interview on foodways

00:02 My name is Namiyake. I'm 20 years old. Today it's May 4th and ice skating with Paola who is my friends. We are recording this interview in Stanton and Virginia. So, first of all, could you tell me about one dish whose recipe has passed on to them from your families?

00:22 Yes. So one dish that we have is called, which means it basically, like, when you translate it, it means filling up a potato. But it's what it is. It's a ball of mashed potatoes, and on the inside, it's usually a meat stuffing. Like, usually it's beef. So it's kind of like. I was thinking of it earlier, it's kind of like onigiri, where it's like, you know, how the rice has the filling on the inside? It's kind of like that, but it's potatoes and it's meat. Yeah.

00:55 Okay, so the next question is, what is represented something so about culture or including social and economic reasons.

01:09 So I think it's. It's very popular in Puerto Rico as a street food. So you can, like, go downtown and you'll see food trucks and everything. And there's a lot of food trucks that will sell that because they're very easy to make. And they're also very, like, you can walk around and just eat them. Like, you can hold them in your hand, and they don't make a mess or anything. And you can just eat them like normal. So you don't need to have any sort of utensils like a fork or a knife or anything. It's very easy to walk around and eat. But also, the ingredients to make them are not that expensive because it's just potatoes, meat, and some kind of oil. So you don't need to spend a lot of money to have to make it. So if you want something that's very filling but also very quick and cheap, you can make that at home really easy.

02:01 Okay. I think it is very important meals or your cultures. So. But why is this important of your culture and your country and your family?

02:22 I think in my family, it's very important because it's a food that everyone has eaten. Like, my mom learned it from her mom, and her mom learned it from her mom, and it keeps going back. So it's very important, I think, because of the family history. But then culture wise, I think it's important because there aren't many other, like, countries that have a food that is exactly like this one. So they can be similar, but they won't taste the same. But, like, my mom can make relleno de papa. And it'll taste really good. And my friend's mom can make it. And because this, the recipe is so simple, they can both taste exactly the same but still be really good. So it's not like if I go to Ecuador, they might have something similar, but it's not going to taste the same because it's not the same recipe. So I feel like, culture wise, I think it's really important to Puerto Rico because it's something that is very unique to us where only we make it that way, which I think makes it, like, special.

03:33 So. Yeah. So it is popular in your country, right? Yes.

03:38 Yeah. Yeah. It's like, it's not only popular for, like, just normal households. Like, we'll make it for, like, certain holidays and stuff. But then also if you just walk down the street at night and you see these food trucks, they usually have it because it's super easy to make and super easy to sell and, like, just to just carry around and, like, eat it. Yeah.

03:59 Okay. And also you like it? Yes, they're very good.

04:06 Yeah.

04:06 Oh, that's so cool.

04:08 Yeah. Because, like, the way that you make it is you mash up potatoes, and then, like, you can season the potatoes, but then also the meat. You season it. And after you have seasoned both, you kind of, like, you take the mashed potatoes and you form them into a ball, and then you take the meat and you, like, stuff it inside and then you fry it. So I think it's. Yeah, it's really tasty. Yeah.

04:38 Sounds so easy. Sounds so good. And so you said it. Differences between each family or not there.

04:50 Are differences, but they're very small to where you don't notice it. Like, the only way that you would notice it being made by different people is if they use completely different seasonings or if they make it badly. Because it's supposed to be the same recipe for, like, all of it. So.

05:12 Yeah, different season.

05:15 Yeah, yeah. Like the different. Like, because we use this one, this one thing called sazon, and then another thing called adobo. So those are the two main things that you use to season the meat. But then other people would add in, like, other things or maybe not use those two, which are, like, the most important things for the flavor. Yeah.

05:38 Okay. I got this.

05:39 Okay.

05:40 Thank you so much.

05:40 Yeah.

05:41 You're welcome. Sorry, What? Sorry, I don't know. Did you type your. Oh, no, it is. Okay.

05:52 All right, cool. Yeah, so it looks like that it's just a little ball.

06:03 Yeah, a ball.

06:05 Oh, yeah.

06:12 Can I eat in the U.S. yeah. Oh, yeah.

06:16 As long as you find an area that has, like, Latin restaurants, you should be able to find a place that sells them. Yeah.

06:26 Yeah, it is, right? Yeah. Japanese onigiri. But I think it is better than oniri.

06:36 You're welcome. They're very filling. See, you just need one or two and you'll be good.

06:44 Is like spicy?

06:47 No, they're not supposed to be spicy, but I guess some people might make them spicy, like for their own taste. But in general, with, like, the normal recipe, it's not spicy.

06:57 Oh, really? Oh, I see. Wow. So recently I went to the Mexican restaurant many times. Yeah. But I always ate. Tacos.

07:14 Are very popular. Yeah. Like Puerto Rican. So you won't find that a Mexican restaurant.

07:22 Yeah.

07:26 She's very loud. Yeah.

07:33 Yeah. Hara and me always notice that. Oh, now? Now when we get up. Okay. Oh, now we maybe sleep now.

07:47 It's easy to find.

07:49 Yes.

07:51 Thank you so much. Thank you. I'll see you later.