![]() Touts who stroll alongside tourists on the street, chatting away about local attractions before attempting to steer them to a particular restaurant, will usually mention lobster somewhere in their sales pitch. It’s usually served with a hearty portion of that other Cuban staple, rice and beans. “It can be prepared with lamb or pork, but the original is made with beef.” Ropa vieja isn’t unique to Cuba, but it’s ubiquitous – just try to find a restaurant that doesn’t list it on the menu. The recipe is over 500 years old,” Fuentes says. “Ropa vieja is considered the national dish of Cuba. The dish of stewed shredded meat is similar to brisket, but drenched in a sauce of tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and spices. He shredded his clothes and cooked them, praying for a miracle, and the torn cloth turned into a meaty stew. There’s a familiar legend about ropa vieja, which means old clothes: the dish was first made by a father who didn’t have enough money to buy food for his family. You might also see the fritters placed on the table with a small bowl of fruit syrup instead of honey. They’re served as an appetizer or side dish, often with honey for dipping, with the sweetness complementing the savory fried flavor. The malangas are peeled, grated down into a paste and added to a batter of egg, garlic and spices before hitting the frying pan or deep fryer. ![]() Malanga is a root vegetable similar to taro. These bite-sized nuggets of fried malanga are the perfect snack food. Sugar is vigorously stirred into a small amount of espresso to make a creamy paste before the rest of the espresso is added. For an afternoon pick-me-up, go for a café Cubano (also referred to as a cafecito). If you really want to fit in, dip the buttered toast into the coffee. While breakfast at a hotel or casa particular usually involves multiple courses – including fresh fruit, bread, ham, eggs and cheese – the typical breakfast for a Cuban is a lot simpler: just milky coffee and toast with butter. The milk is always added hot or warm, never cold, Fuentes says. To start the day Cuban-style, order a café con leche (coffee with milk). “Everyone drinks it, even kids - for them, we just add more milk.” They say, ‘I’ll go make the coffee,’” says Ana Fuentes, a tour guide with Food Tours Havana. “When you’re invited to someone’s home, they don't ask if you want coffee. Skip it, and you’ll definitely stand out. Drinking strong, sweetened coffee – often grown in the country’s mountainous east and prepared in a stovetop espresso maker – is a daily ritual in Cuba.
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