Fruit

The mash is named for Spanish Harlem's historic market street where Martinez's grandmother would buy malanga, a knobby tuber. Hanger steaks are sold in doubles (two steaks attached by connective tissue). Ask the butcher to separate and trim them.

Gin is big in the British Virgin Islands, as you might imagine. Here, it's combined with local soursop juice and curaçao. The name is a reference to the shade of the Caribbean Sea.

This is the easy way to make ginger beer, where the ginger is simply soaked — just slightly fermented — for 24 hours (another method requires up to a five-day fermentation). Ginger beer is one of Jamaica's most popular soft drinks and is sold practically everywhere, from the supermarket to roadside stands. This drink is wonderfully refreshing. If the ginger heat is too much, tame it with more crushed ice and some club soda.

A layer of sliced fried plantains forms the crust; picadillo — a Latin dish of ground meat, tomatoes, and spices — makes a savory filling. This would be a lovely supper with bread and a salad.

Anne Marie Gaspard of Gros Islet, St. Lucia, writes: "I've always enjoyed cooking — for my family and for myself. My children are grown, so when they visit on Sundays, I spoil them with good home-cooked meals. During the week I like to make dishes that are different but still easy."

Sheila Jacobs and Lynn Kramer of Abreu, Cabrera, Dominican Republic write: "We're both from the U.S., but we have lived in the Dominican Republic for about 25 years. We're friends, business partners, and neighbors, so we entertain together often. Cooking the local dishes has made us feel a part of the country." This recipe is inspired by pescado con coco (fish with tomato, garlic, and coconut).

A Caribbean spin on the 150-year-old classic, this version infuses pineapple into Pisco (a South American brandy) and uses fresh grapefruit and lime peels for added brightness.

In Trinidad, this rustic coconut loaf with a biscuit-like texture is traditionally eaten with bul jol, which is also known as pick-up saltfish . The bread is quick and easy to make, and is great for breakfast with tropical jams such as guava, passion fruit, or mango. Coconut know-how: To open a coconut, pierce "eyes" with an ice pick and drain out liquid. Break coconut open with a hammer, and then pry out the meat and scrape off the brown skin. Chop or grate meat by hand or in a processor.

"Shark and bake," a popular Trinidadian pocket sandwich, is found at beach shacks and street stalls throughout the island. Part of its appeal is the variety of go-withs, from mango chutney to sliced cucumbers. "Bake" is a catchall term for several types of bread, grilled or fried. Since blacktip shark — the traditional choice — is not readily available, catfish or tilapia fillets are substituted here. Pita pockets are a stand-in for the flatbread that's typically used to make the sandwich.

A colonial twist on the ubiquitous — and potent — rum punch.

A tisane is a tea-like aromatic infusion; this one is a lovely partner to the cheesecake.

Get the freshest ground star anise by making your own. It's as easy as grinding a few star anise pods in a spice mill or a coffee grinder.

Ají ecuatorianoají ecuatoriano Served on the table as an accompaniment to soups, this fresh sauce gets its tart, vibrant flavor from the tamarillo (tree tomato), native to South America. A small red tomato can be substituted.