you eat it 335 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 2: up with that rice and homemade tortilla. Yeah, I will 336 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 2: always pick that over it. I will pay the extra 337 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:12,959 Speaker 2: two dollars, give me the homemade tortilla. There's something to it. 338 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:17,879 Speaker 2: I remember. Yeah, I went to Mexico, that's what. And 339 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:21,720 Speaker 2: like watching them many going into the smaller villages where 340 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 2: they did still do the wooden stoves or the fire 341 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 2: stoves outside or like separately from their home because it 342 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: was a danger and watching them do those magic and 343 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 2: the taste it was just flower and water, but it's 344 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 2: delicious or corn and water. Amazing, amazing, yeah. 345 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. I was in Mexico once and I just went 346 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: down like an alleyway to the first restaurant I found, 347 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: and it was like some of the best tacos I've 348 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 1: ever had in my entire life. 349 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 2: Bar none, like amazing when things are homemade. 350 00:19:55,359 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: Mm hmm, it's so good. 351 00:19:57,960 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 2: That's so different. 352 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: There is there is Okay, Okay, now you're getting to 353 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 1: experience what I go through her savor all the time. 354 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: Every time you're like, I have to get this in this. 355 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 2: And then yeah, well that's what I do with watching food, 356 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 2: like watching TV, especially like culinary shows. I'm like, well 357 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 2: I have to eat that now. 358 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: Yep, that's just how it is. That Well, moving on, 359 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: that does bring us to the next section, which was 360 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 1: on seafood. Here's a quote. People think of seafood when 361 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 1: they think of the islands, but are often disappointed when 362 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:33,919 Speaker 1: they go to Puerto Rico. I'm frequently asked, where's the 363 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:36,800 Speaker 1: fresh seafood? The easiest answer that I can offer is 364 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:39,880 Speaker 1: they export most of it. Between pollution and the complex 365 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 1: regulations governing local fishing, the island's own fishing industry could 366 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: never truly develop. 367 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 2: Right, And I know you probably have a lot to 368 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 2: say on this because you have you talked about like 369 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 2: the export and port of Puerto Rico. 370 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:58,400 Speaker 1: Yes, and we've also talked about it specifically in this case, 371 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:03,240 Speaker 1: I would say Hawaii because they also kind of got 372 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: hamstrung by US laws about fishing and where you can 373 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:10,360 Speaker 1: fish and when you can fish when they had been 374 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:13,880 Speaker 1: doing it responsibly for like ever, but they were getting 375 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 1: punished for it. And so yeah, it's really complicated the 376 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: situation of import export, especially with islands often. 377 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:25,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, and when it comes to I need more about 378 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 2: the history of Puerto Rico again because they spend some 379 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 2: time there and they it's pretty rough. The statehood of 380 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 2: Puerto Rico, the desire to be independent from the US, 381 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,919 Speaker 2: rightly so, the colonization, history of colonization that happened on 382 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 2: Puerto Rico, and just a chaos that happens. We saw 383 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 2: this with Hurricane Maria, how little the US government did 384 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 2: in helping them and assisting them, and still they're still struggling. 385 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,120 Speaker 2: They're still struggling with aftermath, and we know they're continue 386 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 2: to be bombarded with different hurricanes and storms that have 387 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 2: happened and continue to happen, and they're not getting much 388 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:02,400 Speaker 2: rice I think it took a long time to even 389 00:22:02,400 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 2: get voting rice. They are heavily taxed, and then also 390 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 2: they are heavily regulated, way more so than within the 391 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 2: US mainland. So there's a conversation and they even she 392 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 2: even writes in the book about how they feel like 393 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 2: the Disney version of their island is Hawaii because they've 394 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,119 Speaker 2: they've figured it a little more out and they have 395 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 2: done a little better with the battles. Not great, but 396 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 2: you know, because there's still very much there's a lot 397 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:35,280 Speaker 2: wanting when it comes to regulation and the over taxing 398 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 2: and the abuse from the United States government. But all 399 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 2: that is say is stuff like that, and so they do. 400 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 2: They have lost a lot of their own products and 401 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 2: their own exports, like they've lost a lot of money. 402 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:52,920 Speaker 2: So there's a lot to be said about that, as 403 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 2: well as the amount of taxation and regulation that they 404 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 2: go through. It's expensive Puerto ricospens because of that, and 405 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:06,479 Speaker 2: yet people still trying to colonize it. So moving on, 406 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 2: we're going to talk about poultry. And I love this 407 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 2: beginning story because it just reasons so much. She tells 408 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:16,679 Speaker 2: the story of chef Adela Fargas so Adela. She starts 409 00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 2: who is a famous chef I believe in was a 410 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 2: famous chef in New York and here's what she had 411 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:26,040 Speaker 2: to say about her. Adela hustled in La Caye, selling 412 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:29,439 Speaker 2: Puerto Rican street snacks to the community. Soon after, she 413 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 2: opened her own restaurant where she cooked order in Kucho, 414 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 2: Frito land of heat, lamp and steam table, speed service 415 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 2: and almost folkloric work ethic of our Puerto Rican Abuela's. 416 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:43,479 Speaker 2: From Adela's generation, it was nothing for her to awaken 417 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 2: at the crack of dawn to head to the restaurant. 418 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 2: She started the day by cooking her pernill, a large 419 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 2: pork shoulder that was slow roasted until the skin became 420 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 2: thin and crispy and refracted like untempered glass. The meat 421 00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 2: was spoon tender, but it was her roasted chicken for 422 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 2: which she became famous. Patrons would drop in after work 423 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 2: to purchase her chicken on their way home, and so 424 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,920 Speaker 2: Adela would spend the day cooking with a restless affection 425 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 2: for her craft and our hinte, keeping a watchful eye 426 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 2: in the community until she called it at night around 427 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 2: at around eleven o'clock. And in that story, they talk 428 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 2: about a poet who would often come through. She would 429 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:23,159 Speaker 2: feed him because he would go through hard times, and 430 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 2: he dedicated a whole poem to her food and her craft. Again, 431 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:28,919 Speaker 2: go get this book because you need to read this 432 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 2: poem and this story that he writes. But people like 433 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:37,480 Speaker 2: her who really put a mark for Puerto Rican cuisine 434 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:40,960 Speaker 2: because and pernil, y'all, that is a feat like I 435 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:46,160 Speaker 2: like I said, watching the friend cook as much as 436 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,919 Speaker 2: he did, and a dedication it takes to cook this 437 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:54,399 Speaker 2: food anyway. But it did make me want the roasted chicken, 438 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 2: and I'm sad I'm never gonna have. 439 00:24:55,720 --> 00:25:03,920 Speaker 3: It her specifically, but specifically, yes, yeah, not like maybe 440 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:06,640 Speaker 3: inspired by her, I would definitely have roached chicken. 441 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 2: That's not a thing I meant like by. 442 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:10,760 Speaker 1: Her specific Yeah, I got you, okay. 443 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,119 Speaker 2: And then were moving on to pork and yeah, so 444 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 2: pork's a big deal in Puerto Rican cuisine. Here's what 445 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,679 Speaker 2: she says, Ah, pork monarch of colonial proteins seen in 446 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:25,639 Speaker 2: many of our celebratory foods. Pork is king in Puerto Rico, 447 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 2: but not because it was native to the culture. So 448 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 2: she kind of explains how Columbus comes in. It was 449 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,399 Speaker 2: like Hey, there's nothing here. If we want people to survive, 450 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 2: we're going to have to help out. So she writes, 451 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 2: as far as Columbus was concerned, this land required everything, 452 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 2: everything that the colonists were going to need to supply 453 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 2: their long term stay. And she goes on to talk 454 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 2: about one of those resources left by Columbus being livestock, 455 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 2: including pigs, including hogs, and how that kind of became 456 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 2: like the rich people food, which again colonization really does 457 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 2: a lot to that. Again talking about perno it is 458 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 2: a halt feet like the actual process of it all 459 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 2: and making sure that it's perfect and the skin is 460 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:11,159 Speaker 2: still perfect. Again, shout out to my friend Luise. He 461 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:14,920 Speaker 2: did a vegan version and it was good. 462 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: Mm hmm. 463 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 2: Silly me because he tied. He had to tie so 464 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 2: the way he makes it, he pretty much created pork 465 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,199 Speaker 2: shoulder type of thing. He tied it with like the 466 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,280 Speaker 2: cooking string. I didn't know with cooking stree and I 467 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 2: tried to eat it. 468 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: Did anyone see? 469 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 3: Oh? 470 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 2: You know me? I had to tell on myself because 471 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 2: I was sitting there chewing on it for a good minute, 472 00:26:40,680 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 2: like what is this? And I pulled it out and 473 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:44,399 Speaker 2: I was like oh, and they're like, what is it? 474 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 2: I was like, I tried to eat this, and of 475 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 2: course I became the butt of the joke for the 476 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:50,720 Speaker 2: rest of the night, as I should. But yeah, yeah, 477 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:53,280 Speaker 2: but it was really good. So Louise heats off because 478 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 2: he does an amazing job and turning these dishes vegan 479 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 2: or vegetarian friendly. Amazing people might be offended by that. 480 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 2: I don't know. I don't know if Portocan's like, what 481 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 2: are you doing to my name? 482 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:06,719 Speaker 1: I mean, people like to fight about that no matter what. 483 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: Some people will be like they just like to fight 484 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 1: about it every show. 485 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:14,119 Speaker 2: He did this fantastic job. He did his job by it. 486 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,560 Speaker 2: But you know, there's that. But just so y'all know, 487 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:17,920 Speaker 2: don't need the string Park. 488 00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 1: If you needed any advice, be on the lookout that 489 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 1: brings us to beef. Quote. The Hipperito was created in Chicago, 490 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 1: making it a diasper Rican creation. In the late nineteen nineties, 491 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 1: Jan Peter Figueroa and his brothers owned Borriquin restaurant and 492 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:42,680 Speaker 1: the predominantly Puerto Rican community of Humboldt Park. Figaroa got 493 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:45,120 Speaker 1: the idea for this dish from a recipe in Puerto 494 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: Rican newspaper El Valcero for a sandwich deep plantano, which 495 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 1: used two big tustone's instead of bread. 496 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:59,439 Speaker 2: Ooh yeah, so the sandwich de platano. Apparently there's a 497 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 2: restaurant that they got this recipe from and it still 498 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:05,639 Speaker 2: exists in Puerto Rico. Again, this is written in her book, 499 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:09,200 Speaker 2: so that was publishably last year. I'm assuming it's still there. 500 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 2: You never know, but that sandwich was absolutely inspired by that. 501 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:17,160 Speaker 2: But yeah, this was a creation by fickeeroa and fun 502 00:28:17,240 --> 00:28:20,840 Speaker 2: side piece that the fact that Chicago proudly claims the 503 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 2: sandwich as they should, but they this is this is Chicago, 504 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,440 Speaker 2: like this is there, like yeah, this is my baby, 505 00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:32,719 Speaker 2: don't touch it type of conversation, So be careful what 506 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:38,680 Speaker 2: you say. Be careful in Chicago specifically. But yeah, you know, 507 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 2: I love a good Puerto Rican sandwich anyway, because that Pernill. 508 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:46,560 Speaker 2: Also they do like a left of a Pernell sandwich 509 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 2: and it's so tasty, like it's on par with a 510 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 2: Cuban and it's just like a Cuban sandwich, you know, 511 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,480 Speaker 2: if you know, you know, the hemolas, the mustard pickle, 512 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:02,080 Speaker 2: all of us, all perfectly flying. I'm a need. I'm struggling, 513 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 2: Like my mouth is watering as we're talking. Yeah, struggle 514 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 2: bust in here. But yeah, those sandwiches they hit and 515 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 2: they hit good, yes, But moving on to the rice 516 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 2: and other grains, and here I start my venture. Any 517 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 2: and I decided again I would make the food chair. 518 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:32,200 Speaker 2: And here's what she wrote about food chair. There are 519 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 2: no grits in Puerto Rico, not even as an import item, 520 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 2: which I find is true for many places. Nobody really 521 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:43,440 Speaker 2: cares about grits except for the South. I feel like anyway, 522 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:47,000 Speaker 2: but cornmill has been utilized by the inhabitants of the 523 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 2: island since long before the conquestadors baby blues sparkled on 524 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:54,480 Speaker 2: the horizon. Just as grits are mostly eaten for breakfast 525 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 2: in the American South, foond chair is mostly eaten for 526 00:29:57,440 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 2: breakfast by the older Puerto Ricans. I feel like I 527 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 2: just got called out because I was like, yeah, I'll 528 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 2: eat this, but it's okay. And talking about corn, she 529 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 2: goes on to say, the relationship between Puerto Rican and 530 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:16,040 Speaker 2: corn goes back further. Despite what many state siders assume 531 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:19,120 Speaker 2: is a love affair between Puerto Ricans and rice, corn 532 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 2: was a stable that was essential to the indigenous Tatos 533 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 2: who inhabited Blorinquin long before Europeans landed. The Danos planted 534 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 2: and harvested corn in fertile soil and were even documented 535 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 2: as preparing corn dumplings. So this was in conversation about 536 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 2: where rice came from, and that was actually a colonial thing. 537 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 2: They did not have rice beforehand, but they've had corn, 538 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,479 Speaker 2: and I think that's kind of the story about like 539 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 2: North America in general, like having corn first and what 540 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 2: that looks like. And yet so I made this dish. 541 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 2: This is my adventures in trying to find polina, and 542 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:56,480 Speaker 2: I finally found it. It took me forever. I looked 543 00:30:56,600 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 2: like an obvious foreigner in the aisles of the Latino 544 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 2: grocery section that I was like, I don't know where 545 00:31:03,560 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 2: this is. Finally found it and it is really delicious. 546 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 2: It's a little bit sweeter. So according to Maisonette, her 547 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 2: grandmother would do contenus milk and cinnamon and brown sugar, 548 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 2: so that was very sweet. So kind of oatmeal porridge, 549 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,120 Speaker 2: which I feel like we need to have this conversation 550 00:31:20,200 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 2: in food in general about how porridge is worldwide, like 551 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 2: it is a version of it, whether it's rice, whether 552 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 2: it's corn, exists, and like everybody eats it and everybody 553 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 2: finds healing within those dishes. I love it. But anyway, 554 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 2: coming back to so, I made it and she calls 555 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 2: for coconut milk and then tons of butter and a 556 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:44,239 Speaker 2: lot of thyme, because I'm like, oh my god, oh 557 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 2: my god, I can do this, I can do this, 558 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:49,640 Speaker 2: and it came out really good. She serves it with 559 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 2: shrimp like a shrimp a play on shrimp and grits, 560 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 2: and I can see how it's really good. But I 561 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:59,040 Speaker 2: decided to like honor the grandmother way and use brown 562 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 2: sugar and all that. It was really good. I got 563 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:04,840 Speaker 2: so excited about it. I ate a big bowl and 564 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:06,680 Speaker 2: gave my partner some and we both really liked it. 565 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 2: And then I was like, I'm going in for a second. 566 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 2: I forget how heavy corn yeah when it comes, especially 567 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 2: ground corn, like it sits. And I was like, oh, 568 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 2: I'm besick. 569 00:32:18,920 --> 00:32:22,480 Speaker 1: Like breakfast because you use it to fuel you the 570 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:23,120 Speaker 1: whole day. 571 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:26,920 Speaker 2: And I almost eating it like I was never going 572 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:30,840 Speaker 2: to eat again. Because when I like something, I get 573 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:34,520 Speaker 2: so excited that I was like I need more. Yeah, yeah, 574 00:32:35,400 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 2: one bowl was good and it was so delicious. It 575 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:41,200 Speaker 2: was so warm and it was cold that day and rainy. 576 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 2: I was very satisfied, Like, I'm gonna make some again, 577 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:46,440 Speaker 2: so I have to get more coconut milk because she 578 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 2: uses coconut milk instead of condensed milk, and I probably like, 579 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 2: I'm like, yeah, I think I would be along those 580 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 2: lines too, but yeah, don't eat a lot. You don't 581 00:32:56,040 --> 00:33:00,840 Speaker 2: eat a lot. It's delicious though, And then the next 582 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:03,600 Speaker 2: session is salad and size, and she didn't have much 583 00:33:03,640 --> 00:33:10,440 Speaker 2: to say outside of like, she doesn't like vegetables that much, yeah, 584 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:13,880 Speaker 2: which I appreciated, but she's like, I still eat them, 585 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:16,280 Speaker 2: don't get me wrong, but I don't like them. She 586 00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:19,200 Speaker 2: talks about my fungo, which, if you know anything about 587 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:22,000 Speaker 2: part Drican culture, this is a pretty big staple. Any 588 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:23,720 Speaker 2: did you also do an episode on this? 589 00:33:26,440 --> 00:33:29,000 Speaker 1: Probably, I guess it's hard to remember it, but I 590 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 1: know what it is. I think we have I think 591 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:37,400 Speaker 1: explain to us what it is. Don't focus on the 592 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:37,959 Speaker 1: spots man. 593 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 2: Okay, fine, bye bye, we'll move on. We'll move on 594 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,680 Speaker 2: for now. But if you know, you know, if you know, 595 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 2: you know, the next part is sweets and drinks, and 596 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 2: she talks about the fact that sweets are not a 597 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 2: big We're not a big thing in Puerto Rico until 598 00:33:52,440 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 2: the Europeans came and the Spanish came, and they brought 599 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 2: in like their uh pastries and then you know, if 600 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:02,480 Speaker 2: formed from there, and one of my favorites is casitos. 601 00:34:02,760 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 2: So the minute I saw this recipe, I was like, 602 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 2: I need to do this because again when I lived 603 00:34:07,560 --> 00:34:10,160 Speaker 2: and I like, I'm like, when I was there for 604 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:13,120 Speaker 2: a summer, right, I was. I was doing the colonizing 605 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 2: thing and I'm really sorry for that in Puerto Rico 606 00:34:15,239 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 2: for a summer, but I was also building houses, so 607 00:34:18,960 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 2: very least I was being somewhat somewhat helpful. But there 608 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:27,719 Speaker 2: we uh, I would eat casitos. We would find a 609 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 2: bakery for me to buy casitos every day, and it's 610 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 2: pretty much from when I would buy it there. It 611 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 2: was just a cream cheese, a sweet cream cheese pastry. 612 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:40,239 Speaker 2: And so she does a take it's the casitos de 613 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 2: Queso de Guayaba or guava. So again I was like, yeah, 614 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:48,360 Speaker 2: I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna do this again. This 615 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:53,000 Speaker 2: is a colonial influence from Europe and made for the rich, 616 00:34:53,080 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 2: and I'm like, oh damn, I'm doing it all wrong. 617 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 1: But just did an episode on Cuava, did you well? 618 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:03,680 Speaker 1: And we talked about yeah, tell me about it. Oh well, 619 00:35:05,080 --> 00:35:09,040 Speaker 1: we were mostly talking about how so the cream cheese 620 00:35:09,160 --> 00:35:13,279 Speaker 1: was really popular in the US. A lot of times 621 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:17,000 Speaker 1: people use cream cheese. Not always, but cream Cheese set 622 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:20,320 Speaker 1: up at Philadelphia. Cream Cheese set up a factory in Cuba, 623 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:24,000 Speaker 1: and so they added guava and they made the pastry 624 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 1: which was from Europe. So it's like all of those 625 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:32,120 Speaker 1: cultural influences coming together of the pastry, the American cream cheese, 626 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 1: the guava, and then adding you know, based on where 627 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 1: you are, the different spices, maybe different textures, different methods. 628 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:45,120 Speaker 2: Look at you, which is perfectly what I made. Mason 629 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:50,319 Speaker 2: that writes Traditionally Cuisitos contained only cheese, but as time 630 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 2: went on, we required more and more from the little pastry. 631 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:56,640 Speaker 2: What most people don't know is that it's traditional to 632 00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 2: brush the tops of the finished pastry with a sim 633 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 2: bull syrup, giving it an inviting shine. And then she 634 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:06,480 Speaker 2: goes on to talk about sprinkle sugar or the standing sugar, 635 00:36:06,520 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 2: which is the big lumps of sugar. I did not 636 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:10,640 Speaker 2: do that because I went past the issle. I'm like, 637 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:11,839 Speaker 2: I'm not going back. I think I had gone back 638 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:14,040 Speaker 2: three times to find ingredients. I'm like, I'm not going 639 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:16,239 Speaker 2: back there. But I did all the other things and 640 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:18,520 Speaker 2: it turned out wonderful. I didn't. I think I need 641 00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:22,520 Speaker 2: to cook it a little longer than she recommended. I 642 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,799 Speaker 2: was very impatient, and I was like, I'll let it's 643 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 2: it for about a minute and then I bit into 644 00:36:27,680 --> 00:36:30,719 Speaker 2: it and it was like lava and it burnt all 645 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:33,320 Speaker 2: the things in my mouth. But it was worth it. 646 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:38,160 Speaker 2: It tasted yummy, y'all. It tasted yummy. We have gone 647 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:43,840 Speaker 2: through the first round of them, and I will be 648 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:45,640 Speaker 2: making the second round of them. It's good because it's 649 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:48,440 Speaker 2: also really cute. They look really cute because you fold 650 00:36:48,480 --> 00:36:52,399 Speaker 2: over the pastry puffs into like a little blanket type 651 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 2: of thing, like a sleeping bag. At one point, though, 652 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 2: I didn't do it long enough and so one side 653 00:36:58,040 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 2: of the pastry would go up, like I said, art, 654 00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:02,719 Speaker 2: so it looks like a ghost saying hi. 655 00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:05,920 Speaker 1: I thought when I saw that, which Samantha sent me 656 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:08,600 Speaker 1: a picture and told me about the burning situation, but 657 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:10,239 Speaker 1: also that they were very good and it's worth it. 658 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:12,640 Speaker 1: The first thing I thought of was those Halloween treat 659 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:15,479 Speaker 1: you do that look like a finger and you're like, oooh, 660 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:16,880 Speaker 1: you're eating the finger. 661 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:23,480 Speaker 2: Oh okay, I get that the bottom parts much okay, yeah, yeah, 662 00:37:23,520 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 2: but it does look like a ghost because it's a 663 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:27,440 Speaker 2: little flat. Would come up and be like, hey, how 664 00:37:27,520 --> 00:37:30,359 Speaker 2: you doing. But it was tasty and I love them, 665 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,120 Speaker 2: and it was very reminiscent of the casito's that I 666 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:35,120 Speaker 2: would eat. Not as good, of course. 667 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:37,920 Speaker 1: But yeah close. They looked great close. 668 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:42,920 Speaker 2: And then a drink and a. 669 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:47,839 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, So I made coquito, which are a lot 670 00:37:47,880 --> 00:37:49,600 Speaker 1: of us do you drink as a holiday drink? So 671 00:37:49,680 --> 00:37:53,719 Speaker 1: fitting it is fitting. Here's a quote. As with much 672 00:37:53,760 --> 00:37:56,480 Speaker 1: of history and cultures that pass down traditions orally, it's 673 00:37:56,520 --> 00:37:59,359 Speaker 1: hard to track the origins of coquito pert Rico's rum 674 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:02,960 Speaker 1: punch that's serve during the holidays. The most common story 675 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:06,960 Speaker 1: goes that the first coquito was created with pitto moonshine 676 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:10,360 Speaker 1: rum made from sugarcane and buried underground to ferment. You 677 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:14,040 Speaker 1: would combine with fresh coconut water and later grated coconut. 678 00:38:15,440 --> 00:38:16,920 Speaker 1: So I made it, and I actually tried it right 679 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:21,239 Speaker 1: before I started recording, and it is delicious. It's got 680 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:23,799 Speaker 1: a lot of spice to it, which I like, Yeah, 681 00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:25,799 Speaker 1: it's got I might have added too much cinnamon, but 682 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:28,800 Speaker 1: I love cinnamon, so that was sort of a personal 683 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:33,160 Speaker 1: personal choice. Yeah. But I also read that it's traditional 684 00:38:33,320 --> 00:38:38,319 Speaker 1: sometimes to put it cheese in it, yeah, and take 685 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 1: it out and like serve it as you're like with 686 00:38:40,719 --> 00:38:43,080 Speaker 1: crackers while you're drinking it. I think that would be amazing. 687 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:45,720 Speaker 1: I didn't do that, but that I like the sound 688 00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:46,040 Speaker 1: of it. 689 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:50,840 Speaker 2: I like where this is going. Yeah. Yeah. I was 690 00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:54,240 Speaker 2: introduced to coquito again a while back as a gift, 691 00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:56,439 Speaker 2: and I'm like every year i'd be like, you're gonna 692 00:38:56,440 --> 00:38:56,799 Speaker 2: make more? 693 00:38:56,920 --> 00:38:57,400 Speaker 1: What about now? 694 00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:59,839 Speaker 2: What about it now? So last year, because we were 695 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:02,920 Speaker 2: in Florida, my partner and I decided we would make 696 00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:05,680 Speaker 2: our own. It was good. It's not as good as 697 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:08,920 Speaker 2: when a Puerto Rican person actually makes it for you. 698 00:39:08,960 --> 00:39:11,759 Speaker 2: I feel like this is this is good, don't get 699 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:14,360 Speaker 2: me wrong, but like, because how it's traditionally like an 700 00:39:14,560 --> 00:39:16,840 Speaker 2: oral recipe, like they just tell you or you do 701 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:19,400 Speaker 2: it by side type of thing. Everybody has a different 702 00:39:19,400 --> 00:39:22,839 Speaker 2: touch to it, and so again. The friend. He he 703 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:25,000 Speaker 2: does his own touch to it and it's delicious, and 704 00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:27,399 Speaker 2: I'm like, yeah, I feel good. I feel real good. 705 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 2: But it's kind of like a it is kind of 706 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:35,360 Speaker 2: an eggnog ish and I hate saying that because I 707 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 2: don't want to compare it, but just for the comparing, 708 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:41,120 Speaker 2: like of the traditions and it being white and silky 709 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 2: and very creamy, still different. Yeah, just no coconut. This 710 00:39:46,239 --> 00:39:50,120 Speaker 2: is coconut heavy based and it's delightful and I like 711 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:52,640 Speaker 2: it a lot, So I was really glad. I was like, yeah, 712 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:54,440 Speaker 2: you should do that. I think that caught like that 713 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:59,239 Speaker 2: recipe is more complicated than the poon jay really, yeah, 714 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:02,200 Speaker 2: your recipe was like, I may have done any wrong 715 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:02,799 Speaker 2: on this one. 716 00:40:03,000 --> 00:40:04,600 Speaker 1: That's the man I was trying to spare me because 717 00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:07,520 Speaker 1: I never have any ingredients my blender. 718 00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:10,000 Speaker 2: I didn't know they took a blender. I'm not gonna lie. 719 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:11,560 Speaker 2: I didn't read that. I just knew it was in there. 720 00:40:11,560 --> 00:40:13,399 Speaker 2: I knew that recipe was in there, and that's that's 721 00:40:13,440 --> 00:40:17,200 Speaker 2: all I had. But yeah, the fund chap, you still 722 00:40:17,239 --> 00:40:19,160 Speaker 2: have to have probably gone to the grocery store unless 723 00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:23,759 Speaker 2: you have polinta and oh my god, serious yeah, Now 724 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:25,640 Speaker 2: I feel bad. I should have asked you, what do 725 00:40:25,680 --> 00:40:27,919 Speaker 2: you have in your parentry? That'll be the question next time, 726 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:30,440 Speaker 2: because I kind of just assigned. I feel when we 727 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:32,360 Speaker 2: do recipes, I'll just assign you something like this is 728 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:35,200 Speaker 2: what you're gonna need. I've dropped off ingredients. 729 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:37,880 Speaker 1: For you before you need. I'm much appreciated, and do 730 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:38,440 Speaker 1: that again. 731 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,480 Speaker 2: But next time, now I know that you made it, 732 00:40:40,640 --> 00:40:42,880 Speaker 2: like I was like, oh damn, except do you have 733 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:43,640 Speaker 2: coconut milk? 734 00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:45,319 Speaker 1: I don't have coconut milk? 735 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:47,040 Speaker 2: Okay, there we go, So you still would have gone 736 00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:50,200 Speaker 2: to the store. Yes, But all that's say this book 737 00:40:50,239 --> 00:40:54,160 Speaker 2: was delightful and her stories our very heartfelt U. She 738 00:40:54,239 --> 00:40:56,480 Speaker 2: even talks like stories about some of the violence that 739 00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,120 Speaker 2: they've experienced in the neighborhood and how that kind of 740 00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:01,879 Speaker 2: like taught her all these things about herself and her 741 00:41:01,880 --> 00:41:05,640 Speaker 2: family and just like so much history, so much depth 742 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:09,840 Speaker 2: to this. She was like the first I believe Puerto 743 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:14,600 Speaker 2: Rican food writer, food critic in the country, which is 744 00:41:14,680 --> 00:41:17,240 Speaker 2: like what because I think she's younger than me for sure, 745 00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:20,680 Speaker 2: So all of those things. She this is her first 746 00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:24,200 Speaker 2: cookbook and she's already gotten a James Beard award for 747 00:41:24,239 --> 00:41:26,880 Speaker 2: it as she should. Like all of these things are 748 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:30,840 Speaker 2: so accessible. Her writing is accessible. Some of the ingredients 749 00:41:30,840 --> 00:41:33,120 Speaker 2: are difficult, I think if you start looking at some 750 00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:36,840 Speaker 2: of the soups which I love, the stews like I again, 751 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:39,160 Speaker 2: the friend actually came over to my house as a 752 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:42,000 Speaker 2: parting gift because he was moving and made me this. 753 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:46,520 Speaker 2: He pretended to be my personal shofvels like please stay 754 00:41:46,520 --> 00:41:49,080 Speaker 2: here forever, making me some of the soups and the 755 00:41:49,120 --> 00:41:52,359 Speaker 2: stews that I love, the seafood snoos, and all the 756 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:56,000 Speaker 2: good flavors. Because even though the spices and like the 757 00:41:56,080 --> 00:42:01,480 Speaker 2: ingredients are different from Korean culture, there's still aamiliarity. And 758 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:04,360 Speaker 2: there is a conversation about how Chinese food actually in 759 00:42:04,480 --> 00:42:09,360 Speaker 2: Chinese immigrants did influence Puerto Rican cuisine as well. So 760 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:12,120 Speaker 2: it's interesting to see how the different layers go when 761 00:42:12,120 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 2: it comes to cuisine. But yeah, this book is amazing. 762 00:42:16,239 --> 00:42:19,839 Speaker 2: If you love cooking, if you love experiencing new types 763 00:42:19,880 --> 00:42:23,080 Speaker 2: of food to cook, you should definitely definitely buy this. 764 00:42:23,239 --> 00:42:26,600 Speaker 2: Buy this, make some recipes, tell us how it goes, 765 00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:28,600 Speaker 2: and then also give us an advice on how to 766 00:42:28,640 --> 00:42:29,640 Speaker 2: cook it ourselves. 767 00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:36,200 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, please do recipes always welcome, especially like I 768 00:42:36,320 --> 00:42:38,960 Speaker 1: just love hearing people's own If you don't mind sharing, 769 00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:41,120 Speaker 1: I get if you're like never this is my recipe, 770 00:42:41,239 --> 00:42:44,920 Speaker 1: But I like hearing like people's different traditions around the 771 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:49,200 Speaker 1: holidays and what they eat or for comfort food, always welcome. 772 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:51,600 Speaker 1: Let us know, or if there's another cookbook you think 773 00:42:51,600 --> 00:42:54,120 Speaker 1: we should talk about, let us know about. This was fun. 774 00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:55,000 Speaker 2: This was so fun. 775 00:42:55,760 --> 00:42:58,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, you can email the stepan youw mom Stuff at 776 00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:00,600 Speaker 1: heeartmedia dot com. You can guys on Twitter and blue 777 00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:04,520 Speaker 1: Sky at mom Stuff podcast, or on TikTok and Instagram 778 00:43:04,520 --> 00:43:06,440 Speaker 1: at stuff I Never Told You for also on YouTube. 779 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:07,719 Speaker 1: We have a tea public store and we have a 780 00:43:07,719 --> 00:43:09,879 Speaker 1: book you can get wherever you get your books. Thanks 781 00:43:09,880 --> 00:43:12,160 Speaker 1: as always here a super producer Christina xect producer my 782 00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:15,280 Speaker 1: aunt urtubitor Joey, Thank you and thanks see you for listening. 783 00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:17,160 Speaker 1: Stuff I Never Told You is prediction of I Heart Radio. 784 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:18,600 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from my heart Radio, you can check 785 00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:20,640 Speaker 1: out the heart Radio Appuple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 786 00:43:20,680 --> 00:43:21,520 Speaker 1: to your favorite ships.