Daily Archives: May 25, 2012

Mercado Urbano, Condado, San Juan

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On the first Sunday of each month over 40 vendors gather at the Mercado Urbano at La Ventana al Mar in Condado. There were white tents filled with locally grown flowers, fruit, coffee, pastries, breads and Puerto Rico made clothing, soaps and crafts.

We went straight for Hermanos Torres and the mixed berry smoothies and pina coladas.

The pina colada was garnished with own pineapple, adorned with maraschino cherries and a paper umbrella.

We were given the pineapple fruit to enjoy. So impeccably fresh and sweet.

The guava danishes were tempting and the pastries’ red purple hue were gorge.

We loved the skirt steak empanada served with chimichurri and the turkey empanada served with hot sauce.

I wish there were more guava pastries in the States. The guava cookies were buttery and had a guava jam filled center.

One of our favorite items at the Mercado was the Fried cheese with garlic mayo. We had to get two orders because we could not get enough of the garlic queso flavor.

The fried salt cod fritter or bacalaito was crispy on the outside and filled with cilantro, tomato and onion.

Sweets, Fruit and Pina Colada, Cayez

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San Juan has some of the fresh fruits including mounds of sweet mango, bananas, guava and passion fruit. Sometimes the mango and papaya can be exceptionally sweet or lack flavor.

Mangoes

After crisp and mouthwatering lechon (roasted pig), we had a freshly made, pina colada in a proper pineapple bowl. 

The proprietor scooping out the pineapple fruit to make the pina colada mix.

The pina colada was a monstrosity, topped with whip cream, cherries, additional fruit and paper umbrellas. It was made for sharing. To make your own pina colada all you need is  pineapple juice, coconut cream, water, ice and a bit of rum (optional).

Lechonera El Rancho, Cayez

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On the hunt for Lechon (crispy roasted pig), we took out the 4×4 and cruised down Highway 184, to the Caguas, the Lechonera area of Puerto Rico. Caguas has numerous Lechoneras on the ride, but our final destination was Lechonera El Rancho.

We finally made it to Lechonera El Rancho, and according to our local sources, this was the place to go. Even Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods went to Lechonera El Rancho on his show. Although parking was a challenge, with patience we found an opening.

One Lechonera we passed had festive signage and decor.

We enjoyed a few Medalla beers later on, which are sold at convenience stores on the way to Cayez.

We passed any Lechoneras on our ride, including Lechonera el Tabonuco.

El Rancho has a unique vibrancy from the salsa and bachata music including Celia Cruz and Aventura’s Obsesion (Although from the DR, love this song and them). The  locals were dancing, selling knick knacks and families and couples were enjoying luscious and crispy pork.

The full roast pig on the spit

More crispy roasted lechon

Sides of rice with pigeon peas, yuca, white rice

Slicing or rather macheteing pieces of lechon

The crispy skin was unreal and tender meat was finger licking good.

I loved the side of yellow rice and pigeon peas.

We also enjoyed a tamale with pork filling wrapped in a banana leaf. It was hearty, but delicious.

My plate with all the bounty including the pork, rice and beans and tamale.

To wash down the mean, I enjoyed an iced soursop (guanabana) drink. It was sweet and tangy.

After, I couldn’t help but have a Coco Rico soda, so refreshing.

To close our our meal, we enjoyed some flan custard (BMH’s recipe attempt of flan). It was smooth, bounce and perfectly square.After such a memorable meal and chatting with some locals, we had considered dancing to work off the meal and join in on the merriment, however we were all just too full.