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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

Voices From Mariel – a Screening (or 2 or 3)

September 1, 2011 By Marta Darby 3 Comments

**The following post was written and brought to you by the one and only Kikita. Marta and the rest of the big, fat, Cuban family are currenty cruising to Puerto Rico** Mami, Marta, has been collecting your Cuando Sali de Cuba stories for quite some time now getting ready for Hispanic Heritage Month. What better way to kick off the month than with a ...

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Cuban Food Review … Or is it?

August 24, 2011 By Marta Darby 12 Comments

*The following post was written by Kikita, la hija de Marta.*  Here in "The Bubble" (as Mami likes to call it), there is not much Cuban food to be had. That's why Mami posts recipes over on Babalú Blog. That's why we cook so much. If we want to eat out and we want to eat Cuban food, we have to take a road trip. So, imagine ...

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Back-to-(Home)School

August 22, 2011 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

Jonathan started his sophomore year of high school today. The beauty of homeschooling is that we can "do school" anywhere that has WI-FI, amazing food....and tiny dinosaurs. ;-) Happy First Day of School! ...

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The Summer House

August 19, 2011 By Marta Darby 3 Comments

My friend, Jana blogs over at The Summer House. It's called the Summer House because she loves the simplicity of living in a summer beach rental-type atmosphere where everything is clean, decluttered, and ready for fun. She lives out her philosophy of simple living beautifully. And I'm always impressed and inspired by ...

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This Girl

August 11, 2011 By Marta Darby 1 Comment

I fell in love with this girl the moment I first laid eyes on her. It was August 11, 1993. Today is the 18th Anniversary of the Beginning of the Love Affair.Her good friends, Brandon and David made the following film in her honor, with a little help from her brother, Jonathan and a few willing strangers.  Get some popcorn.And let the ...

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Marta Makes Fajitas (I totally sizzled, too.)

August 10, 2011 By Marta Darby 5 Comments

Did I tell you we were on vacation this week? We usually take this week off to celebrate our anniversary and Lucy's birthday (that's tomorrow) and we spend a wonderful week laying around doing nothing but eating and surfing and sunset-watching and eating some more. It just so happens that this week I was due to participate in another ...

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The Help – And the winners are…

August 10, 2011 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

Thank you again for your willingness to share your stories. (And for letting me share mine!) If you must know, my very favorite character, especially in the film, was Celia Foote. I loved how she totally disarmed Minny with her innocence - or was it ignorance?And the winners of the giveaways are: The Dreamworks The Help Gift Pack goes to:A ...

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19 Years.

August 8, 2011 By Marta Darby 15 Comments

On August 8th, 1992, we said, “I do.” And I'm so glad “we did.” I've been happily kissing this face ever since.(I don't think I'll get tired of doing that any time soon, but that's not important right now.) Happy 19th anniversary, Honey. I love you MORE.   ...

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The Help – A Memory and A Giveaway

August 7, 2011 By Marta Darby 18 Comments

When I was a small child in Cuba B.C.* my family had "Help." (*Before Castro) Pita (pronounced in Spanish - PEE-TAH) was the family chauffer. He was a beautiful, old mulato that took us everywhere. Well, he took my mom and us kids everywhere. My dad drove himself to work and back. It fell to Pita to take us shopping and to the movies and ...

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Just call me Marta, La Blogona

August 4, 2011 By Marta Darby 13 Comments

We (Eric, Lucy, Jonathan and I) are headed down to San Diego. For the next three days I'll be up to my eyeballs in BlogHer 2011 activities.Because I blog. So I'm attending a blog conference where I will meet other bloggers. And celebrate being a part of the blogosphere. (And I kind of like seeing my name and blog on a badge, but ...

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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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