dominican bites

El horno no está para galleticas

Translation: the oven is not ready for cookies. Meaning: the situation doesn’t allow for this type of behavior. We can’t afford to do something because of circumstances. Significado: la situación no permite cierto tipo de comportamiento. Las circunstancias limitan los planes. Use: general, colloquial Example: - No se puede salir en la noche ya. Anoche atracaron a la vecina. - Bueeeno, el horno no está para galleticas. (- We can’t go out at night anymore. Our neighbor got mugged last night. - Well, the oven is not ready for cookies.)

Jardín Japonés en el Jardín Botánico Nacional, Santo Domingo - República Dominicana. Japanese Garden in the National Botanical Garden, Santo Domingo - Dominican Republic.

Dar muela

Literal translation: to give tooth Meaning: to use nice words and chivalry to gain the favor of a female, to court someone this way. This term is often used to refer to men who don’t have much else to offer but are good at making girls fall in love with them because of their courting skills. A man who “gives tooth” is called a “muelú”. Significado: dícese del hombre que enamora a una chica con el uso de sus palabras y su trato, especialmente si no tiene mucho más que ofrecer. Dicho hombre que “da muela” es llamado un “muelú”.…

Ahí hay gato entre macuto

Literal transation: There’s a cat in a knapsack there. Meaning: Something doesn’t add up or make sense. Someone is hiding something. Significado: Algo no tiene sentido o no concuerda. Alguien está escondiendo algo. Use: general Example: El dinero se perdió el día que el vino. Ahí hay gato entre macuto. (The money disappeared the day he came by. There’s a cat in a knapsack there.)

Una fría. Santo Domingo, República Dominicana. Serving a cold one, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

E’ má’ la sal que el chivo

Literal translation: there’s more salt than goat (in this dish). Meaning: of a situation - it is more trouble than it is worth. Significado: “Es más la sal que el chivo”: no vale la pena, es más el esfuerzo que el resultado. Use: general

Pasar crujía

Literal translation: to go through a corridor. Meaning: to go through hardship. Significado: pasar por momentos difíciles. Use: general, colloquial. Example: Aquí estoy, pasando crujía. (Here I am, going through hardship - an answer to the question: How are you? often heard in the DR).

Mofongo de plátano (el original) con un servicio de sancocho. Adrian Tropical, Santo Domingo - República Dominicana. Plantain mofongo with a side of sancocho - at Adrian’s Tropical Restaurant by the sea. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. “Mofongo” is a Dominican dish made of fried, smashed plantains, traditionally mixed with garlic and pork cracklings. Modern variations of mofongo could be mixed with shrimp or made with yucca root or green bananas (guineítos).