What is the largest Spanish speaking country in the Caribbean?

What is the largest Spanish speaking country in the Caribbean?

Cuba

What did the Spanish contribute to the Caribbean?

The Spanish introduced many crops to Jamaica like: sugar cane, bananas and citrus fruits. Also it was they who apparently introduced most of the pets that are currently on the island, such as pigs, horses, goats, cats, dogs and chickens.

Why did the Dutch came to the Caribbean?

Dutch superiority in shipping and their available capital enabled them to aid non-Spanish nations to settle in the Caribbean. The Dutch themselves began to settle in the Caribbean, but they differed greatly from the English and French in that they did not establish plantation colonies, but mainly trading colonies.

What happened to slaves when they arrived in the Caribbean?

Once they arrived in the Caribbean islands, the Africans were prepared for sale. They were washed and their skin was oiled. Finally they were sold to local buyers. Often parents were separated from children, and husbands from wives.

Who inhabited the Caribbean first?

The Taíno were an Arawak people who were the indigenous people of the Caribbean and Florida. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the principal inhabitants of most of Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti), and Puerto Rico.

What happened to the Arawaks in Jamaica?

The original inhabitants of Jamaica are believed to be the Arawaks, also called Tainos. The Arawaks led quiet and peaceful lives until they were destroyed by the Spaniards some years after Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1494.

Is mofongo Dominican or Puerto Rican?

Mofongo (Spanish pronunciation: [moˈfoŋɡo]) is a Puerto Rican dish with fried plantains as its main ingredient. Plantains are picked green and fried, then mashed with salt, garlic, broth, and olive oil in a wooden pilón (mortar and pestle).

Who eats mofongo?

Today you’ll find many iterations of the iconic mofongo in Puerto Rican, Dominican and Cuban restaurants.

• Garlic. Garlic, a culinary influence from Spain, is key.
• Plantains. Plantains, originating from South Asia, arrived in the northwest Caribbean islands in the early 1500s.
• Filling.
• Garnishes.

What drink is Puerto Rico known for?

The Piña Colada

What is a typical Puerto Rican dinner?

The vibrancy of Puerto Rican culture comes alive in its dishes, a celebration of flavors that visitors have the opportunity to indulge in. Some of the favorites are mofongo, tostones, pasteles, arroz con gandules, tembleque, and coquito.

What is the national dish of Puerto Rico What are the ingredients?

Arroz con gandules y lechón – Yellow rice with pigeon peas alongside roasted pork is the national dish.

What is a mofongo in Puerto Rico?

Mofongo is one of the Puerto Rican delights made with fried mashed green (not ripe) plantains, mashed garlic and small pieces of crunchy chicharrón.

Do pineapples grow in Puerto Rico?

Pineapple is an iconic crop in Puerto Rico, traditionally grown by Taino Indians since pre-Columbian times. It is native to southern Brazil and Paraguay and was likely domesticated by natives there and brought through South America and Central America to Mexico and the Caribbean islands.

What type of animals are in Puerto Rico?

Bats are the only extant native terrestrial mammals in Puerto Rico. All other terrestrial mammals in the area were introduced by humans, and include species such as cats, goats, sheep, the small Asian mongoose, and escaped monkeys. Marine mammals include dolphins, manatees, and whales.

Does breadfruit grow in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico was one of the many islands that stood to benefit from breadfruit, given its reliance on food imports. Like Hawaii, the island was importing upwards of 80 percent of its food, making it an ideal candidate for breadfruit cultivation.

Where does cherimoya grow?

Cherimoya is grown in tropical regions throughout the world, as well as in Spain, mostly in the southern provinces of Granada and Málaga, where it is widely consumed. It is also grown in Calabria in southern Italy. American writer Mark Twain called the cherimoya “the most delicious fruit known to men”.

How long does it take for a cherimoya tree to bear fruit?

Cherimoyas ripen in 5 to 8 months after pollination changing in color from a darker to a light green or greenish tan, 3 to 8 inch ovoid weighing 1/2 to 6 lbs. In California fruit ripens from November to June. Other members of the family that are grown for their fruit are: Sugar apple or custard apple (Annona squamosa)

Are cherimoya and custard apple the same?

Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) is a green, cone-shaped fruit with scaly skin and creamy, sweet flesh. Due to its creamy texture, cherimoya is also known as custard apple. It’s often eaten with a spoon and served chilled like custard.

Is cherimoya safe to eat?

The unusual fruit’s inedible peel is scaly and similar in appearance to an artichoke. The flesh inside is creamy and soft like custard. When eating cherimoya, be careful to remove the dark brown seeds, which are toxic to humans.

Why is cherimoya expensive?

Because the cherimoya produces little fruit naturally and the flowers must be hand-pollinated, the fruit is especially expensive, even in season ($7 per pound). Those lucky enough to have a back yard tree have their pick of the “aristocrat of fruit,” as it is called by aficionados.

Is custard apple good for kidney patients?

Traditionally it has been recommended for use in people with cardiac, hepatic, kidney conditions or osteoporosis. Custard apples can be used at any age.