Puerto Rican Carnival Corn Bread

I LOVE Spanish foods. All kinds of Spanish foods. I love foods from Spain. I love Mexican food, I love Southwestern and Tex-Mex food, and I love the foods from Puerto Rico as well. All of these delicious cuisines have a common Spanish thread, but they all have their very own distinct personalities too.

We have been down to Puerto Rico many times, and have visited all over the mainland of Puerto Rico, as well as both Culebra and Vieques, the two smaller islands off the east coast. Out of all the different “Spanish” foods, the foods of Puerto Rico are closest to actual Spanish food from Spain. The biggest influences on Puerto Rican cooking are from the native Taino Indians, Spain and Africa, and within the past 70 years or so, America, though there are many other culinary influences from many other countries as well. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, “there is no such thing as ethnic cooking. The term ethnic cooking is dead. We are all just cooking”. Chicken Burma

In the early days, Puerto Rican foods were simple, and were mainly vegetarian, from root vegetables, and seafood. The island of Puerto Rico is only 100 miles long and 35 miles wide, however, with all the distinct regional differences of the foods, the different names that are given, and the different preparation methods, you would think the island was much bigger. It seems as though every town has its own renowned specialty dish. Rice and beans have always been staples in the Puerto Rican diet, and still are. Today, all that has changed though, and there are many Puerto Rican chefs who are creatively cooking with all kinds of different foods, from all different backgrounds, using a wide variety of ingredients. It is said that Puerto Rican foods “have a rainbow of flavors and traditions” because the Puerto Rican people are rainbow people. Yvonne Ortiz, A Taste of Puerto Rico, Traditional and New Dishes From the Puerto Rican Community.

When I made my Puerto Rican casserole Puerto Rican Casserole, of course I made enough to feed a small army, meaning there was a lot leftover. So we enjoyed it again, but this time I served it with a Puerto Rican Carnival corn bread, or pan de maiz de Carnival. Pan de maiz de Carnival is a colorful cornbread made with shredded carrots and corn, and I added jalapeno as well, making it even more flavorful and colorful. I served it with honey butter.

Puerto Rican Carnival Corn Bread

Preheat oven to 425* F or about 220* C.

Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.

1 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

1 TBSP baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup or 1/2 stick softened butter, cubed

1 egg

1 cup plain or vanilla yogurt

2 carrots, peeled and shredded

1/2 cup corn kernels

1 jalapeno, diced fine, optional

Combine all the ingredients together, except the egg and the yogurt. Mix together until it resembles a colorful coarse sand.

Mix the egg and the yogurt together, then add to the dry mixture. Mix just until everything is blended. Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until it is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

I like my cornbread with honey butter, and that is literally just honey and butter mixed together. The proportions of honey to butter depend on you and how sweet you like it. This bread is so moist and flavorful. It is almost like a cake rather than a bread. !Esta mui delicioso! !Desfruitas!.

You can always add a little splash of color to your life in everything you do. Make everything fun and colorful. Have a great day. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.