People who know me well know that I am practically Mexican. At least 10 Puerto Ricans in the past 2 months have asked me if my family was Mexican because of my accent. So, I suppose, I speak "Mexican." I also eat Mexican, and at home, at least 50% of the food Scott and I prepare is Mexican. We're Mexican food snobs, actually, and turn our noses up at Tex-Mex joints. Cheddar cheese on a flour tortilla? No, my friends. No.<---- SO WHAT THE HELL IS THIS THING?!?!?
Puerto Rican shrimp taco
The first time I ordered a taco in Puerto Rico, I was totally confused. I thought that the person had confused the phrase "taco, por favor" for some island phrase meaning "throw something in giant wonton wrapper and fry the crap out of it." Fine, I took a few bites and then dumped it. I actually hate deep-fried foods, which has been a big problem for me in Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans love to deep dry everything. I actually had a waiter the other day ask if I wanted my agua deep fried. He thought he was hilarious, I just thought he was a cheeseball. But in all seriousness, the Puerto Rican love for this cooking method, while producing a delicious cuisine, has had some serious health effects, both in island and mainland populations.
Anyway, turns out that thing really was a taco, at least according to Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rican tacos are nothing like Mexican tacos. Generally they involve some sort of wrapper, which really reminds me a lot of a wonton or egg roll wrapper, which they fill with a variety of things, including meat, seafood, or cheese, wrap up like a burrito, and deep fry. The texture of the wrapper (and the shape) is what distinguishes it from the more popular Puerto Rican pastelillo (or empanadilla, if you are in western PR), which is more flaky, like a turnover. I actually prefer the pastelillos, especially when they are filled with picadillo, which is basically ground beef spiced up with some Puerto Rican ingredients, such as sazón , capers, and sofrito.
These pastelillos are bubbling away in a giant vat of lard!Pastelillos are fairly easy to make at home. Wrappers can be found in many Latin markets, or you can find a recipe here. You can fill it with just about anything, meat, cheese, crabs, conch, shrimp, or fruit (like guayaba) if you want a dessert turnover. They even serve pizza pastelillos everywhere, and they are usually one of the better sellers. There's really no escaping the American influence on this island. Anyway, pastelillos are then fried in small batches to allow room for expansion. They can be fried in oil, but a woman in Fajardo advised me that they are best when fried in lard (see above picture).
Scott could not resist. Look how guilty he looks!
16 comments:
Hello again,
Its my duty as a Puerto Rican to give you some tips in order for you to satisfy your Mexican food cravings. So here is my list (not comprehensive by any means):
1. Mejico Lindo (De Diego Ave., next to Aurorita's)
2. Aurorita's (De Diego Ave., nexto to Mejico Lindo and Majere. Very popular, very busy.)
3. Tijuana's (Ashford Ave. in Condado. Go for the beer, stay for some food.)
4. Margarita's (Plaza Las América, Ave. Roosevelt and a few other places. Try to avoid it but many people like it.)
5. Frida's and Diego's (Domenech Ave.)
6. Cielito Lindo (Condado, forgot the street name, close to La Concha)
7. Tacolandia (Guaynabo).
And speaking of tacos... have you seen the 'cheesedogs' or 'hot dogs empanados'? Its a hot dog and some cheese wrapped in the empanadilla's wrapper and fried! Ummm! I just got hungry!
I've never tried to eat Mexican in Puerto Rico--the fact that nearly every comment I've heard about Mexicans was full of even more stereotypes than comments from Americans was enough to discourage that thought--but I applaud you for trying. Congratulations on that find!
Seriously, that is hilarious.
Jokes aside, I'd like to add that there is a really common brand named Kikuet that sells PR-Mexican food (some a combination, some one or the other). Or you can go around telling people you're Mexican and a relative of Luis Miguel and you miss Mexican food. You mention his name and any woman would stop what she was doing to help you. Seriously, they LOOOVE Luis Miguel and will start telling you how he's actually Puerto Rican if they get a chance. Take advantage of this.
Same way you put hot spice and sauce on everything you mexican cook, we like to deep fry almost everything we cook. Nothing wrong with that, it is a culture thing.
Same way you put hot spice and sauce on everything you mexican cook, we like to deep fry almost everything we cook. Nothing wrong with that, it is a culture thing.
I really don't know where you get the idea that everything we cook is deep fried. I cook criollo and hardly ever fry, except for tostones. Now, if you're talking about our "fast foods" then yes, they are fried. By that I mean pastelillos, alcapurrias, bacalaitos,tacos. One normally eats a couple of those and that's it. That isn't dinner to me. But please, almost everything fried? Not really. How about trying a nice plate of arroz y habichuelas with biftec encebollado? Why would you expect our food to be similar to Mexican food? Other than some Spanish influence in both of our cuisines, our food is nothing like theirs. There is no rivalry, it's just different influences. Our cuisine is heavily influenced by the african slaves which were brought to the island as well as Taino and Spanish influences. I hope you can enjoy our cuisine without comparing it to another country's.
Marie,
First of all, I don't think that everything you cook is deep fried. It is true however, that traditional Puerto Rican cuisine leans more heavily towards this cooking method than some other world cuisines, including Italian and Vegetarian, which I am used to. Second, I have a problem with the suggestion that people interested in both food and culture cannot draw parallels between diverse ethnic groups. The reason I even thought of Mexican food is because here in the United States, we have a specific notion of what a taco is, and I was surprised to see that Puerto Ricans also use the word "taco," but for a different dish. This doesn't have a negative connotation whatsoever.
I applaud you for limiting your use of deep frying in your own cooking. This was not the case with the few families I lived with in Puerto Rico and several of the restaurants I visited while there, but people within a culture always use different methods, that is what makes people different.
I would just like to emphasize, first, that there is obviously no rivalry, and if you reread the post, you will see that I in no way even suggested one. Second, I will not heed any person's advice suggesting that I cannot compare the cuisines of two countries, that is completely ridiculous. People compare foods and flavors all of the time, it's how we share experiences. When I lived in Mexico I would always point out the similarities and differences between their food and my Italian food, it's how people connect with one another. Which, by the way, is why I was in Puerto Rico in the first place, so that I can better connect with my Puerto Rican patients, understand their unique culture and health risks, and advocate to make them a healthier, happier, better off people. Closing the door to people who are interested in your culture is not doing a favor to anyone.
pero es verdad que la gente tiene cojones,,,primero te burlaste del taco boricua ,,,what tha hell is this?,, mira mija aqui la gente tiene caracter!!!! y las mofas se toman rapido,,, si tienes que hacer un comentario negativo o positivo!!
haslo pero con educacion!!! ,,no burlandote,,,o criticando ,,ok las cosas fritas engordan es cierto ,,pero que em dices tu de las tortillas ,,, que todo se come con tortillas y no solo una varias ,,, una pregunta esas, son muy saludables!!!! yo no lo creo!! si no estas abierta a nuevas experiencias!!! de lo variada que puede ser la comida de un lugar a otro,,, pos quedate comiendo en mexico o comida italiana!!!!!como dice la fina!!!! any way solo me molesto la forma en que te espresaste del taco la empanadilla y todo lo demas,,, porque para ti es una cosa rara tu no cresiste con eso,, y para muchos puertorriquenos ,,,como yo los adoramos!!!!! y no es justo que tu por las puras ,, lo taches de cosa rara!!!!! say soorryyy to the taco bitch!!!!! (a y mi marido es mexicano y yo bien boricua) si es goya tiene que ser bueno!!!!!
So let me make this very clear for the last time. I'll outline it for easy reading.
1. This is not "making fun of" Puerto Rican tacos or "criticando" Puerto Rican tacos. This, if anything, is making fun on one white girl's journey into the land of Puerto Rican food, where there are surprises at every turn.
2. If you read this entry and this blog and you think I have no respect for Puerto Rican people or am not open to new experiences, kindly click the X in the right hand corner of your screen. I have devoted my life to learning about and helping cultures other than my own, and I will not have anyone speak to me that way because I didn't like a taco. It's completely ridiculous.
3. If you are going to comment on something I say or do, at least have the decency to do so in an educated way. If it is an issue of language, or that you don't follow the story of girl meets taco, girl is surprised by taco, girl doesn't like taco but does research to learn more about taco because she cares about the people she serves, please e-mail me and I will be glad to explain it in another way that makes more sense to you.
4. There is also nothing wrong with frying foods sometimes. As I wrote in the blog initially, fried foods in moderation is part of what makes Puerto Rican food delicious and unique. I ate more fried food in Puerto Rico than I've probably eaten in my entire life combined.
5. People seem to get testy about the fact that I expected the taco to be like a Mexican taco. If you went to China and ordered "pizza" and they gave you fried rice dish, you would probably also be surprised, as I was. Different cultures have different words for different foods. It's such a ridiculous concept that I should be embarrassed or harassed for not knowing the name of a local Puerto Rican food.
6. I will not "say sorry to the taco bitch," but plan on leaving your comment up so that others can judge who among us comes across as uneducated or "not open to new experiences." I have great respect for the pride of the Puerto Rican people, but when that pride turns into something that alienates others and deters them from learning and sharing in your culture, everyone loses out. How very, very sad for you that you feel so intently proud that you can not participate in intellectual dialogue and the sharing of cultural experiences.
Lo que pasa es q si se entiende como burla. Es todo. Y yo soy puertorriquena y casi no cocino comidas fritas. Las "frituras" son como un snack no una cena o pa' "jartarse"... Yo si en la forma en que lo narras lo veo como parte burla.
Puertoricans are sensible people man. Don't bother explaining.
Soy nacida y criada en PR, por si acaso.
Puertoricans are sensible people man. Don't bother explaining.
Soy nacida y criada en PR, por si acaso.
First let me say sorry you missed the great authentic Mexican restaurants we have in the Island.In another token let me clarify to you and everyone that everything we eat or cook isn't fried. We have excelent creole food,Island cuisine. PR is known for the best gastronomy cuisine. Im sorry to informed you that you missed out big time!! You missed the best of the Island, by taking a trip to the cheapest and fast food areas of the Island. Even thought we called that (frituras) they are very delicious! And with this I closed Mexico is not the only country who has tacos sir.
You missed out!!!!
First let me say sorry you missed the great authentic Mexican restaurants we have in the Island.In another token let me clarify to you and everyone that everything we eat or cook isn't fried. We have excelent creole food,Island cuisine. PR is known for the best gastronomy cuisine. Im sorry to informed you that you missed out big time!! You missed the best of the Island, by taking a trip to the cheapest and fast food areas of the Island. Even thought we called that (frituras) they are very delicious! And with this I closed Mexico is not the only country who has tacos sir.
You missed out!!!!
I think this is one of those situations where the past internet comes to bite you in the rear. And instead of doubling down, maybe you should just delete this ill-informed post. Your post started off terribly. You cannot be "practically" Mexican. You either are, or aren't. And everyone is attacking you because you DID say, "Puerto Ricans love to deep dry everything." First, you should know about the history of frying when it comes to the island. Not everyone is going to fry because frying, as a technique, came with the African slaves. And frying can still more often be seen in the areas where the direct descendants of Africans live, like Loiza. Which is where you will see the fritura vendors lining the beach. And the ill benefits of frying that effect impoverished Puerto Ricans, also effect poor communities on the mainland. Which of course, you failed to mention. So, when you're criticizing the frying method, you're not only criticizing a certain socioeconomic group on the island...but you're criticizing our birthright. Puerto Rican food is a Puerto Rican's birthright.
You're not a writer. You're not a food writer. You're not an "honorary" Mexican. Why the hell would you expect to see a Puerto Rican restaurant in Mexico?! There are parts of the United States that don't have Puerto Rican restaurants and Puerto Rico IS America! And your "cutesy" comment about "Perhaps the long-standing boxing rivalry has made Mexican food undesirable around these parts..." eye roll emoji.
Well you were talking about good Mexican Restaurant in Puerto Rico, if you or anyone reading this wants to visit a good Mexican restaurant go to Lolita's in Luquillo, the owner is Mexican and they've been famous for years. If you ever come back, look this place up. Just not in October, they take that month for vacation usually and close the restaurant
Couldn't I just put some picadillo in a taco shell? That's what I plan to do, anyway.
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