5 Foods I Love in the Dominican Republic

One of the beautiful things about life in a totally new culture is experiencing the food! Sometimes it’s a spin on familiar foods, sometimes it’s a classic (like a bacon cheeseburger), and sometimes it’s something I’ve never heard of! Lately I’ve had an ever growing list of scrumptious things that I’ve been able to eat down here and enjoy with friends.

Here's five foods I've grown to love down here in the DR!

1 – Fresh fruit smoothies

Man, oh man! Going into town and grabbing a freshly made smoothie is just incredible. The fruit down here is extremely tasty. Mango, banana, strawberry, and, one of my personal favorites, chinola (passion fruit)–I wish I could give you a sample!

2 – Arepas

An arepa is like a South American/Latin American version of pita bread. They're little, round flatbreads made from maize flour. People love to stuff them with all kinds of things like cheese and ham! They're super common here in the DR, and I've enjoyed plenty!

3 – Sancocho

One of the DR's most famous dishes is called sancocho. It's basically a stew made from whatever you have in the fridge! And somehow, it's amazingly delicious every time. It usually has lots of spices, chicken (with bones), often another kind of meat, corn, and other vegetables! I've never had sancocho I didn't like.

4 – Cassava

Cassava (or yuca) root is not something I ever remember trying before moving here! It's kinda like a potato, but it tastes different! Dominicans eat it alllll the time, and I've really started to enjoy it.

5 – Rice & beans

You can't go wrong with a certified classic! A little bit of rice and a little bit of beans goes a long way. It's not the type of meal that you might think you'd love, but it's become one of my favorites!

So there ya go! It's always a blast to experience a fresh cuisine!

My Question for YOU!

What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten? (Mine's a secret)

Author: Timothy Bemenderfer (04/10/2024)