Is this normal?...

Castellamonte

Bronze
Mar 3, 2005
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Cabrera
www.villa-castellamonte.com
...(not me, I know I'm not normal but...)

After living here for a number of years it has been severely beaten into me that a quick (nice) lunch or (sumptuous) dinner of the good variety is difficult if not impossible to find. Possibly this is just Cabrera/Cabarete but...since I live here....

I decided I would try cooking for myself and the family. Now I'm a weird freak about it! Annoyinnngggg! I analyze all food served pretty much anywhere attempting to determine how it was made. Then I dash home to 'remake' it. I foisting it upon my friends who, God love 'em, gobble it up telling me it is awesome (Lord really knows), they really are nice friends.

Then I decide the bread sucks so I learn how to bake. I make poolish, biga and other crap I had no idea even existed a few years ago. Folks, I have **** growing in my refrigerator that bubbles in the middle of the night...that can't be good, right? Okay, the bread is amazing but it friggin' disappears in about 20 minutes (did I mention my friends?).

Anyhow, the question is: Have other ex-pats discovered unknown 'culinary' skills while living here in the DR? The fresh ingredients (exceptionally cheap) compared to the restaurant prices (not so cheap) seem to compel it. The need to 'do it on my own' compared to the American (yeah, Yankee here) concept of relying upon others that the DR beats out of you in 20 days.

...or am I just getting to be an old fart trying to 'rediscover' myself through a loaf of bread, homemade pizza or pistachio encrusted sea bass? Please tell me I'm sane!!!
 

captboink

New member
Mar 3, 2011
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Of course your going insane. Nobody in their right mind would start cooking and baking things at this stage of our lives. Oh hold on...gotta get my banana bread out of the microwave.

Gary...er captboink
 

Rep Dom

Bronze
Dec 27, 2011
1,237
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I totally agree. I think it's more than ever important to cook our own food to ensure its quality. But furthermore, I guess its important to grow our own verduras and fruitos... Instead of buying from supermarkets. Food as never been more polluted by chemicals... I suppose growing and cooking is the way to stay healthy... :)
 

Chip

Platinum
Jul 25, 2007
16,772
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Santiago
I'd be really happy if someone could explain to me how to make the fish with that really crusty exterior. :)
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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yahoomail.com
Chip,if you are talking about the way the "Haitianas" make it at the beaches here,it's easy.
"Gut",and "scale" your fish.Cut 3 or four slices in each side,down to the backbone.Salt and lime juice,dredge in regualr flour,into a big pan,with HOT oil,but not smoking hot.You can test by dropping some flour into the oil,if it "boils" it's ready.I use a wooden spoon handle to test the oil.If the wood "boils" in goes the fish.
Cook until the whole fish is very "Crispy". I eat the head and tail too if crispy.Spent too much time in the "Orient"!
A little more salt,some fresh limes,and some "Tostones",you are good-to-go.
And your "One" ice cold "Presidente" of the day!
"Bon Appetit"
CC
 

les1

Member
Feb 1, 2007
310
15
18
Cooking at home

How about getting a Mexican cook book, lots of the ingrediants but more interesting than dominican food
 

pi2

Banned
Oct 12, 2011
961
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How about getting a Mexican cook book, lots of the ingrediants but more interesting than dominican food
Also Chinese, Thai and Indian food is very easy to prepare for one or two people with all the fresh ingredients in the DR. Sometimes I cheat and freeze bags of fresh chopped vegitables after blanching and also different varieties of beans. The only thing I cannot get is beansprouts but the solution seems to be to grow your own. Mung beans are available in the capital.
The beans are easy to cook in a pressure cooker about 2-4 lbs at a time. There is a huge variety and quite a big bag of veg is about 60 pesos. It can last 1 person 4 days or more. Freezer jam and fresh honey are very good. Some meals have a dollars worth of ingredients per portion - others slightly more.
Recipies are widely available on the internet,
pi2
 

belmont

Bronze
Oct 9, 2009
1,536
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0
Sometimes necessity, the mother of invention, wins. For some reason I had a yearning for a baked hot dogs and beans casserole (OK shoot me, but that is gourmet dining to me). I had no problem finding American hot dogs in Puerto Plata, but couldn't find any canned baked beans. I tried it with Goya black beans, added some brown sugar, mustard and ketchup. Mission accomplished.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
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It is true that here you have to invent ways of making what you used to buy easily, especially if you dont live near restaurants nor international supermarkets. I now:

1. Make indian curries, thai food (easy here with fresh ginger, coconut, limes, lemongrass and chillis) and chinese food
2. Make my own bread, and pizzas (using fresh tomatoes to make sauce, none of that bottled stuff)
3. Make my own baked beans and barbecue sauce
4. Make my own quipes (thanks to Aunt Clara) and donuts.
5. Make fresh soups
6. Make pressed cows tongue

Much healthier than when I lived in the UK!

Matilda
 

LaTeacher

Bronze
May 2, 2008
852
66
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i've learned how to cook as well - i make breads and pastas (and pizza sauce!) and also a ton of dominican dishes.

i try to "inventar" something at least once a week!
 
May 29, 2006
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I've been cooking forever, but I found it fun to improvise while in the DR with the local ingredients. I miss the local peppers like the sweet ones that look like haberneros and the hot pencil thin ones that were labeled as "Jalapeno"(?) I didn't mind not being able to find some ingredients, but some decent carrots(small ones) and red onions(large ones) would have been nice. It was all so hit or miss. Basil was cheap and the potatoes were very much like Yukon Gold in the US. Frozen Mero was great for fish and chips, but getting malt vinegar was a problem. Next time, I'll bring more spices and condiments. A pound of Montreal Steak seasoning and some good chili powder for starters. Canadians, bring celery salt if you like Caesars.

@ belmont: No Beenie weenie?? Geez that's rough.

@Derfish: You're looking to make a bechamel sauce. I skip the nutmeg, but add in white wine and/or garlic. Make your roux ahead of time and you can make it to order in about five minutes.
Bechamel Sauce Recipe : Mario Batali : Food Network
 

granca

Bronze
Aug 20, 2007
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Good for you castellamonte. I believe everybody should learn to cook even if its only fried egg, chips(french fries) and baked beans! At home my Dominican wife does all the dominican cooking, moro today, I do all the european cooking. The whole family loves my steak and kidney pudding. There is very little we can get in a restaurant that we can't cook much cheaper at home, big exception is "sushi", we go out for that twice a year. Where's there a restaurant that serves grilled (broil) cheese on toast with a sprinkling of Worcester Sauce. ~Shutup Granca, don't go on so!!