About sancocho
Sancocho is a favorite dish in the Dominican Republic. Simmered in a cookpot called a cardero, this savory stew of root vegetables and meats mingles flavors of Africa, Spain, France and the Americas. It speaks of the struggle, resourcefulness, community, and rich ethnic heritage of Dominicans, at home and abroad.
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About cardero
A cardero is a cookpot used to prepare sancocho, a savory stew of meats and root vegetables eaten in the Dominican Republic. Sancocho’s flavors reflect the country’s diverse ethnic mix—African, Taino Indian, Spanish, Creole. It’s often cooked outdoors on Sundays or holidays and served to family and neighbors.
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About generations
This cardero, or cookpot, has passed from grandmother to mother to daughter in a Dominican family. It holds sancocho to feed a crowd. Sancocho is a savory stew bearing the flavors of the ethnic groups that have lived and struggled on Dominican soil. Will the next generation remember the recipe?
--Gail Friedman
AND, late-breaking history, added after post time. Because I can.About sancocho (2)
Sancocho, a savory meat-and-vegetable stew eaten throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, means "pig slop" in Spanish. It may owe its origin to the African custom of keeping a pot of soup to welcome guests. Or, to the meal made from recycled table scraps fed to slaves.
(Source: Nelly Rosario, “Feasting on Sancocho Before Night Falls: A Meditation,” Callaloo 30.1, 2007, pps. 259-281.)
