Cynthia Pittmann, PhD is a writer based in Puerto Rico who motivates people to write and live a creative connected life through sharing her own stories, poems, and photography.
"The meaning of life is not to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away." ~Pablo Picasso
Identify what you want and learn how to ask for it. Lisa : So I was just wondering if there was one general thing that you've found...
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Puerto Rican Christmas Food: Pasteles
Christmas in Puerto Rico: Plantains!
I'm not sure if the bananas in this truck are plantains but they look about the right size. Plantains are called platanos in Spanish but when I lived in San Diego, California, I often saw them on the shelves at the now defunct Alpha Beta grocery store under the name of "macho bananas". ( I wonder what that referred too?)
During the holiday season in Puerto Rico, which starts just before Thanksgiving Day, these large green bananas are in high demand principally because the favorite holiday dish features a mashed banana paste (masa). I usually order mine from Dona Christina because she makes them without meat upon request. If I ever motivate myself enough, I will adapt a version of the following recipe(please follow the link for exact directions).
"Pasteles are Puerto Rican special occasion food.
The whole family usually gets together assembly-line-style to make large
numbers of these starchy parcels and get them ready for the boiling
pot. No Boricuan Christmas is complete without pasteles."
If you prefer, you can watch this YouTube video on how to make pasteles. It shows an adapted recipe that is made by a Puerto Rican woman in the United States.
Feliz Navidad to all!
Nice. I was born in P.R., raised in N.Y. I now live in New Mexico where platanos are easy to get but not any of the other ingredients. Still, we travel to get them and las week we finished making our first batch. They're delicious.
So true, Sarah. It's a surprise that the bananas are not sweet! My brother-in-law from TX is a chef and he added brown sugar and syrup to his fried bananas. Everyone here thought it was strange.
I removed the comment verification. I hope I don't get spammed. Great to hear from you!
We make a soup out of green mashed bananas with coconut juice ...delicious! It's a Tanzanian/Chagga dish. Interesting variations across cultures. In Uganda they have "matoke" made from mashed sweet bananas. Also scrumptious. I want to try pastales!! Happy New Year!!!
Interesting! It is quite a long process grating whipping air drying wrapping freezing then boiling them. Wow. A fun part of preparing for the festivities!! Happy New Year!!
Hmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I'll just sum it up what I had written and say, I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I'm still new to the whole thing.
Do you have any tips for novice blog writers? I'd certainly appreciate it.
Superb .. I'll bookmark your blog and take the feeds additionally? I am satisfied to seek out numerous helpful info right here within the put up, we need develop extra techniques in this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
It's a pity you don't have a donate button! I'd definitely donate to this fantastic blog! I suppose for now i'll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will share this site with my Facebook group. Chat soon!
Hello! I know this is kinda off topic however , I'd figured I'd ask. Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa?
My website discusses a lot of the same subjects as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each other. If you are interested feel free to shoot me an e-mail. I look forward to hearing from you! Great blog by the way!
We're a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your site offered us with valuable information to work on. You have done a formidable job and our entire community will be grateful to you.
Thanks for one's marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you happen to be a great author. I will be sure to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back from now on. I want to encourage that you continue your great work, have a nice day!
With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement? My site has a lot of completely unique content I've either written myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my agreement. Do you know any techniques to help prevent content from being ripped off? I'd genuinely appreciate it.
Nice. I was born in P.R., raised in N.Y. I now live in New Mexico where platanos are easy to get but not any of the other ingredients. Still, we travel to get them and las week we finished making our first batch. They're delicious.
ReplyDeleteLove it! I bet you are an experienced traditional cook. Imagine making the time to prepare pasteles! Yum!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Myrna.
I love how every culture adopts a holiday and makes it theirs. Bananas for Christmas sounds fun!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I got rid of word verification on my blog but you have to sign into google or open id to comment.
So true, Sarah. It's a surprise that the bananas are not sweet! My brother-in-law from TX is a chef and he added brown sugar and syrup to his fried bananas. Everyone here thought it was strange.
ReplyDeleteI removed the comment verification. I hope I don't get spammed.
Great to hear from you!
We make a soup out of green mashed bananas with coconut juice ...delicious! It's a Tanzanian/Chagga dish. Interesting variations across cultures. In Uganda they have "matoke" made from mashed sweet bananas. Also scrumptious. I want to try pastales!! Happy New Year!!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting! It is quite a long process grating whipping air drying wrapping freezing then boiling them. Wow. A fun part of preparing for the festivities!! Happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteHmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it
ReplyDeletewas super long) so I guess I'll just sum it up what I had written and
say, I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well
am an aspiring blog blogger but I'm still new to the whole thing.
Do you have any tips for novice blog writers? I'd certainly appreciate
it.
Hello very nice blog!! Man .. Excellent ..
ReplyDeleteSuperb .. I'll bookmark your blog and take the feeds additionally?
I am satisfied to seek out numerous helpful info
right here within the put up, we need develop extra techniques in this regard, thank
you for sharing. . . . . .
Hi, I want to subscribe for this webpage to obtain hottest updates, so where can i do it please assist.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pity you don't have a donate button! I'd definitely donate to this fantastic blog!
ReplyDeleteI suppose for now i'll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to
my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will
share this site with my Facebook group. Chat soon!
Hello! I know this is kinda off topic however , I'd figured
ReplyDeleteI'd ask. Would you be interested in exchanging
links or maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa?
My website discusses a lot of the same subjects as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each
other. If you are interested feel free to shoot me an e-mail.
I look forward to hearing from you! Great blog by the way!
We're a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community.
ReplyDeleteYour site offered us with valuable information to
work on. You have done a formidable job and our entire community will
be grateful to you.
Thanks for one's marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you
ReplyDeletehappen to be a great author. I will be sure to bookmark your blog and
definitely will come back from now on. I want to encourage
that you continue your great work, have a nice day!
It's hard to find educated people on this subject, however, you seem like you know what you're talking about!
ReplyDeleteThanks
you are truly a good webmaster. The web site loading velocity is incredible.
ReplyDeleteIt sort of feels that you're doing any unique trick. Furthermore,
The contents are masterwork. you have done a excellent process on this topic!
With havin so much written content do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright infringement?
ReplyDeleteMy site has a lot of completely unique content I've either written myself or outsourced but it seems a lot of
it is popping it up all over the web without my agreement.
Do you know any techniques to help prevent content from being ripped off?
I'd genuinely appreciate it.