Growing up in our Cuban household, we entertained regularly and always ALWAYS! had overnight guests. Anyone visiting our area code for any reason meant that an invitation was extended for them to stay with us.
Of course. It’s the Cuban way.
The invitation to stay with us came with unspoken instructions: You kids will have to bust out the folding rollaway bed pin-pan-pun. The pin-pan-pun gets its supremely entertaining and automonopia-like descriptive name from the ease of the set up – Three easy steps! 1) Pin! 2) Pan! 3) Pun! (Phonetically, it sounds like this: peen-pahn-poon.) Now isn’t that just so much fun to say?
Pin. Pan. Pun. And you’re ready for your overnight guests!
Today I’m delighted to introduce clever Cuban designer and new friend, Denise Miqueli the genius mind behind Pin Pan Pun & Co. a beautiful book full of our favorite Cubanisms.
Her designs are clean and speak to the very heart of our Cubanity. Each one of the “dichos” in her book are perfectly illustrated and well-translated. And believe me, translating Cuban dichos is a little crazy-making. “
What do you mean, ‘it matters three cucumbers?’“
Okay, so, my people, ‘ponte las pilas’ as I prepare you for what’s coming up next.
Pin Pan Pun & Co is sponsoring today’s giveaway:
Here’s how to enter the giveaway for a chance to win One (1) Pin Pan Pun and Other Cubanisms Book and One (1) 11×14 ‘you’re the espumita to my café’ unframed print.
Two ways to enter – here on the blog or over on Instagram.
To enter the giveaway, click over to the Pin Pan Pun & Co site – come back and leave a comment ON THIS POST and tell me which of the adorable Cubanisms is your favorite. Or, bounce on over to my Instagram account, follow MyBigFatCubanFamily and PinPanPunCo. Tag a friend on Instagram who needs more Cubanity in their lives.
I’ll be choosing the winner on Friday, October 18th, 2019 at 11:00 am PST. You have until then to enter.
- If you’re getting impatient and you’re so inclined, PinPanPun & Co is offering a wonderful promo code just for MBFCF readers: You can take 10% off your order today with the promo code MBFCF10. (I’m thinking it’s not too soon to start your Christmas shopping. Ya tu sabes.) Tell them Marta sent you!
ALABAO!
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UPDATE: OCTOBER 18, 2019
Thanks to everyone who entered! All the comments from here and Instagram went into a Random Number Generator and that’s how we chose a winner.
Congratulations to @just.anamaria – send me a DM with your shipping address so I can get your Porto’s goodies out to you ASAP!
Ponte las Pilas
Hola Martha!
It’s Jason
My favorite cubanism is “come mierda!” Because my mom will say that when someone makes a wrong then in the car or when someone is being really annoying!
Thanks so much
Jason
P.S.- my other favorite which my abuelo always says is “ Algeria de la casa!”
My favorite is “ese huevito quiere sal” because my Dad always would say it and of course “come meirda#. Lol.
ALABAO!!!!!
what Cuban hasn’t said this!!!!!
Lol!!!!!
Alabao!
Tengo memories de mi papi siempre diciendo “Chico, pero alabao!” a mi hermano. 😂
Love love love this! Will buy so that my grandkids never forget all about “cocotazos”!
Bastante cocotazos me dio mi abuela 😂
No tiene Pelo en la Lengua 👅.. was one of my Mother’s favorites to say… se falliaso el 16,de Augusto 2019
Comemierda is my favorite because it’s my dad’s most used expression, esp when one of us kids did something stupid. As in “Quééé come mierda!” 🤣
“Te la comiste” My dad would say it in some way on a daily basis. He would say it in a positive way “Ño te la comiste mi hermano” or on the other hand he would say it in the negative “Ño pero te la comiste mi hermano” Either way it still brings back amazing memories. Thank you.
Alabao .. your either Cuban or have lived in Miami all your life if you say this!
Alabao .. you’re either Cuban or have lived in Miami all your life if you say this!
My favorite Cubanism is “tirarse un peo mas alto que el culo.” You know someone in your family who is constantly doing this!!
“Me importa tres pepinos” reminds me so much of our dear Tati!
Tough to pick a favorite. We Cubans have our own language. Comemierda is a fantastic way to tell you what you think of someone with one word. I also love “a esa se le fue el tren”. Lastly, I heard this one from recent arrival from Cuba. Lady works at the ALF where my parents live in Miami and she was referring to a gentleman who is not “fanático del baño”, and she said that he had “peste a perro lloviznao”! Hysterical 😭
Besitos
Viv
“ Ay Dios Mio”
Memories of my grandmother saying this all the time when I was a kid. I haven’t lived in Miami since I was a teenager. Love this blog. Makes me feel connected to the people and the food, of corse😊
No tiene pelo en la lengua…reminds me of my Dad.
This is so clever! My favorite is “le sumba el mango”, always heard that in my house growing up.
I have so many favorites “Cubanisms” but my favorite is definitely “come mierda”! I hear it in my mom’s voice as she got frustrated with Miami traffic and used it to refer to people she didn’t like 😂Thanks for the chance to win the book! I think it will be great to pass around when family gets together over “Sangiving”!
Comemierda is just soooo Cuban! As is “comiendo mierda”. Took my American husband years to get used to me saying “I’m just eating sh*t” to mean I was “doing nothing” 😆 Another favorite Cubanism around here is exclaiming CARAJO – especially when our toddler is up to no good!
hi friends, inquiring on items ordered # R487423342 (3 candles) WHEN DO YOU THINK THEY WILL SHIP…THANKS
Alabao, is definitely my favorite
Pin, Pan Pun has brought back many wonderful memories. Our house was very small but when family came, most weekends , my Mom would get out the cots and in Pin,
Pan, Pun she was ready!
What a wonderful childhood I had with my Cuban family in Southern California.
Muchísimas gracias,
Elenita
AY DIOS MIO the only Cuban i know….. except the food….the food i know very well! LOL
Alabao as a non Cuban miami-an