Blogs from Matanzas, Cuba, Central America Caribbean - page 5

Remembering (blog by Stan) Cuban folks can’t help but remember history; they are surrounded by historical references at every turn. We live, for example on the Second of May Street, and shop at the Eighth of March convenient store. Siempre 26 (Forever the 26th) is plastered on many buildings and signs, a reference to July 26, 1953, the opening salvo of revolution. I am writing this blog on October 10, Independence Day, honoring the beginning of Cuba’s war for independence from Spain. Last month, on September 28, we found our streets filled with chalked messages celebrating the birthday of the CDR, Cuba’s highly controversial “neighborhood watch” program. That night, every block had a party, with loud music, food, and dominos. In a few days there will be another national holiday, Cuban Culture day, on October 20. ... read more

Healing the Land (blog by Stan Dotson) Thanks to Ofelia Ortega, ethics professor and past president of the seminary, there is an amazing organic garden (more like a small farm) adjacent to the chapel here, with rich, loamy black soil that produces a wide variety of fruits and veggies. Kim has enjoyed volunteering there, making friends with Guillermo and Duvier and Chino and other workers as she gets her hands in the ground every Friday. Ofelia’s beautiful brainchild came out of the harsh necessity of Cuba’s “Special Period”, the decade of the 90s after the fall of the Soviet Union, when all their economic support vanished and they were left to fend for themselves. Here’s a question lots of visitors have after spending some time in Cuba: how is it that a tropical island with so ... read more

Shopping Sprees (blog by Stan) I was getting my haircut today on the side patio of the neighborhood barber (a teenager who dreams of getting to America someday). He asked if I had traveled to other countries, and then asked which of all the places I had been I liked the most. I said Cuba, of course. He responded that he thought Cuba would be a great place to live if you had money, but the constant worry about how to survive on the $10 to $40 monthly salaries drives everybody crazy. I am sure there’s some truth in what he said, that part of why I love being here is that I have money (albeit not much by American standards, but I might as well be a millionaire by Cuban standards). I don’t have to ... read more

Soul Food (reflection by Stan) While there is much greater diversity in Cuban cuisine than I had previously thought, black beans and rice still provide the anchor, the go-to staple for the vast majority of households. I have shared a few items from our culture, such as the grilled cheese sandwich and deviled eggs, and people are generally polite and gracious in their responses, but I don’t think there’s any danger that these will become standard fare here. So we have learned the art of beans and rice, which is lesson one in preparing a full Cuban meal. After soaking the beans, you pressure cook them with about double the amount of water as beans, for 25 minutes. Take the pressure cooker off the heat (we have, like most folks, a small, portable stove with one ... read more

A Comer (a reflection by Stan) “A comer!” It’s the call to the table – “let’s eat!” Or you can say “al ataque,” that is, “dig in.” There’s so much to write about the Cuban culture of food, I’ll need several blogs. Using the “farm to fork” model, I’ll start with the fork, the actual meals we’re enjoying, and work my way back in future blogs to talk about food prep, shopping, and Cuban agriculture, all of which provide fascinating contrasts to the American food culture. To begin with, breakfast is simple, a piece of bread and coffee. Lunch consists of leftovers from the night before, from the comida, the dinner meal, the big meal of the day. I’ll try and describe a “dream comida” – what the typical fare might be for the a-typical family ... read more