Growing up Cuban has always meant turning normal size things into the diminutive form.
When there were Everest-sized mountains of sandwiches, they were called "bocaditos." Or "just a mouthful." Lies. It took more than "just a bite" to consume these particular delicacies.
We don't just drink café, we have a "cafecito." (A little coffee.) Or an espresso topped with steamed milk is called a "cortadito," no matter what size it is. "Cortadito" translates to "little cut." (Don't ask me why this makes any sense.)
We don't eat just eat papas fritas (French fries), we enjoy "papitas fritas." Can you see just how much cuter and much more appetizing they are when you add the "-ita"?
Your adorable Cuban grandmother is not just your abuela, she is your "abuelita."
Everything seems much more adorable and cuter with the addition of the diminutive suffix.
Add an "-ito" or "-ita" to something and it becomes small and precious. In Cuban circles, I'm not just Marta, I'm "Martita," Or "Martica." See how much cuter I am when I'm called Mini Marta.? ;-)
I have Cuban diminutives on the brain because my friends at IMUSA USA have released a line of Mini Cookware. Yes, I said, MINI. I know. Shut up.
WARNING: Cuteness overload coming up...
Cazuelitas! Sarténcitas! GUAT? How fabulously cute are these?
The mini line is perfect for making scaled down or "-ito" versions of your favorite recipes. Ideal for singles, empty nesters and college-bound cooks. (Miss Lucy has taken to making herself two perfect, little pancakes each day on that perfect, little mini griddle. Yes, pancakes-itos!) I could weep from the cuteness of it all.
It comes in some deliciously rich Spice Line colors (think Fiesta) including: Chili Pepper Red, Cilantro Green, Sazon Orange, Saffron Yellow and Tropical Blue.
The IMUSA USA Mini Cookware product line includes the following:
- 1/2 qt. mini casserole
- 1/2 qt. covered saucepan
- 6" grill pan,
- 2 pc. cookware sets of 6.5" griddle & 6" fry pan
Can it get any better than this?? Yes! How about if we do a comment giveaway for a set of these? (I knew you'd like that.)
1) To enter this drawing, please leave a comment on this post and answer one or all of the following questions:
- What can you see yourself making in any or all of these beautiful mini cookware pieces?
- What color Mini Cookware would you choose?
- What's your favorite word to add an "-ito" to?
2) For an extra entry, please go "like" IMUSA USA on Facebook and come back and leave me another comment telling me:
- "I like IMUSA USA!"
So that's not one, but two entries apiece. You're welcome.
Remember that if you want to enter the drawing for this adorable IMUSA Mini Cookware set (and trust me, you do), you must leave a comment (plus the 2nd comment if you do the Facebook liking thing) on this post and I'll choose a winner on Sunday, March 4th 2011 at 8 PST.
I just got home from my trip to Nashville, which I'll tell you all about next week when I'm all recovered. In the meantime, I'm thinking that for breakfast tomorrow, I'm going to be making a delicious English-muffin-egg-and-ham sandwich-ito for myself using all this mini cuteness.
And for the record, I'm still totally into the Orange (!).
Hasta lueguito! ;-)
