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My Big Fat Cuban Family

My Big Fat Cuban Family

Cuban recipes, family, heritage, and culture.

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Marta Darby

It’s not like I’m superstitious or anything…

May 29, 2008 By Marta Darby 5 Comments

I threw out my back. And I have nothing stronger than Extra-strength Tylenol. =(I know. Sad for me.I don't know how it happened. 1) It could be that I have been in a state of overwhelming stress and have not taken a moment to relax and take some time for myself. or..... 2) It could be that one of these four people stepped on a crack....They ...

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Cuban Menu Planning

May 29, 2008 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

This week I'll be teaching you how I create a quick and simple Cuban menu plan for the week.  You'll have to go here to get it.  Menu Planning + Papas Rellenas  = One Big, Fat, Happy Cuban Family! ...

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Boys in Guayaberas

May 28, 2008 By Marta Darby 2 Comments

The following post has been brought to you by Kikita. Because I'm a Cuban-American woman, I'm a sucker for boys in crisp, white guayaberas.And because I'm a Cuban-American woman, they're like putty in my hands . . .(AHEM.)(these are my two favorite Cuban attorneys: Gabe & Abe) ...

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What about my needs??

May 26, 2008 By Marta Darby 7 Comments

Today....Mountains (not kidding here!) of post-vacation laundry are done, folded, and put away.The kids are at the movies with friends, which means that the house is blissfully quiet.My to-do list has all tasks neatly and very satisfyingly crossed off. (Ahhh!)I do have two more weeks of final school stuff coming up plus plans for a recipe I'll ...

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And the number one reason why I could never live in Miami…

May 25, 2008 By Marta Darby 12 Comments

I admit it.I have no willpower.This place is open until all hours of the night.And they serve Cuban food, people.Fabulous Cuban food!And pastries.Amazing Cuban pastries!And I have no willpower.It's like the Cuban Mecca.And I am a faithful pilgrim.To go to Miami is to go to Versailles.And seriously, if I lived in Miami, well....you can ...

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First things first

May 23, 2008 By Marta Darby 4 Comments

Because I'm an avid scrapbooker, family historian and documenter of all things in my family's life, you can be sure that I have recorded all of my kids' firsts:first smile first tooth first Christmas first days of school first time on stage first dance first (fill in the blank)I could go on and on (oh, you know that I ...

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Gracias.

May 22, 2008 By Marta Darby 3 Comments

Okay, people. You did it. I am officially overwhelmed. Thank you all for the birthday love and especially to my first-born who wrote that beautiful tribute. Thanks, Amy Kikita! (I can't get used to calling her that, but that's not important right now.) And yes, I'm twenty-one... with thirty-two years of experience. ;-) So, I've ...

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A Happy Birthday Post

May 21, 2008 By Marta Darby 29 Comments

Kikita here.  I am hijacking the blog in order to write a properly effusive "Happy Birthday" post for this particular birthday. Yes, birthday.  When I was growing up, this person (the one who's birthday it is) used to tell me how she always thought her birthday was May 20th because there were always big celebrations and ...

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Cuban Independence Day

May 20, 2008 By Marta Darby 5 Comments

There's so much I want to tell you about Cuba Nostalgia.But right now, let me tell you about the maps.There were three and they were larger than life. One of the city of Havana. One of the city of Santiago de Cuba. One of the entire island.The last one was placed just to the right of the Babalu booth, and so we had the privilege of witnessing ...

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Who IS this guy???

May 18, 2008 By Marta Darby 10 Comments

It's going to take me weeks to digest all that happened over this fabulous Cuba Nostalgia weekend. I think I'll just give it to you piece-meal.  So I was tearing around Cuba Nostalgia looking at booths and shopping with Claudia and trying to take it all in when I noticed a gorgeous domino table and a nicely groomed man arranging the ...

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Most Recent Posts

  • “Veinte años no es nada.”
    October 1, 2026
  • Welcoming Grand #6
    September 21, 2026
  • Rocking Miss Molly
    September 17, 2026
  • America the Beautiful
    July 21, 2026
  • Welcome to Casa de la Loma
    July 3, 2026

Cuban Recipes Cookbook

Cuban recipes with pictures cookbook from My Big Fat Cuban Family

Follow Me on Instagram

mybigfatcubanfamily

I love all things Cuban. I love to share stories, my family, food & recipes. I'm Marta. 💋🎉 @martadarby

I’m Cuban and I know things. 🇨🇺 Getting a house C I’m Cuban and I know things. 🇨🇺

Getting a house Cuban Clean® is not for the faint of heart. 

If you know, you KNOW. 

#belikemarta 🖖🏼😎

Pa’lante. 🧺🧹🧽🫧

#cubanclean 

https://mdarby.substack.com/p/8-rules-to-getting-your-house-cuban?r=ep04e&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
I’ve been writing and over-sharing for 20 years no I’ve been writing and over-sharing for 20 years now. There should be cake! 🎂 🎉

https://www.mybigfatcubanfamily.com/2026/10/veinte-anos-no-es-nada/
There are things that will forever be stuck (and I There are things that will forever be stuck (and I mean that in the best possible way) in my Cuban brain and life. 🇨🇺❤️

Cachita is one of them. 
Please appreciate. 

Story link in bio

#virgendelacaridaddelcobre 
#itsacubanthing🇨🇺 
#mybigfatcubanfamily 
#cachita
Do you have something that gets on your last nerve Do you have something that gets on your last nerve every time? 

THIS is the hill I will die on. 🙄

Let me say it LOUDER for the people in the back. 
🗣️THERE IS NO X IN ESPRESSO.

This has been a PSA brought to you by @mybigfatcubanfamily 🇨🇺☕️

#cafecubano
#mybigfatcubanfamily 
#espresso
#America250 has us feeling all sorts of ways. 🥹 My #America250 has us feeling all sorts of ways. 🥹
My husband and I road tripped on Route 66 to the Grand Canyon and I absolutely had to over-share.
Because Cuban! 😉🇨🇺

Follow the link and appreciate some of what I believe there is to love about this beautiful country. 🫡🇺🇸⭐️

https://www.mybigfatcubanfamily.com/2026/06/getting-our-kicks/

#belikemarta 🖖🏼😎
#mybigfatcubanfamily
Deseándole mucha felicidad a nuestro querido @will Deseándole mucha felicidad a nuestro querido @willychirino por sus cumpleaños! 🎂 

LA friends: Don’t miss Willy at the Downey theatre on May 8th and 9th, 2026! Come celebrate with us! 🎉

See you there! Ey-o Ey-o! 🕺🏼💃🏻

#willychirino
In these days of great uncertainty, it’s our cheri In these days of great uncertainty, it’s our cherished rituals that bring us comfort and provide great joy. 🇨🇺☕️ 

Also, I really need the jolt of caffeine💥 but that’s not important right now.😉 

@cafelallave 

#thedrinkofmypeople🇨🇺☕️ #cafecubano #cafecito #cafelallave #itsacubanthing
🚨ATTENTION LOS ANGELES!! Get ready to meet all of 🚨ATTENTION LOS ANGELES!!

Get ready to meet all of the local like-minded Cubans who are ready to celebrate the death of communism on our beloved island! 🇨🇺 

We’ll be meeting at the Federal Building in Westwood. 
Saturday, March 28, 2026
From 10 am to 12 pm.

Bring your family and friends, your cazuelas y pitos, and of course ALL your Cubanity! 
Porque nuestro día YA LLEGÓ!!! 🇨🇺🇨🇺🇨🇺
Ahora si se está formando! Come be a part of the celebration of history being made! 🙏🏼🇨🇺🎉❤️
After 67 years, they’re finally listening to us and we deserve to be heard. 
Also, we deserve to PARTY!! 🎉 

In memory of our beloved Ziva Sahl, Fernando Marquez, Delia & Miguel Abascal and all our beloved dear ones who waited rather impatiently for this day. 🙏🏼🥰

Que viva Cuba Libre!! 🇨🇺❤️
I’ll see you there!!🇨🇺🥰

#patriayvida 
#mybigfatcubanfamily
#quesevayan
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, friends! ☘️ Today I’m O’C Happy St. Patrick’s Day, friends! ☘️
Today I’m O’Cuban. But my mom used to say I was “sinvergüenza.” 
It tracks. 🙄

Sláinte! 🍻😉

#belikemarta 🖖🏼😎
My family left Cuba in early 1961. My brother was My family left Cuba in early 1961.

My brother was on the first Pedro Pan flight in December of 1960. Happily, my family was only separated for a few very tense months. But we were part of the lucky few who managed to leave the country rather quickly.

Once reunited, my father vowed we’d never be separated again and so when my older sisters were to be married in California, he packed up the family and we never looked back.

We lived in Miami for the first 3 years of our exile, before my parents moved us across the country, and so we made our lives in Southern California.

As Cubans in California – “en el exilio del exilio” – we managed to find other Cuban families and connected with the familiar community of people who spoke our language and recognized our customs and our food.

I’ve told the story of my family’s exile many times using whatever words the Lord sees fit to give my feeble brain. 

Tonight, I’m a white haired 70 year old grandmother (call me Wella😉) living in Southern California with the family my husband and I have created. 

My parents passed away years ago. (And I unabashedly miss them daily💔).

What’s happening tonight (on the island that saw me born) is that the people have taken to the streets armed with nothing but pots and pans and have been banging them for 12 hours as of this writing, calling for “Libertad!” 

Who could believe we would actually see this day? 
Who can sleep when freedom is so close you can taste it? 

Praying for the brave people of Cuba. May liberation come quickly! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Also, I’m shining up my own pots and pans. It’s almost time.
There are just no words for this moment.
This is OUR Berlin Wall moment and the cracks are already stating to show.

#patriayvida 
#soscuba🇨🇺 
#ohthecubanity🇨🇺 
#cubalibre
Happy #305Day, Miami! ☕️🇨🇺 With espresso love fro Happy #305Day, Miami! ☕️🇨🇺

With espresso love from Southern California. ❤️

#mybigfatcubafamily
#cafelallave
#305day
Public Service Announcement: 🗣️ “We’re all brave u Public Service Announcement:
🗣️ “We’re all brave until we realize the cockroach has wings.” 
Stay strong, my friends. 💪🏼 
Happy Monday! 😉

#mybigfatcubanfamily
Ahora como nunca, como lo dice mi socio, el gran @ Ahora como nunca, como lo dice mi socio, el gran @willychirino …

“Nuestro día ya viene llegando.”

May God be with the Cuban people as the hour draws near.
🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
At this point, I feel like this is an important pu At this point, I feel like this is an important public service announcement. 
Write it down. ✍🏼 
🗣️Repeat it. 
Believe it. 👍🏼
Don’t come at me. ✋🏼
Ya tu sabes. 😘

#ohthecubanity🇨🇺
Happy International Coffee Day! ☕️ Make mine @ca Happy International
Coffee Day! ☕️ 

Make mine @cafelallave!

Also, I’m celebrating 19 Years in the Blogosphere today! Woohoo!!🥳 

Please join me over on my blog for all the *“RELAJO!” 🎉💃🏻

*(That’s Cuban for BIG FUN.) 

https://bit.ly/4gUtFqv
Where in the world is My Big Fat Cuban Family Mart Where in the world is My Big Fat Cuban Family Marta? 🌎 👀 

I’ve been so super obviously absent from all my socials, let alone my blog itself. 
For a while there, I was overwhelmed by the once easy task of documenting my day-to-day life. 

Everywhere I looked, people moved on to high production video and I was hopelessly lost, so I put writing on the shelf and happily got caught up on all the seasons I’ve missed from the Great British Baking Show. 

But then, as I often say, “life is in session,” and my life was accumulating entire chapters before I could even type, “Oh, the Cubanity!” 

Which brings us to today. I’m starting to dip my toe back into writing online. Mostly, I miss the writing and telling about my extraordinarily ordinary life and the daily happenings at Casa de la Loma. 

So, tell me: Do you have any questions for me as I get back into the over-sharing of my days? 👀 

#mybigfatcubanfamily #belikemarta #callmewella #mbfcf
Starting my day as God intended. Amen. 🇨🇺☕️ #cafe Starting my day as God intended. Amen. 🇨🇺☕️

#cafecubano☕️ 
#cafelallave
Oh, the Cubanity!! 🇨🇺❤️ #mybigfatcubanfamily Oh, the Cubanity!! 🇨🇺❤️

#mybigfatcubanfamily
O’ Hi! 👋🏼 ☘️🇨🇺 Always representing. 😉 #mybigfat O’ Hi! 👋🏼 ☘️🇨🇺

Always representing. 😉 

#mybigfatcubanfamily 
#stpatricksday
Believe it. ☕️🥰❤️ Happy Sunday, my friends. 🎉 #o Believe it. ☕️🥰❤️

Happy Sunday, my friends. 🎉

#ohthecubanity🇨🇺 
#belikemarta 🖖🏼😎
#thedrinkofmypeople🇨🇺☕️
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FEATURED POSTS

  • “Veinte años no es nada.”
    October 1, 2026
  • Welcome to Casa de la Loma
    July 3, 2026
  • My Big Fat Cuban Cooking Playlist
    November 21, 2016
  • Pastelitos de guayaba recipe with picturesPastelitos de Guayaba Recipe (Guava Pastry)
    July 27, 2016
  • 8 Rules to Getting Your House Cuban Clean®
    April 5, 2016

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Meet Marta

Marta Verdes Darby is a Cuban-American food blogger in South Orange County.

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