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 just going to post lots of photos and try to give you a feel for what we experienced.

When I first received the invitation to join Cooking With the Troops in Texas in July, I didn't hesitate before I agreed. I can think of no higher honor than doing what I do best to say thank you to those who have sacrificed everything for my personal freedom.

I don't have photos of the troops we served because so many of those that we met over the weekend gave up their limbs and a normal life so we could continue to enjoy the freedoms that we do. Many were waiting for prosthetics. The Warrior and Family Support Center is a beautiful home-like healing facility with an air conditioned kitchen (Thank you, God!). I was grateful that we could be there to do this one act of charity for these, our best and bravest.

They are absolutely heroes and it was our great pleasure to serve them. What an honor!

But let me tell you about the Amazing Volunteers (or Team Cubanaso):

The first thing I want you to know about these people, (including my own family) is that when asked if they were interested in doing this, (San Antonio, Texas in July, people!) not one of them hesitated. "Of course. What can I do?" And that was the attitude that carried through the entire weekend.

The guys from Dos Cubanos Pig Roasts (Texas, you are sooo lucky!) brought their expertise, four pigs, and their families. (Yay! More Cubans!) I think that might just have to be a separate post altogether. (Go "like" them on Facebook right now, please.)

Pig Roasting is their specialty, but Joey Lay and Jorge Carmona were able and willing to help in the kitchen as well. (Yes, that's Jonathan working on his professional photo-bombing skills, but that's not important right now.)

Of course, Val from Babalú was there knee deep in Cajas Chinas and pig fixins.

Because this was a service to the military, they named him Point Man on the Pigs. He proved more than capable in his role (thank you, Val and Caja China people)! They started preparing the coals at 5 am.

By 9:00 am, it was time for the Pig Flip.

The pigs were done by 10:30. And the aroma went out in a cartoon-like-smoke-with-a-beckoning-hand and by 11:00 the guys were gathering around to get their first taste of the lechón asado, Cuban-style.

Once the pigs were done, Val came in to help my sons, Adam and Jon cut (more!) onions & garlic for the mojo for the yuca.

Our menu? A typical Nochebuena feast:

We spent all of Thursday and most of Friday morning prepping for our Friday lunch. Which meant cutting pounds and pounds of onion, garlic, and peppers for the Sofrito Que Se Le Perdio a Santa Barbara (as my mom would say).

We had 3 vats (VATS!) of Black Beans that turned out delicious thanks to the hard work by Val and Amy Kikita and the generosity of Conchita Foods. At this point, the aroma from the sofrito, the beans and the pigs had people wandering hungrily into the kitchen, which was great.

There was a lot of fun and camaraderie happening in the kitchen, along with a lot of hard work. (We Cubans would call it "relajo." =D)

Chef Ellen Adams of Red Hot Dish was responsible for dinner that night (couscous!) and Heather Solos of Home-Ec 101 was everywhere you wanted her to be. Both of these amazing women were so willing to lend a helping hand, and always with a smile. (When I grow up, they are who I want to be.)

Here's Jonathan helping with Ellen's fabulous couscous.

My family fell in love with these guys (yes, even you, Mike Russo!) and I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

I can't stress enough how every one of these volunteers pitched in wherever they were needed. We worked hard and long and shoulder to shoulder. And we bonded. We bonded in that gosh-that-was-exhausting-work-and-more-fun-than-it-should-be way. Every single person had that "What can I do?" attitude.

Let me just take a moment to talk about my kids.

Thing one: I was so happy they were all able to go on this trip. And I had all four of them with me all weekend - win!

Thing two: They all surprised and amazed me with how willing they were to step up and do whatever was required. What began as helping-mom-do-her-thing became a labor of love for them individually. I loved that they took ownership of the preparations themselves.

Thing three: No way would I have been able to prepare my share of the food without my family. I am completely at a loss. They went way above and beyond any expectations I had and I'm completely grateful and oh, so proud of them all.

Let me introduce you to Jorge, who managed the beautiful Warriors & Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston. He is Puerto Rican and provided us with our music while we worked (and managed to locate some espresso for us Cubans). In fact, it was a little emotional prepping all this Cuban food with support from Celia, Beny, and Willy. Thank you, Jorge! (He was still gushing about the amazing food we provided as we were saying our goodbyes.)

I was quite proud that I managed (with lots of help) to prepare 300 of my famous Homemade Pastelitos de Guayaba.

Although the volume was obviously much, much greater than anything I ever make, I felt like I was feeding my own family. I know it sounds corny, but with every dish we felt that same way. Like we were feeding family. (Maybe that's why everything tasted so great?)

But then there was the fiasco with the rice, because really, could everything go perfectly smoothly when you're making lunch for these many people?

I confess that I had no clue how to make rice for 250 people (300 was the final count.). So Adam and I winged it and we got some rice that was cooked on top but hard on the bottom. We also managed to burn some. At 10:30, with the 12:00 deadline looming, the rice was a mess and I was close to having a breakdown.

Jorge Carmona's family to the rescue! They had done congris before at a pig roast event and had encountered the same problems. "Just take small batches, add water, and cook in the microwave." Without hesitation, they stepped up and did just that and rescued the rice. I don't think I could be more grateful. What's better than having a Cuban cook in the kitchen? LOTS of Cuban cooks in the kitchen.

Amazingly, we Cubans managed to get the food out and on the tables at 12:00 military time. This is quite a feat when you usually run on Cuban time. =D

The warriors and their families came through the line and even though the food was foreign for many of them, they ooh-ed and aah-ed and came back for seconds and dove right into the yuca con mojo and the plantains (Thanks, Goya Foods!) without a second thought.

I was most pleased when the guys with the Hispanic surnames came through. They recognized the music. They recognized the food. "Is that guava??" And they were grateful for this "little piece of home."

Much gratitude to the CEO of Cooking With the Troops, Blake Powers of Blackfive who pulled us all together for this amazing experience and gave us the opportunity to serve. Thank you, Blake and cwtt.org. We have all been forever changed by this experience.

And to Mr. Bob Miller, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer and All Around Classy Guy.

I thank you all for the privilege of serving side-by-side with you.

I don't have words to express the gratitude and admiration I feel for the volunteers, the warriors and their families. Thank you all for your service.

Let it be known that we Cubans are very proud Americans.

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 café and just the right amount of sweetness. Of course, like anything else, some people can make it happen with apparently less effort than others. Hence the artistry.

My dad always smelled of a pleasant mix of Vitalis, puros, and Bustelo. If Cuban music is the soundtrack of my life, the aroma of freshly brewed espresso is the fragrance.

Obviously, you can use a fancy espresso machine to get your café made for you at the press of a button. Or if you're in Miami, you are probably within walking distance of your afternoon coladito. We who are here in the exilio-del-exilio have to make our own.

I'm from the old espresso-maker-on-the-stovetop school of Cuban coffee making.

Why?

Because of the ESPUMA.  That's what we call the frothy stuff on top. (I would say "espumita," but the stuff I'm talking about is much more powerful than the diminutive suggests.) Killer Espuma - I should trademark that! - is a matter of personal pride in our family. Today, my daughter, Amy Kikita, who is The Official Family Killer Espuma^® Maker will share her secret for the Perfect Cuban Espresso with Killer Espuma^®. 

(By the way, she doesn't really talk like that, but that's not important right now.)

In keeping with today's theme of All Things Coffee, I am grateful for the generous folks at IMUSA^® for providing today's fabulous giveaway gifts.

Thing 1) An old-school (of course!) Aluminum Espresso CoffeeMaker in RED. (It's the same as the beautiful red one in the video.) Along with a set of four RED espresso cups & saucers.

Thing 2) A nine piece Stainless Steel Espresso Set. Beautiful, no?

They also have a wonderful and varied line of espresso related items. Check that out right here.

So, for a chance to win one of the two featured prizes above, please click over to My Big, Fat, Cuban Family and leave a comment on this post over there. (I love capitalism! *sigh*)

Happy Monday!

(cross-posted at My big, fat, Cuban family)

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 I tend to be partial to sweet plantains or maduros.

In the midst of this discussion, my mom threw a wrench into the works when she declared rather regally and with great finality: “Platanos en tentacion.” (Rougly translated: Plantains in temptation. I know. I said roughly.)

Of course, you don’t just throw out a random suggestion like this with a group of noisy and opinionated Cuban women who all have their own particular versions of how to cook things.

It was like throwing gas on a fire.

“If you don’t have enough rum, they’re not as good.”

“The rum makes takes away too much of the sweetness.”

The discussion went on and on and even though I had not made these before, I quickly determined that they would be most tasty with just the cinnamon-caramel-glaze and it seemed to me that the rum was a bit superfluous anyway. (See? Opinionated.)

So, my daughters and I started messing with maduros and came up with a rather to-die-for concoction and took those maduros to the Next Level. Seriously.

They turned out so amazing that I'm convinced you could travel through time after eating these.

What I could not completely determine, however, was whether these caramel-glazed plantains would be better served as a side dish or as a stand alone dessert? Maybe over ice cream?

Your thoughts?

Platanos en Tentacíon

• Goya frozen maduros* - cooked according to package directions
• 6 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• Ground cinnamon
  

*I decided the frozen maduros, which could be heated through first, worked well enough. Frying plantains would make them a little too heavy for this dish, but that's not important right now.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place cooked plantains in a baking dish.
   
3. Pour sweetened condensed milk over them.
4. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. Bake for 35 minutes.
6. Serve hot with __________. (Your thoughts?)

My mom, Luza, enjoying MY Platanos en Tentacíon.

Buen Provecho!

"But why is the rum gone?" ~ Captain Jack Sparrow

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 not important right now.

On Christmas morning this is what will be coming out of my kitchen: Crepes. Not just any crepes, but Dulce de Leche Crepes, people. Last time I showed you how quick and easy it is to make dulce de leche in your crockpot. This is the next logical step.

[Note: I learned how to make these when I visited the Betty Crocker Kitchens in Minneapolis over the summer. Of course, I'm happy to share. After all, it's Christmas, and I'm a giver. ]

Dulce de Leche Crepes

• 1 cup original all-purpose baking mix (Bisquick!)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups dulce de leche
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• Powdered sugar, if desired

1. In medium bowl, stir baking mix, milk and eggs with wire whisk or fork until blended.
2. Heat 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. For each crepe, pour 2 tablespoons batter into skillet; rotate skillet until batter covers bottom. Cook until golden on bottom. Turn; cook other side until golden brown. Stack crepes as removed from skillet, placing waxed paper between each.
3. In small microwavable bowl, microwave dulce de leche on High about 30 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle.
4. Fold each crepe in half, then in half again. For each serving, top 2 crepes with 2 tablespoons dulce de leche; sprinkle with pecans and powdered sugar.

De aqui pa’l cielo!

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 Me *takes bow*, making dulce de leche, in the crockpot. One day when I have my own cooking show, this is what it will be like.

Only then, I will definitely have a crew to clean up after me. (Right? Right?? Come on, you guys...)

Crockpot Dulce de Leche from Marta Darby on Vimeo.

Crockpot Dulce de Leche

• 1- 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• Crockpot
• Water

1. Peel the paper off of the can.
2. Place the still sealed can in the crockpot full of water so it just covers the top of the can.
3. Cook on low for 7 or 8 hours. Or on high for 5 to 6 hours.
4. Remove with tongs. Can will be very hot.
5. Let the can cool and open carefully once it has cooled.
6. The dulce de leche is ready to eat straight out of the can or to be used in recipes.

Buen Provecho!

It’s been raining like crazy here in So Cal.

And when weather happens to us we really don’t know how to act: “Should we wear shoes? Does anyone have a jacket? I know I have an umbrella in here somewhere from the last time...”
Seriously, we just don’t “do” weather.

And so last week we found ourselves stocking up on provisions and hunkering down to ride out this long winter storm siege. (The storm lasted five days, but that’s not important right now.)

I had my mom with me (she’ll be 96 soon) and she kept saying this would be perfect weather to make chicken soup. Actually, she had no intention of making soup, she was hinting LOUDLY as only Cuban mothers can, that what she really wanted was for me to make the chicken soup.

Okay, so I love homemade chicken soup, too.

Let me clarify, I love MY homemade chicken soup, so I decided to go ahead and make it. When there was a break in the clouds I ran out to the store and got my ingredients.

That’s when I began to see the first signs of the coming storm: “You’re not going to use cilantro in the soup, are you? I hate cilantro.”

With as much patience as I could muster, I explained the lovely qualities of good cilantro and that once you cook it, it loses it’s bite, but the flavor remains. She wasn’t believing me, and the cilantro went in after a lot of “harrumphing.”

“That’s too much cumin!” Nobody likes that much cumin!” I decided to take my chances with the cilantro and cumin. (But, to my credit I did manage to feel a little guilty. =D)

“Who adds yuca to a soup?”
Obviously I do, but I decided to ignore the thinly veiled criticism and add the yuca anyway. It adds such a nice texture...oh, never mind.

When I added the ripe plantains, (Did I say you could watch me cook? Or make noise about everything I put into the pot? Don’t answer that!) she made loud (loud!) disapproving noises. The plantains should be green and a little salty, she said. (This was one of those moments that I'm sure has played out anywhere Cuban mothers and daughters find themselves in the kitchen together, but I digress...)

Again, I took the high road and chose to let the final product become my personal defense.

I endured her criticism on through, “Are you washing the chicken now?”
“No... Yes. I'm just cooling it so I can handle it.” All the way to “Lemon juice?” That doesn’t go into chicken soup! Everyone knows that!”

Apparently, I don’t know things that everyone else seems to know. (Yes, that was sarcastic. Shut up.)
But...I do know how to make a mean Cuban-style chicken soup.

She sacrificially tasted my soup...

“This is the best, most amazing chicken soup I’ve ever had!” I realized that that was as much of an apology as I was getting. I wondered if she just felt bad and was now trying to be polite.

But when she asked for seconds, I could finally see a break in the storm. =D

Sopa de Pollo (Cuban-style Chicken Soup)

1 bunch green onions, chopped up
1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped up into small bits (unless you love cilantro, go mellow on this, but don't skip it.)
1 Tbsp. cumin
3 Tbsp. olive oil ( for sautéing)
3 Tbsp. white flour
8 cups of chicken stock (2- 32 oz. containers)

8 chicken thighs (keep the skin and bones on for now, they add to the flavor)
1 yuca peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (I use frozen)
2 red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into cubes
2 ripe, cooked plantains (I use frozen - these add a surprising sweetness), sliced into rounds
6 oz. super thin fideo noodles. (again, go mellow on the noodles as they can easily take over the entire dish)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
sea salt and black pepper to taste

1. Sauté the green onions, cilantro, and cumin in olive oil. Quickly whisk in the flour.

Keep whisking to avoid lumps. (When the cilantro cooks, it looses it’s bite and leaves an incredible flavor. Don’t skip the cilantro!)

2. Immediately add 1 cup chicken stock, and continue to whisk until well blended.

3. Remove this mixture from the pot into a bowl and set aside.

4. Place chicken thighs and remaining chicken stock in an 8 quart stockpot.
Bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.

6. Add the yuca, potatoes, and plantains.

7. Simmer for another 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

8. Remove the chicken thighs from the soup and run under cold water in a colander to cool.

9. Skin and debone the soft chicken, manually shredding it into bite-size pieces.

10. Return the chicken to the chicken stock-onion-cilantro mixture.

11. Add the chicken-chicken stock-onion-cilantro mixture to the soup.

12. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and the noodles.

13. Continue cooking for at least 8 to 10 more minutes or until noodles are soft.

14. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.

It turns out that chicken soup is very soothing to the nerves. Who knew?

Buen Provecho!

So, I’m still on my quixotic quest of declaring November as National Guava Month. To that end, I am happy to share my recipe for Guava Cheesecake in time for you to make it for “El Sanguibin.”

Of course, the main ingredient in cheesecake is cream cheese, which is inexorably tied to Philadelphia (thank you, Kraft Foods). And when you think of Philadelphia, you inevitably think of liberty. At least, I do. (You know, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin and all that…)

But you know…we Cubans love our guayaba con queso crema. (Guava with cream cheese.)

And yes, I know that Thanksgiving is a purely American holiday. But I offer you this thought:

Once you add the guava, the quintessential Cuban fruit of choice, to the oh-so American cream cheese base, it becomes a wonderful representation of us Cuban-Americans.

Therefore, it is my strong belief that Guava Cheesecake should be THE dessert staple of every liberty-loving, Cuban-American family’s Thanksgiving holiday celebration.

Happy Thanksgiving, my guava-and-cream-cheese-loving friends.

Oh yes... and Happy National Guava Month! =D

Guava Cheesecake

1 3/4 cups  sugar, divided
1  1/4 cup  graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
Cooking spray
1/2  cup  water
1/2  cup lime juice
8  ounces  guava paste, cut into small pieces (about 1/2 a bar)
5 large egg whites, divided
1/2  cup sour cream
2  (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2  tsp.  vanilla extract
1/8  tsp.  salt

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, combine 1/4-cup sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and butter. Press mixture into bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of the springform pan.

4. Bake at 400° for 7 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
6. Combine 1/2-cup sugar, 1/2-cup water, lime juice, and guava paste in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

7. Pour mixture into a blender, and process until smooth. Cool completely. Stir in 1 of the egg whites.

8. Combine remaining ingredients: sugar, sour cream, and cheese in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at low speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla and salt. Gradually add remaining 4 egg whites, beating well after adding each one.

9. Pour cream cheese mixture into prepared pan.

10. Drizzle guava mixture over cheese mixture.

11. Swirl them together using the tip of a knife.

12. Bake at 325° for 45 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when touched. (It may crack a little along the edges.)
13. Turn the oven off; cool cheesecake in closed oven 30 minutes.
14. Remove cheesecake from oven. Run a knife around outside edge.

15. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
16. Cover and chill at least 8 hours before serving.

Hi all!

It's a special Monday, Pre-Thanksgiving Edition of Marta's Cuban American Kitchen.

I have been trying, without much success, to declare November "National Guava Month." Sadly, no one seems to take me seriously about this, but that's not important right now.

So, I'm going to try again today.

I, Marta, hereby declare November to be "National Guava Month."

In honor of National Guava Month, (<--it's got a nice ring to it, don't you think?) I'll be sharing two guava recipes in the next two weeks.

Today to kick off the Guava Celebration, I'm making a turkey with a Port Wine Guava Glaze. (You just drooled on yourself. Admit it.)

Next week I'll be sharing a Guava Cheesecake (because of a previous request from Cigar Mike).

Happy National Guava Month! (I cannot think of one downside to this. It's going to be epic.) =D

Port Wine Guava Glaze

• 1 large turkey (mine was 20 lb.)
• 2 cups port wine
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 can (8 oz.) guava marmalade or frozen guava puree
• 8 oz. guava paste
• 4 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 5 cloves
• 8 bay leaves
• 20 black peppercorns
• Fresh thyme - divided
• 1 large onion
• 2 heads of garlic
• Fresh lemons
• Salt and pepper
• 2 sticks of butter
• Dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Remove the giblets from the turkey and rinse with cold water, inside and out. Pat dry.

3. Rub the inside and outside with lemon and sprinkle salt liberally inside the turkey.
4. Roughly cut up the onion, garlic, and lemons and stuff them into the cavity of the turkey. This is done to add flavor, not as a stuffing, per se.

5. Melt 1/2 stick of butter and baste the entire turkey.
6. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

7. Place the turkey into a roasting pan and begin the roasting. Cook for 45 minutes at 350 degrees so that it starts to brown while you prepare the glaze.
8. For the glaze, place all ingredients, except thyme, in a saucepot and bring to a boil.

9. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring gently to help dissolve the guava paste.
10. Cook glaze on low heat until thickened, approximately 20 minutes.
11. Remove from heat and add a few sprigs of thyme. Let it stand for 15 minutes to cool and to infuse the flavor. Strain.

12. Divide glaze in half, and set aside one half for the serving table.
13. Mix the first half with 6 Tbps. melted butter, 1 cup of dry white wine, and salt and pepper to taste. This is your baste.
14. After the bird has cooked for about 45 minutes, begin your basting. Pour some glaze over the turkey and brush on.

15. Baste frequently, about every 10 to 15 minutes or so.
16. When the bird starts to darken (and it will) tent it with aluminum foil brushed with butter.
17. Cooking time depends on the size of the turkey. About 3 hours for a 12-15 pound bird and about 4 1/2 for a 20 lb. bird.
18. Always check for doneness using a meat thermometer. Temp should reach 180 in the thigh and 170 in the breast.
19. Remove turkey from the oven and let it rest, covered with foil, for about 20 minutes.
20. Carve, slice and serve the beautiful bird with the heated table sauce served along side.

Let the National Guava Month Celebrations begin!

(This recipe is cross-posted today on Tiki Tiki blog.)

The holidays are approaching and with them the ensuing "comelatas." As much as I love tradition and our traditional Cuban food, I'm always looking for quick and easy. (I know. Shut up.) Better yet, quick and easy while still tasting traditional.

Because as far as I'm concerned, and I'm sure you'll agree, super tasty and easy trumps elaborate and complicated every time. =D

My friend, Anne Marie found and shared this fabulous recipe with me and it has been a hit in my house and with everyone who's tried it. (I just made a few improvements, but that's not important right now.)

Flan Cake

1 yellow cake mix (prepared according to directions on the box – check to see if you need extra eggs or oil for this.)
1/4 cup caramel topping (I like the Hershey’s brand for this, the kind you’d pour over ice cream)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 large can evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. Vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour a large Bundt pan. (It must be large. There's a lot of batter here.)

3. Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
4. Pour the caramel topping around the bottom of the Bundt pan.

5. Pour cake mix over caramel.

6. In a blender, mix together well: eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract.
7. Sift and pour gently over cake mix in the Bundt pan. (You’re sifting out any large pieces of the egg.)

8. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
9. Place filled Bundt pan in a 9x13 pan filled with hot water about 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side of the Bundt pan.

10. Bake (in the water bath) one hour at 350 degrees. It should be slightly golden brown. Test for doneness by inserting toothpick in the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
11. Remove from water bath and cool 10 to 15 minutes.

12. Invert onto a cake plate. The caramel will still be runny – it’s supposed to be, in order for it to melt over the cake, so be careful when inverting! Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

This is my Professional Flan Inspector, who calls herself La Reina del Flan, my 95 year old mom who’s been making flan for 60 years. The Flan Cake blew her away.

Let the Holiday Comelatas begin!

(cross-posted in another form on Tiki Tiki Blog)

My son, Adam is a handsome guy. (Okay, I know I’m his mom and all that, but I am being truly objective here. Shut up.) And even though he’s not fluent in Spanish, he can defend himself pretty well for the most part.

So he was visiting my mom (his grandmother) the other day. She speaks as much English as he does Spanish. (Ay Dios mio!)

Adam to me via text: What does ‘mono’ mean?
Me in reply: Monkey.

Adam: Doesn’t ‘pollo’ mean chicken?
Me: Yes. Why do you ask?

Adam: I think she’s insulting me.
Me: She’s not insulting you. Take whatever she’s saying as a complement.
Adam: She called me a monkey and then said I was chicken.

I know there’s been something completely lost in translation, so I call my mom and ask what it was that she said to Adam.

My mom: “Nada. Lo encontre muy mono y le dije que esta hecho un pollo.”

I clarify: “Adam, she thinks you’re handsome and you look great.”
Adam: “Damn Cubans.”
Me: “I’ll just take that as a complement.” =D

Pollo Asado (Roast Chicken)

2- 4 lb. Roasting chickens
Freshly ground salt and pepper
Ground cumin
Ground thyme
1 bunch of fresh thyme
2 large heads of garlic, cut in half, cross-wise
2 lemons – cut in half
4 Tbsp. Melted butter
2 large red onions, sliced
(Instructions are for one, but I always make two)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Remove the guts (giblets and such) from the cavity and rinse the chicken inside and out.
3. Pat the outside completely dry.
4. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the cavity.
5. Liberally sprinkle the ground cumin and ground thyme also inside the cavity.
6. Stuff the cavity with a bunch of the fresh thyme, all of the cross-wise sliced head of garlic, and both halves of the lemon. (Yes, just fearlessly shove them in there!)

7. Brush the outside of the chicken with the melted butter and sprinkle again with salt, pepper, thyme and cumin.
8. You can tie the legs together at this point if you prefer, with kitchen string.
9. Place chicken on a foil-lined pan that’s been scattered with the onion slices.
10. Roast the chicken for about 1 and 1/2 hours. The juices should run clear when it’s done.
11. Remove to a warmed serving dish and cover with foil.
12. I like to serve it with smashed red roasted potatoes.
13. Here’s an added bonus, when the chicken has been carved, dig into the cavity, past the lemons until you find the garlic and thyme. Butter a piece of bread and carefully spread the roasted garlic and thyme over the bread.

Now that’s what I call doubling my pleasure. Buen Provecho!

My mom has been in Miami for the summer. Last week she was telling me about an avocado that she had purchased from the local viandero. Here in California we get the Haas avocados that are small with bumpy dark skin. The ones in Miami are considerably larger.

She says this to make the point:
“Es el aguacate que se le perdio a Santa Barbara.” (Translation: “It’s the avocado that was lost by Saint Barbara.”)

By that she meant that it was gigantic. I don’t know if any other Cuban families use this idiom. But she says this all the time. You can bet that if Santa Barbara lost it, it was larger than life.

My son, Adam, has a wristwatch with an extremely large face: “El reloj que se le perdio a Santa Barbara.” Yes, the translation implies that if it's massive, it must be the one that Santa Barbara lost.

And on it goes…

We joke about it, of course. (We joke about pretty much everything, but that’s not important right now.)

In fact, all of the people in my big, fat Cuban family try to one-up each other when it comes to something Santa Barbara lost.

Which gave me an idea. I had made a ton of picadillo because I wanted to make some empanadas.  But because I sometimes lean toward the lazy side (shut up. I know.) I decided I’d just skip the making of the dough, get a pre-fab pie crust and make (drum roll, please...) A Giant Empanada! (I should totally get extra points for coolness here.)

La Empanada Que Se Le Perdio A Santa Barbara (=D)

1 pkg. Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crust (package contains 2 rolled crusts)
Picadillo - this link is to my favorite picadillo recipe and is posted here on Babalú
1 beaten egg

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Make the picadillo and allow the portion to be used in the empanada to cool.
3. Roll out one pie crust onto a cookie sheet.

4. Place the cooled picadillo on one half of pie crust.

5. Smooth edges of pie crust with some of the beaten egg (it works like glue).

6. Fold one side of crust over the filling to create a half moon.
7. Press down the edges and use a fork to press and seal the two sides.

8. Make 3 small slits on top of empanada with a sharp knife to vent.
9. Brush beaten egg over the top.
10. Repeat with the other pie crust.
11. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Slice and serve.

This empanada slice is served on a smaller, salad size plate:

My mom is back from Miami. The first thing she told me was that my cousin had sent me some Cuban galletas from a bakery. (Yay!) She knows I like the really big ones that have the flaky, bread flavor. They’re about the size of a dinner plate.

That’s right… apparently these were the very ones lost by Santa Barbara. 

Every now and then I get a craving for something that appears unusual to my kids but was just part of a regularly scheduled menu item in my Cuban American household when I was growing up.

And I realize just a beat too late that they haven’t had the same upbringing that I have, and that sometimes my food references represent a huge cultural/generational/you’re-like-from-another-planet gap.

In this case, I made the mistake of saying it out loud, “I’m craving a really great tortilla.”

My kids kind of tilted their heads and made question mark faces at this declaration.

Because here in Southern Mexifornia California, a tortilla is either made from corn or flour. And while they’re good, (although I tend to think that the corn ones are definitely more of an acquired taste for the Cuban palate) I don’t routinely refer to those tortillas as really great. (Although, a hot, freshly-made flour tortilla with honey butter is, in this case, the exception that proves the rule, but that’s not important right now.)

Of course, my craving was for a Spanish Tortilla made with lots of olive oil and garlic and onions and eggs and anything else I could find in my kitchen that might give it a really great flavor.

It took them a while to get used to the idea that yes, we Cubans had our very own version of a “tortilla.” And except for the part where I bake mine in the oven because I kind of flunked Spanish Tortilla Flipping 101 (but that’s not important right now, either) my family agreed that yes, the final product was a really great “tortilla.”

Now, if I could just get them to stop making air-quotation-marks whenever they say the word, “tortilla.”  =D

Ay, Dios mio.

Oven Baked Spanish Tortilla

Olive oil
3-4 medium size Yukon Gold potatoes (they are the least starchy and best suited for this) – peeled, halved and sliced into thin slices
1 yellow onion – halved and sliced really thin
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Sea salt
Coarse ground black pepper
5 large eggs
4 green onions, both green and white parts, thinly sliced
1/2 bell pepper, finely diced
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Line a 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil and brush with olive oil on bottom and sides.
3. Toss the potatoes, onion, garlic, green onions, bell pepper, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/4 tsp of pepper together with olive oil (just enough to coat them) in a large bowl, until the potatoes are thoroughly coated with oil and the potato slices separate.

4. In a large, DEEP, 10-inch skillet, heat about 2 Tbsp of olive oil over high heat until hot.
5. Reduce heat to medium and add potato mixture to skillet. Set the bowl aside for the moment, but no need to wash, we’ll use it again.
6. Cover potato mixture and cook, stirring every few minutes until potatoes are tender. About 25 minutes.
7. While the potatoes are cooking, whisk the eggs and about 1/2 tsp of salt in the reserved bowl.
8. Fold the potato mixture into the egg mixture, scraping the skillet.
9. Mix grated Parmesan cheese into the potato/egg mixture.

10. Pour the potato/egg mixture into the prepared foil-lined pan.
11. Cook, uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and set.

12. Slide onto a plate and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before cutting.

13. Serve warm or at room temperature, sliced into wedges.

THAT, my friends, is a really great "tortilla."

Note: I apologize for my extended absence from Babalú. I’ve been fighting a personal health battle that I won’t bore you with. Thank you all for your gracious patience with me. I’m ba-a-a-ack! =D

Sometimes when my family is around the dinner table, we play games where we ask hypothetical questions. The discussions always take an interesting turn as we dig into our imaginations to try and one-up each other.

A few nights ago, my son, Jonathan threw out this question:
“If you had a superpower, what would it be?”

And so the game began.

Lucy: “I’d love to be able to stop time.”
Eric: “I would want to read people’s minds.”
Adam: “Super strength, hands down.”

Apparently they have given this a lot of thought. (Or maybe they’ve just watched X-Men more often than I have, but that’s not important right now.)

“Create fire!”
“Walk through stuff.”
“Laser vision!”

The conversation went round and round with everyone offering suggestions and even fantasizing a little and I still could not come up with a remotely suitable answer. They became a little impatient with me.

“Mom, you don’t need to take this so seriously.”

I thought hard. And you know what I finally came up with?

If I had a superpower, it would be to be able to give people comfort when they needed it. Wouldn’t that be amazing? This superpower would involve being tuned in to the type of pain others were in and being able to give them exactly what they needed. I didn't know what to even call it.

But suddenly, I had an epiphany....

"I know! If I had a superpower, I would be... A Cuban Mother!"

(Shut up. I know.) =D

Crockpot Boliche (Cuban Pot Roast)

4 lb. chuck or rump roast (slow cooking will make it fork tender)
flour
8 cloves of garlic – minced
1 1/2 tsp. Dried oregano
salt and pepper
1/2-cup olive oil
2 large yellow onions, sliced thickly
2 cups beef stock
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1-cup naranja agria (bitter orange marinade)
1-cup dry white wine
1-cup small red potatoes
1/4 cup green pimiento-stuffed olives with liquid
3 bay leaves

1. Pat the roast dry and lightly flour.

2. In a mortar, smash the minced garlic, salt, pepper and oregano together to form a thick paste.

3. Rub the garlic/oregano paste all over the roast.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and brown the roast on all sides.

5. When the roast is browned, remove from skillet and place in crockpot.

6. Place the onions in the same skillet you used to brown the meat in, and cook them quickly – maybe 3 minutes on medium high heat. Do not brown.

7. Remove onions and place over the roast in the crockpot.

8. Cover the roast with beef stock, tomato sauce, bitter orange, and white wine.

9. Add the potatoes, olives, and bay leaves.

10. Cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours. Or on high for 4 to 5 hours. Or if you like, 30 minutes on high-pressure in a pressure cooker.

11. Arrange the roast on a platter surrounded by the potatoes, onions and olives.

12. Carve the roast and serve at the table. (What good is having a superpower if you don't get to show it off sometimes?)

Buen Provecho!

I had a wonderful master plan.

I swear did.

I know I’ve been AWOL for a while now. I’ve been taking some much needed time off from cooking and blogging. Rest assured, I am still cooking and I am still blogging. I just haven’t done them concurrently for the past couple of months, but that’s not important right now.

So I was all set to wow you today.

I was going to amaze you with a wonderful recipe for Beer Butt (ahem…) Can Chicken.

So I got not one, but two! birds cleaned and marinating in the garlicky goodness that is Mojo Criollo*.

I even purchased beer. In cans! An entire six-pack! Which I never, ever do because my husband only drinks dark English beer which comes in bottles, but that's not important right now either.

So, back to the marinating…

I pulled out the seriously mojo’d chicken. I drained the marinade and rubbed on some of my uber-tasty dry garlicky rub.

When I went to get the beer cans for the birds to sit on, I found they were gone. Vanished. What do you suppose could have happened to them?

Apparently now I have to add post-it notes to items in my own refrigerator to alert the other inhabitants of Chez Darby (who shall remain nameless) with an explanation that I’m planning to use those items in a recipe and please don't just consume those items willy-nilly. Yes, those other inhabitants who usually only drink dark English beer in bottles. (Hello?!) *sigh*

Okay, fine. I am a World-Class Resolvedora (is that a word?).  I’ll just use Coke.

So I prepare the Coke cans and I manage to balance the birds in a tripod stance. I march out to our gas barbecue only to find that we are (what??) Out. Of. Gas.

Shut. UP. This is sooo not happening.

But seriously, I am an Olympic Gold-Medal Caliber Resolvedora.

I reason that cooking the chicken in my covered gas barbecue is like using an outdoor OVEN. Hmm...

“But, Marta, everyone knows you can’t make Beer Coke Butt Can Chicken in a regular oven!”

You don’t know me very well, do you? 

Oven Baked Beer Coke Can Chicken

INGREDIENTS
Two 3-4 lb. whole chickens
Mojo Criollo Marinade*
2 -12 oz. cans beer (or Coke or any canned beverage will do)
Garlicky Barbecue Rub*

*Mojo Criollo Marinade
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. Oregano
8 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together to make marinade.
Mojo Criollo-type marinade is also available in bottles.

*Garlicky Barbecue Rub
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sea salt
1/4 cup pimentón (or regular paprika)
ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. Garlic powder
Mix together (go ahead and just use your fingers) all ingredients.

1. Marinade the chicken at least 4 hours in the Mojo Criollo.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken from marinade and pat dry.
4. Pat the Garlicky Barbecue Rub all over the birds.
5. Open your cans as much as possible by using a church key type opener.

6. Pour out about a third of the liquid. (Or you could just drink it! D’oh! =D)
7. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil.
8. Insert the beer (or Coke or other beverage of choice) can into the chicken. Open the cavity of the chicken and spread over the can forming a “tripod” with the two legs with the can being the third. (Trust me, you do not want to see an "action" photo of this.)

9. Place the pan in the oven being careful not to tip over the chicken.

10. Bake at 350 for 90 minutes. Or when temperature is at least 180 degrees in the meatiest part of the thigh (avoid the bone).
11. Drink the rest of the beer while you’re waiting and have a good laugh over how the pair of birds seem to be having a which-is-better-beer-or-coke argument.

Shhhh... Be bewy bewy quiet...Marco's huntin' RINO...

John Hawkins has a great run down on yesterday's DeMint/Rubio teleconference at Right Wing News.

(1) Name the political party that, for almost a century after the Civil War, did everything in its power to keep blacks separate from whites?

(2) Name the political party that a certain Senator from West Virginia belongs to who was a former Grand Kleagle of the Ku Klux Klan?

(3) Name the political party that had so many votes against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that Republicans were primarily responsible for its passage?

(4) Name the political party that for the last thirty years has almost institutionalized antisemitism and hatred of Israel and Jews within its ranks?

There's only one correct answer, of course. (Hint: The name begins with a "D")

Here's a piece I am including in its entirety, written by a Black man, about the compassionate, tolerant party...

The Long, Sad, Violent History of Democrats' Racial Hatred for Blacks

Perry Drake
May 2003

It has always seemed unnatural and unwise to me whenever I hear someone who's been slandered by a particularly egregious lie reply that they're not going to dignify that accusation with a response.

For it has always been crystal clear to me that whenever your honor, integrity and reputation are called into question that you should be quick, thorough and – when circumstances demand – quite loud in defense of them.

Otherwise, people will assume that the accusation must carry some weight and the falsity levied against you just might end up sticking.

That's what has happened to the political party that I belong to – the Republicans. For decades the Party of Lincoln has been under almost constant assault for being "racist" and "openly hostile" to blacks.

However, nothing could be further from the truth – but you would never know it by the party's spineless, practically nonexistent defense of its record on race and civil rights.

From the days of Lincoln until the present, blacks have had no better friend, party-wise, than the Republicans. Since its inception in the mid-19th century, the GOP has built an exemplary record on civil rights, particularly if you want to use the Democrat Party as a comparison.

The party's first president, Abraham Lincoln, issued the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, the height of the Civil War, squelching any chance that the European powers of the day would intervene in the conflict in favor of the Confederacy. With the stroke of his pen, Lincoln destroyed the last real hope the Confederacy had for a victory.

Soon after the war ended, it was a Republican-controlled Congress that rammed through the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution that, among other things, abolished slavery, guaranteed equal protection and due process and addressed blacks' right to vote.

In the late 19th century, Democrat governors and Democrat-controlled state legislatures in the South couldn't pass Jim Crow laws fast enough. Those Democrats created a nearly century-long, legal racial caste system that relegated blacks to the lowest educational, political, economic and social strata. I have family members who grew up under Jim Crow. To hear them tell it, it weren't no joke.

And let us not forget that during the same period it was Democrats throughout the United States who organized and ran America's premier terrorist organization – the Ku Klux Klan.

And speaking of the Klan, remember the great Democrat President Woodrow Wilson? After a screening of D.W. Griffith's paean to the Ku Klux Klan, "Birth of a Nation," Wilson, turned-movie critic, said of the film: "It is like writing history with lightning. And my only regret is that it is all so terribly true."

Needless to say, the NAACP had a different outlook. After its viewing, the civil rights organization was mortified to the point of launching a nationwide protest in 1915 against the film. The group was equally appalled by President Wilson's comments and it launched a public protest against him.

Before we move on, one more thing about President Wilson. He was the president who led our nation into WWI with the ringing declaration that it was to make the world "safe for democracy." In Woodrow's mind, though, "democracy" applied to everyone except those annoying little dark-skinned people in America who are always clamoring for civil rights. In 1913, Wilson introduced segregation into the federal government.

Yes, dear readers, the man who is worshipped as the utmost "progressive" (where and by who have you heard that term used lately?) of his time allowed federal officials to segregate "toilets, cafeterias and work" areas of various federal departments.

It was left to Wilson's successor, Republican Warren G. Harding to scrap the segregation policy. And Warren G. didn't stop there. In 1922, Harding delivered a bold speech in Birmingham, Ala., (A Democrat stronghold that was later known by blacks as "Bombingham") in which he called for black equality. Up to then, no U.S. president had ever spoken so forcefully about civil rights.

Harding was elected in 1920. Funny thing about the Republican Party platform that Harding ran under. It called for federal anti-lynching legislation. Guess which party didn't? If you said Democrat, go to the head of the line.

Moving on, in answer to the burgeoning civil rights movement in the '50s, it was Democrat governors and Democrat-controlled state legislatures in the South that placed the Confederate battle flag on their state capitol flags. It's an issue that continues to inflame racial passions even today.

In 1957, Orval Faubus, the governor of Arkansas, called out his state's National Guard to prevent the integration of Central High School in Little Rock. In response, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent U.S. troops to the city to escort nine frightened black teens into the school past riotous mobs inflamed by Faubus' defiance of a federal court order. Faubus was a Democrat. Eisenhower was a Republican.

On June 11, 1963, Alabama Gov. George Wallace stood in the doorway of the University of Alabama to block its integration. Wallace was a Democrat. Now, I grant you, John F. Kennedy was the Democrat president who federalized the Alabama National Guard and ordered its units to the university to force its doors open to black students. But it's not generally known that the then-Sen. Kennedy – with an eye on the Democrat presidential nomination for 1960 – voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the law that really got the ball rolling on federal civil rights legislation.

And it was Kennedy's brother, Robert, who in 1964 assisted the FBI's efforts to destroy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by approving the wiretapping of the man considered the heart and soul of the civil rights movement.

And to think at one time you could find in black homes across the nation what I used to call the Black Person's Trinity: chintzy, black-velvet portraits of JFK, RFK and Dr. King painted side by side.

As far as other important civil rights legislation, the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 would never have became law if not for Republican senators and congressmen whose overwhelming support offset extreme Democrat opposition.

Now honesty demands that I admit that I have never been in favor of affirmative action programs. As a black man I find them demeaning, and as an American, divisive. But that's an argument for another day. However, the fact remains that it was President Nixon who implemented the first affirmative action program with the Philadelphia Plan in the late 1960s. The plan required government contractors to set goals and timetables for hiring minorities. Nixon was a Republican.

Sure, some will say that it's all well and good to cite the historical record, but what about now? What have the Republicans done of late? I begin by pointing out that Democrats continue to demonstrate a curious affinity for standing in schoolhouse doors, especially when black children are involved.

But of late, Democrats are not trying to keep black children out, but in. In public opinion polls on school choice, blacks overwhelmingly favor vouchers to rescue their children from failing schools. No one knows better the damage that poor schools can do to their children's future and communities than blacks. Republicans are in favor of school choice. Democrats aren't.

Also in more contemporary times, President Bush appointed two blacks to the highest positions in government ever occupied by blacks in America. Today, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of State Colin Powell are very powerful, influential members of the Bush administration. Powell, in fact, is fourth in the succession line for the presidency.

Oh, by the way, do you know who is third in line? Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia. Old "Sheets" himself. The same Byrd of the "white niggers" comments on March 5, 2001, and who was a member of the KKK. And Sen. Byrd was not just any old member. No, sir. He was a "grand kleagle" – a recruiter!

Does anyone remember the late war with Iraq? It lasted about a minute but you may have had a chance to notice that the vice chief of operations at Central Command was a brotha – Army Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks.

And let's not let the "fair and free" press off the hook. Back when Jim Crow and segregation were "the law of the land" in the South, the press served as cheerleaders for all those kind, compassionate Democrats as they lovingly lynched black people by the hundreds on a yearly basis.

Small wonder that the press behaved as badly as it did, though. The people who ran those papers, which proudly featured the brutalized and desecrated bodies of black lynching victims on their front pages quite frequently, were all Democrats.

Today, whenever a Republican says anything that can be twisted by Democrats and race hustlers to smack the least bit of racism, the press is quick to pounce on him like Jesse Jackson on a bag of stolen federal dollars.

The hypocrisy of the press on matters of race is appalling. Just take a walk into your average newsroom and tell me what you see? Wait, I'll save you the trip – a sea of white faces and sprinkled here and there, a black face or two. Or better still, tune in to any one of the numerous weekly Sunday news shows and what you'll find is overwhelming white.

Now here's a homework assignment – what political party do you think most of the members of the press belong to? Here's a hint – Democrat.

I need not end here. I could go on all day citing example after example on this matter (Does the name Bull Connor ring a bell, for instance? A Democrat. Hah!). But it would be heartening indeed if the next time accusations of racism are hurled against them, that Republicans would grow a spine and quickly, thoroughly and – when circumstances demand – quite loudly defend their honor, integrity and reputation.

This stunning post from Capital Hill Cubans serves as a reminder to those celebrating this weeks OAS decision on Cuba:

"Indifference is not a beginning, it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor -- never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees -- not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity we betray our own." --Elie Weisel, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize winner, April 12, 1999

This morning, U.S. President Barack Obama visited the former Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald with Elie Weisel, where they dedicated a minute of silence to the 56,000 people that were executed at that site during the Holocaust.

Across the Atlantic, pursuant to the Organization of American States' decision to repeal the 1962 that suspended Cuba's dictatorship from its ranks, President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras -- who together with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega led the efforts to revoke the 1962 resolution -- gloated that with this gesture by the OAS, "Fidel Castro has been acquitted by history."

Despite the Western Hemisphere's condemnable indifference, the only thing history will record is that the Cuban people -- like all other victims of tyranny throughout modern history, whether Jewish, Armenian, Rwandan or Sudanese -- will never forget the countless victims of the brutal dictatorship they have been subjected to.

Below is a picture of Raul Castro personally overseeing the execution of a colleague in the rebel army, and of the Cuban National Memorial in South Florida, where tens of thousands of crosses each carry the name of a victim of Cuba's dictatorship. 

 

Read "The Perils of Indifference."

Short notice post about Albita's concert in New York City tomorrow night. I have a pair of tickets for the concert for the person who can answer this question: who designed, made and installed the steel fence around Albita's house in Miami?

Albita in New York!

On Wednesday June 3rd, S.O.B.’s presents the CD Release Party of Albita, the Cuban songstress from Havana that has moved the world with her music. Since arriving in Miami in 1993, her spectacular and authentic performance of contagious Cuban music has taken her career to an international level, performing all throughout Europe, Latin America, Australia, Africa and Malaysia, where she has shared stage with such greats as the late Celia Cruz, Phil Collins, Melissa Ethredge, and Tony Bennett. Albita has recorded eight albums, seven have received nominations

While building her name in Little Havana, she attracted the attention of famous celebrities like, Gianni Versace, Quincy Jones, Madonna, Sly Stallone, Paco de Lucia, Marco Antonio Muniz, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, among others. Her high energy and electrifying performance combines rumba, son, mambo, and Afro-Cuban rhythms and she does it with true authenticity to her Cuban roots. Her live performance is riveting and unforgettable, portraying a true artist who is here to stay.

Albita has recorded eight albums, seven have received Grammy nominations. Finally after she created her own record label "Angel Dawn Records" she won two Grammys for "Best Contemporary Tropical Record of the Year".

This next album is sure to be a Grammy contender in 2009/10.

Update by Gaius Pitbullius Maximus: I decided to update Val's post by including the entire text of the letter he linked to below because IT NEEDS TO BE READ AND SENT AROUND THE COUNTRY! I want one -- just one -- justification as to why this is okay to do in "post-partisan America." Just one, please. I await the liberal response.

Letter to the Editor [of American Thinker]

My name is George C. Joseph. I am the sole owner of Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu, a family owned and operated business in Melbourne, Florida. My family bought and paid for this automobile franchise 35 years ago in 1974. I am the second generation to manage this business.

We currently employ 50+ people and before the economic slowdown we employed over 70 local people. We are active in the community and the local chamber of commerce. We deal with several dozen local vendors on a day to day basis and many more during a month. All depend on our business for part of their livelihood. We are financially strong with great respect in the market place and community. We have strong local presence and stability.

I work every day the store is open, nine to ten hours a day. I know most of our customers and all our employees. Sunshine Dodge is my life.

On Thursday, May 14, 2009 I was notified that my Dodge franchise, that we purchased, will be taken away from my family on June 9, 2009 without compensation and given to another dealer at no cost to them. My new vehicle inventory consists of 125 vehicles with a financed balance of 3 million dollars. This inventory becomes impossible to sell with no factory incentives beyond June 9, 2009. Without the Dodge franchise we can no longer sell a new Dodge as "new," nor will we be able to do any warranty service work. Additionally, my Dodge parts inventory, (approximately $300,000.) is virtually worthless without the ability to perform warranty service. There is no offer from Chrysler to buy back the vehicles or parts inventory.

Our facility was recently totally renovated at Chrysler's insistence, incurring a multi-million dollar debt in the form of a mortgage at Sun Trust Bank.

HOW IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CAN THIS HAPPEN?

THIS IS A PRIVATE BUSINESS NOT A GOVERNMENT ENTITY

This is beyond imagination! My business is being stolen from me through NO FAULT OF OUR OWN. We did NOTHING wrong.

This atrocity will most likely force my family into bankruptcy. This will also cause our 50+ employees to be unemployed. How will they provide for their families? This is a total economic disaster.

HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN IN A FREE MARKET ECONOMY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?

I beseech your help, and look forward to your reply. Thank you.

Sincerely,

George C. Joseph
President & Owner
Sunshine Dodge-Isuzu

Le ronca los cojones.

Unfuckingbelievable.

OK folks, after tons of hard work and running around and phone calls and emails galore, among lots of other things, we have put together a schedule of events for this year's Cuba Nostalgia Convention:

Friday, May 15th:

Cigar Rolling and Buy Val Mojitos day, sponsored by Cuban Crafters Cigars

Swing by the Babalu Pavilion today and witness one of the finest cigar rollers doing his thing. Free cigars and cutters while supplies last, courtesy of the finest cigar makers and distributors in Miami, Cuban Crafters Cigars.

All day:

We'll be promoting Cuba Solidarity Day and gathering signatures in support of same:

Bring Val a Mojito and he'll cry on your shoulder in gratitude! Bring Val two Mojitos and he'll bottle the tears for you to take home.

Saturday, May 16th:

Author book signing, 2 to 5 PM:

Carlos Frias will be with us with his excellent book "Take Me With You," which we have mentioned here and here. You can listen to our Babalu Radio Hour interview with Carlos, right here. You may remember Carlos for his excellent five part series on his visit back to Cuba at the Palm Beach Post.

Musica! 8 to 9 PM:

Enjoy the sounds of Miami's Latin funk fusionistas and all around cool cats Electric Piquete as they play original music and jazz standards at the Babalu Pavilion.

Sunday, May 17th:

Musica! 5 to 6 PM:

Enjoy some of Miami's best Cuban music with Andy Alfonso y la Orquestra Clase A. I could try to describe their Cuban musical prowess, but I figured a small taste, via YouTube would be much much better:

These guys jam, folks, so bring your dancing shoes. I believe CD's will be available for purchase.

All Three days:

Humberto Fontova will be with us signing books, scheduling still to be arranged.

We'll also have information on a new book by Liz Balmaseda, to be released next month.

And the Orbitz people better get ready, cause we're coming after them without prejudice.

We'll also be promoting Cuba Solidarity Day throughout the weekend and next week.

Most of your favorite Babalu contributors will be there all weekend, so come on by and say hello, have a Mojito or two with us and, if you can, bring coladas. Lots and lots of coladas.