Eating my way through Puerto Rico

By Maddy Payne 

            Since my childhood consisted of traveling to diverse destinations, it also consisted of eating diverse foods. Growing up, I did not have many PB&J sandwiches, but instead, I had gyoza, edamame, papaya, dragon fruit, fish and chips and nasi goreng. In Africa, I tried zebra beef jerky; in Spain, paella. As one can see, trying new foods is a big part of my life. And so, when I traveled to Puerto Rico, I was not seeking out “comfort foods” like hamburgers and French fries. I wanted to try traditional Puerto Rican food.

            When we explored Old San Juan, we decided to eat at La Mallorquina, the oldest operating restaurant on the island. At La Mallorquina I ordered mofongo with fried pork. Mofongo is an Afro-Puerto Rican dish made from fried plantains. The plantains are picked while they are green and then mashed up with salt, garlic and oil. Afterwards, the plantains are compressed into a ball and served with either meat or in a broth.

            Another day, we to a local restaurant shop in Ponce, where I had pulled pork, plantains, rice and beans – a traditional Puerto Rican meal. It was so, so good, and I would definitely have it again. Everything was fresh and for dessert I tried some flan.

            At the Three Kings Festival I tried “bacalaitos,” fried Codfish fritters. They were super salty and a fun street food to munch on while watching the three kings and parade. I also got some ice cream/sorbet from a small vendor. It was nice and refreshing.

            Lastly, three of the nights during our trip, we were put into teams and given a traditional Puerto Rican meal to make. My team’s recipe was Pollo Gulsado Estilo Puertoriqueño. The main ingredients were olives, cilantro, Sofrito, Sazon Knorr, carrots, potatoes, chicken and rice. The meal turned out wonderful and there were no leftovers.

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 La Mallorquina restaurant in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

 

Monfongo with pork, a traditional Puerto Rican dish. 

Fresh sorbet from a local vendor at the Three Kings day festival. 

Links:

http://www.bonappetit.com/restaurants-travel/slideshow/eat-puerto-rico

http://welcome.topuertorico.org/culture/foodrink.shtml

http://www.latina.com/food/recipes/best-puerto-rican-recipes

  

Email: maddy.payne@ou.edu

Website: maddy.payne.weebly.com

Twitter: @maddypayne397

New place, new perspective.

By: Lauren Hale

I had always heard that any sort of study abroad program was a life changing experience. I had always dreamed of going on one but didn't have the time or resources to make it happen. It was like fate that a two week course was presented to me that worked into my schedule and budget. What I have found is that all you need is two weeks to experience a lifetime.
While in Puerto Rico, I learned more about myself, a culture and a history than I ever have in any classroom setting. The culture of the island is something to be amazed by. The food is something that everyone should try if you have a change to be there. Local dishes such as rice and beans, mofongo, tostones and sweet plantains are delicious no matter where you get them. You can expect great taste and service from a little building on the side of the road to a four star restaurant in downtown San Juan. The hospitality of these people is something that shows even into its service industry. Another thing I noticed about the island is the unity of its people through religion. The Three Kings Day Festival in Juanas Dias was something that I will never forget. It was an amazing site to see people from all around come together to celebrate and enjoy life. What really amazes me is how the parade was so interactive. Back in the states, I am use to barricade and security keeping you from interacting with the people and being a part of the celebration. At the Three Kings Day festival, that was not the case. I was able to take pictures and be an active participant.
Something I really enjoyed about Puerto Rico was, of course, the nightlife. Everything there reflects their culture. Dancing to drinks, it was always a fun and new experience. The bars and clubs stay open way later than they do in the states and the people still seem to party all night and work all day. There were differences in the nightlife scene depending on where you go throughout the island. These differences are caused by culture, religion and tourism. Many places in the south were not as busy and party oriented as San Juan.
The main thing I take away from this trip is the experiences I had with friends and myself. Being able to experience such beauty with others make you closer to them. Personally, the biobay and rainforest are two sites I will never forget. These are the kind of experiences that even back home you can remember how they affected all of your senses. I didn't know anyone but Kali in our group before the trip, and now I feel like I have known some for years. To see a group of very different students come together to live and learn for two weeks was something amazing. I also learned a lot about myself on this trip. Being away from home and having only responsibilities to yourself, those around you and your class was a refreshing feeling. Experiencing all the things I did, I felt content and happy just being where I was and who I was. It isn't everyday that people get to go on such an extraordinary journey and I feel blessed to have been a part of it.

Puerto Rico!!!! "The Island of Enchantment"

Puerto Rico!!!! "The Island of Enchantment"

By Adam Pinkney

photo by Adam Pinkney

Hola! My name is Adam Pinkney and I am a broadcasting and electronic media graduate student at the University of Oklahoma. I have the opportunity to take two travel-writing classes through OU in Puerto Rico. I will document my experience in Puerto Rico in various ways. In addition to writing about my experiences, I will also illustrate them with pictures, video, and sound as I explore the island of enchantment. Below I have explained why I was interested in taking these courses.

I am very interested in the travel-writing course in Puerto Rico. I have always wanted to study abroad in some form or fashion. This is a perfect opportunity for me to travel abroad and experience a world outside of Oklahoma. I am willing to open up my eyes and mind to a new culture. These two classes would definitely help to fulfill graduate credit. However to me this opportunity is worth more than credit. It is worth an experience that I could not trade for anything else. It is a challenge for me to venture out and learn new things about other cultures. I am up for a good challenge and ready for the life of Puerto Rico.

I love learning new things and the Hispanic culture has always been of interest to me. I took Spanish as a foreign language in High school and College. So I know the basics of Spanish and structure, but definitely not fluent in the language. One funny memory that comes to mind is that many people believe that I am Hispanic because of my skin color. So now I will get to experience true Hispanic culture on the island of Puerto Rico.