Weird Dominican Names for Food - From Poetic to Bizarre

Brits have their "spotted dicks" and Danes their "burning love" (Brændende Kærlighed)* (both frankly sound like the same, er... "socially"-transmitted disease), but Dominicans put up a good fight when it comes to giving the oddest names to delicious foods.

Here we bring some of them; some are well-known, others not. Let's see how many of these you know.

Deditos de novia

Deditos de novia, or "bride's fingers," is a popular Dominican dessert of thin baked pastry rolls stuffed with guava jam. The name is possibly a reference to the powdered sugar coating, perhaps reminiscent of old-timey brides' gloved hands.

Deditos de novia recipe

Mazamorra

This lovely pumpkin puree would have escaped this list were it not for the unfortunate coincidence that this word is also used in the Dominican Republic to describe athlete's foot. Interestingly, mazamorra is the name of several dishes in the Spanish-speaking world, including one very similar to our Chacá.

Mazamorra recipe

Suspiro

Suspiro translates as "sigh" in English, a poetic name that evokes longing and nostalgia, at least in my mind. And yet, in the Dominican Republic, suspiro is meringue, something you eat, and merengue is something you dance to. An important distinction to keep in mind at all times.

Suspiro recipe

Rabo Encendido

I don't know if this name is funny or risqué, I guess it depends on one's mind. Rabo encendido is "tail on fire" in Spanish, and yes, it sounds like another of those unmentionable diseases, but get your mind out of the gutter; it's simply a dish based on oxtail, cooked in a spicy sauce. Pretty innocent, as it turns out.

Rabo encendido recipe

Buche' Perico

Add to the list of "disgusting-sounding foods that just got an odd name" ("parrot's gut", really? -- OK, technically it's the parrot's crop, where they store the food, not that this is any better a name). This corn-based stew hailing from El Cibao is actually worth trying; just don't get put off by the name.

Buche' perico recipe

Morir Soñando

And back to the poetic. "To die dreaming" sounds like a Shakespeare tragedy, in reality, it is the Dominican national drink. Or at least it should be. The very cold mixture of milk and freshly-squeezed orange juice surprises your palate and refreshes your body; as an added bonus, morir soñando is very nutritious.

Morir sonando recipe

Mala Rabia

You would expect that a dish with this name ("bad rage") would be fiercely spicy, and you would be wrong: it is actually a dessert, one made with the strangest combination of ingredients. Mala rabia is a traditional dessert from the Southern DR made from guava, ripe plantains and sweet potatoes (batata) served either in light syrup or a milk-based sauce. The first time I heard about it I was sure I was having my leg pulled.

Mala rabia recipe

Niños envueltos

These tasty cabbage, ground beef, and rice rolls is a wonderful dish came here with the Middle-Eastern-Dominican community. The name in Spanish means "swaddled babies", which I find cute and very apropos.

Niños envueltos recipe

Añugaperros

Ok, this is an awful name for a food. There are no two ways about it: it means "dog choker". The thing is, it is also a pretty logical name for what it is: a coconut-based macaroon-shaped biscuit sold in colmados (corner stores) throughout the Dominican Republic. It is a kind of low-rent version of the coconete, drier and older. You must always accompany it with a drink, otherwise, make sure your companions know how to perform the Heimlich maneuver. You have been warned.

Coconete recipe