This past weekend, I had a chance to go home for a few days. While there, I remembered all the reasons why I love my home (Puerto Rico). Probably the strongest argument that I can make in favor of loving my island (besides people) is the food. Puerto Rican food has a unique flair to it. It is made up of a combination of Spanish, Amerindian, and African influences, which have since been accompanied by American tastes as well.

During the time I was home, I took time to think through my abuelitas' cooking and then realized the best food that people should have when they visit Puerto Rico. I want to clarify — this list is incomplete. There are so many other good foods to try in Puerto Rico, but these are the ones that came to my mind when I thought about my favorite foods from home.

1. Alcapurrias

Alcapurrias are a fritters dish that is very traditional to Puerto Rico. Although other countries may have similar dishes, the Puerto Rican version is usually filled with ground, seasoned beef and is a staple at any "town event." You will see the "fritoleros" making the alcapurrias as well as other fried foods that I will mention later, but for me, these are my favorite fried food from Puerto Rico.

2. Bacalaitos

Bacalaitos are fried cod batter. Although I do not really know how to make the batter myself, I know that it is delicious. Although wildly unhealthy, it's good to indulge yourself occasionally in the gloriousness that is a bacalaito. They are very salty and make your soul happy. These are also cooked by the famed "fritoleros" and are a staple of Puerto Rican social events.

3. Lechon

Probably the most famous Holiday food in Puerto Rico is the Lechon. The lechon is cooked whole on a stick, and roasted in an open flame. It is one of my favorite Christmas dishes, and the best place to get it is in the mountain neighborhood of Guavate. There, you can find at least three dozen "lechoneras" (places where you can buy lechon and other Puerto Rican dishes) all on the same road. They are popular among the locals and tourists alike, and for good reason.

4. Arroz y Habichuelas

The most common of all the dishes on this list are Arroz y Habichuelas. The rice and beans (as it translates to English) are unlike any kind in the world. Yes, other people in the world eat rice and beans, but not like we do. Our recipe has our secret "sofrito" seasoning and makes them a 10/10. People have them every day, with lunch and dinner. Every time I go to my abuela's house I eat arroz y habichuelas.

5. Arroz con Gandules

Another rice-based dish, but more common during the holidays, is arroz con gandules. The dish is composed of stewed rice and peas, where you add the "sofrito" as well, but you cook the beans with the rice at the same time. The usual accompanying food is the pastel, and that leads me to my next entry...

6. Pasteles

Another holiday treat are pasteles. They can be made with plantains or cassava (yuca). They are then filled with shredded chicken or ground beef and wrapped in a plantain leaf. The way people in Puerto Rico eat them is by putting ketchup on top of it (which I am proud to say I do not do and find it sacrilegious to the sanctity of the pastel). It is common on Christmas dinner for people to eat pasteles with arroz con gandules.

7. Mojo Criollo

Something that was originated in the town of Salinas in the south of Puerto Rico is the "mojo criollo." It is a stew made with peppers, onions, garlic and other spices that give it a red color. It is used for chicken (most often) but it can be used with fish and red meats as well. It is very savory and complex in flavor. Probably my favorite way to cook Puerto Rican food is "al mojo."

8. Sorullitos

Going back to the fried foods, we come to my abuela's favorite fried dish. The sorullitos are made of corn meal that is fried and then eaten with the Puerto Rican creation of mayo-ketchup (three parts ketchup, three parts mayonnaise and one part mustard). They are usually eaten as an appetizer and are common on "sampler" plates in most local restaurants.

9. Yuca al Mojo

Yuca al mojo is basically the cassava version of the "mojo criollo." This boiled yuca with sauce is not yellow/red as the mojo criollo, but usually colorless. It nonetheless contains all the basics: peppers, onions, garlic, salt, etc. I always have it when I go out to a Puerto Rican restaurant with my family.

10. Amarillos en Almibar

This one has special significance to me. Amarillos en almibar are caramelized sweet plantains with cinnamon and cloves. They might not be much, but my abuela makes them for me every time I go to her house. Just the mention of them reminds me of home and they signify every time I go visit her. She always says that it's not a meal for me if there aren't amarillitos.

11. Tostones

Now that I have entered the realm of plantains, I come to my last two entries. Probably the most famous one of them all is the toston. Tostones are fried, smashed and then fried again plantains that can be eaten with salt, adobo (Puerto Rican seasoning) and/or mayo-ketchup. Many other countries have tostones, but I see them as being an integral part of Puerto Rican culture. People eat them like fried, and they can be modified in various ways to make them even better (like arañitas).

12. Mofongo

And now we are down to my last entry. Mofongo is probably the most Puerto Rican of dishes, a mix of all three original cultures in one small mound. Mofongo is mashed fried plantain, with pork rinds and adobo. Why is it a mix of all three cultures? Well, the plantains come from the locals who ate them before Columbus arrived, the pork rinds come from our Spanish heritage, as they were big on raising pork. The adobo is an influence of the West African spices that the slaves inspired in our cuisine, even the word "adobo" has roots in West African languages. People eat it as a side dish, or as a main dish. As a main, people add different kinds of meats and fish to it to make it even more awesome.

So, here we are. Hungry yet? These are some of the many (and I mean many) Puerto Rican foods out there that everyone should try at least once. If you feel that I left out some of your favorite dishes, please feel free to add them in the comments! To all my Puerto Rican friends who are reading this and are not back home, I'm sorry, but home beckons soon. To all my non-Puerto Rican friends, I'm also sorry, sorry that you weren't blessed to be born in a land where four cultures clash. That being said, you do have a chance to visit this marvelous island and indulge in the deliciousness that is our food.