My Big Fat Cuban Family: A Cuban-American Blog

This is a fine mess I've gotten myself into...

We're still living in a bit of chaos.

Our kitchen cabinets are now in the process of being painted and it's taking a few days. So now that I've got my shiny and beautiful new appliances installed, I am still unable to cook and the mess is starting to get to me. I have lost my mojo and am feeling out of sorts creatively.

I haven't even had the energy to bust out my real camera, so the following photos are ones I've taken to with just my iPhone to document our lives this past week.

So here's our life according to my iPhone photos...

(I'm kind of enjoying the toaster, butter dish, and honey vignette, but that's not important right now.)

My dining area is full of everything that was in these cabinets. This is what I was greeted with as I came down the stairs this morning:

We managed to get a meal on the table in our cramped little kitchen the other night and that made me happy.

And we even managed a date night in our front yard.

The very big and bright one is the moon, the other object seen below it is Venus. We also located Jupiter and used the high power lens to see 4 of the moons. (I know. Nerdy McGoober.)

And because I'm Cuban and I feel guilty if I'm not giving you something...

My friend Pam turned me on to the coolest free camera app for the iPhone. It's called Orange Camera and has a bizzillion fun effects.

Get it. Use it. Love it.

I'll be taking a break for a few days to try and find my mojo again.

I mean my creative-flow-type "moe-joe." My other, Cuban "mo-ho" is somewhere in one of those boxes.

Out with the Old (relatively speaking) #firstworldproblems

Picture, if you will, the following chaotic scene:

I'm delighted to report that my kitchen appliances were delivered a few days ago. The refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, and microwave all match. (What?) This is a first for me in my lifetime. And I'm very happy, but I'm still not quite sure how to act.

However, I couldn't stall the delivery of them for another week, which meant the painting happened just a few hours (!) later. So that was our weekend. Moving stuff out of the kitchen and piling it into boxes and storing everything in the dining room.

WARNING: Real life photos of the mess we've been living in. Don't say I didn't warn you.

The stove needs a special installation because our house is so old that the old gas valve didn't speak the same language as the new stove and so I am without a way to cook, and just to make things more interesting, the stove is sitting smack dab in the middle of the kitchen. (So high is my stress level that I just used the phrase, "smack dab.")

My old appliances were happily being hauled away at about the same time.

While all this was happening, the painter was in the midst of turning my kitchen a beautiful seafoam green.

And because of all the traffic and painting, the floor ended up needing a serious deep-cleaning. (Many thanks to Eric and Jonathan and their trusty toothbrushes. Love my guys.)

So we're in the throes of packing stuff and moving and painting and cleaning and avoiding the walls because of the fresh paint, when, in the middle of all the crazy, I remember that it's my weekend to have my mom and I'm late picking her up, so I drop everything and haul over to her house to bring her back with me and this is what happens next...

Here's Luza in her mink coat, sunglasses, and walker. She strolls (or "rolls" if you want to get technical) into our home and declares,

"What a mess!" (To anyone not familiar with the Cuban culture, Cuban grandmothers are allowed to say pretty much whatever is on their minds at any time, and nobody even thinks twice about it.)

"I died my hair red. Do you like it?" (For those not familiar with my mother, she will be 98 next month and this moment pretty much sums up her entire personality.)

She then sat down right in the middle of all the chaos and started commenting* on the painting, the cleaning, and the entire mess.(*commenting is Cuban code for "criticizing every detail," but that's not important right now.)

What I learned from this experience:

1. My family is pretty amazing.
2. I love seafoam green walls.
3. My mother is a piece of work.
4. They don't have support groups for Adult Children of Cuban Mothers. (Just trust me on this one.)

Dear Desi... (A birthday love letter.)

A few years ago, thanks to the magic of the internets and because of a series of happy accidents, I got to meet one of my Cuban childhood crushes.

In fact, you can read about My Adventures with Desi in the Blog Category that has his name, Desi Arnaz Jr. (I know I could change the category name to "My Adventures with Desi." I don't, because I just really like seeing his full name on my blog * sigh*, but that's not important right now.)

It's Mr. Marta's-Childhood-Crush's Happy Birthday today. =D

Dear Desi,

I wish you the happiest of birthdays today! Much love and good wishes!

Besos,

Marta

P.S. I promise to make you some of my famous arroz con pollo and maybe some more pastelitos on my next visit.

Feel free to leave Desi a birthday greeting on this post. I know his wife, my friend Amy will make sure that he sees it. ;-)

I know. I'm a fool. *sigh*

Stop SOPA and PIPA

Imagine no Google. No Wikipedia. No Facebook. No YouTube. No My big, fat, Cuban family.

End piracy, not liberty. Tell Congress: Please don't censor the web.

IMUSA Orange(!) Caldero - A Winner

Can I just tell you how much I love how well you guys answered my question: "What favorite recipe of yours will taste fabulous when made in this beautiful Orange(!) caldero?"

Plus, your comments seriously made me hungry, but that's not important right now.

I also want to thank you for the enthusiasm you've shown for IMUSA USA. They are a lovely sponsor for these giveaways and they've generously offered to partner with MBFCF for the rest of this year. I'm so looking forward to the next cool product they'll be offering my readers.

Without further ado, the winner of the beautiful Orange(!) caldero is:

Congratulations, Susana! 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. I will then forward to IMUSA USA so they can send you your cool Orange(!) caldero.

Thanks, everyone for your support. You can find IMUSA products at all Macy's stores.

I'm going to be making picadillo tomorrow in my Orange(!) caldero. ;-)

Orange(!) is the new black. (A Giveaway)

I am waiting (a little impatiently) for my fabulous new kitchen appliances to be delivered. I think we're still about a week out from that. You would think I'd be totally content now since I'm getting all new appliances, but you know how it is, suddenly everything starts looking like it needs upgrading or replacing. *sigh*

There is, however, one item in my kitchen that still makes me completely happy and that is my IMUSA USA Orange(!) caldero. I use it constantly and am always looking for new recipes to make in it.

Arroz con pollo. Carne con papas. Sopa de pollo. All made in my beautiful Orange(!) caldero. I am starting to think it has magical properties because everything I've made in it tastes amazing. I have to add that I also go ahead and put the Orange(!) caldero straight on the table, not because I'm lazy (shut up. I'm not!), but because it's so seriously beautiful.

My good friend, Chef Ana (don't-hate-me-because-I'm-beautiful) Quincoces shares her recipe for some amazing Pulled Pork Sliders in her Orange(!) caldero.

Brilliant, no?

 

Doesn't that just make you want this beautiful Orange(!) caldero to cook something fabulous in?

Here's your chance.

My friends over at IMUSA USA have graciously partnered with MBFCF to host this giveaway for a beautiful Orange(!) caldero.

Oooh! Yes, please!

Usually, I would only ask you to leave a comment to enter the drawing for the giveaway item, but I want to give you each a couple of chances, so....

1) To enter this drawing, please leave a comment on this post and answer the following question:

• What favorite recipe of yours will taste fabulous when made in this beautiful Orange(!) caldero?

2) For an extra entry, please go "like" IMUSA USA on Facebook and come back and leave me another comment telling me:  

• "I like IMUSA USA!"

So that's not one, but two entries apiece. Yes, I'm generous like that, but that's not important right now.

Remember that if you want to enter the drawing for this beautiful Orange(!) caldero, you must leave a comment (plus the 2nd comment if you do the Facebook liking thing) on this post and I'll choose a winner on Monday, January 16th 2011 at 8 PST.

Buen Provecho! And thanks, IMUSA USA!

This fabulous Orange(!) caldero is also available at all Macy's stores.  

{Disclaimer: IMUSA USA very generously sent me that beautiful Orange(!) caldero for my own use and to review the product and also offered one as a giveaway for one lucky MBFCF reader. The opinion that it is fabulous is my own.}

For the love of Belle - Beauty and the Beast in 3D

When my daughter, Amy Kikita was young, she was completely enamored with The Little Mermaid, as probably most 7 year olds were at the time. Ariel was spunky for a princess and went after what she wanted. I think she identified with those qualities.

Years later, Disney gave us Beauty and the Beast and when it was available on VHS, we promptly procured a copy and our sweet Lucy had found that Belle was a princess who had qualities she could admire.

My mom calls Lucy, "La Bella Lucy." And our Master Teacher throughout our homeschool years always called her "Lucy Belle." Coincidence?

I think not.

We had seen the stage show, Beauty and the Beast last year, but last week I was invited by Disney Pictures to the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood to experience Disney's Beauty and the Beast in 3D and I couldn't have stopped Lucy from joining me if I had wanted to. She was out-of-her-skin excited with the prospect of finally seeing the drama played out on the big screen. Not to mention that we just both happen to love being on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Check out the look on her face. Can't you just see her excitement?

Because it was Disney, and because it was at the El Capitan, we were treated to an amazing organist who played every song from the movie as we all took our places. (Totally made me happy.)

Then, Belle and the Beast came out to dance and welcome the audience along with canon blasts of rose petals. (Oh, yes!)

We got to don our 3D glasses, which I'm starting to kind of like. (I know. Shut up.)

And were treated to the new Disney short Tangled Ever After - The Rings, which was absolutely hysterical. Here's a preview:

When the movie began, we quietly sang along to each familiar song and even though we knew the movie by heart, decided that it was absolutely worth seeing it on the big screen. (The Tangled Ever After short was seriously laugh-out-loud funny. Almost worth the price of admission, but that's not important right now.)

And because I'm a big, sentimental uber-geek, I sat there thinking how cool it was to be sitting with a fully grown-up Miss Lucy Belle and enjoying that piece of her childhood as it came to life before us. And, okay...I might have wiped away a tear or two. (But I'll deny it if you tell anyone.)

I encourage you, if you've only seen the small screen version of Beauty and the Beast, or haven't seen it in all its glory, to find a theater playing Beauty and the Beast in 3D in your own town. It's playing in selected theaters opening this coming weekend, January 13th and runs through February 2nd. I swear you don't want to miss it.

And then, because the story is set in France....we ate crepes...

...and we lived happily ever after. ;-)

Did you see Beauty and the Beast back in the day? Are you planning on seeing it again this time around? Tell me.

{Disclosure: Disney Pictures invited us to the pre-screening of Beauty and the Beast 3D. The opinions about the show are my own and the crepes were delicious, but that's not important right now.}

The Best of MBFCF in 2011

It's that time of year when I look back and see what has transpired in my life this past year. And it's moments like this when I realize how grateful I am that I started blogging.

Here's a time capsule look back at 2011 - MBFCF style. I also did this for 2010 and 2009 and I'm so glad I did. It's quite a compilation of stories I've got going on here. Do I sound surprised? The truth is, I sort of am.

If you're a regular reader, I thank you for hanging out here and keeping up with the "relajo" that is my online life here at MBFCF.

If you just recently joined the party, the following posts will give you a glimpse of what life is like here in my cyber-world as I walk you through my favorite posts over the last year. Welcome!

And if you'd like to connect with me on Facebook, please go "like" My Big, Fat, Cuban Family there.

Without further ado....here's the best of MBFCF for 2011. (NOT 2012! Not yet, anyway...)

1. An Historical Day - In which I celebrate my sweet Desi Arnaz Jr.'s birthday. *sigh*

2. On a clear day, you can see Havana - In which I tell about my Dad's amazingness as a storyteller on what would have been his 100th birthday.

3. El Bix - A Cuban cure for all that ails you - In which I celebrate the magical properties of Vicks VapoRub.

4. For the love of guava.... - In which I discover (thanks to a dozen or so online friends) the amazingness of Conchita GuavaBites!

5. The Hawk Walk - in which my three men have a wonderful adventure together involving a hawk named Mariposa.

6. Always Right - in which my kids hijack my blog on Mother's Day which leaves me in a puddle of tears.

7. N-E-S-T-L-E-S ... A Giveaway - in which I get to bake in the Nestlé Kitchens and was out-of-my-mind excited to be making REAL Nestlé Tollhouse Cookies in the Nestlé Kitchens. I know. Shut up.

8. It's a Small (Cuban) World, After All - in which my daughter, Amy Kikita and I inadvertently meet up with some long lost relatives.

9. How to make Cuban coffee with KILLER espuma. You're welcome. - In which my daughter, Amy Kikita reveals her secrets to making espresso.

10. Cooking with the Troops or Meet Team Cubanaso - the absolute highlight of my year, in which my big, fat, Cuban family and I  fly to Texas and get to make a Cuban Nochebuena-style lunch for 300 wounded warriors and their families.

11. Fricase de Pollo - a lo Cubano - in which I continue my quest to share my love of all Cuban food.

12. Cuando Sali de Cuba - stories of courage and hope - A series I began for Hispanic Heritage Month (Cuban Style) in which ordinary people show extraordinary courage as they began new lives here in the U.S. I'm quite proud of this. And by the way, if you have a "coming to America from Cuba" story to share, please email me.

It's funny, but I sometimes wonder if anyone is reading my blog (statistics tell me you are, but that's not important right now) and if anyone cares about the silly things I write about. But there is one thing I know for sure and that is that I'm so happy that I've documented all of these stories, both mine and yours, and all of the happenings of this past year (technically, years - I've been blogging for 5 - count 'em!- years now).

MBFCF has become my personal legacy, and of that I'm quite proud. (Get the sandpaper! Pa' darme lija!)

Happy New Year!

Happy Dia de los Reyes!

Happy Dia de los Reyes. Day of the Three Kings. Day of the Magi.

It's always so strange to try and explain some of our Cuban superstitions traditions. And yes, I know we've been exiled for 50 years now, but some traditions we still keep. Even if they are now mostly just as a nod to our heritage.

Enter the Three Kings. Or the Three Wise Men who showed up at the birth of Jesus to bring him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

In Cuba, back in the day, they were the ones to bring us our "big" presents. Which would be waiting for us when we woke up on January 6th.

Santa Claus or if you prefer Spanglish, "Santi Clo" was a minor player in the Christmas drama and he brought us some candy or a token to mark the beginning of the REAL 12 Days of Christmas from December 25th through January 5th. (Which is why it's crazy-making to me when people start talking about the 12 days on December 1st, but that's not important right now.)

I've told this story countless times. And while we don't hold fast to the tradition of the 3 Kings bringing the presents, we still keep our tree up at least through today. (We didn't put it up until the 24th - don't freak out! - so we're not even tired of it yet.) And so, we try to keep some of the tradition alive.

My husband, Eric has learned that it's important to me to celebrate Christmas in this time frame and so he enjoys playing along. He has embraced the Cuban Christmas Timeline. And also the "big" gift delivered by the Los Tres Reyes Magos. 

Look at what I found from the Three Kings this morning:

Apparently Gaspar, Melchor and Baltazar are waiting until my kitchen is painted to deliver my set of new kitchen appliances!(YESSSS!!)

I *heart* that man. ;-)

Happy Three Kings Day, everyone!

Everything I wished for...

Happy New Year, everyone!

I know some of you are wondering what happened with the Dark Christmas Tree. 

Here's the story:

My son, Adam flew in from the Bay Area at the crack of dawn, landing at around 7:30 AM on Christmas eve. Lucy and Jonathan went to pick him up at the airport while Eric and I finished up the last minute touches around here. Or maybe we just slept in, but that's not important right now. ;-)

And they were all exhausted so they napped for most of the day which was fine by me. We had an amazing NocheBuena celebration at my sister, Alina's house. Everything was so beautiful and festive and everyone was so happy. (We also did a photobooth thing again which I'll share with you later.)

In short, a good time was had by all.

We didn't get home until about 11pm. It was then that we busted out the Créme de Vie and cranked up the Christmas music and decorated our own tree and put out the presents and set the table for breakfast.

Christmas morning felt pretty magical and I think we all felt it. (I made them put the lights on the tree in a swirling light pattern. You can see it if you squint. I kind of loved it. A lot.)

We had an absolute feast on Christmas morning that included quiche, fresh fruit, monkey bread and my best friend, Pam's Pamagranate Jelly.

Seriously, the house went from plain to spectacular fabulous magical (=D) overnight.

And as we leisurely had breakfast and opened gifts... (lots and lots of gifts. Thanks, guys!)

I felt absolutely content. We had a wonderful time together and all 6 of us were in the same area code. 

Which is all I really wanted for Christmas anyway.