For the seventh time, my family has celebrated at the holidays with an ethnic-themed meal. This year was my choice, and I chose Cuban cuisine. My husband and I spent this year researching (i.e. eating at Havana Grill in Cary) different menu options, and I choice a little something for everyone. We bumped up our schedule to have the meal at Thanksgiving, when my entire family was present. Eight adults and two kids cooking Cuban food, with Cuban music in the background. Good times.
Our beverage was mojitos, now a popular drink, but Cuban in origin. As an appetizer, we had Cuban corn fritters and Cuban sandwiches. Making the Cuban sandwiches was challenging, and my ever-resourceful father came up with a great way to “press” them together. Placing the sandwiches on the electric griddle, he put a cookie sheet on top with four foil-covered bricks from the garden on top. It had the desired effect, and the sandwiches were fantastic.
Our salad course was an avocado and pineapple salad, which is added to iceberg lettuce and sliced onions. We had two main dishes, arroz con pollo cubano (chicken and rice), and ropa vieja (shredded beef in a tomato base). Ropa vieja is literally translated as “old clothes” and involves the boiling of a tougher cut of beef until tender and simmering in a sofrito (tomato-based) sauce. Muy bien!
We also had a couple of side dishes, including a Cuban bean salad and platillos moros y cristianos (black beans and white rice), which is the national dish of Cuba. It literally translates as “moors” and “Christians”. The moors refers to the black beans, and the Christians (the white rice) is a a reference to the early settlers of Cuba.
Our dessert, compliments of Sandra Sublett, was a chocolate rum cake with Cuban coffee. Many thanks to Sandra for her wonderful cake, and to Elizabeth Plata for all her help with the menu and the translation of the blessing.
Needless to say, we were stuffed. Next year’s choice was announced at dessert. Northern Italian is the cuisine, and we move from alimento bueno to buono cibo.
Ciao!
Our beverage was mojitos, now a popular drink, but Cuban in origin. As an appetizer, we had Cuban corn fritters and Cuban sandwiches. Making the Cuban sandwiches was challenging, and my ever-resourceful father came up with a great way to “press” them together. Placing the sandwiches on the electric griddle, he put a cookie sheet on top with four foil-covered bricks from the garden on top. It had the desired effect, and the sandwiches were fantastic.
Our salad course was an avocado and pineapple salad, which is added to iceberg lettuce and sliced onions. We had two main dishes, arroz con pollo cubano (chicken and rice), and ropa vieja (shredded beef in a tomato base). Ropa vieja is literally translated as “old clothes” and involves the boiling of a tougher cut of beef until tender and simmering in a sofrito (tomato-based) sauce. Muy bien!
We also had a couple of side dishes, including a Cuban bean salad and platillos moros y cristianos (black beans and white rice), which is the national dish of Cuba. It literally translates as “moors” and “Christians”. The moors refers to the black beans, and the Christians (the white rice) is a a reference to the early settlers of Cuba.
Our dessert, compliments of Sandra Sublett, was a chocolate rum cake with Cuban coffee. Many thanks to Sandra for her wonderful cake, and to Elizabeth Plata for all her help with the menu and the translation of the blessing.
Needless to say, we were stuffed. Next year’s choice was announced at dessert. Northern Italian is the cuisine, and we move from alimento bueno to buono cibo.
Ciao!
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