Carter in Cuba
Everything Old is New Again
Shredded beef braised in beer could be your dinner too.
With the former president traveling in Cuba this week take some time to prepare a Cuban dish or three to help enjoy today’s news:
The Meal
Entree
Picadillo – Ground beef and veggies served over rice or beans or both.
Guisado De Pollo – Chicken, green bean and olive stew.
Ropa Vieja – Slow cooked beef served shredded (pictured above)
Side Dish
Congri – Red beans and rice.
Empanada de Queso – Cheese turnovers.
Croquetas – Ham croquettes.
Dessert
Islas Flotantes – Meringue islands floating on custard drizzled with caramel.
Polvorones con Canela – Cuban cinnamon sugar cookies.
The View
A Photo Tour of Cuba (JewishCuba.org) – 22 collections, arranged by photographer, of the sites and people of Cuba.
Travel for Passion – Sets of pictures of available tours in each of the regions of Cuba.
The Chatter
With an American government contractor recently sentenced to 15 years in prison for work done with the Cuban Jewish community there is hope that Carter can negotiate a release and help ease the relations between Cuba and the US. The 3 day trip is half over, but here are some places to learn about the now and the past relationship between Carter and Castro:
Carter visits Cuba amid tension over U.S. contractor (CNN)
The only U.S. president I have known – 2009 essay by Fidel Castro on his opinion and interactions with several presidents.
President Carter’s Cuba Trip Report – Account of Carter’s 2002 trip, in his own words.
(Shredded Steak with Peppers, Onions and Tomatoes (Ropa Vieja) photo is the work of Alana Kelly and is licensed under Creative Commons)
