Yaniqueques: food and security

The sale of 'yaniqueques' has proved to be one of the most profitable informal businesses over the last few years, according to a report in El Caribe. The market generates earnings of between RD$1,000 and RD$2,000 per day, depending of the location of the sales point. Street corners near private schools, public schools, markets and businesses are locations that report earnings of between RD$20,000 and RD$35,000 per month, without working on holidays or weekends.
The prices of the popular food vary. They are sold for between RD$10 and RD$40 pesos, depending on the filling the client wants: eggs, vegetables, cheese, chicken with cheese or shrimps.

Jose Mercedes has been working for three years in this business which he started with just RD$5000. Hard work and the aim of providing a better life for his family of four have forced him to learn business management and open four 'yaniqueque' establishments which are administered by his eldest son, who studies accounting in his spare time. This chain of small businesses produces between RD$15,000 and RD$20,000 each.


Another small businessman is Junior Sosa, who earns between RD$1,000 to RD$1,700 per day. He started because he wanted to be his own boss. Since he has opened two more places and paid for his accountancy degree. Like him, many 'yaniqueque' salesmen are university students and most of them study for business-related degrees, while dreaming of becoming medium-sized businesses.

The tradition of making 'yaniqueques' began with the US invasion in 1916 and rationing of flour called "Plo Plo". It was then that someone took the initiative of frying the batter and the soldiers named the result "Johnny Cake" which, according to the story, is an allusion to the inventor, or perhaps it resembled another Dominican dish.

CarlosFranco previously said:

This is a story that's Genuine Dominican...



Source: DR! December 12, 2008

arkatype previously said:

According to this article Journey Cake or Johnny Cake might actually have it's source from an american indian staple called Shawnee Cake Link http://www.foodreference.com/html/fjourneycake.html

old_school_trinitario previously said:

As the self appointed Yanikeke expert on this website. I’d like to add, that it doesn’t matter where or when the Yanikeke was created because of one reason only. Everything we Dominicans take on we always add our own amazing twist to it. The johnnycake was no exception

Me explico:

1. Nowhere in the world the yanikeke is made relleno de huevo (yanihuevo), de camarones, de cangrejo o de vegetales.

2. D.R is the only country with a restaurant dedicated exclusively to sell yanikeke ( la casa del yanikeke ).

3. Every morning at the yanikeke stand you could see the social fabric of our society, everyone in the hood make a stop to get his or her fill of the precious round mata-hambre.

We call it Yanikeke for the same reason we call the lunch box lonchera and the Homerun jonron.
When you eat yanikekes de jamon y queso is because you are comodo and when you eat yanikeke vacio you are “ el hijo de machepa “ .

So my fellow Dominicans celebrate the yanikeke not just because is delicious and affordable but because it represent the ingenuity and spirit of my peoples.

I will like to recommend the Yanikeke Stand of “Segundo” located in San Carlos en la Calle Abreu esquina Juan De Morfa. Best Yanikeke in town

gouletcolonial previously said:


nowhere with an egg?...... Please in Colombia it is called Arepa con juevo..and if you have an earlier written reference to johhnnycake before 1746 or whatever then you johnnycake brain are the expert