Friday, April 23, 2010

Where's the Beef? Comfort Food

Comfort food refers to simple, familiar food that brings some form or measure of comfort, a sense of well-being and satisfaction.  It is basically pleasing and can have a nostaligic element either to an individual or specific culture.

This is a conundrum for me.  It's amazing how much food can define a culture, and what I eat makes me feel as misplaced as the bananas in my chicken noodle soup, or plantains in my omelet, the squid in my rice and the meat in my dessert.

When I married my husband, I realized how far from American I was. The biggest shocker was that growing up he ate beef everyday. I questioned him:

Pork?....Chops on Sundays
Chicken?....Not my favorite
Fish?....Ehh
Seafood?....No
Pizza?....With Pepperoni
Beans?....No thanks
Tofu?....Yuck

Although I mostly post Cuban recipes for this blog, be assured that I DO NOT cook Cuban food everyday. Although I've weened my husband from eating beef all the time; I mostly cook the foods that he enjoys.

In the upcoming weeks, I'm taking my husband out of his comfort zone (he'll be sneaking out to Steak 'n' Shake, I'm sure).  I'm going to try new recipes... some Cuban, some not, most without beef. We'll see how he fares. Check back soon.

3 comments:

  1. Gee, I wish I lived closer to be your Guinea pig with these new recipes you are trying out. I would even give a hand in the kitchen if that were permitted. I love to cook! It's so cathartic and creative. It's almost like giving birth! (so I've heard...) I love beef but not nearly as much as I love fish and pork. Chicken, errr... I eat it A LOT because in this country you are kind of SUPPOSED to eat it, but not my favorite by far; not even in Cuba where arroz con pollo (chicken and rice), pollo frito (fried chicken, Cuban syle -I must admit my mother made the BEST-) or fricasé de pollo con papas (chicken fricassee with potatoes) were usually big deal dishes there, reserved for Sundays or special guests and/or occasions... I do go cuckoo for a good bistec empanizado (Cuban breaded milanesa steak, very similar to the German schnitzel) ... YUM! My father and your aunt Macuca used to make the absolutely BEST bistec empanizados... So now you know how I feel about beef... and other things. Love.

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  2. Pedro, I have frijoles de carita en remojo to make frituras tomorrow. I'm making a salsa de aguacate and a special crab dish this weekend. You're welcome in my kitchen any time.

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  3. Wow I heard in Cuba the beef is government owned now days like the cows are state property, but for a lot of Pre-Castro Cuban beef is like the main thing it's prepared so often.

    Picadillo once week, bistec de palomilla almost all the time, ropa vieja, carne con papas, bistec en cazuela, vaca frita, it just never ends. lol.

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