Category: Food

Cuban Coffee Chronicles – Day 5

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Day five was a day celebrating Cuba’s dance, fashion, and natural beauty. We began our day in the morning visiting the Danzan’s club composed of retired men and women who protect and perform the traditional dance of Danzan involving quite a developed language using hand fans. They were such a fun bunch of people and such elegant dancers! Jim made quite a few friends.

Next, we visited the studio of fashion designer and textile artist Mariella Aleman Orozco.  The colorful rooftop runway fashion show is something I’ll never forget. Mariella demonstrated composing one of her current art piece inspired by Frida Kahlo by first placing beads, leaves, and other things. Then she squeezed bottles of vivid and bright natural dyes to create unique patterns of colors and forms. She graciously signed every item we bought at that rooftop. We also visited her husband’s wood-working shop (he built all the machines himself) where he crafts humidors. Her son is a photographer and her daughter is a painter attending art school now. What an inspiring family!

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After returning to our resort hotel that seemed so far from the Cuba we were visiting, we had a delicious lunch of fish and fries by the sea. We also had coffee, of course.

We completed our day with some people watching on the beautiful beach and by walking up to Xanadu Mansion that used to be owned by the Duponts. What an amazing architectural monument celebrating local craftsmanship, materials and design. The bar on the top floor has the best views of the turquoise open water.

We had a wonderful dinner with our travel friends at one of the hotel’s many restaurants to end day 5.

Cuban Coffee Chronicles – Day 4

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Day 4:  We visited Santa Clara Ballet and Dance School and were treated to a dance performance. The kids performing were about 12 and in their second year in residence. When asked what they liked most about being in the school, one answered….dancing. When asked what they liked least, another answered….homework. Universal answers. I have come to realize that I was wrong to try to brush up on my Spanish as preparation for this trip. What I really needed to do is take dance lessons. So much non-verbal communication happens there through dance.  My daughters dance here in the U.S and I am humbled by the Cuban love of dance without fancy pointe shoes, mirrored dance studios, and sleek outfits. These kids spend their mornings dancing, have lunch and then attend regular school classes that end at 5 pm (followed by homework). I learned a lot about how much one can do with passion, with so little. Kids smiling and dancing, yes, that certainly was one of my many favorite moments in Cuba.

Next, we had the pleasure of visiting, La Coincedencia Fruit Farm and Ceramic Art where mangoes and ceramic hearts hang from trees. What a magical place! What creativity, passion, and generosity of the owners( who rent the land from the government as long as the farm is productive). They shared the sweet tropical “fruits” of their labor. We also enjoyed visiting the ceramics workshop.

For our final activity of the day, we went to the Che Guevara museum and mausoleum. This was the only place where we felt the presence of the government in the form of guards. It is always fascinating to see how a people imagine their histories and identities through their heroes. The Cuban people have certainly embraced Che as their own.

IMG_2128.JPG We concluded our busy day arriving at Varadero, a beach resort popular among Europeans and Cubans. This mid-week shift in rhythm was welcomed. We had dinner at the Melia hotel buffet. Overwhelming and my least favorite of all our meals. Although a beach resort, we had much to learn in Varadero on day 5.

Coffee at the fruit farm was actually a type of tea. Really good.

 

 

 

 

 

Cuban Coffee Chronicles – Day 3

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We stopped at a local ration store. Ari explained how the system worked.

In Trinidad de Cuba, (established 1514 like Sancti Spiritus) we talked with Julio Munoz, owner of a local casa particulare (Bed and Breakfast) and heard about the challenges of running a home business in Cuba. The owner, educated as an engineer is an avid photographer, horse enthusiast, and very animated speaker.

We learned about the religion of Santeria (a combination of African spirituality and Catholicism).

We had lunch at a paladar named strangely, Ananda (a Bengali and Hindi world for joy). Loved the house band there. They played a mix of Cuban and American songs. It was disorienting listening to Georgia by Ray Charles in small town Cuba. Each meal was an opportunity to meet our fellow travelers. Already by day 3 we had become a loose crazy family exploring together, learning together, staying together. All of our fellow travelers had fascinating travel stories to tell….elephant riding, Safari trips, hiking across Spain and more.

Visited the architecture museum after lunch. So impressed. Built in 1826 this house for sugar barons had running hot water, a shower, indoor plumbing, cisterns that collected rain water, indoor gas lighting….again in 1826! Crazy advanced and beautiful craftsmanship. On our way back to Sancti Spiritus we stopped at El Alfarero, a ceramics workshop in operation since the 19th century.

 

 

Back at Sancti Spiritus. What a day! View from balcony of our hotel room. In the morning we could see the elementary school kids going to school in their red uniforms, some stopped at the bakery across the hotel for a bite, many going to work, umbrellas in hand, a lady just carrying an uncovered pink and yellow-frosted cake,  a Zumba class despite the hot, humid weather (without air-conditioning!). I am humbled by the dedication to health the women in that small town showed. Children and often women had an incredible ability to balance themselves on bicycle bars as passengers. At one point there was loud happy music, someone walking down the street with a speaker on wheels. Little familiar things in unfamiliar clothes.

Oh yes, and the tiny cup of strong and sweet Cuban coffee after lunch was perfect for mid-day energy!

 

Cuban Coffee Chronicles – Day 2

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After a delay at the Miami airport but a short flight (less than an hour) we arrived at the small airport of Cien Fuegos. To me it looked like 1970s small town Bangladesh. The humidity added to the familiar feeling. I was struck by the decorative black leggings the women customs officers wore. This coupling of standardized uniformity and expressions of individual taste is something that I will see throughout my time in Cuba. A cute non-threatening beagle sniffed for produce and I assume other un-welcomed items. The 18 of us piled into the large, air conditioned tour bus and met our local tour guide, Ari, like Tracy, an excellent, kind, informative and most helpful tour guide.

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First stop, lunch. The alternative to state run restaurants are paladars. Homes that offer delicious food. The range of paladars extend from small apartments to mansions. Our first paladar experience was Villa Lagarto, poised on a sliver of land sandwiched between ocean waves.

Our lunch at Punta Gorda Harbor included a salad, soup, lamb for me, rabbit for Jim and dessert.

Cien Fuegos main square and cathedral was full of historical narrative that included celebrated 19th century poet Jose Marti. The theater (built 1889) was impressive and still holds performances.

We made our way to the hotel in Sancti Spiritus located on a walking boulevard. My favorite public space in Cuba! The scale was intimate. Every morning it was scrubbed clean. Cuba (except for Havana) was surprisingly clean. You can see people on their phones talking with loved ones because the government offers wifi in public plazas. Walking through the plaza, I felt welcomed but also intrusive of intimate conversations.  I see people blowing kisses into their phones and sad good byes. So much emotion, publicly held. Sancti Spiritus, a 500 year old city, established 1514 is a step back into time. Our 200 year old hotel was comparatively “new” and beautiful. Our dinner that evening at local paladar home balcony of rice and fish was one of my favorites of the trip.  I’m so glad our Cuba experience began in Cien Fuegos and Sancti Spiritus instead of Havana. It offered a calming, humble picture of reality grounded in a province known for their agriculture and long history. Just beautiful.

 

 

Cuban Coffee Chronicles – Day 1

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This is no Rum Diary, ala Hunter Thompson. Rather this series of 9 gentle blog posts chronicle our recent trip to Cuba. Before I offer my account let me begin with a few disclaimers:

  1. The relationship status between the U.S and Cuba is complicated. My observations are bound to upset  or annoy people on both ends of the love-hate spectrum. I am not making sweeping claims just presenting my joy in learning about a new place. My observations are deeply personal.
  2. We visited Cuba through a “people to people” Friendly Planet Tour. I did not arrange or choose the activities. Admittedly this may have been a rosy “touristy” version of the country. There is no way to know any country without living there for at least three months. My observations are limited.
  3. I, having been born in a developing country am particularly sensitive to economic disparities I see in the world. I am intrigued, suspicious and fascinated by the alternate reality a communist country presents. My observations are jumbled.

Please take the blog posts as my personal journal that briefly sketches what I learned during my trip. Nothing more. Cuban coffee, warm, small, strong and sweet, represents the country’s contradictions and complexities for me perfectly. Hence, the Cuban Coffee Chronicles.

Day 1 began in Miami with my first sip of Cuban Coffee before we took an architectural tour of the Deco Hotels.

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The tour of Deco Hotels introduced us to variations of the American Deco style which included Moderne influences, marine influences, tropical motifs, frozen fountains, use of aluminum and glass block etc.

We were aware of possible negative local reactions to our upcoming trip to Cuba. Our uber driver was second generation Cuban and had recently returned from a visit. She seemed happy for us but many others may not have been. As I said it is a very complicated relationship.

We had our tour briefing that evening with our tour manager Tracy Lewis. I can’t say enough good things about her. She was patient and positive throughout the trip. She helped us fill out airport forms, gave us a summary of our agenda, offered a quick account of major Cuban historical events, explained the dual currency system of pesos and cucs, and warned us not to put toilet paper in the toilets (also alerted us that toilet seats are missing in some instances). This last issue may have been the most difficult to keep in mind. We are so spoiled. I’m sure philosopher Slavoj Zizek would have an interesting interpretation about the limitations of a socialist sewage system. For more on his philosophical account of toilets, watch:

We were to have breakfast at the hotel and head to the airport to catch our charted flight into Cien Fuegos.

We went to bed full of anticipation. This was going to be a wonderful week!

 

Testing The Essential Wok Cookbook

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Last week we tested and tasted recipes from the Essential Wok Cookbook by  Naomi Imatome-Yun.   Shrimp Fried Rice, Kung Pao Chicken and Wok Seared Broccoli. I learned that buying a bottle of Chinese cooking wine and Szechuan peppercorns are worth the very small investment. The recipes were easy to follow and offered substitutions for special ingredients like balsamic for Chinese black vinegar. We were happy with all the dishes. Kung Pao is one of my favorites and I was so happy to be able to make it at home. Maybe next time I’ll try it with Shrimp and mushrooms.  A few simple tricks surprised me, like orange juice in the broccoli.

Chocolate Fudge Pie

This is totally unrelated to the Wok Cook Book but still worth mentioning. I’ve tried this before and I think I may have cooked it too long in the past. This time, I took out the pie right at 30 minutes while still soft at the center and it was perfect. Once cooled and set, the chocolate was a perfectly melty- without falling apart. The recipe comes from Tricia’s Fantastic Fudge Pie. Definitely, add the chocolate chips that the recipe says are optional.

We also made Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberry jam, buttered egg noodles and green beans. No pictures. Totally forgot. The meatballs were held together by bread crumbs made from the ends of the bread used for  homeless shelter Sandwiches last week. The sauted and softened onions give the meatballs a gentle sweetness. The sourcream in the otherwise simple gravy adds tang and body. Here is the Swedish Meatball recipe. I have a whole bunch of bread crumbs left. Ideas?

Wishing you all a delicious week ahead,

Hungryphil

Shelter and Potluck Cooking

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Last Friday was my day for spring homeless shelter dinner hosting. The Lafayette Urban Ministry requests sandwiches in spring instead of the winter soups. So, turkey sandwiches it was. Jim and I made 32 sandwiches for about $130 dollars. Took just an hour to assemble. It always astonishes me how easy it is to share 32 meals and I regret not doing it more. Maybe this could be a monthly event for us. It is so meditative for me to stir or construct a simple but large meal. Working with good ingredients like fresh in season tomatoes or hearty bread makes me happy. It’ll take another post for me sing an ode to tomatoes in season…..red, juicy, sweet, maybe in August. For now, strawberries still own the moment.

Sunday we took a caprese salad and a spinach-strawberry-blue cheese-pecan salad for Atiya’s dance team banquet. That was a super quick assembly for a fun gathering. Layering the beautiful bright spring colors of red and green was also therapeutic for an otherwise unseasonably cold May weekend in Indiana.

It takes practice to dissolve the anxiety of cooking for a crowd by finding the balance between attentive effort and practical ease. An anxious host makes everyone feel uncomfortable and guilty. Carrying food elsewhere can be a good way to enjoy the cooking process without feeling the burden of hosting an event. Releasing the quest for perfection can help so many aspects of our lives, from dinner hosting to yoga. Food matters, but never more than the people invited. I simply wanted the sandwiches to be one tiny good thing in an otherwise stressful unpleasant day for shelter guests. At the potluck, I wanted to show my respect for our small community of dance parents who I have endured three competition weekends with. When I remember why I’m doing something burden becomes gratitude. I am grateful that I am able to give and grateful for the other parents who struggle with me to raise happy daughters.

Here is a short but sweet story about party hosting.

Wishing you all a delicious work week ahead,

Hungryphil

 

Shrimp Koftas In Coconut Sauce

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This recipe, from Khulna, is adapted from my favorite Bangladeshi Regional Cookbook. It is similar to the traditional coconut shrimp recipe, Chingri Malaikari except the shrimp is formed into koftas (meatballs) and the sauce is spicy, sweet because of the combination of  roasted onions and chili powder. The ground shrimp balls are airy and almost have the consistency of a dumpling. The spongy texture absorbs the sauce more than intact whole shrimp. It doesn’t really stretch the shrimp because no fillers, breadcrumbs or otherwise is added. But, it is a good use for small or medium shrimp. I wonder if this would be good with polenta or grits, a deshi adaptation of southern shrimp and grits?

IMG_2039Shrimp Koftas in Coconut Sauce (Chingri Koftai Narkel)

  1. Process shrimp in a food processor until smooth, yielding a cup. This a good recipe to use small and medium shrimp (preferably on sale).

  2. Saute a cup of chopped onions until roasted and brown.

  3. Add 1 teaspoon ginger paste, 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon tumeric and fry until fragrant (about a minute). The oil will roast all the spices into a sauce. Add a splash of water to keep it from sticking to the pan.

  4. Add 2 cups of coconut milk (one can).

  5. Bring to a simmer. Drop spoonfuls of the ground  shrimp into sauce.

  6. Simmer on low. High heat will break up the delicate shrimp meatballs. Shrimp cooks very quickly.

  7. Add a stick of cinnamon, 2 cardamom pods and a bay leaf and remove from heat. Sprinkle sugar over the tops of the koftas. This adds a sheen and a contrast against the spice.

  8. Serve with rice. Makes about 4 servings.

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It was very well recieved by Atiya and Jim. A keeper recipe for me. I hope for you too!

Happy eating,

Hungryphil

Quick Chicken Tortilla Soup

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1 onion diced

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

salt and pepper

1 store bought roast chicken

2 boxes of chicken broth

1 or 2 cans of black beans

1 can of rotel

1 can of diced tomatoes

A few bunches of tortilla chips smashed into bits

toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro and more tortilla chips

  1. In a large pot saute diced onion. Once soft and translucent add garlic, cumin and coriander powder, salt and pepper.

  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer over low heat for 40-minutes.

Wolfredo – Marscapone Cream Sauce

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Last week I suffered a cookbook buying binge.  It was fueled by my recent discovery of  bookbub, a service that alerts one of free or low priced book deals. The good news is that none of the books I bought were over three dollars. The bad news is…. I could get into a book a day habit. So easily. To justify my binge I self-imposed a rule to cook at least one recipe from each book. Last night I tried the Marscapone Cream Sauce from Wolfgang Puck Makes it Easy Cookbook. The hardest part of the recipe was waiting for the pasta to cook. The mascarpone and chicken broth make this creamy alfredo-like sauce unique. Let me see if I can remember the easy process….

  1. Melt two tablespoons of olive oil and butter in a pan. BEFORE the butter completely melts

  2. Add a 2/3 cup of cream and a half a cup of chicken broth. Bring to boil, keep warm.

  3. After the pasta is cooked add to sauce (add pasta water to thin out the sauce as needed).

  4. Add grated parmesan (I added about 3/4 cup worth left in my bag), chopped parsley and red chilli flakes, black pepper. Toss pasta. Done!

See….super easy. There are versions of this recipe online or  you can get the book for yourself. It has quite a few other recipes I’d like to try.

This recipe can be easily adapted to add any vegetables or protein….spinach, shrimp, chicken, peas etc. A great basic sauce recipe.

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Another recipe I tried was from Vibrant Food that features recipes organized by season. In the spring section, there is a recipe for Roast Chicken with Spring Onions and Salsa Verde.  The images are so colorful and vivid, I almost wish I invested in a hard copy.

The roasted onions gave the dish a sweetness while the green salsa imparted a spring green brightness. Another super easy recipe:

  1. Roast chicken legs with salt, pepper, olive oil in a 400-degree oven with onions until roasted [about 45 minutes].

  2. Spoon Salsa Verde (parsley, garlic, olive oil and capers processed together) over and enjoy!

This is another recipe that can be easily adapted to add other flavorings like lemons and chili flakes.

Sorry, I don’t have pictures for the dishes. They were consumed as fast as made.

I wonder what cookbooks are offered on bookbub today…….

Wishing you a vibrant and easy week ahead,

Hungryphil