A Taste of Cuba

I'll be honest. The attached photo makes me think this entire cookbook is a lie and worthless.I feel hoodwinked. Don't EVER make a Cuban sandwich with French bread. Americans have to ruin everything.

I love the stories in the book and some of the recipes but some go into french cuisines and others, I though I was purchasing an authentic Cuban recipe book. Example-- Cuban sandwich uses french bread, authentic cuban sandwich uses cuban bread which is made with lard thats the difference.

In this beautifully written book, you will find fabulous and easy to follow recipes for such goodies as "cuatro leches" (four-milk cake), boniato and plantain chips, and La Guarida coffee (espresso with whole and sweetened condensed milk, rum, lemon peel, and cinnamon) as well as ceviche, salmon roll with eggplant, almond pesto sauce and my favorite, arroz con pollo (chicken with rice, p.50). The arroz con pollo recipe combines chicken, hardboiled eggs, peas, cumin, saffron threads, and a host of other ingredients, and is one of the best, and easiest dishes, I have ever made. This book of Cuban history and food makes a great gift---to yourself or anyone you know who loves to cook and eat. Bravo!

I purchased this for my cuban boyfriend, who after immigrating to the US some time ago, is about to open his first restaurant in the states. I LOVE this book and he did too. Too often cuban cookbooks are really tourist-y and honestly of no use to cubans-- they're built for an outsider gaze and not really respectful of the cuture. This book is extremely special because like most good cuisine, all the recipies have a global influence with cuban flare. What emerges is the cuban ETHOS of cooking, the spirit of it-- as applied to many cultures. Very inspiring. Non condescending. Useful to cubans and outsiders alike.

I love this book because it’s a true entry into Cuban paladars and you even get to meet the chefs in them! Other Cuba cookbooks are “inspired” by Cuban food, but this actually has the top chefs in Cuba telling you their recipes from their very own kitchens. The dishes are delicious (party pleasers!) and there are gorgeous photos on every page. I love this book and I love gifting it. Highly recommend.

A Taste of Cuba brings you inside the unique kitchens of "paladar" restaurants, which are run by families out of their homes, and introduces you to their chefs. Mouth watering recipes sourced from chefs who cook by feel, rather than from written instructions, are presented to American cooks using familiar ingredients and measurements. Each recipe I tried was great! The narrative and gorgeous photos enrich your appreciation of Cuban culture and its vibrant culinary traditions.

This is a very special book. It acts as a cookbook, guide book, and cultural book. The pictures are vibrant and the information is exceptional. Don’t visit Cuba without this book!

We have given this coffee table style book out as a gift more than 10 times- some to friends who have been or going to Cuba and others to friends who enjoy cooking. The recipes are presented with detailed cooking instructions accompanied by pictures of the fully prepared dishes. The pictures of life in Cuba are an added bonus. Our friends seem to like the book and recipes as much as we have.

Perfect gift, my husband loves everything to do with Cuba and is looking forward to using the recipes!