PUERTO PLATA.- En masse, the population of Puerto Plata is preparing to prepare Christmas Eve dinner this December 24, for which thousands of citizens purchase the foods that make up the traditional family banquet.
From the early hours of the morning the asaderos or lechoneras were activated, where thousands of pigs are roasted on wood bonfires and roasted on wooden puyas whose meat is one of the main delicacies of Christmas dinner in this part of the country.
In the different central streets and avenues and peripheral locations in this city of San Felipe de Puerto Plata, multiple stalls have been installed selling roast pork whose cost per pound ranges between RD$475, RD$500, RD$550 and RD$600, depending on the location and the quality of the product.
Large lines of vehicles were observed at the western and eastern entrances of the city, specifically in the El Manguito and La Javilla sectors, where citizens stopped to buy the tasty roast pork on a long wooden stick (puya) slowly cooked over firewood, marinated with citrus flavors (sour orange), garlic and oregano.
There is never a shortage of citizens who, attracted by the smell, do not resist and stick their fingers at the tender meat and the crispy skins of the asao pork that is sold like “hot bread” before being served at Christmas Eve dinner, accompanied by moro de guandules, sheet cakes, the famous teleras (aniseed bread), salad (Russian or green) and a drink of liquor.
It should be noted that in addition to the tasty roast pork in puya, people in Puerto Plata went to the supermarkets to buy other food products that are also part of the traditional Christmas Eve dinner: roast chicken and turkey, fruits (apples, pears, grapes) and nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, raisins and pistachios).
Likewise, Christmas dinner is accompanied by alcoholic beverages (wines, punches, rum, beer and whiskey), as well as traditional seasonal sweets such as nougat (hard, soft, chocolate), pollorones, mantecados (Danish cookies) and sugary gummies.
