Sections:
An Introduction to Cuba
The elongated island of Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and is bounded to the north by the Straits of Florida and the greater North Atlantic Ocean, to the northwest by the Gulf of Mexico, to the west by the Yucatan Channel, to the south by the Caribbean Sea, and to the east by the Windward Passage. The Republic comprises the entire island, including many outlying islands such as the Isle of Youth, previously known as the Isle of Pine, with the exception of Guantanamo Bay, a naval base that has been leased by the United States since 1903. The mainland is the world's 16th largest island.
The Caribbean harbors a jewel in the Island of Cuba. The tropical Island extends 750 miles (roughly the size of Pennsylvania) and is a beautiful mix of mountain ranges and plains. There are over 200 bays and 289 sun drenched beaches to explore. The main ports are located in the provinces of Cienfuegos, Havana, Manzanillo, Mariel, Matanzas, Nuevitas and Santiago de Cuba.
The Cuban population is a melting pot of ethnic mixes from every corner of the world. In the early days slaves cross bred with masters creating the mulattos of today. Later, people of Russian, Chinese and European descent created the make up of today's Cuba. Nevertheless, three dominant chief roots melt, giving shape to the Cuban nation gradually making up the current ethnic society. First of these roots is that of the aborigines inhabitants; their ethnic contribution was reduced by the impact of the conquest and colonization process. It is for this reason that the more significant roots in the Cuban nationality are Spanish and African. The first was the result of migration from the metropolis, which has been going on throughout our history more or less regularly. During the first centuries, after conquest, most groups came from Castile mainly from Southern of Spain. Later, massive migration arrived from Canary Islands, Galicia and Catalonia. More recently and during the last century Eastern European and Chinese immigrants have further enriched, what is, the unique racial mix that makes up Cuba today.
The African roots also left a very particular mark in the process of the formation of Cuban culture. Coming, primarily, from five different ethnic groups (yoruba, mandingas, congos, carabalies, bantu) as arriving slaves worked at the plantations giving place to new cultural associations among the African communities themselves. As mentioned, at the plantations, before abolition of slavery, began the process of syncretism among the slaves' and 'masters' creating this new culture and genetic mix, different from its origins. In the present definition of Cuban culture, these three roots shape the basis of traditions, culture and popular beliefs.
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José Martí - A Cuban Patriot
Don José Julián Martí y Pérez was born in Havana in 1853, and sentenced to prison as a teenager for expressing his support for the revolution during the Ten Year War. After his sentence he traveled to Spain, where he received degrees in law and philosophy before returning to Cuba.
He was banished again for supporting the idea of Cuban independence and traveled to Paris and Venezuela, before settling in New York in 1881, earning a living as a writer and teacher. José Martí was one of the great writers of the Hispanic world. His written works include poems, children stories, plays, articles and commentaries.
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The History of Salsa Music
Of all expressions of Art, music is undoubtedly the one that has had the most influence on the personality of Cuban people. It is said that the island's inhabitants speak singing, dance while walking and woo with a love song. Music has developed fast and strong and is a reflection of the variety of cultures from Africa to the carribean which make up it's population. The Habanera, rhythm born from the danza criolla and the contradanza, received its influence from the tango in Argentina and other rhythms of South America. Recent researches prove that in the contradanzas by Manuel Saumell, the tempo of the habaneras could be heard, for instance, in "La Tedesco", the first part is like the danzon, which appeared later; in many of his music scores, song and guajira were also outlined. Son and bolero arrived in Havana from the eastern provinces, specifically Santiago de Cuba. The bolero emerged at the beginning of this century with great composers such as, Alberto Villalon and Sindo Garay, influenced by Pepe Sanchez (who wrote the first one "Tristezas", in 1883). Though the songs of the old trova were boleros, best composers were Orlando de la Rosa and Isolina Carrillo who left one of the most sublime gifts of all times, the bolero "Dos Gardenias".
News about the son montuno dates back to the second half of the 19th century. In 1920 "Havana's Sextet " showed up at the high society salons in the capital. The "Matamoros trio ", started their long-lasting and important career in 1925 in Santiago de Cuba. They created some of the classic Cuban songs: Son de la loma, Mariposita de primavera y Lagrimas negras. Soon after, the first golden era of the son arrived and dozens of septets and sextets came forth, some of them began to make records with big North American companies. Arsenio Rodriguez, Miguelito Cuni, Felix Chapotin and Roberto Faz succeeded the first performers of son. Meanwhile, orchestras like "Arcaño y sus maravillas" and "La Sensacion" spirited balls in Havana playing danzones and charangas during the '40s and '50s. Enrique Jorrin composed first cha cha cha "La Engañadora" in 1950. Perez Prado made his first mambo on 1952. The second splendor of son took place in the '50s decade when a self-taught man from Cienfuegos turned up: Benny More, who, years later would be acclaimed "El Barbaro del Ritmo". This composer and singer revived the traditional ways of Cuban music, leading the son montuno to a concept of jazz band. The Cuban musician who had more influence on the process of evolution of Cuban and Caribbean music was Benny More. The "Van Van" orchestra of popular dancing music, with a very typical and modern sonority, was created in 1970. Year's later son offered its arrangements to the Salsa, which also incorporated Caribbean rhythms and sounds from the music of Latin (Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican) communities in New York. Cuban salsa, very well known today almost everywhere, reached its boom at the end of the '80s and beginnings of the '90s when orchestras like "Van Van" and "NG la Banda" grew solid and new, young orchestras like "El Medico de la Salsa", "Paulo FG y su elite" and "Isaac Delgado" came forth.
In the Late 90's and early 2000, Latin Music, who's roots lie primarily in Cuban rhythms, has met a massive revival worldwide with groups such as Ricky Martin, Christian and the Buena Vista social Club. This rivival outlines today's desires to return to the catchy rhythms and agreeable melodies foundered in Cuba and now playing worldwide at your local music store. Viva la musica Cubana!
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Arroz con Pollo (Chicken with Rice)
4 strips of bacon
8 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
Salt, pepper, and cumin for Chicken
Olive oil for frying
1 large onion, chopped
4-5 cachucha peppers (or 1 large green pepper), chopped
4 cloves garlic mashed
1 (12 oz.) bottle of beer
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can of tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon Bijol Powder
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 1/2 cups of parboiled rice
1/2 cup frozen green baby peas (optional)
Sauté the bacon in a large frying pan. Reduce heat to low and let the fat render out of the bacon -- about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, season the chicken lightly with salt, pepper and a little cumin. Once the fat is released, remove the bacon, increase temperature to medium-high and add the chicken to the hot bacon fat. Remove the chicken when it is browned on both sides. Add a little olive oil to the same pan you fried the chicken in, and sauté the onion and green pepper until the onion is translucent. Add the mashed garlic and cook an additional minute or two, stirring frequently.
Take the chicken broth and beer and pour into a large covered pot. Add the browned chicken pieces, cooked onions and green pepper, tomato sauce, Bijol, bay leaf, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. And hey, why let all that delicious bacon go to waste? Chop it up and toss it in! Bring everything to a rolling boil, reduce heat, cover and cook on low for 15 minutes.
Add the rice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. When the rice has absorbed some of the liquid, cover and simmer on low for about 30-45 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and not soupy. Add the frozen peas during the last five minutes of cooking only.
For a dinner, serve the whole chicken pieces with the rice. For a party, you may remove the chicken, skin, de-bone and break it into bite-size chunks. However, DO NOT try to substitute any boneless, skinless chicken in this recipe -- unless you enjoy serving a disaster!
. . . and for refreshment:
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