Rosemary Parkinson, Contributor
A selection of scrumptious Cuban dishes, including Chicken and Rice a La Chorrera
"CUBAN CUISINE is a fascinating mixture of cultures and ingredients drawn from the island's complex history and its wide-ranging natural resources. It includes the early influences of native Cuban Indians (with their cassava, taro root, corn and black beans), the arrival of the Spanish colonisers with the cash crops of coffee and sugar, as well as their stuffed roasted meats and peppers, and, of course, African slaves brought okra and plantain.
Today, all these are such important elements of Cuban cuisine that it seem as though they have always been present on the island. Add a little Havana Club and some salsa music and the story of Cuban cuisine really begins to take shape!"
Thus begins the inside leaf of A Taste of Cuba where, continuing from the above and under one of the many delicious illustrations of Cuban life by Ximena Maier captured throughout the book, the publishers Macmillan Publishers Limited, London, tell us that the author Beatriz Llamas takes us on a gastronomic tour of the Caribbean's biggest island: from appetisers, soups, main dishes, side dishes and desserts to all the mouth-watering spices and ingredients (past and present) that are so popular
and unique to Cuba.
COLOURFUL
Thank you Nick Gillard of Macmillan for sending me this treasure - I urge anyone interested in placing a fascinating array of very simple but delicious fare before your guests, to rush out and purchase same. Novelty Trading are the distributors if you have difficulty finding A Taste of Cuba - a colourful, well presented and very informative little book worth having. It certainly saved my life for I had been in a quandary as to what to prepare for two guests - one a Cuban - when I remembered my little gift.
With all that I have been writing recently in terms of Agri-tourism, this evening was to be used as an opportunity to discuss with Dr. Barnes (a specialist in 'alternative medicine') the importance of healthy foods. The evening was a tremendous success with the good doctor imparting, "Wow, dis taste joost like Mami in Cuba cooks." I prepared Chicken and Rice (Arroz Con Pollo) "A La Chorrera" that according to my new 'kitchen bible' originated in La Chorrera del Vedado hotel where a nineteenth century Chef, Monsieur Petit, created the now-famous dish, Black Bean Stew (Frijoles Negros), one of the most popular dishes in Cuba and Platano Frito (fried plantain).
Being a Venezuelan by birth, all these flavours brought home memories of childhood as many of the dishes served there are of the same ilk, and I served the lot with an Organic Mango Chutney made by my publishing friend, Alison Archer from Antigua. Sliced Avocados also make a wonderful accompaniment to these dishes.
Do enjoy!
