But what is “essential” is subjective, so I believe it’s about what fulfills a need. For others, essential might mean nourishing to the body, or a meal that fills you ahead of a long day of work. Because while much has been done to subjugate and disrupt Puerto Rico, its spirit remains. These recipes tell the story of that spirit — of an Indigenous Taíno population believed to have been exterminated, but still living in the mitochondrial DNA of thousands of Puerto Ricans. They describe fortitude and la brega, a term often used by Puerto Ricans to describe improvising, hustling and making do.

Source: New York Times March 22, 2021 23:26 UTC