The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-07
CUBAN COOKERY.
Its characteristics and Some Dishes For
Which it is Famous.
IN. Y. Sun.)


ton of the reconcentrados and the hunger
of the Cuban army that the name of Cuba
is not AFT to awaken in the American
mind epicurean visions of dainty dishes.
1t should be otherwise, What is really
lnco'nprehensible to people who have
lived In Cuba. notwithstanding the only
too stern reality, is that death from star
| Walton should be possible in country SO
richly endowed by nature.
| The Cuhans in normal times live we'll,
perhaps too well; they are gourmets, and,
as a people, are lavishly extravaganza on
| their table. The inner man is catered to
in preference to the outer. 1t seems al
most as if the tropical sun created crav-
| ing for food with which to balance the
losses occasioned by the extreme heat.
Meals ara.served as they are in Europe,
on the Continent-that is, coffes or choco-
late and rolls in the morning, a substan-
tial breakfast at noon, and dinner in the
evening. AS the afternoons are long and
hot, some cooling drink is generally taken
at about 8 O'Clock.
| The chief defect Of the Cuban diet il an
| excessive consumption of meat and rich
| sauces but this fault, like most others, is
an inheritance from Spain, which colon
| lied the island and laid the foundation of
its cookery. just rs England did of the
American cookery. The Spanish cuisine
| is strong and repulsive to American pal
ates-reeking with oil. garlic, onions and
red pepper. These ingredients are by no
means to be despised, but they should not
be abused and in the Cuban kitchen they
arc employed with moderation.
The markets OF Havana are we'll sup
piled with eggs and the poultry, which is
C orn-fed. are excellent; the fish from the
Gulf of Mexico are renowned for their
flavor, and, not being Kept on ice, are
superior to those to be had in New York
A merican vegetables are better, but there
is much to choose from in Cuba, and
fruit abounds in great variety.
Wealthy Cubaus copy their menus after
the pattern set by France. Among the
middle classes are found a number of
purely creole dishes, the most character
istic of which is the ajiaco, an evolution
Of the Spanish ola podrida. The Spanish
estimate of this preparation is shown By
the adage, "After God, the ollal" 1t is
kind of soup or stew into whose compo-
sition enters little of everything To
make it you require beef, veal, ham, salt
pork, sausage (chorizo), onions, garlic.
bay leaves, cloves, cumin, wild marjoram
potatoes cabbage, carrots, turnips, pars-
ley. string beans and garbanzos-all boiled
t ogether.
A word about the garbanzo. 1t is known
in the South as the chick pea and is the
typical garin of Spain and the home of
the bull fighter is called the land of the
garpanzos." AS for the ajlaco. it is pre-
pared much in the same way as its Iberian
ancestor with beef and pork, or chicken,
but instead of the Northern vegetables,
tropical ones are substituted, green and
ripe plantains, sweet potatoes, yams,
yucca, malaugas, hard squash or calabah,
corn and tomatoes, seasoned sparingly
with kitchen herbs. Although entirely
different from anything eaten here, the
ajiaco, and especially its broth, is, as a
rule relished by Americans.
Rice is staple article OF food in Cuba,
where it Is consumed in immense quanti-
ties; in fact, no meal is complete without
1t, and it is served as invariably as brad
or potatoes. The rice is boiled and
steamed, so that each grain will stand
apart from it's neighbors. This would be
a representative breakfast in a family of
the middle class:
Ajiaco.
Fried eggs with tomato sauce,
Boiled rice. Picadillo (hash.)
Fried plantains, green and ripe.
Fish in escabeche.
Tenderloin steak and potatoes.
Lettuce salad.
Guava paste and fresh cheese.
Fruit.
Coffee
Escabeche is fish, preferably bonito fried
in slices and laid several hours before be.
ing served in sauce made of half pint
of vinegar, in which the following in
gradients have been boiled for few min
utes: Three OF four cloves, a bay leaf,
pinch of thyme, kernel of garlic, sliced
onion, a half teaspoonful Of coloring pep
per, three tablespoonful good salad oil
and few capers, olives and pickles. 1t is
eaten cold, and will keep, we'll covered in
a stone jar, for weeks
ArroZ con polio, chicken with rice, is
another famous dish. There is a restau-
rant near Havana whose owner has made
a reputation and u fortune by preparing
it Here ia the recipe: In large saucepan
place some lard, or, if you prefer, half q
cup of good olive oil, an onion chopped
these are brown, put in hfresh, tender
chicken, cut into pieces. and quarter of
a hound Of aboon in dice Allow this to
take nice golden color, add Epepper and
salt, stir large tomatoes, or half can, if
fresh ones are not obtainable, a pinch of
Spanish saffron, two cloves, bay leaf
and a green pepper cut into strips Cover
tightly and let the contents simmer for
half an hour. Now pour over all a gener-
Gus pint of water and two cups of large
Carolina rice which has been thoroughly
washed. Cook on moderate fire fifteen
to twenty minutes, by which time the
rice will have absorbed all the liquid.
The saucepan must then be placed at the
back of the stove so that the rice may
steam until it is tender Eand quite dry,
otherwise it would burn or remain raw
and wet Pile in pyramid on platter
and garnish with French p cas-. This is
debate dish.
The desserts in Cuba are extremely
varied. Pastry is not so extensively used
as with Americans, but, as it is the coun-
try of fruit and sugar, the variety of
sweetmeats, preserves and candied fruit is
infinite
Cuban iced drinks should become popu-
lar with Americans in summer. If you
go to cafe and ask the waiter what re-
frescos they have he will call off list of
bewildering length, These cooling beyer-