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My Big Fat Cuban Family

My Big Fat Cuban Family

Cuban recipes, family, heritage, and culture.

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Family Favorites

Some fun, tasty recipes of my very own. Enjoy!

The Best Strawberry Snack Ever

August 14, 2018 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

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? ...

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The Bench

October 15, 2025 By Marta Darby 1 Comment

I promised to regale you with the stories that are missing from the last year. And as you know, I like to give you backstory. Let's start with this one... When Lucy and Jonathan were in first and fourth grades we began homeschooling in earnest. One of the first projects we tackled was digging up a cutesy portion of the back yard so we could plant ...

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REAL Snow: A Darby Family Adventure

March 19, 2024 By Marta Darby 3 Comments

Sebastian: “I really want to see REAL snow.”❄️ PomPom and Wella: “Say no more.” And we were off!  So we packed up our snow gear and drove an hour and a half up to Wrightwood in the local San Gabriel Mountains and enjoyed a glorious 4 day family getaway.We rented a beautiful chalet via Air BnB and it was so worth it! The place was massive, yet ...

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Chicken With Peaches and Plums, Oh my!

September 8, 2022 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

It's been quite a while since I've received a box of goodness from Melissa's Produce. So I was quite delighted when they offered to send me their latest box of fresh produce.My son-in-law, Marc immediately snagged the Hatch Chile's, which makes sense because he likes the uber-spicy stuff, but that's not important right now. So I stared long ...

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Roasted Butternut Squash With Apples And Brussels Sprouts Recipe

September 14, 2020 By Marta Darby 2 Comments

We've been having a crazy heat wave here in So Cal. Full disclosure - cooking has been the last thing on my mind. (I know. Shut up.) Still, I was kind of excited to participate in this month's Melissa's Produce Challenge: A Fall Side Dish.  Although I'm not quite ready to throw on a scarf and boots - WAIT. Who am I kidding? This is California. ...

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Peach and Apricot Grunt Recipe

June 20, 2020 By Marta Darby 1 Comment

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 ...

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Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

May 16, 2020 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

I'm not a big breakfast eater, but I sure do love my cafecito... and a little something sweet. Sometimes I grab a big mug of black coffee in the morning... and a little something sweet. When I was growing up breakfast was usually a café con leche... and a little something sweet. Because Cuban. Obviously the constant in my Breakfast Life is... a ...

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It’s Rhubarb Season

April 23, 2020 By Marta Darby 1 Comment

I have a confession to make. (Warning: if you're waiting for a big, juicy "chisme," you'll most likely be disappointed, but that's not important right now.) The confession: Up until last week, I had no idea what rhubarb tasted like or what you could even do with it. (I know. Shut up.) I think I had heard somewhere that rhubarb pie was a thing, but ...

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Creamy Rustic Ratatouille

February 25, 2020 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

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 ...

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“Love My Berries” Trifle Recipe

February 4, 2020 By Marta Darby 2 Comments

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 ...

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Creamy Caramelized Onion Potato Soup

January 15, 2020 By Marta Darby Leave a Comment

My latest Melissa's Produce Challenge Box arrived the other day and I was so excited. (Yay.)Let me invite you into my decision-making process when I open that box. Besides the oooh-ing and aaah-ing, I also have a moment where I assess everything that's in it and I make some notes about what food I could make in my attempt to use ALL the ...

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I love all things Cuban. I love to share stories, my family, food & recipes. I'm Marta. 💋🎉 @martadarby
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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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    October 15, 2025
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Marta Verdes Darby is a Cuban-American food blogger in South Orange County.

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