Cuban Heritage Day at Dodger Stadium happened and Los Angeles Cubans came out in force. Because it was a very full weekend, I'm still trying to gather my thoughts in a "Wow. Did all that just happen?" kind of way. I'm going to try to describe the weekend with a basic chronology and from my own personal point of view, starting with Saturday night. ...
Celebrate
I'm Cuban. I throw lots of parties. You shouldn't be surprised.
Peach and Apricot Grunt Recipe
It's the first day of summer and because of recent events, we are ready to get outside and start our summer in earnest. Well, we have filled the little 10 ft. pool in the backyard and hung the outdoor lights and are ready to do some movie nights and do some outdoor dinners and eat some delicious summer foods. And by summer foods, I mean fruit. Do ...
e *hearts* m
I should probably warn you that I'm about to share an intimate thing, but then again, if you've been reading this blog long enough, you know I don't shy away from over sharing the details of my life. Also, this post is over-illustrated with photos because it's too difficult to tell without them. Brace yourself. The Stairway to Heaven This story ...
May The 4th Be With You
It was May 1977 and I was turning 22 years old. I celebrated that birthday enjoying dinner with friends. After which we decided to go see a new film called Star Wars. Back then we knew nothing about the phenomenon it would turn out to be, of course. And, to be honest, the posters that advertised it looked a little hokey. You know the rest of the ...
Creamy Rustic Ratatouille
This month's challenge from my friends at Melissa's Produce was to come up with a recipe using some vegetables and fruit that came in my latest box and that would reflect Mardi Gras. Luckily, there are many fabulous vegetables in season, which inspired me to create a delicious Creamy Rustic Ratatouille. Growing up, we celebrated the last day ...
“Love My Berries” Trifle Recipe
February means Valentine's Day is almost here. *bats eyelashes in an attempt to look seductive* And while I usually create a chocolate recipe on Valentine's Day for personal reasons which can be found here and here, I am busting out of my chocolate mold - so to speak - to make a tasty fruit dessert for my berry-loving husband of British ...
My Big Fat Cuban Christmas Gift Guide 2019
{Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. The following businesses I'm promoting happen to be owned by excellent people that I know and trust.} I like to shop online. I do. If I can order something from the comfort of my own home, I do it. Picture me in my pj's with my cafecito in one hand and a list in the other and I'm off. (Actually, please ...
Celebrating Your Cubanity With Santayana Jewelers
As I'm continuing to celebrate my 13 Years in the Blogosphere, I have to mention the relationships that I've developed through my blog, because those are the things I treasure most. My Big Fat Cuban Family consists of a lot of people. Besides my 4 sisters and my brother, my 4 kids and their significant others, my 2 gorgeous grandsons, and a large ...
Thirteen
It just so happens that this day, October 1st, 2019 marks the 13th year that I've called myself a Blogger and have inhabited this space on the internet. I think this makes me The Oldest Living Blogger, but that's not important right now. Thirteen years! That's like a cute, but smart-mouthed teenager! Or perhaps, out here in the Blogosphere ...
Freaky Fruits and Spooky Sauces
Put down your pumpkin spice lattes, kids! I've got something you're going to like so much better. Does everyone know that it’s Freaky Fruit season? I know NOW. I did NOT know this tasty tidbit until my friends over at Melissa’s Produce (who know this kind of stuff; see this article) sent over a box of this season’s freakies (<--is that a word?) ...
Crema de Vie – A Cuban Family Tradition
I've often shared how my family, instead of baking Christmas cookies for gifts, makes a super delicious please-don't-call-it-egg-nog Cuban "egg nog." We call it Crema de Vie and it has been a Cuban family tradition for as long as I can remember. I remember as a child getting to have a sip on Christmas eve. (Shut up. The rum was only used as a ...
Celebrating Abuela’s 12 Days of Christmas – a lo Cubano
Last year around the Christmas season, Jonathan and I got a call that the lovely and talented Jenny Lorenzo (that's Abuela to you) needed some background people for a Christmas video she was shooting. Would we be interested? Without hesitation, our answer was a resounding, ABSOLUTELY! Also, would I be able to make and bring a bunch of maduros? ...
The Best Strawberry Snack Ever
This is a sponsored post by California Strawberries and Society Culinaria. The opinions are my own. I can't say where this simple recipe originated but I can say for certain that every time I've served it to my guests, it's always met first with happiness. "Yay, strawberries!" Of course, because who doesn't love fresh summer strawberries? ...
The Party’s Over
{DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by P&G & Bounty Paper Towels. All opinions that follow are my own.} One of the loveliest things in my life right now is the gift of my gorgeous grand-boys, Asher and Sebastian. While Asher is 2,980 miles away in Washington DC, Sebastian (you may call him Bash) lives 5 minutes away and is in our lives ...
Mami Likes/Loves Cafe La Llave – A Giveaway
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 ...
25 (and a Half) Years
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 ...
