QuickTips Index

How to Prepare Bacalao
The best method for soaking bacalao is to cover the fish with approximately 2 inches of cold water in a large bowl. Put the bowl in the refrigerator and soak for up to 3 days, changing the water at least 3 times a day.

Spanish and European Ingredients
Christopher Columbus arrived in the area in 1492 and introduced sugarcane. It didn’t take long to discover that rum could be made from fermented cane juice. Bacardi Rum is a standard ingredient in many tropical refreshments. Other Europeans followed the Spain in colonizing the islands and brought with them their culinary trademarks.

African, Chinese and Indian Ingredients
Beginning in the early 1600s the slave trade brought foods from West Africa to the islands. After the abolishment of slavery, laborers from India and China came to work in the fields and on plantations.

Native South American and Mexican Ingredients
The proximity of the Caribbean to Mexico and South America encouraged trade between the native tribes. Here are some of the South American and Mexican ingredients they included in their food.

Native Caribbean Ingredients
The Arawaks and Caribs, two native tribes, originally occupied the Spanish influenced islands of The Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Here are some of the native ingredients they included in their food.