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My Big Fat Cuban Family

My Big Fat Cuban Family

Cuban recipes, family, heritage, and culture.

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Welcome To My Blog!

Mami Likes/Loves Cafe La Llave – A Giveaway

April 18, 2018 By Marta Darby

This post is sponsored by my favorite coffee people, Café La Llave. The opinions contained in this piece are all my very own. Someone asked me the other day about Cuban Coffee. She asked the difference between Cuban espresso and "American" coffee. I kind of went off about everything that I love about Cuban coffee, from the beautiful aroma to the ...

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Empty Nesting Like A Boss

April 12, 2018 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

{DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by P&G & Bounty Paper Towels. All opinions that follow are my own.} As I watch my daughter, Amy wrestle with her almost 2 year old, Sebastian, I often think to myself: “She has no idea how time will start accelarating from this point on.” As those of us who have raised children into adulthood very well ...

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Happy International Panda Day (who knew?)

March 16, 2018 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

{This post is in cooperation with IMAX and Warner Bros. Pictures. I was not compensated for this, although Warner Bros. sent me a cute little plush panda for Sebastian - thanks, WB! -  but all the opinions stated here are my own.} It's International Panda Day, people! I never know about these things, do you? Years ago, my family visited the ...

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What’s Your Favorite Cuban Dessert?

March 14, 2018 By Marta Darby

What’s your favorite Cuban Dessert? Please don’t start your answer to this question with “it depends.” I can’t handle: “it depends.” I want the answer to be quick, clean, and uncomplicated. Someone asks you: “What’s your favorite Cuban dessert?”  I want you to have the answer handily on the tip of your tongue. I want you to know your mind on ...

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Marta’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

March 12, 2018 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

When we first arrived in Miami from Cuba in 1961, a cousin took me to a bakery to get me a treat. Back then, Cubans had not yet taken over the town and this was an old fashioned cake bakery. She purchased a wonderful thing for me. It looked like a cupcake, but with a little more density. There was no frosting, but it had chocolate chips scattered ...

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Saying Yes To the Dress

March 7, 2018 By Marta Darby 20 Comments

When my husband, Eric proposed to me back in 1992, the first thing I did was go out and buy a couple of those big, fat bridal magazines. I pored over the perfection of the gowns that promised to fulfill every blushing bride's dream. *sigh* The styles back then were both the poufy ballgown type and the closer fitting "mermaid" look. Fitted through ...

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5 Things I’m Loving Right Now

February 15, 2018 By Marta Darby 4 Comments

There are things I like and there are things I love. (I'm not talking about the obvious, like husband and kids and grandsons.)  Right now there are a few things in my life that have I more than love. Truthfully, I'm a little obsessed with them. I know you'll appreciate these as much as I do, because you have excellent ...

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25 (and a Half) Years

February 9, 2018 By Marta Darby 18 Comments

It's already February, people. Next week is Valentine's Day. Wait. What happened to January? Is it just me? Or does time appear to be like Millennium-Falcon-in-hyperspace zooming away? I'm having a serious case of Tempis Fugit* right now. (*that's Latin for "time flies." Yeah. All those years of Catholic really school paid off, didn't they?) Six ...

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Born to Be Wild

January 31, 2018 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

{This post is a review of the superMOPI Toddler Motorbike (there's no motor). I was not compensated in any way for writing this. I received a toddler size superMOPI for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own.}  My grandson, Sebastian - you may call him Bash - is a super-active, high energy kid. He's been walking since before his 8th ...

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Mami Always Knows

January 26, 2018 By Marta Darby 8 Comments

For years - many more years than I'd care to admit to - I would call my mom with cooking questions. I remember my first attempt at Arroz con Pollo. "Do I have to use the pressure cooker?" (I got over my fear of pressure cooking pretty quickly, but that's not important right now.) "Canned asparagus. Really?" and "Is the beer at the end really ...

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Most Recent Posts

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Cuban recipes with pictures cookbook from My Big Fat Cuban Family

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mybigfatcubanfamily

I love all things Cuban. I love to share stories, my family, food & recipes. I'm Marta. 💋🎉 @martadarby
Marta Darby Designs:
https://etsy.me/3ZWbWIS

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🇨🇺☕️
I’m super crazy in love with my Christmas tree.🥰 A I’m super crazy in love with my Christmas tree.🥰
And @gloriaestefan singing about it makes it that much more beautiful. Am I right? 🤩I’m over here waiting (rather impatiently) for Noche Buena to arrive. ⏱️
Who’s with me? 👀☺️🎄🙌🏼❤️#arbolitodenavidad
#feliznavidad
#ohthecubanity🇨🇺
I have a gift for you today on the blog. 🎁 These C I have a gift for you today on the blog. 🎁 These Classic Cuban Crema de Vie printable labels designed by the lovely and talented @lucyruthdarby // I also share the recipe for our amazing Cuban egg nog. // 🇨🇺❤️ Merry Christmas, my friends.🎄 #itsacubanthing
bit.ly/2QJV2Ka
Best way to get from here to Noche Buena. Bring on Best way to get from here to Noche Buena. Bring on the @cafelallave
💚🗝️☕️🎄💃🏻🎶Feliz Navidad!!🎶🪅#cafelallave
#thedrinkofmypeople🇨🇺☕️
Felicidades, @anaqooks !!! I can’t wait to dig in! Felicidades, @anaqooks !!!
I can’t wait to dig in! So proud of you, my friend. 😘❤️🥰
Bacon Guava Cream Cheese Bites. You should totally Bacon Guava Cream Cheese Bites. You should totally make these for Thanksgiving. Also, practice taking bows and saying, “it was nothing.” 🇨🇺🎉🏆 Here’s the link -  bit.ly/GuavaBites #thefoodofmypeople #guavabites
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FEATURED POSTS

  • The Bench
    October 15, 2025
  • 19 Stories I’m Excited to Tell
    October 1, 2025
  • My Big Fat Cuban Cooking Playlist
    November 21, 2016
  • El Flan de La Reina Recipe
    July 27, 2016
  • Pastelitos de guayaba recipe with picturesPastelitos de Guayaba Recipe (Guava Pastry)
    July 27, 2016

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Meet Marta

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

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