By Jay Amberg Bloomberg Lifestyles. Tue, 06 Feb 2001,
11:41am EST. Bloomberg.com.
Havana, Feb. 6 -- Cuban cuisine, served in the island's state- run
restaurants, now accounts for the country's third largest source of hard
currency, having edged out industries like sugar, fishing, nickel mining and
cigar sales, according to Granma, Cuba's state newspaper.
Granma noted that Mother Nature could affect cigar production and sales,
while nickel prices are prone to volatility because of global market
speculation.
In the past five years, Cuba's growing tourist industry has risen to the top
in terms of raising cash for the government.
In an attempt to revive and preserve Cuba's culinary traditions for
generations to come, the residents of Havana's San Francisco de Paula district
recently participated in a cooking competition to find the best of the typical
Cuban dishes.
The competition was the brainchild of Barbara Hernandez, director of the
Tomas Tuma Isa Cultural Library, and Osvaldo Escobar, deputy cultural director
of Havana's San Miguel del Padron municipality.
The idea was to highlight Cuban cooking as a part of the national culture.
It's interesting that the cooking competition took place in San Francisco de
Paula district, an area on the outskirts of Havana that was a separate town at
one time.
Ernest Hemingway's house, "Finca Vigia,'' is located on a nearby
hilltop overlooking the Havana skyline and the Gulf Stream.
Even by Cuban standards, San Francisco de Paula is considered to be a
run-down and poor neighborhood.
Despite shortages of food and a rationing system that makes it difficult for
Cubans without access to U.S. dollars to purchase foods that most Americans
consider household basics, the Cuban government has been generating new interest
in the island's cuisine.
A recent article in Granma about Cuban cooking pointed out the birthplace of
Cuban cooking was in the home and author Alberto Pozo encouraged Cubans to
continue preparing home meals.
"How could Cuban cooking continue to live and develop if we abandon the
creative inspiration, imaginative will and popular art that our home kitchens
represent?'' Pozo said.
The article said traditional Cuban cuisine was in danger of being overtaken
by fast foods, as people find it easier to consume food on the go.
"Some resources have to be saved, but we should never give up the
imaginative and tasty Sunday dinner, nor lose the spiritual link this provides
the union of the family,'' Pozo said.
Unfortunately, other than laying down the challenge that Cuban cooks be
imaginative, the Granma article didn't say how the average Cuban could purchase
the necessary items to cook a traditional Sunday dinner using ration coupons.
Pozo also said Cuban chefs who cook for tourists are much more conscious of
modern health concerns and have reduced their use of salt, fat and sugar, which
can cause health problems in certain individuals.
"Chefs today are not only revitalizing and stylizing traditional
cooking, they are advancing the pursuit of a modern Cuban cuisine where seafood,
vegetables and fruits are forming the foundations of the new edifice of Cuban
cuisine,'' Pozo said.
Last year, Cuba reported 1.8 million tourists visited the island, compared
with government projections of 2 million, or a 10 percent increase from the
previous year.
Between 1996-2000, Cuba said tourism soared 18.6 percent, compared with the
rest of the Caribbean, where growth was 3-4 percent.
Cuba said it missed last year's target of 2 million visitors because of
soaring oil prices that increased the price of airline tickets, fluctuating
world currency prices, especially the Euro, and the so-called "Millennium
Bug'' that scared tourists away from developing countries like Cuba.
Here's a recipe for a traditional Cuban dish of red beans and rice.
Congri 1 package of dried red kidney beans 1 bay leaf 1/4 pound ham steak
(diced fine) 1 cup sofrito (available from Goya foods) 1/4 teaspoon oregano 3
teaspoons salt 4 cups water 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips 4
ounces salt pork 1/4 cup olive oil 3-4 garlic cloves minced 1/2 teaspoon cumin 2
cups long grain rice
Soak beans overnight, covering the beans with 2-3 inches of water.
When ready to prepare the dish, put the strips if pepper and bay leaf into
the water with the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat
and simmer 1 1/2-2 hours, adding more water if needed.
In a large casserole heat the salt pork over medium heat, remove and drain
on a paper towel. Add the ham to the salt pork fat left in the casserole and
brown lightly. Remove the ham and drain.
Return casserole to the heat and ad a tablespoon of olive oil, add the
sofrito and using medium heat warm-up the sofrito.
Add cumin and oregano and heat for an additional 2 minutes. Add the ham and
salt pork and set aside.
When the beans are done, drain and save three cups of the liquid. Add the
beans to the casserole and simmer over medium heat.
Add salt, pepper, rice and reserved water and bring to a boil. Reduce the
heat to medium-low and cook until all the water is absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
Serves four.
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