Includes Recipes
New Cuban Cuisine
The Cuban style of cooking is simple in concept but complex in flavor. Much Cuban food owes its heritage and tradition from Africa and neighboring, Caribbean cultures. However, there are two distinctive styles of cooking: "the classic" whose techniques and ingredients have been in use for a long time across the island, and "the new," labeled nuevo Cubano, which adds a variety of herbs and spices from other cuisine and emphasizes presentation. For example, the province of Oriente, in eastern Cuba, is well known for its contribution of spicier and more robust dishes to the cuisine of the island due to the influx of Haitian and Jamaican immigrants to the island beginning in the 1790's. In the states, Cubans, too, have opted to choose hot peppers, like blazing scotchbonnets and serranos, to prepare recipes such as black bean salsa.
Cubans who arrived in the United States in the late 50's and 60's had to make some adaptations to their cooking. Many markets did not carry the vegetables, fruits or cuts of meat that they were accustomed to using in their island kitchens. Lard and olive oil, which are generally used in Cuban cooking, had to be replaced by other cooking oils. Lard was too difficult to find and olive oil was too expensive; a substitute had to be found. Cooks started using vegetable oil, which was readily available and affordable. Nowadays, safflower and canola oils have become more preferable because they are healthier. Many items are now also available in low-fat versions. The consumption of salt has too been cut back thanks to low- sodium products.
Many Cubans in exile, such as my neighbor, Roca Beiro, a professional caterer whom I had the opportunity to interview, informed me that many Cubans have cut down on the starches they consume and that they try to follow a healthier diet. Due to the lack of time in their day to day life, many buy products, such as black beans, because preparing them from scratch is very time consuming. In addition, Cubans have added more salads to their diet, use less sauces, and prepare fewer potajes (stews). They have also adapted more American foods into their daily life since their children are exposed to them at school and through their acquaintance with endless chains of fast food restaurants in their communities. For example, breakfast in Cuba usually consists of café con leche and tostada (coffee with milk and Cuban toast).
African, French, Portuguese, Haitian, Jamaican and Chinese immigrants helped to shape a musical and culinary heritage that 's distinctly Cuban. Cuban music exhibits an insistent beat, complexity and intensity that make it immediately recognizable around the world. The ingredients in Cuban cuisine may lack drama, but ultimately, they work together in perfectly spiced dishes that bring out new flavor notes in common ingredients" (HowStuffWorks). In Cuba, the most popular cooking style is called criollo in which the main ingredients are chicken, beef, pork, eggs, beans, rice and vegetables. Cubans use many common spices in their dishes. Some other Cuban dishes are empanadas, pan con bistec, arroz con pollo, and moros y cristianos. In Cuba western clothing has been worn for many years, but casual clothing is popular also. Latin styles of clothing like bright colored shirts and blouses and ruffled skirts have been in Cuban fashion as well as Afro-Cuban styles. Some popular Cuban holidays and celebrations are Liberation Day, International Women 's Day, Labor Day, and Christmas. There are a couple of popular sports in Cuba like boxing and football, but baseball is the most popular. Baseball is considered the national sport of Cuba. "The national baseball team of Cuba is easily the best in Latin America and often dominates regional competitions in this sport. The
Coming from a mexican culture, I am blessed to have a rich variety of traditional delicious home made recipes. Most people my age always salivate to the idea of their grandmothers making that amazing dinner. Mostly all americans can agree on the superb taste of the mexican food, and one of my favorites and most traditional of them all is the famous “Mole sauce”. It is made on special occasions such as birthdays, christmas, new years, and teenagers first communion at the church. This complex dark red spicy/sweet sauce has a legend behind its creation. It is believed in the mexican culture that it was made for the first time at the Convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla early in the colonial period. The convent nuns went into panic one day as they found out the archbishop was paying them a visit and they had nothing to prepare for him due to lack of wealth. The nuns prayed and put together the scraps of ingredients that they had left including chilli peppers, day old bread, nuts, some chocolate and spices. After they killed a turkey, cooked it and served it with the sauce on top, the archbishop fell in love with the dish. They asked the nuns about the dish and they responded truthfully with “I made a Mole” which is the anctient word for mix in spanish. There is also a few variations of this sauce within the mexican community, but the one I will be instructing you how to make is the traditional recipe that my grandmother learned from her grandmother; Mole poblano.
In our chosen country , Puerto Rico, the food is slightly different compared to the United States’ food. However, there are a few similarities.
The typical Cuban cuisine and common food rituals have their origins mainly in Spanish dishes, like arroz con pollo (chicken and rice) and paella; pork is served in diverse forms, chicken, and rice, and seasoned with sofrito (a mix of spices).
“Haiti maintains an independently unique flavor. Strong pepper flavoring in many dishes also sets Haitian food apart from the other islands” (Food of the Haitians). American and Haitians prepare food differently. Most Haitians in Haiti cook with charcoal and wood, whereas in America we have stoves and electricity
Cuban cuisine has been influenced by Spanish, French, African, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese cultures. Traditional Cuban cooking is primarily peasant cuisine that has little concern with measurements, order and timing. Most of the food is sauteed or slow-cooked over a low flame. Very little is deep-fried and there are no heavy or creamy sauces. Most Cuban cooking relies on a few basic spices, such as garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay laurel leaves. Many dishes use a sofrito as their basis. The sofrito consists of onion, green pepper, garlic, oregano, and ground pepper quick-fried in olive oil. The sofrito is what gives the food its flavor. It is used when cooking black beans, stews, many meat dishes, and tomato-based sauces. Meats and poultry are usually marinated in citrus juices, such as lime or sour orange juices, and then roasted over low heat until the meat is tender and literally falling off the bone. Another common staple to the Cuban diet are root vegetables such as yuca, malanga, and boniato, which are found in most Latin markets. These vegetables are flavored with a marinade, called mojo, which includes hot olive oil, lemon juice, sliced raw onions, garlic, cumin, and little water.
Cuba. The well-known island all over the world and located ninety miles south of Florida is the largest island of the West Indies. The island is popular for its natural beauty and cultural heritages. After the Cuban revolution that took place in 1950s, Batista regime was overthrown and new government was formed which was led by Fidel Castro. Since then Cuba was ruled by Fidel Castro until recently. In 2008, because of Fidel Castro’s illness, his brother Raul Castro replaced him. Many Cubans supported the Cuban revolution in the hope of seeing changes in Cuba; however after Castro seized the power in 1959, many left Cuba to find the better life and live free from the communist government in Cuba.
Just like other immigrating Latino groups, Cubans share the same stereotypes when they are categorized as criminals, violent and others as well as having to face barriers for employment, housing and economics. However, most of the discrimination that Cuban Americans face is due to their ties to their home country. For example, most Cubans are stereotyped as extremists who despise Fidel Castro. The main push factor for Cuban immigrants was the regime of Castro in their home country. In contrast, other Latino immigrants are mainly pushed out of their country because of economic reasons. Therefore, while Cuban immigrants are seen as extremists or anti-Castro activists, most other Latino immigrants are merely seen as immigrants who come to “take jobs”. As mentioned, Cubans are not categorized as immigrants who come to the United States in hopes for a better economic life, they are seen as political refugees who are in search of better political conditions. This is one of the main differences between Cubans and other Latinos, because of this, Cubans are thought to be more prosperous than other Latino groups. However, this is a faulty stereotype because, although some Cuban Americans are better off economically than most other Latino groups, the majority of them still face countless amounts of
Food in their culture many Haitians cannot afford food so many types healthy options are not available rice and beans are a national dish every day, many Haitians only eat twice a day, in the us we eat fruit whenever we want weather its night or day and in Haiti they eat fruit but it’s often given as a treat also as bed time
The culture of Miami has various influences, but for the majority it is Latin. People from Latin America including places like Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico and many others have inhabited Miami for many of years now. While over half of the population were born in a foreign country it is common that people speak English just as much as Spanish. A key part to the Cuban community is called Little Havana, which gets its name from the Cuba’s capital city. This is a place fu...
One mission by Che Guevara was he, “strove to create a proper industrial base and to diminish the economy’s dependence on sugar,” (515). To improve the milk and meat production in Cuba efforts were made to breed a new kind of cattle. This effort failed which resulted in a famine because of this and with the U. S trade embargo the Cuban government began to give rations of daily necessities to citizens, (The Caribbean: A History of the Region and Its People). Guevara efforts were too expensive for Cuba causing a crisis. The government, “decided to resolve its crisis by means of a “revolutionary offensive”: first, the nationalization of all services, restaurants, shops, and petty commercial iinstallations... witha production goal of 10 million tons of sugar (516). That goal did not work causing Fidel Castro to offer to resign. Cuba started to become a communist society. In terms of who was in charge and their role in, The Caribbean: A History of the Region and Its People state, “Castro was the visible head, the spokesman, and the international strategists while his brother Raul would become more and more the chief of personnel, the head of the armed forces and secret services,”
Haiti lifestyle and America lifestyle is different. In Haiti They don’t have the same sources as Americans do. In fact, Most Haitians don’t have Electricity and rely on charcoal for energy. While in America most people are able use stoves or microwaves to prepare food quickly. People in Haiti don’t bathe as much as people in America because they don’t have access to clean or running water. However, In America people are able to bathe every day. In America people often eat 3 meals a day which is breakfast, lunch and dinner. In Haiti they only eat 2 meals a day. Haitians usually eat bread and coffee in the morning and later on the evening they eat fried meat like goat, chicken, pork etc. Americans on the other hand, may eat eggs, bacon, sausages,
Catholicism is the major religion of Cubans, which accounts for the 47% of the population, Protestants, 4%, Santeria, 2% and other African cults which are also being practiced by Catholics. The island’s political structure is Socialist republic and its official language is Spanish. The climate ranges from sub-tr...
It may not be the same as it was one hundred years ago, or even twenty years ago for that matter. But one thing makes that okay, culture is not written, nor are you born with it. We humans are taught to culture. And what I’ve learned and discovered on my own is that being Cuban means many things to me; it means music and loudness, a lot of family memories, and most definitely pride. To begin with, the Cuban culture is one of loud and joyous music.
Spain, the third largest country in Europe, has a strong history and diverse culture dating back to when the Iberians first inhabited the land. The country lies between the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean and the land ranges from mountains to meadows. Over hundreds of centuries, many different civilizations have inhabited the land influencing the people there today. From the Visigoths and Celts to the Romans of the Middle Ages, Spain has received a rich history and background. One of the strongest of its cultures is the food. All of these cultures brought a particular type of food and combined and blended with the food that exists there today. Spain is very popular for olives, vineyards, and citrus fruit. Another well-liked food is garlic, including varieties of peppers and spices. Once spice specifically—golden saffron—is essential in many recipes, including the Spanish Paella. There are many distinguished Spanish foods that encompass the daily life and culture of the country.