Dominican Cooking

Dominican cooking reflects the diverse history of this nation. The first settlers to this island were the Taino Indians. They left us many dishes and cooking methods still in use today, such as casabe. The Spanish settlers arrived next, at the end of the 15th century. The rice based cuisine reflects this Spanish heritage, along with many deserts such as flan. Arab influence in Dominican cooking is strong, not only through the 700 year domination of Spain and Portugal, but also through the Lebanese settlers that arrived in the 20th century. Examples of Arab dishes in Dominican cuisine are Quipes and Tipile (tabouli salad). In 1503, African slaves were brought to the island. Some of the most beloved Dominican dishes are of West African origin. Mangu, boiled mashed plantain, is a breakfast staple. In Puerto Rico and Cuba it is still called by its African name: fufu. Last, but not least is a Mediterranean influence in the cooking that can be attributed to Italian, French and Spanish settlers.