You hear a knock on the door just as you sit down with your family for Sunday dinner. Not expecting a guest you inquisitively open the door to see your cousin Janice, her husband and three kids who decided to stop in without warning to join in on the meal.

This may seem like a total faux pas by American standards but in the Dominican Republic such dinner table hopping is not only common but welcomed and encouraged. Dominicans use traditional food and drink not only as a source of nourishment but as a way to enjoy each day and celebrate the company of others.

Dominican Republic food is a mix of Spanish influences and the cultural and cooking practices of the native Taino Indians. There is definitely a Latin American feel to the cuisine, but it is not heavily spiced as the food of other West Indian countries tends to be. The main flavors of Caribbean recipes are garlic, onions, coriander and oregano.

As in most Latin countries, Dominicans stop work around midday to go home and enjoy their lunch. The most typical Dominican food served is La Bandera’ or La Bandera Dominicana which translates to the Dominican Flag.

La Bandera Dominicana is a combination of rice, red beans, stewed meat (usually goat), salad and fried plantains. Other mainstays are Comida Criolla which is a stewed chicken dish served with rice and beans.

The question is commonly asked why is the common dish called La Bandera Dominican or the Dominican flag? It is because the traditional foods of the Dominican Republic are consumed by the majority of Dominicans at lunchtime as often as five days a week, regardless of social status. It always includes rice, beans and meat, often with side dishes like salad or fried plantain and represents their staple diet.

The only true Taino dishes that are still common are Casabe flat bread made from the poisonous yucca plant. The plant is shredded, soaked and pressed to have the poisonous components of the plant removed. Casava, another Taino dish, is a type of fritter that is stuffed with meat, chicken or fish.
Evening meals are usually much lighter by American Standards. It is often a variation of what is eaten at breakfast, maybe a simple sandwich and hot drink, or simply a glass of natural fruit juice.

Many of the meat dishes contain goat which are abundant in the country. Tourist often will see an abundance of fresh seafood, including, marlin, mahi-mahi, rock lobster and Dorado. But the locals tend to eat a lot of goat and chicken because it is less expensive than fish and seafood.

A Dominican meal can not be considered complete without dessert. In a land abundant with sugar cane, most desserts are remarkably sweet. Common sweets are cakes, puddings, caramel-dipped fruits and creams.

At the center of every Dominican celebration is the Dominican cake. Weddings, baptisms and birthdays are not complete without this traditional cake. The cake contains a baked-in fruit filling that can vary from pineapple, strawberry, orange or peach. Many Dominicans use this cake, with its somewhat daunting instructions, as the test of a master cook.

A trip to the Dominican will encompass much more than resort life and shopping. Dominican cuisine only offers reason enough to venture outside the resorts in search of true Dominican cuisine.