Culinary Traditions Of Cuba
by: Kirsten Hawkins
The East Caribbean island of Cuba has a rich cultural heritage from which has arisen culinary traditions that are as vibrant and varied as the variety of cultures that have contributed to the development of this distinct and delicious cuisine. In addition to the ancient influence of the native peoples of Cuba, the Spaniards brought their own culinary styles, tinged by those of the Moors who held huge parts of Spain for centuries. The slaves that were brought from Africa made significant culinary and cultural contributions, with other culinary traditions being brought to the island with the French colonists fleeing uprisings in Haiti.
As these various influences came together, a distinctly Cuban flavor and style evolved, which is reminiscent of country peasant styles of cooking by oral tradition and eye, rather than relying on specific measurements and the creation of dishes that tend towards the simple and hearty, and that can be left on their own to simmer. Fussy, heavy sauces are unusual and deep-frying is simply not a favored cooking method. The island nation, naturally, uses a great deal of seafood in its cuisine, which encourages the use of simple cooking techniques and spicing that is meant to enhance, not smother, natural flavors.
The most common spices used in Cuban cuisine are garlic, cumin, oregano and bay or laurel leaves. Sofrito is also popular, and used in a wide range of dishes, from those of beans to those of meats to those that are made from a base of tomato sauce. A typical sofrito is made of green pepper, onion, garlic, oregano and black pepper fried in olive oil until the pepper, onion and garlic are soft and translucent and the flavors blend to perfection.
The dense, nutritious, energy producing vegetables commonly used belie the African and native peoples? influence on the cuisine of Cuba. Yuca, malanga, boniato, and plantano are among these, and are often simmered together with complementary vegetables and served simply, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with chopped fresh onion ? a satisfying, strengthening and simple dish for a hard working people.
Meats are often prepared using island flavored marinades of that use lime juice or the juice of a sour variety of the orange as a base. Then, the meats are roasted or simmered very slowly with spices, often for hours. Beans and rice are an essential part of most meals, with black beans being well known as a Cuban specialty.
Cuban cuisine is also notable for its baked goods, which include a variety of turnovers. Some are filled with spiced meats and other types feature a particularly Cuban blend of cream cheese and guava paste. Flan is among Cuba?s most beloved dessert items.
In Cuban cuisine, the subtle flavors of healthy foods are enhanced by cooking and spicing methods designed to bring out the best in each component of a dish. The culinary traditions of Cuba are a delight to the tongue, naturally, but they also offer a fascinating glimpse into a culture that has brought together many varied elements to create a cohesive whole.
About The Author
Kirsten Hawkins is a food and nutrition expert specializing the Mexican, Chinese, and Italian food.
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Acne Home Treatment 101
Acne Home Treatment 101
by: Kirsten Hawkins
Acne is truly one serious worry of most teenagers and young adults as well in every part of the country. It?s certainly an obstacle to fully enjoy what life offers during your youthful years. It ruins your confidence to say and do what you want. It can even affect a person?s relationship towards his/her loved ones and on other people. However, we have several ways to choose from to exterminate this acne. The good news is that you don?t have to go that too far in searching for your remedies! There are so many home treatments for acne right there! And, you can surely find some of them in your kitchen or garden. If not, the nearest store will surely have one non-prescriptive product for you! You should know that there is no way that you can lose in your fight against this unwanted skin disorder. Home treatments for acne will surely leave you worry-free!
Do-It-Yourself home treatment for your acne
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Acne Home Treatment 101
Oil prices > Acne Home Treatment 101
How To Kick Your Marketplace (And Your Prices) Up A Notch!
How To Kick Your Marketplace (And Your Prices) Up A Notch!
by: Craig Garber
Sometimes all you need is a simple "shift" in your thinking and that missing "link" you've been needing, all of a sudden appears, clear as day.
Here's what I mean: A common problem I see with clients of mine, especially my consulting clients - http://www.KingOfCopy.com/consulting - is that they've got a "decent" product... "decent" marketing... but their target audience is slightly "off" a bit.
And the thing is, even if you've got an AWESOME product... and AWESOME marketing... if your target marketplace isn't spot on...
You're Always Going To Be Sucking Wind And Struggling!
So here's a brief example of what I mean: Let's say you're selling some kind of accessory that truly improves the quality of a children's outdoor sporting activities, giving them a better experience.
At $19...
How To Kick Your Marketplace (And Your Prices) Up A Notch!
Oil prices > How To Kick Your Marketplace (And Your Prices) Up A Notch!
The Top 10 Quick Tips that will save common household recipes!!!
The Top 10 Quick Tips that will save common household recipes!!!
by: Jonathan Chin
1. Making great biscuits:
biscuits are great from scratch because most recipes use only 5-6 ingredients.
My personal recipe uses only baking soda, baking powder, flour, buttermilk, salt, and butter.
The most important thing to remember to ensure that your biscuits come out fluffy is to make sure that you use cold butter and that you leave the butter in small chunks throughout the mixing process.
A common error is to mix the butter smoothly into the mixture.
If you leave the butter in chunks, as your biscuits cook, the butter will form layers in the dough and the result will be more rise and fluff.
This also works for making any puff pastry from scratch.
Another great idea is to take the dough and put a thin layer over the top of a bowl of soup, then to bake the whole bowl in your oven.
This will...
Oil prices > The Top 10 Quick Tips that will save common household recipes!!!
Pierogi Recipe: Potato and Cheese Filling
Pierogi Recipe:
Potato and Cheese Filling
by: Michael A. Stazko
One of the most popular, if not the best, Polish dishes is the pierogi.
Pierogi is a versatile food that can be enjoyed several different ways.
It is basically a dumpling that can be stuffed with meat, sauerkraut, potato, or any other filling of your choice.
My personal favorite is pierogi stuffed with cheese and potato.
Here is the recipe:
Dough:
2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of warm water
1 egg
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Filling:
2 large or 4 regular sized potatoes
3 slices of Velveeta Cheese
2 tablespoons of cream cheese
salt and pepper to your liking
Directions:
Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces.
Put the potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium/high and let the potatoes cook...
Oil prices > Pierogi Recipe: Potato and Cheese Filling
Pierogi Recipe: Potato and Cheese Filling
Pierogi Recipe:
Potato and Cheese Filling
by: Michael A. Stazko
One of the most popular, if not the best, Polish dishes is the pierogi.
Pierogi is a versatile food that can be enjoyed several different ways.
It is basically a dumpling that can be stuffed with meat, sauerkraut, potato, or any other filling of your choice.
My personal favorite is pierogi stuffed with cheese and potato.
Here is the recipe:
Dough:
2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of warm water
1 egg
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Filling:
2 large or 4 regular sized potatoes
3 slices of Velveeta Cheese
2 tablespoons of cream cheese
salt and pepper to your liking
Directions:
Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces.
Put the potatoes in a pot of water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium/high and let the potatoes cook...
Oil prices > Pierogi Recipe: Potato and Cheese Filling
Developing Wellsite Geology Software
Developing Wellsite Geology Software
by: Rob Francis
Over the years I have been able to work on many different software projects. Some of these were stand-alone applications, others were client server applications that made good use of the local networks. A lot of Web development and working with Web technologies also played a part. All of these projects were challenging but not nearly as complex as the software industry with its myriad languages, technologies - its crazy jargon and seemingly endless acronyms. That was until now.
You see, now I have been immersed into the giant world of the oil and gas industry. They have their own languages and enough acronyms to make even a hardened software guy shudder. When you come across terms like datum, TVD (True Vertical Depth), mudlogging, RT (Rotary Table Elevation), MSL (Mean Sea Level), MDRT (Measured Depth from the Rotary Table), KB (Kelly Bushing), AHD (Australian Height Datum), plus many, many...
Developing Wellsite Geology Software
Oil prices > Developing Wellsite Geology Software