A taste of Old San Juan, Pollo Guisado

On our recent trip to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, we were greeted with friendly smiles and amazing food. Their culture and their food stems from indigenous people, african, and spanish influences. When you combine these cultures together, what you get is a wide array of unique flavors and you can pick up the many different cultural tastes in their cuisine.

We were taken to a restaurant in Old San Juan. An old historical building transformed with bright white walls and vibrant colorful decor. I felt the rich history along with the newness and exuberance of the people today. They taught us how to make their signature drink, a Mojito. A cocktail maid with fresh mint, muddled down into a glass, then we added ice, simple syrup, club soda, and some amazing Puerto Rican Rum. It was so refreshing to have an ice cold cocktail to cool us off from the humidity.

Here’s the video of our latest recipe, Pollo Guisado. Also know as Puerto Rican Chicken Stew:

Then we made their most popular dish, Mofongo. It is plantains lightly fried in oil until soft, then it’s mashed in a wooden mortar and pestle with fresh garlic and olive oil. You can eat it as is, dipped in chicken broth. Or, you can make a bowl out of it and fill it with your favorite meat. It’s absolutely delicious! We’ll be filming soon on how to prepare mofongo.!