My favorite Puerto Rican “plato típico” to eat whenever I visit home is Chuleta Can-Can. This dish originated in 1957 in Restaurante La Guardarraya in Yauco, Puerto Rico. Chuletas Can-Can, also spelled Chuletas kan kan, is a style of pork chop with the rib meat, fat, and skin all still attached. To prepare Chuleta Can-Can, one must begin with marinating the meat with a variety of ingredients, which can be cilantro, oregano, vinegar, onion, paprika, and garlic. After marinating the meat, the Can-Can is then deep-fried to make a layer of pork rinds on top of the rib and the pork chop. Chuletas Can-Can are usually served with rice and beans and amarillos (fried plantains). This is my favorite dish because it is a perfect example of how flavorful Puerto Rican food is and how the fusion of ingredients can contribute to making a wonderful dish like this one.

-Nicole Soto, sophomore, marketing major

Being both puertorriqueña and dominicana, I’ve learned so much about my culture and I’ve embraced their differences and their similarities bc that’s what makes me, me. My favorite Dominican food has to be my grandmother’s sancocho which is like a stew with meat and vegetables in it. My favorite Puerto Rican food has to be a tie between my grandfather’s pasteles en hoja or his alcapurrias. Yes, I do put mayo, ketchup and a little hot sauce on my pasteles. My favorite dance has to be bachata, I’m still a little rusty with salsa but I’ll get there. My favorite Spanish song right now has to be “Virgen” by Adolescent’s Orquesta a classic. I have too many favorite artists to choose just one.

-Genesis Feliciano, junior, criminal justice major

Being Puerto Rican is an honor for me because it’s like a party 24/7. Wherever you are in the world you are most likely to find a Puerto Rican around the corner. My favorite Puerto Rican food has to be my mom’s asopao with pan sobao. My favorite dance has to be salsa. My grandma used to make me dance with her all the time. Sundays morning’s waking up to Rubén Blades blasting on the speakers was my favorite part of the day. My favorite Spanish song right now has to be Del Mar by Ozuna and Hasta Que Dios Diga by Anuel AA. Puerto Rico has a lot of great artists, its so hard to choose just one.

-Daniela Pietri, junior, national security major