Category Archives: Cuban Cuisine

Picadillo

Posted on by

Why do Spaniards cook meat with raisins and capers? So today we clue you in to a well kept secret about Latin cooking—  Morocco!

Spain is just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Morocco, and used to have title to territory there.  Carmen’s former mother-in-law was Moroccan Spanish, and taught her a lot of recipes.  They often combine sweet and savory in meat dishes, so our Picadillo (popular in Cuba as well as Spain) contains ground beef with onions, raisins, olives and capers.

If you love the combo (like I do, I sometimes have it three meals a day) wait till winter and taste the Carne Guisada, Moroccan beef stew.  It’s cooked with prunes or apricots plus the savories, and wow, is it out of this world!

The Lure of the Cortado

Posted on by

What makes that Latte so sweet?

Cuban Coffee, called Cortado, is a specific way to make what might otherwise be called a Latte. You start with Cuban roast espresso beans— not burnt, like a French roast, but dark, rich, flavorful. Steam the milk just so— not as much big foam as in a Latte, but thickened with microfoam so it adds a dense, caramelly texture. Properly done, the sweetness comes from the milk, and contrasts pleasantly with the bitterness of the coffee.

You may like it with a small spoon of sugar, put real Cubanistas take it straight.

Image of Cuban coffee served in a cup