October 03, 2011

Fifth Blogoversary Cool Stuff Winners

October 03, 2011/ Marta M. Darby

I have to tell you that my family has been lovely and so supportive as I've been talking non-stop about how cool it is that I've been blogging for 5 years. I read your awesome comments out loud as they would come in and the fam listened attentively.

It could also be that I made a Killer Arroz con Pollo and I had a captive audience, but that's not important right now. My Arroz con Pollo de Perez-Puelles recipe can be found right here.

I kept talking about the many wonderful cyber-relationships I've developed over these last five years and how, even how with those of you that I've met in real life, it's never been "weird." I always feel like I'm with old friends.

So, again, my thanks for being such wonderful readers and friends and so generous with your compliments.

The winners of the Fifth Blogoversary Giveaways are as follows:

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1) The MBFCF Mug

goes to:

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2) A Cuban Spice Apron:

goes to:

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3) & 4) My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Cookbooks

go to:

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and another MBFCF Cookbook goes to:

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5) An autographed copy of my friend, Gustavo Perez-Firmat's fabulous book, The Havana Habit

goes to:

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Congratulations to all the winners and thank you, my friends for all your very kind words. (Stop it. I'm blushing.)

Winners, please send me an email with HEY, MARTA! I WON STUFF ON YOUR BLOG in the subject line so I don't accidentally delete it. Send me your snail mail address and I'll make sure your goodies go out ASAP.

Thanks again for playing and for celebrating with me. I'll be resuming the Cuando Sali de Cuba posts this week and I also have lots more stories and giveaways (!) coming up.

Besos,

Marta

September 30, 2011

Five. (A giveaway)

September 30, 2011/ Marta M. Darby

I sat down at my computer on October 1st, 2006 and wrote out my very first blog post with the title, "Life on the hyphen..."

You're welcome to click over and read it. I lifted that post title from a book written by my friend, Gustavo Perez-Firmat, called Life on the Hyphen: The Cuban-American Way. In that book, he brilliantly describes how we Cubans "straddle" the hyphen between being Cuban and American. That so resounded with me that I was inspired to write about my everyday life here in The O.C. as a Cuban-American wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend.

I've written about how I've homeschooled my kids, which is an odd proposition for someone with my history.

I often say that I'm 100% Cuban and 100% American. I'm quite proud of being a part of both of the cultures that have informed my life and personality and for the last five years, this blog.

I have been celebrating Cuban-American life here on this little corner of cyberspace for five years now. And I'm very proud of what I've created.

So, please, help me celebrate my Five Year Blogoversary. Five whole years, people! (I'm like Methuselah in the blogging world, but that's not important right now.)

I'm so grateful that I have had a place to share my stories and my kitchen and the cool stuff I get to do and the people who are so important to me. I'm humbled, too, by the constant and generous attention that you pay me.

I appreciate those of you who have been around since 2006 and have watched my children grow up on these pages. And I appreciate every member of my family who have been gracious enough to let me share their lives here. They are now used to having Mom pointing a camera at them and they're okay with seeing themselves in their fabulous goofiness.

I am grateful to those of you who have just recently Googled a Cuban recipe and found yourselves here and have decided to continue coming back to visit. Please stay. My blog-casa is your blog-casa. ;-)

To celebrate this auspicious occasion, and as my way of saying thanks for reading my blog, I'm going to give away 5 (!) MBFCF items from my online shop, Cuba To GO! (because I can).

I'm giving away:

1) A MBFCF Mug:

2) A Cuban Spice Apron:

3) and 4) Two people will win an autographed copy of My Big, Fat, Cuban Family Cookbook:

5) And last, but certainly not least, an autographed copy of my friend, Gustavo Perez-Firmat's lastest and absolutely delicious book, The Havana Habit:

I thought it only fitting, since he was my inspiration for this whole thing. Gracias, Gustavo!

So, by now you know the drill...

To enter the drawing for a chance to win the above mentioned uber-cool MBFCF stuff, please leave a comment on this post and answer one or all of the following questions:

If you're a regular MBFCF reader, why do you keep coming back ?
Do you also live "on the hyphen?"
Is it the recipes?
The stories?
The giveaways?
Or is it like a bad habit you picked up that you can't break? ;-)

I'll do a random drawing on Monday, October 3rd at 12 noon Pacific Time.

Happy 5th Blogoversary to me!

*throws confetti*

September 06, 2011

Cuban Arroz con Pollo Recipe de Perez-Puelles

September 06, 2011/ Marta M. Darby

Cuba Nostalgia

Before our lives were turned upside down in 1959, most Sunday afternoons were spent at my grandmother’s house in Havana. We would be dressed impeccably as it was always a special occasion. She found a way to fit everyone - aunts, uncles, cousins - around her table and she usually made Arroz con Pollo. Enough to feed the small army that made up our big, fat, Cuban family.

The fragrance of the saffron, chicken and rice will always be tied to my warmest memories of the abundance of the classic Cuban table. The linens were crisp and white, the silverware polished. The conversation was always boisterous and happy. The feeling of belonging and being cared for always seemed to be evident at that table.

When we left Cuba, the Arroz con Pollo became a special occasion food, served for company and for birthday celebrations. My mom stopped making it altogether a few years ago, but she passed the recipe down to us. Now we maintain the Arroz con Pollo tradition in our home. Every birthday or graduation, every time I want to impress someone, this is what I serve. We make it for dinner on Christmas Day as a change from the lechón that is served the night before on Nochebuena. This is my specialty. It is what I will be serving you when you tell me you’re going to be in Southern California and I insist that you join us for dinner.

My daughter, Amy, always volunteers to cook this now. I have taught her the way my mother taught me, the way my grandmother taught her. Whenever her friends have a birthday celebration, they always put in a request. I think my grandmother would have been delighted by this. She was that way - the more people around the table, the better, or as my husband would say, “That’s so Cuban!” =D

I’ve never been able to find Arroz con Pollo that is as good in any restaurant. Once you try this recipe, I think you’ll agree. To me, it evokes the Cuba of my childhood - Cuba B.C. - a place of warmth and family and of abundance.

Arroz con pollo

Cuban Arroz con Pollo Recipe de Perez-Puelles

2 to 3 lbs. Chicken pieces (I prefer boneless, skinless, breasts, but always include thighs and/or drumsticks with bones and skin – they add to the flavor)
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 large onion (diced)
1 bell pepper (diced)
1 small can tomato sauce
1 jar red diced pimientos (reserve a little bit for garnish)
1 can peas (reserve about a third for garnish)
1 can asparagus (cut up)
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Oregano
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
Bitter Orange (powder or marinade)
Olive oil
3 cups rice (long grain)
1 tsp. Bijol or Goya Seasoning con Azafran
3 or 4 threads of saffron – crushed (this is optional)
1 - 8 oz. beer

1) Prepare the chicken broth

2) Coat chicken pieces with bitter orange spice or marinade along with the pressed garlic cloves and marinade for about an hour. (not necessary, but it’s awesome if you have the time)

3) Brown chicken in large frying pan in olive oil – remove to a large pot (or cazuela) after they’re browned.

4) To make the sofrito: sauté the onion & pepper in the frying pan (with the bits of garlic and olive oil) until soft, then add tomato sauce, pimientos, peas, asparagus (all with their liquid) salt, pepper, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, wine & broth.

5) Pour in the rice and add the Bijol (or Goya Seasoning) and saffron to color and flavor the rice.

6) Pour all of this over the chicken in the pot.

7) Bring to a boil, then lower to a fast simmer.

8) Cook on medium-low heat for about 40 minutes, then check it and stir it. Rice should be soft and liquid absorbed. If there’s still liquid, keep cooking, checking, & stirring.

9) I like the rice a little soupy, or asopado, so I like to add 8 0z. of beer to the finished product.

10) Pour reserved peas and pimientos as a garnish over the finished arroz con pollo.

I know. I had you at "To make the sofrito...."

Buen Provecho!

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