We Cubans love to talk (and talk and talk) about pretty much anything. We have an opinion. And of course, our opinion is the correct one.
The best part of this is that we love to engage in what I like to call “Recreational Arguing.” In other words, we will argue a point sometimes, not on its merits, but just because we can. Is anyone else relating to this? Let’s see a show of hands.
One of my favorite Recreational Arguments® is the one over which is the more superior way to cook plantains:
- Wait until they’re super ripe and fry up some super sweet maduros?
- Or get those very green plantains right off the tree and double fry some salty/savory tostones?
I always end up on the diplomatic side of this argument: It depends.
I tend to prefer maduros with a perfect Bistec de Palomilla. But tostones add perfection to a nice sweet, Picadillo.
My friends at IMUSA recently sent me some of their fabulous products to try out. (Thanks, IMUSA!) IMUSA Products are available at Macy’s, Kohl’s, K-mart, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond.
I made a big, fat batch of Picadillo in their 3.2 quart red caldero. And, of course, picadillo practically screams for tostones. If you don’t have a tostonera, I question the Cubanity of your kitchen. Trust me you need this to get these babies flattened just right.
Because tostones with picadillo is perfection. Am I right? (I know I’m right.)
Today’s giveaway is sponsored by IMUSA: A beautiful IMUSA Tostonera for your kitchen. Made from beautiful pressed bamboo, it’s a must-have in your Cuban kitchen so that your tostones will be the talk of the town.
To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on THIS POST answering the age-old question:
- Maduros or Tostones? Why?
I’ll be choosing a winner on Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016. You have until then to enter.
Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post, but I did receive the IMUSA products shown above as well as a tostonera to give away. The opinions are all my own.
Maduros! I need a little sweetness with my meals 🙂
It definitely depends. But if I have to choose one, tostones. Because salty and sweet together (and they are naturally slightly sweet, even when green) is a hard combination to beat!!
I made this exact meal for dinner on Tuesday, arroz blanco, picadillo y TOSTONES!! only an aguacate salad could have made this better than it already was. although I enjoy maduros now as a child you couldn’t get me to eat one if you tried, same went with fried eggs. I have both of my grandmothers to thank for my Cubanity!
Maduros because every good cuban needs that sweet and salty fix all at once.
I love maduros on certain occasions, but really my favorite is not either. We called them mariquitas. Supper skinny fried green plantain chips! The absolute bomb.
Just like you noted Marta, there is a time and place for everything. Maduros first (con palomilla) and Tostones second (con picadillo) but if I may be sincere, my absolute favorite are the in-betweenies, Pintones. Ayy que rico ninya with anything!
Thank you and continue the wonderful work you do!!
We like both the Maduros and tostones. It depends what the meal we are eating that day.
Tostones. All day. Every day.
Love both but I’d have to say tostones are my favorite!
I agree with Marta. I think tostones are perfect for making quasi-tostada like food vessel made from a toston, lettuce and picadillo on top. arrozz blano, frijoles negro, picadillo y tostones( my grandma just calle them platanos fritos). One my go to meals when mima used to ask what i wanted to eat when i would come home on leave(Army). Maduros and bistec is all about contrasts in texture(dense,chewy-bistec) vs (soft/melt in your mouth-maduro) Happy eating. Que viva el Cubaneo.
Maduros, oh so sweet!
I always make tostones a/k/a platanos a puñetazos to go with arroz con pollo a la chorrera. Yum!!!
Completely depends on what you’re having it with but usually win at my home. I probably need to turn in my Cubana card because I do not have a tostonera. Have always used a can of food. ?????
Tostones all the way!! The true winner!!
Love your blog, very entertaining and keeping us ‘up’ on our Cubanity??!!
Both ports favor!
Tostones, me encanta el corcante!
Me encanta los tostones con ajo y limon.
I love both. It depends on the dish and my mood. But I have never been able to get tostones right so if i dont. Win one of these i may just have to go buy one.
Maduros. Because I said so!
Maduros all the way!
Tostones always!!!!
Sorry guys but Tostones wind every day in my house!!!!!
MADUROS for me and TOSTONES for my husband! Tostones are easier for me to get done right. I have always used my hand to smash (hot in waxed paper but I can control the width better). I’d love the chance to try a tostonera 🙂
I like tostones, although I live in north eat Texas and it is hard to get Cuban anything, leat of all a tostonera, I still do my tostones with picadillo and arroz con pollo (yummy), however my husband likes maduros and I have 3 foster children from Mexico, and even though though they eat Cuban food, their favorite is maduros with everything from potajes, to arroz con pollo.
It depends on the meal. Love them both equally
I prefer maduros, unless I’m visiting my brother and he is making the world’s-greatest, perfectly thin and crisp tostones, with garlic-salt and garlic dipping sauce on the side. Commence watering of the mouth…
I agree with you, Marta. It definitely depends on what you’re eating with them. However, If I had to pick I would say tostones all the way!
I will go for the “tostones.” I just love the crispiness and flavor. My mom makes a special mojo and pours it over her tostones. “Dios mio que ricoooooo!!!!!” I don’t favor “maduros” I mean, I’ll eat them if I have to BUT they are not my favorites.
I love anything made with green plantains.
My husband and I just came back from a week long trip to Ciego, Cuba. We ate at different homes in the surrounding rural areas. Our meals were always cooked outside over a fire and always included some kind of cooked plantains. I think we had tostones a couple times and enjoyed them. Other times they were sliced and fried where the outside was crispy and inside tender. Sometimes they were sliced and fried very thin(good with the extra large avocados! And a few times, they were mashed. We enjoyed the food, but most of all we fell in love with the hospitable people.
Thank you for your blog where we can learn more about Cuban culture.
I love both but in my house my kids fight over the tostones Especially on “arroz con pollo” night.
It all depends…if I am having huevos fritos con arroz..it has to go with maduros…If I am having ropa vieja..tostones are the way to go…arroz con pollo can go either way…if the maduros are really yummy it is a great combination..and maduros are great in an omelette…
They are both great..maduros very maduros and tostones very green…
OMG don’t make me choose!!! maduros…. no, to stones!…..no, definitely maduros!…. arrrgghhhhh….
So hard to choose but I love tostones! They’re the perfect mix of soft, crunchy, and savory