Marta here. I started this series, Cuando Sali de Cuba, Stories of Courage and Hope on my own blog, My big, fat, Cuban family in order to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month: Cuban-Style. I asked my readers to send me their stories about how their families left Cuba and how they ended up here in the [...]

Marta here: Welcome to my ongoing celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month: Cuban-Style with a series of stories about Cuban American families and how they ended up here in the U.S.:Cuando Sali de Cuba, stories of courage and hope.
Today I want to introduce you to my friend, Jorge Carmona.
He is one of the Cuban masterminds behind Dos [...]

I live in Southern California and I'm constantly amazed at the number of people who have no idea why there are so many Cuban Americans here in the U.S.
I've concluded that they just don't know our stories. And I know for a fact that if you're of Cuban heritage and are not living on the [...]

You would think I'd be used to it by now because it happens everywhere I go. But I'm not. (Used to it, that is.)
Here's how the scene usually plays out:
Me: “You're from Cuba? So am I.”
Cuban Person I Just Met: “I'm from *insert town in Cuba* and I know your *mother, father, sibling, dog's cat*”
Me: [...]

I have spent the last three days thinking about what I want to say about our experience in San Antonio and Cooking With the Troops.
My family has talked and talked and rehashed almost every detail of our weekend, multiple times. And I'm still at a loss for words to describe all that we experienced. I'm [...]

Making Cuban coffee is more art than science.
I think I learned how to make Cuban coffee when I was about 8 years old and able to maneuver in the kitchen without hurting anything. It wasn't just a matter of making the coffee itself, there had to be a frothy topping to that [...]

I'm often amazed at how little people here seem to know about the waves of Cuban immigrants refugees to this country.
The older folks remember that in the early 60's there were some displaced Cuban children that needed homes. This they only know if one of the children ended up in their neighborhood. I'm [...]

My daughter and I were privileged to be invited yesterday to a luncheon honoring recently released Cuban prisoner, Ariel Sigler Amaya and hosted by Asamblea de la Resistencia Cubana and commemorating the 8th anniversary of the Cuban Black Spring. Organized by former political prisoner, Fernando Marquet and our very own Ziva, it was a wonderful [...]

Sometimes my family sits around and has noisy, opinionated and pointless discussions. (Hello? Cubans!) In this case, we were discussing the wonders of plantains and engaging in the Eternal Cuban debate:
Maduros or Tostones?
It depends on the main dish you’re serving, of course. I mean, I love a good tostón with garlic sauce. (Who doesn’t?) But [...]

It's December 31st and I'll venture to guess that in just about every Cuban household the cry is going out, "Did you get the grapes?"
Because when the clock strikes twelve tonight and the ball drops in Times Square, Cuban families everywhere will begin the fabulous relajo that signals the end of the old year and [...]

When it comes to Noche Buena, the menu doesn't really vary at my house: Lechón asado, frijoles negros, arroz blanco, yuca con mojo, etc. You know the drill. (I'm sooo not complaining.)
Where I do get to play in the kitchen and flex my creative muscle, is for breakfast/brunch. Actually, I excel at this, but that's [...]

My husband, Eric and I had the wonderful opportunity to see and hear George W. Bush at the Saddleback Civil Forum last night. (We regularly attend Saddleback Church, but that's not important right now.)
He was there, by his own admission, to "shamelessly peddle my book," Decision Points.

What was wonderful about the entire evening was that [...]

Miss me yet?
I haven’t been cooking as much as I’d like (or as much as my family would like, but that’s not important right now). That doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy.
I’ve been experimenting with food and presentation and recipes and tastes.
I’ve also been experimenting with tape. Video tape. (I know. Shut up.)
Today’s offering is [...]

I've spent the last week serving on a jury for a criminal trial at the County Courthouse in Santa Ana, here in California. (If I tell you any more, I'd have to kill you, but that's not important right now.)

I'll be honest with you: I'm not enjoying it.
I have been sitting through hours of testimony [...]

Next week marks the anniversary of the death of mass-murderer Che Guevara.
Many of us have had more than our share of run-ins with ignorant hipsters sporting t-shirts and messenger bags with the idealized image of the "revolutionary poster boy." Like most Cubans, I'm not shy about offering the truth of who Che was and why [...]

I was privileged to have had the opportunity to be in Miami in May for Cuba Nostalgia.
While there, I got to see and hang out with most of my favorite intransigent bloggers (=D) and to experience the food and music that define me as a Cuban.
I love living in So Cal, but every now and [...]

My family left Cuba in early 1961.
My brother was on the first Pedro Pan flight in December of 1960. Happily, my family was only separated for a few very tense months. But we were part of the lucky few who managed to leave the country rather quickly.
Once reunited, my father vowed we'd [...]

Last week at Cuba Nostalgia, we were privileged to meet a group of young people in Miami that go by the name of "O-JEC" which stands for "Organizacion de Jovenes Exiliados Cubanos" (Organization of Young Exiled Cubans). The young men and women of O-JEC are going to march for 7 days. Yes. SEVEN DAYS.

Val with [...]

Although most of the Babalú contributors are located in Miami, there are some of us who traveled from the West Coast to attend Cuba Nostalgia.
There is plenty of sweat and tears that go into setting up the Babalú Booth, but once the first family members arrive with pastelitos and café, it [...]

Today is the National Day of Prayer.
If some groups in our country had their way, today would be the last Day of Prayer celebrated nationally. I don't know what their beliefs are (or if they even have any, outside of not believing that there is a God).
But I do know this: There [...]