Although Puerto Rican cooking is somewhat similar to both Spanish and Mexican cuisine, it has a unique style, using such indigenous seasonings and ingredients as coriander, papaya, cacao, nispero, apio, plantains, and yampee.

Puerto Rico has a rich source of foods cultivated in its tropical hillsides. The traditional Puerto Rican recipes were born (and are still perpetuated) in these rural areas, even though most of the cooking methods of times past have been replaced by modern techniques. The wide variety of fruits and vegetables growing on our fertile soil ensure that our meals are never boring.

During the year, Puerto Rico's mountain towns celebrate festivals related to some of the foods grown, and to other traditional and cultural facets of the Puerto Rican society. Whatever the theme, there's always an encounter with the culinary delights found in our distinctive cookery. The Typical Dishes Festival is a celebration of local dishes and beverages made with coconut. Traditional music, arts and crafts, and other activities can also be enjoyed. The festival is held in the Town Square of Luquillo, on the northeast coast.

Sofrito is a combination of ingredients used as a seasoning to give a distinctive, characteristic taste to many native dishes.The caldero or cauldron is an iron or cast-aluminum kettle with round bottom and straight sides used to cook the arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) and many other dishes. The use of this pot or a similar heavy kettle is indispensable to cook a good rice recipe. Rice is a mainstay of the Puerto Rican diet and it can be prepared in a variety of ways be it "white" served with kidney beans or prepared with gandules (pigeon peas) or garbanzos (chick-peas) or in a variety of other delicious ways...( just try a well-made rice with chicken).

Soups are a popular beginning for meals in Puerto Rico or a full meal by themselves such as the sopón de pollo con arróz (chicken soup with rice), sopón de pescado (fish soup) or sopón de garbanzos con patas de cerdo (chick peas soup with pig's feet). Not really a soup, one of the most traditional of dishes is the asopao,a hearty gumbo made with fish or chicken. Every Puerto Rican chef has his own recipe for asopao. Asopao de pollo might take a whole chicken, which is flavored with spices such as garlic, paprika and orégano as well with salt pork, cured ham, green peppers, chili peppers,onions, tomatoes,chorizos and pimentos. If the budget is low an asopao de gandules will still be a hearty meal. An amazing number of ingredients, notably local vegetables, plantains and meats go into the sancocho, a type of Caribbean soup which is a true delicacy

Pastelon de carne, or meat pies, are the staple of many Puerto Rican dinners. Salt pork and ham are often used for the filling and are cooked in a caldero (small cauldron). This medley of meats and spices is covered with a pastry top and baked.

Other typical main dishes include fried beefsteak with onions (carne frita con cebolla), veal (ternera) à la parmesana, and roast leg of pork, fresh ham, lamb, or veal à la criolla. These roasted meats are cooked in the Créole style, flavored with adobo. Chicharrónes is very popular, especially around Christmastime--fried pork with the crunchy skin left on top for added flavor.

Puerto Ricans adore chicken, which they flavor with various spices and seasonings. Arroz con pollo (chicken with rice) is the most popular chicken dish on the island, and it was brought long ago to the U.S. mainland. Other favorite preparations include pollo al Jerez (chicken in sherry), pollo en agridulce (sweet-and-sour chicken), and pollitos asados à la parrilla (broiled chickens).

A favorite side dish are the tostones, made from plátanos (green plantains) which are sliced, fried lightly, then are crushed and placed back on the frying pan to be fried again to a crunchy golden yellow. Most visitors to the island prefer the fresh fish and shellfish. A popular dish is mojo isleno (fried fish with Puerto Rican sauce). The sauce is made with olives and olive oil, onions, pimientos, capers, tomato sauce, vinegar, and a flavoring of garlic and bay leaves. Fresh fish is often grilled, and perhaps flavored with garlic and an overlay of freshly squeezed lime juice--a very tasty dinner indeed. Caribbean lobster is usually the most expensive item on any menu, followed by shrimp. Puerto Ricans often cook camarones en cerveza (shrimp in beer). Another delectable shellfish dish is jueyes hervidos (boiled crab).