Hi Mike! Welcome to the thread!

I am currently making a pot of rice and beans and trying to decide what to do with some chicken sausage that is loaded with cilantro, red peppers and cayenne.
This thread is making me hungry.

Chancie inspired me to make some Sofrito and as soon as I have some time I am going to fire up a batch and roast some chili's.

Its kind of fun to be cooking and have my laptop on the kitchen counter so that I can post and keep working. lol

Don't I know it!

This might be a silly question, but I've had Cuban cuisine and I was in heaven. Is that related to Puerto Rican in any way?

I like a good cuban sandwich ! I'm in FL and it's the first time I've tried it. I know there is a good Cuban restaurant out there somewhere nearby that makes them but sadly the best one I've had was at my work cafeteria. However, it was made by latin chefs! mmmmm! I know it's not traditional but I also like the one at Panera Bread for a quick fix with a cup of broccoli cheddar soup. There it is made like a panini.

We have a sandwich shop named Relish that does their version of a cuban-- its pretty good.

cubano especial--chipotle roasted pork, honey ham, swiss cheese, dill pickle, chipotle mayo on a baguette.

okay, I'm officially hungry.

No not related. Some native ingredients can be found on both islands. Much was brought to the islands from those who settled there.

Cuban food largely is influenced by the southern Spanish and Africans, where Puerto Rican food has influences from the indigenous Taino people as well as the Spanish and Africans. To a lesser degree the French, Italians, Dutch and Chinese also influenced the Island but none as significantly as the Spanish and African people. Much of this was due to occupation and slave trade.

Sadly the history of many local foods on the Islands, wind up tied to the history of which group was exploiting and oppressing another group. Some influences are the result of trade routes.

Cuban food has changed over the years due to the trade embargo with our nation. There is not much beef to be had for example. Root vegetables that were common food for the African people have long been a part of the Cuban diet. As are rice, beans, pork fish, common staples also in Puerto Rican food.

So yes the two cuisines have some things in common yet they have varying styles and expressions.

The Cuban food that you will find in south Florida will be very different than what you will eat if you were to visit Cuba.

You and ruff are killing me with the Cuban sandwiches right now.

*sigh*

Does anyone have a recipe for Cuban bread? I may need to bake some.

ive always wanted to try cuban food.....the only problem is i get the impression that they infuse fruit in their entrees....i have always had a problem with that....i dont even like those orange chocolate thingys...ok i never tried one.. i just dont love the IDEA of it...i have had a raspberry sauce with chicken...wasnt a fan...
i DO enjoy pineapple in thai...didnt think i would....but thai is the best thing on earth...
as an aside...like wayyyyyyyyyy aside...this time of year puts me in the mood to make a batch of french meat pies to freeze for make ahead meals....havent had a decent french meat pie in YEARS....

I DONT REALLY EAT PORK ANYMORE....BUT I WOULD TRY IT AT LEAST ONCE...and i loveyee sweet taters.....they are prevalent in african cooking also... i just bake em and throw some sea salt on...done diddly..they carry themselves....
french meat pie...is basically the same filling i remember my memere making for thanksgiving. its a combination of hamburger, salt pork and i believe sausage. then add mashed potatoes and spices..throw it in a pie crust and freeze them or bake them...around here they sell for big bucks because they are labor intensive...like making golombki and pierogiy....so you make a lot of them...or go in shares with someone else who likes them and pay half the cost of the ingredients and split the yield. we used to do that all the time...and its such a comforting winter meal..serve it with a nice gravy and a veggie....done and done.... :hangloose:

Wow fascinating! I never had such a pie. I need to get out more.

Friends do this with Tamales, Ravioli, Pastry, canning, confections such as truffles at holiday time..anytime that an item is well loved and labor intensive it is so good to share that process with others.

There are a few places in the SF bay area that I love for Dim Sum and I see the assembly line of dumplings being made by many hands. It is a very cool cultural event, that in all parts of the world there are foods that are so sought after that we have to make them by the truckload. lol

Some of my best memories of China are making jaozi (like Chinese pierogiy) with all those dumpling wraps and huge bowls of filling. The making is as bonding as eating them afterwards.

I just fell in love with you a little bit. Tell us more please? I'll sit here and wait. Without dumplings. I love dumplings.

I never knew the exact recipe in China, but these come close. It was essentially a very spicy pork or beef mixture, so you could probably play with it to taste.

Can you tell I'm not really a follower of recipes but tend to improvise? Drove my home ec teacher nuts.

http://www.food.com/recipe/chinese-d...s-jaozi-327269

What's really interesting to me is how dumplings began in China, then must have been brought westward to Russia and Europe, where many countries have some form of dumpling dish modified to their cuisine. I'm sure noodles came west in the same way, so spaghetti is Chinese food ;).