A Cuban who moved abroad will never forget the first time they entered a supermarket and ran across another type of problem than before: not knowing what to choose. Remember that moment? Oh, well, that still happens… Food is part of our cultural heritage, it’s more than just eating, it’s a family or social ritual. It’s about sharing stories about how the day went, it’s about creating connections and background for our entire existence. Yes, a lot of pressure is placed on food, right?
So, how does the fridge of a Cuban expat combine nostalgia for childhood tastes with the newly found variety of products? Let’s open the fridge and see what’s inside.
Beef
Ropa viaje, beef picadillo, so many dishes from back home revolve around beef, so it will always be a must have in every Cuban or half-Cuban household. You will teach your children about all of these, even if they don’t have the same deeply rooted pride and love for Cuba, that makes your heart run wild when thinking about it.
Beer
So we have beef. Let’s continue the list and change one letter, a change that delights our taste buds and makes us more… talkative, if the quantities are generous enough. Forgive us, Cuban rum, but beer is a great pal at the end of the day, offering a nice closure to the challenges that may have accrued during the day.
Cheese, in many forms and varieties
Cuba was all about the white cheese – yellow cheese dichotomy. So trying new types of cheese is now one of the small pleasures in life. With its different flavors, cheese made its way into breakfast, dinner, friends gatherings and even on pizza.
Pre-cooked meals
Homemade dishes are comfort food at its best. However, the day still counts 24 hours and sometimes it’s still not enough for our jobs or daily errands. That’s why we should thank the inventor of pre-cooked meals that helps us save the day and feed the little (or not that little) humans around us.
Not tropical fruits
Do you know the story about the pineapple that used to be a symbol of wealth, Catherine the Great and King Louis XV passing around and displaying their precious pineapples until they simply rotted away? A single pineapple used to cost up to $8,000. Oh, well, if for other people tropical fruits are to die for, for Cubans it goes the other way around: non tropical fruits, such as the common apples, are highly appreciated…
Can you relate to this story?
