Garbanzos Fritos
The Pink Ale
HAVANA
CRAVINGS By Myrurgia Hernandez Photographs courtesy of XSL Language Services “El Jíbaro” courtesy of Xismara Sánchez Lavastida “La Cocina de Lilliam” courtesy of Annet Sánchez Lavastida
El Jíbaro’s Flan Caramel
Cuba is one of the many destinations serviced by Bahamasair. Visit Bahamasair.com to book your next flight to the beautiful island nation of Cuba.
“H
ow often do you go back home?” I was asked. Just then, the guilt of knowing I should have answered “not often enough”, mixed with the nostalgia of being separated from my mother’s cooking, took over. I’m sure it seemed like I was in a daze, but I was really thinking of Maricela’s cooking… Oh! You guessed right: my mum’s. “La comida de Maricela” (Maricela’s Cooking), also featured during International Culture Ltd.’s cultural series “Domingo en mi casita”, has been featured annually at The Bahamas’ International Culture Wine and Food Festival, and is considered by many as the main Cuban food stand at the event. Her signature dish—featuring white rice with black beans and cassava with Cuban mojo, served to complement a juicy and tender roasted pork or chicken—has been taking over the palates of festivalgoers for the last 15 years. These are loyal cuisine connoisseurs who wishfully wait year after year for the arrival of The Bahamas’ most iconic cultural display. In the midst of my bemusement, the desire to book my favorite Bahamasair flight, UP 250, took over. In an instant, I knew it was time to treat my favorite chef to a “cuisine staycation”, and I knew just the right crew to make it happen. Immediately the XSL Cuban Cuisine Tour team was contacted and asked to recommend the “must-go” dining spots in Havana, to satisfy my Havana cravings. I launched a challenge for our XSL Cuban Cuisine Tour specialists Xismara Sánchez Lavastida and Annet Sánchez Lavastida, just to see who would recommend the hottest spot. I must tell you that the results of the challenge are excessively enticing, hence I need your comments to help me choose which paladar should be the first one to host my “kitchen goddess”.
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up and away
By now you may be wondering: what is a paladar? Well, the term paladar, literally translated as “palate”, is the name given in this context to a place where taste buds have a unique indulging celebration. It’s a family-owned, home-based restaurant concept that in many cases complies with international restaurant standards. Xismara recommended El Jíbaro. No worries, I got you: when you ask, just say “don-day es-tah la pah-lah-dar ‘El hee-bah-roh’”, and any Spanish-speaker will know you are trying to find a place with that name. For the record, you may write, “¿Dónde está la paladar El Jíbaro?” Your driver will know just where to take you. After going through El Jíbaro’s menu, my imagination took me to a scenario where I ordered a cocktail called “Yarini’s Kiss”. Since I can only handle some alcohol in my mind, I finally tasted the fruity ingredients mixed with the spicy Havana Club 3 Años rum flavor. The passionfruit cordial, tarragon, black pepper and champagne definitely accentuated our tour guide’s praise on the exquisite make-up of this drink. (Want to try it? The recipe is at the end.) Xismara also recommended “The Pink Ale”, a ladies’ choice that seems to be very popular among the many international icons who have visited El Jíbaro, including Hollywood stars, former presidents, the hottest entertainers whose music you enjoy and, of course, in my daze: you, my chef goddess and I were there just loving ourselves… I’m sorry if you just found out that you were invited to my imaginary UP 250 flight. I just like to visualize good moments, and FYI: you are in it. Are you hungry yet? Let’s get you started with El Jíbaro’s cassava tots. (The recipe to create this piece of heaven on earth is at the end. Ready to cook? Let’s try it!)
