Various Cultures Came Together to Give Rise to Cuban Cuisine
Like its close neighbor Mexico, Cuba found itself at the center of many converging cultures. This has produced the distinctive taste that is now known worldwide as the Cuban way of cooking. Read on as we take a gastronomic journey from Havana to Guantanamo.
Spanish explorers strongly influenced on Cuban cuisine, as they did for many countries in the Caribbean, Central America and South America. Cuba’s food history also has been affected by African tastes. The Spanish were influenced by the Moors, African Muslims who ruled parts of Spain for several hundred years, while African slaves who served as cooks for Cuban gentry added their own touches to native cooking. French colonists who fled slave uprisings in Haiti also added their own culinary arts to Cuban dishes.
Using both indigenous foods and those introduced by conquerors like the Spanish and immigrants like the French, Cuban cuisine evolved into a food form with its own distinct flavor identity and cooking style. In particular, Cuban cooking resembles the “country” or peasant styles of many other cultures, in which cooking is taught by the senses and by oral tradition. New cooks learn to cook from veterans and are taught to prepare food in time-honored ways that still allow self-expression and innovation.
In other words, it’s almost impossible to write down a recipe for any authentic Cuban dish, because hardly anyone cooks by measurements. A “pinch” of this, a “dash” of that, a deep whiff to gauge the aroma and lots of tasting are the elements of Cuban cooking. This tradition has resulted in simple yet filling dishes that can be left to simmer on a stove for hours while the work is done. Fussy sauces that take a lot of attention to detail are non-existent. What’s more, deep-frying is almost unheard-of in Cuban cuisine.
As the largest island nation in the Caribbean region, it’s natural to expect that Cuban cuisine centers on seafood. However, Cuban dishes also show a strong African influence in their vegetables, such as platano (similar to bananas), yuca (cassava), boniato (a tropical sweet potato) and malanga, another starchy root vegetables. These hearty four often are simmered together in a stew with other vegetables and served topped with chopped onion.
As opposed to the European practice of suing spices to mask the undesirable taste of less-than-ideal meats, Cuban cuisine uses herbs and spices to enhance the natural flavors of meats and other foods. Cumin, garlic, oregano, and bay leaves see heavy use on most Cuban kitchens. A mixture called “sofrito” is another popular seasoning. Made from sauting onion, green pepper, garlic, oregano, and black pepper in olive oil until the mixture becomes soft and semi-transparent, it is curiously similar to Cajun spices that is widely-popular in the United States.
Limited grazing lands have given rise to lesser quality meats and that prompted the practice of marinating in lime or sour orange juice and slowly cooking to allow the meat ample time to tenderize. Rice and black beans are the usual companions to meat dishes.
Despite its tropical climate, Cuba is also known for the quality and variety of its baked goods, especially turnovers with unusual fillings. For dessert, there is flan, an egg custard topped with caramel sauce that is beloved by virtually all islanders.
Michelle is an accomplished season writer to do with household meals. The lady just simply loves sharing with us her creative ideas and tips on making crockpots or beef stew crock pot recipe.
