Food: Puerto Rican cuisine is a blend of Spanish, African, Taino and American influences, somewhat similar to Spanish, Cuban and Mexican cuisine. Locals call their cuisine "cocina criolla" (Creole cuisine), which dates back to the Arawaks and Tainos, the island's first inhabitants, who thrived on corn, tropical fruits and seafood. The Spanish brought beef , pork, rice, wheat and olive oil, while slaves from Africa brought okra and taro (known in Puerto Rico as yautia). All the flavors and ingredients have resulted in the blend of today's Puerto Rican cuisine. Puerto Ricans use adobo and sofrito to give their foods distinctive flavors. Adobo is rubbed on meats before cooking and is prepared by crushing together peppercorns, oregano, garlic, salt, olive oil and lime juice or vinegar. Sofrito is what gives the island's rice, soups or stews their bright yellow color and is made with a potpourri of onions, garlic, cilantro and peppers. Traditionally, meals followed Spanish custom with a continental breakfast, a hearty midday meal and a modest supper. Now Puerto Ricans eat a hearty breakfast, a light lunch, and a hearty dinner. Although fast food is consumed, most Puerto Ricans prefer a home-cooked meal. Some fast food establishments also serve rice and beans or other local dishes. Appetizers Lunch and dinner normally start with hot starters such as bacalaitos, which are crunchy cod fritters, surullitos, which are fingers sweet cornmeal, and empanadillas. , which are crescent-shaped turnovers filled with lobster, crab, conch or beef. Another form of appetizer are the different soups. Some of them include: sopón de pollo con arros (chicken soup with rice), caldo gallego (Galician...... middle of paper ......m drink. Food customs on occasions ceremonial Although American holidays are celebrated, the menu for them is normally different. The traditional holiday menu includes pernil or lechón asado (pork), pasteles and arroz con gandules. Typical desserts include arroz. con dulce or flan, a popular holiday drink Be sure to be aware of some of the different things Puerto Ricans eat. Some people eat veal brains or kidneys, beef tongue or legs. of pork and if they mention that it is a lesson, the teacher must make sure that other students do not make fun of the foods eaten by these students. Even at lunch, when the students. bring food from home, this may not be a typical lunch and teachers should ensure that the student is not made fun of for bringing rice and meat to school..