Loveless Cafe — Cuban-American Lifestyle & Food Blog — My Big Fat Cuban Family: A Cuban-American Blog

I've been blogging here in this space for the past six years and a half years. That's a lot of life that has transpired and that I've documented here on my blog. A couple of years ago I started doing a recap in January of the year that had passed. Here are years, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

I like looking back to see where I've been and what stories I thought were worthy of telling the year before. It occurred to me that maybe not everyone who is reading today may have been here with me all year, so without further ado... here is a look back at 2012 with My big, fat, Cuban family.

1. Out with the Old (relatively speaking) #firstworldproblems in which I tell about my kitchen re-model and complain (just a little) about living through it.

2. This Woman Deserves a Party... in which I ask readers to send a birthday greeting to my mom, Luza on the occasion of her 98th birthday.

3. I Fell in Love With Loveless Buttermilk Biscuits (a true story) in which I share about my trip to Nashville, Tennessee and a killer recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits from the famed Loveless Cafe.

4. Always There in which I pay tribute to my long-suffering husband Eric who is, as the subject of the post implies, "always there" for us.

5. What Mom Taught Me in which my kids hijacked my blog and surprised me on Mother's Day. *tissue warning*

6. The Ring in which my son, Adam asks Stephanie to marry him and gives her my ring.

7. "What's for Dinner?" in which I tell all about how menu planning happens around here and how much I love my chalkboard pantry door (but that's not important right now).

8. Twenty Years in which Eric and I celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary and I recall just how scary it was to take those wedding vows.

9. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, I began a series last year which I'm proud to continue called, "Cuando Sali de Cuba: Stories of Courage and Hope." *serious tissue warning*

10. Celebrating Six Years in the Blogosphere (MBFCF Giveaway WEEK!) in which I celebrate my 6th blogging anniversary with a week of fabulous giveaways. I was quite proud of three things: 1) That I have been blogging for six(!) years and 2) That I found some fabulously Cuban sponsors for the week of giveaways and 3) My faux magazine covers. (I know. Shut up.)

11. NaNoWriMo is ON! in which I tell about my kids and their attempt at writing the Great American Novel ... in 30 days.

12. Nochebuena in the O.C. (¡Oh, Sí!) in which I describe our Nochebuena Celebration in our (freakishly) small house with my big, fat, Cuban family.

That's my wrap up of 2012. We enjoyed lots of good times and some challenges. I managed to blog about most of this stuff although I confess I skipped some big stories in my life. I'm still happy that I have taken the time to document my life.

Going back and looking at my year in review just now made me realize what a lovely life I have. I'm grateful to God for the many ways He has gifted us.

And yes, I will use the word, "charmed."

Thank you all for hanging in there with me and my cyber-over-sharing. I'm looking forward to more celebrations, travel, family, and food in 2013. Stay tuned for the chismes...

Prospero Año Nuevo!

I spent a week in Nashville, Tennessee.

An entire, glorious week of playing and relaxing and eating. And I kind of fell in love. With the town, with the people, with the music, and (mostly) with the food.

My friend, Carrie of Tiki Tiki Blog fame was my lovely host and tour guide.

Did you know there's a perfect replica of the Parthenon in Nashville? (That's right, Percy Jackson fans. It's kind of magical.)

I have so many wonderful stories and highlights from my trip, but today I want to talk about the beauty that is... Fresh. Hot. Biscuits.

Biscuits. Hot biscuits. Freshly-pulled-from-the-oven. Hot, melt-in-your-mouth, good-ole-down-home, I-must-have-died-and-gone-straight-to-Heaven biscuits.

These beautiful creatures were to be found at the famous Loveless Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee.

To be fair, pretty much everything served there was amazing and full of down-home goodness. With it's iconic walls covered with autographed photos of their famous clientele and that dessert case silently beckoning, "Y'all just gotta have pie!" I was hooked.

Nashville was beautiful and my time there was delightful, and I will continue to sing the praises of the treasure to be found there, but the biscuits..... *sigh*

When I got home the first thing I wanted to do was to re-create the magic of the most gorgeous mouth-watering delicacies I had ever tasted.

I picked up a fabulous cookbook while I was there called The Desserts from the Loveless Cafe by Alisa Huntsman. There are dozens of recipes for Southern puddings, pies, cakes, and cobblers. But I confess I bought the book for the Biscuit Recipe. (I know. Shut up.)

In fact, my goal for this year is to master the art of biscuit making. (Who am I?)

And because I'm a giver, here's the recipe for Loveless Buttermilk Biscuits that is my ticket to being a Biscuit-Making Fool:

Loveless Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 stick (4 oz.) plus 2 Tbsp. unsalted cold butter, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a sturdy baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the butter is cut into small pieces no larger than the size of peas. Pour in the buttermilk and pulse just enought to make smooth dough.
Scrape the dough out onto a floured surface. Using your hands, pat into a 1/2-inch-thick slab. Cut out the biscuits using a 3-inch round cutter and place them on the lined baking sheet; rework the scraps once to make more biscuits.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm with butter and jelly.

Maybe it was the magic spell of the accompanying Southern hospitality. Maybe it was being in this legendary place. Maybe it's the beautiful lilting drawl that accompanied the "Y'all come back now."

Or maybe it was just that those biscuits were truly the best in the world. Thanks, Loveless. I am forever yours. ;-)