A Movable Feast: Cuban Foods

By Dale Phillip

Cuban cuisine is a blend of Spanish, African, and Caribbean (Tainos Indian) cuisines and includes recipes, spices and cooking derived from all three cultures. This results in an interesting blend which tends to be simple, with fresh vegetables, fruits, cassava, beans, barbecued meats and fish. In Cuba, rice and beans are a staple, along with chicken, pork and beef, as in more traditional Spanish and Mexican foods, but combinations and cooking methods vary.

Legendary author Ernest Hemingway spent years in Cuba, writing and enjoying the local cuisine, prior to dictator Fidel Castro's overthrow of the country's government in 1959, shutting down one of America's favorite vacation spots. But Cuban cuisine thrives in south Florida, and venturing into a Cuban restaurant looking for fish tacos, chicken enchiladas or shrimp burritos is an exercise in futility. You won't find them, unless it's greatly Americanized. What you will find is authentic Cuban food, laced with spices, a foundation of rice and black beans and some wonderful dishes featuring plantains and other tropical fruits.Regardless of what Fidel Castro may have flown in from the States for his private dinners, here is a sampling of what tops the natives' hit parade:

National dish of Cuba: Ropa Vieja (shredded flank steak in a tomato sauce base), black beans, yellow rice,fried yucca and plantains, washed down with cold local beer;

Coming in at second place most definitely is Arroz Con Pollo (rice with chicken), as basic as it gets;

Moors and Christians: black beans and rice;

Fried Plantains: a frequent side dish; (ripe plantains have peels that are almost black, so don't let that throw you);

Tuna in spicy tomato sauce; tuna (bonito) is plentiful in Cuba;

Yucca plant: (Cassava) a starchy substitute for potatoes;

Sofrito: a basic tomato sauce added to meat or rice dishes;

Flan: (baked custard) a popular dessert, as in Mexico;

Helado de Mango: tropical mango sherbet;

Aceitunas Alinadas: marinated olives;

Ensalada Cubana Tipica: (Cuban salad) your basic raw lettuce and tomato;

Their most popular and basic spices are available almost everywhere in the U.S. and include bay laurel, oregano, coriander, cumin and pepper. Many sauces have a tomato base.

In Cuba, plantains and bananas comprise 47% and 24%, respectively, of the local production and grown only for domestic consumption. Other tropical fruits produced in Cuba are mango, papaya, pineapple, avocado, and guava. Plantains have never caught on the U.S. as we prefer our bananas, and plantains have a sweeter taste, usually used in cooking rather than just eating raw. They are an acquired taste to be sure, which most Americans have never acquired.

Cuban cuisine can be vegetarian friendly, due to its liberal use of beans, rice, vegetables and fruits, but don't expect to be ordering tofu or any other protein substitute. The majority of Cuban people are poor, so native food can be quite limited without the addition of some type of meat, fish or fowl. However, don't let that stop you from enjoying some of their spicy sauces, salads and rice dishes. Yucca is a popular starch as is corn, but not in the typical form of tortillas as in Mexican food. (And guaranteed you won't be finding any cornbread with butter or hush puppies, also made with corn.)

Although many countries may speak the same Spanish language, that does not in any way ensure they eat similar foods. So venture out and expand your repertoire by exploring Cuban cuisine should the opportunity arise, and don't go comparing it to our Mexican favorites. Havana boasts no fast-food restaurants, but if it did, you can be darn sure Taco Bell would not be among them.

As a resident of Southern California, author Dale Phillip places Mexican food at the top of her hit parade, but having dined in several Cuban restaurants, she enjoys their diversity. A
big fan of rice and bean dishes, she finds the similarities of the two cultures appealing and always looks forward to a spicy meal, no matter what the origin. She invites you to view her many articles in Food and Drink, and her blog: http://myfriendlyu.blogspot.com/

Treat Your Tastebuds With These Refreshing Kinds of Pickles

By Sanjay Nandy

Pickles are the trademark of Indian dishes. No Indian meal is complete without a pinch of tasty, tangy and spicy pickle and with grandmothers preparing it with their own hands, there is more charm and flavor to it. But, long gone are those days when grandmas made mouth-watering pickles and stored them in the big jars for all the members of the house. However, fortunately, the legacy story of pickles did not end there for all of us. Many grocery companies, domestic as well as international are making diverse range of quality pickles that have the similar charm of the grandma's pickles.

If you love pickles, then this article is definitely a treat for you. Here's a list of some of the amazing pickles with a unique flavor.

#1 Lemon Pickle

Most common yet the tastiest one, Lemon pickle is the love of every foodie. The extreme sourness of lemons is something you will want to have with Rotis, Pooris or rice. No matter, the type of lemons used, it always gives an immense inner joy in the stomach at the end of your meal. If you have some affinity towards sour tasting food, then this one is must try.

#2 Onion Pickle

Made for every Indian family, onion pickle gives out both pungent and a sweet flavor and can be tried with main dishes. Onions being the main salad ingredient, its pickle can also be served as a salad with parathas and sabjis. Prepared with chili powder and some lemon juice, it has a blend of bitterness and sourness to delight your taste buds.

#3 Mango Pickle

Definitely, it is the right choice of pickle for those who love sourly and spicy foods. Mostly consumed with simple parathas, this pickle is a feast for most Indians and is prepared with fine turmeric, chili powder, mustard, pepper, fenugreek and cubes of raw Mangoes. However, to retain the taste and freshness, it needs to be refrigerated while stored.

#4 Prawn Pickle

Most favor the pickles prepared with veggies and fruits as they can be stored for longer days. However, there are non-vegetarian pickles too that are equally flavorsome and soul satiating. Prawn pickle is one of the kinds. Most popular in the coastal areas, prawn pickle is made immensely delicious with ginger-garlic paste and some chilly powder. However, unlike other pickles, it has short shelf life and can hardly last for a month even when refrigerated.

#5 Chicken Pickle

Last but not the least, do not forget about the chicken pickle. One can relish it with rice, roti, and even dosas. A must-have for every non-vegan families, the dried and roasted spices attribute to its appetizing taste like cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Further, to add the flavor of a tangy sauce, some lemon juice is also poured into it.

Well, the list can go further as there are more diverse and wide-ranging pickles made all over the globe. If you have still not encountered your taste buds with any of these kinds of succulent pickles, then definitely try one next time. Also, you can try them with some crispy papads after a meal to savor the taste more.

Sanjay Nandy is a nutritionist and the marketing manager at Indian Grocery, a leading online store for Indian gourmet sweets, snacks, organic pickles, including Chicken Pickle, and other savories in USA. It is also the sole provider of finest quality papad, Ambika Appalam, that are made following the traditional sun-dried methods.

Sustainable Development Strategy

By Kh. Atiar Rahman

The developing countries need to play a vital role for the green house gases prevailing in the atmosphere. For this reason, their estimation envisages that the North should arrange required financial aids to the South to acclimatize the changing circumstances of the climate in question. And as such the integrated developing country need to move towards technical hitches for the North. The North is not in a position to accept any remarkable accountability. For negotiating the issue of climate change, an International Negotiating Committee on Climate Change needs to come forward for negotiating the matter as a tentative flow.

In the preliminary meeting, the South stipulated new and additional resources for their economic development. The North was very much interested to know about Southern commitments before dealing with the financial issue. No substantive result was therefore achieved. According to Geneva convention, the North and South are in a situation of confrontation on the question of creating a climate fund. The North expressed their willingness in favour of using the World Bank in this regard, but the South was against the idea. The idea of 'pledge and review' was rejected by the South that they should commit themselves to a process and no external could judge their domestic policies. The difference of opinion was evident in the third session of the INC in Nairobi. The pattern was continued when the INC met for its fourth session in Geneva in December 1991. In New York the fifth session of the INC showed the same situation between the North and South. The North was pressurizing the South for accepting the Global Environmental Facility as the funding channel. The North and South were therefore in a position of conflict in the meeting. The mood of the meeting was not improved by suggesting that if no climate change convention was negotiated President Bush would not go to Rio. At the same time to sweeten the threat, the US announced a $75 million aid plan to help curb developing countries green house emission.

Finally, the developing countries thought that the failure to finalize the convention would postpone the prospect of Western aid and technology to help tackle the effect of climate change they therefore accepted the GEF as an 'interim' financial mechanism of the convention. Regarding the issue of 'pledge and review', countries were required to supply information on their implementation of the convention, and a body was established to look at this information. At last, agreement on the convention was achieved and it was open for signature in Rio. The long discussion about the environmental conferences reveals that both parties have different types of interests and problems. The agreement in Rio was without sufficient commitments from both side. The concept of sustainable development has not been followed by both the parties. The right to achieve economic growth by the South was repeatedly voiced in those conferences and the needs for additional fund were also repeatedly raised. These demands were not sufficiently met by the North. These issues shows that the future relations of the North and the South on sustainable development depends highly on the attitude of the both the parties, though mostly on the attitudes of the North. Although the North has given commitments of financial support, these have not been sufficient for achieving sustainable development. If the North provides adequate financial resources and environment friendly technology at a good price to the South, then the sustainable development will bring co-operation between them, otherwise conflicts will not only remain, but will also be resolved virtually.

In view of the above it is evident that there are differences of opinion between the North and the South on the way of achieving sustainable development. Although, there exists problems, it has also shown that some sort of co-operation exists from previous initiatives on the issue. It is true that some Southern countries allocate much of their hard earned money for defense purpose, but in environmental conferences they always fight for financial support. This case is however not true for most of the Southern countries. Most of the Southern countries are forced to over exploit the natural resources on which their future depends. For that reason, the North have to spare additional financial help to the South to face these environmental challenges.

Kh. Atiar Rahman is a Prolific Author and a Poet. He has many publication in national and international media.

5 Ways To Woo Your Summer With Mangoes

By Rinita Sen

Summer is here, and it brought along mangoes. Easily the king of fruits, mangoes are a cherished must-have for the season. Be it in raw green or ripe orange form, this fruit has its own unbeatable charm when it comes to both savoury as well as sweet recipes. To beat the heat, here are some traditional, yet simple ways in which you may relish the delicious fruit this summer.

1. Raw mango pickle

This is a dish that needs a bit of work, and needs preparations ahead of summer, but once you get it right, it is an absolute gem.

Quick Guide: Chop raw (green) mangoes, add your blend of favourite spices, oil, and salt, dry in the sun for several days until the skin is shrivelled. Have with or between meals.

2. Raw mango sherbet

It is also widely known as "Aam Panna" in Indian languages and is a chemical-free indigenous way of quenching your thirst.

Quick Guide: Roast the raw mangoes directly over a flame, peel the burned skin, mash the flesh, dilute with water, add sugar and salt as per taste. Serve with ice.

3. Raw mango chutney

Another innovation of the Indian subcontinent, this one is prepared as an after-meal dessert substitute. It takes a while to get the right texture, but tastes heaven afterwards.

Quick Guide: Peel and chop raw mangoes, cook in low flame with spices and oil, add sugar (loads of it), stir until a thick consistency is achieved, cool and serve.

4. Mango lentil soup

Fastest and easiest of all, this one cools down the body temperature, and acts as a great accompaniment to rice.

Quick Guide: Chop raw mangoes and boil them. Cook the lentils (split red lentils are the best choice) as per regular procedure. Mix the boiled raw mangoes in the end. Balance the salt and the water for a runny consistency and less tangy flavour.

5. Mango ice-cream

A break from traditional raw mango preparations, this one is for the "quick-fix dessert" people. All you need is ripe mangoes and vanilla ice-cream for the perfect dessert.

Quick Guide: Peel and chop ripe mangoes into tiny pieces. Mix them in a bowl with some good quality vanilla ice-cream. Call your gang over!

Indeed, mangoes can be so versatile that we at times do not realize how many recipes have been thought of and are still being thought of that include this great fruit. Pick your favourite this season and fill your summer with glee.

Grand Junction Is Great for More Than Just Elk

By Holly Brice

Grand Junction Colorado is known for its fantastic elk hunting and fabulous fishing, but did you know that it is also a great place to visit? This Colorado town has a fraction of the population that Denver has, but it is a place that has something for everyone from the sportsman to the non-sportsmen in your family.

If you choose to visit this hot spot during the summer than bring your swimwear and your rafting gear. This quaint town is home to the Colorado River and the Gunnison River. This is perfect for the members of your family who want to fish all day and the ones who want to brave the rapids. There are multiple companies that will take your wild family members on the ride of a live time touring the local river rapids. Not into fishing or braving the rapids no problem! Highline Lake State Park is just around the corner that serves up additional summer recreation for all. They offer family favorites such as; boating, swimming, birding, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, jet skiing, sailboarding, picnicking, and water skiing just to name a few.

Not wanting to get wet? This town is for you too. Grand Junction Motor Speedway is one fun stop you can't miss. Ride in one of their many go-karts and race other members of your family down this twisty and turning track that will leave everyone smiling. The speedway gives each driver a break down of their lap time so if your family is competitive than this is for you. Not a racer but want to be outside then you have to check out the Botanical Gardens. This is a home to the wonderful Butterfly House. This is a small paradise with butterflies and over 600 exotic tropical plants from around the world. Enjoy a tranquil moment watching the fish, looking for the resident toads, turtles, or tree frog, or watching a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis.

Planning your trip at a colder time of year? Grand Junction does offers all the winter fun actives for the non-hunter. With the Powderhorn Mountain spitting distant away your family can go skiing, tubing, or just enjoy the snow. This mountain is full of resorts, lodging, and shopping for the non-skier as well.

Not a fan of the cold? This is still a hot spot for a family with everyone in mind downtown area full of fun thing to do while the others are out hunting elk. Grand Junction is known for its wonderful food so why do you take your taste buds on a Food Tour. This tour will teach you about the history and culture of downtown Grand Junction while you meet some of the city's most popular chefs and restaurateurs. Grand Junction Food Tours are presented every Saturday at 2.00pm, but private tours can be booked if you are not going to be in town on a Saturday. Not a foodie or a hunter no problem. The down town area is home to the Kannah Creek Brewing Company. Opened in 2005 the Kannah Creek Brewing Company now have three separate brew pubs in the Grand Junction area, where you can enjoy unique Colorado craft beers and all-American food. The cool part is their beers are made with the pure, untouched snow-melt waters of the Kannah Creek.

Hi, I am Holly Brice and I belong to a family of hunters and to www.huntingscopespro.com. Unfortunately, do not share the same passion for hunting as others, not that I am a non-hunter I just would rather shop. This tends to get me excluded from many family trips, which I hate. Over the last few months I have made it my mission to find great locations that have everything from hunting to non-hunting activities. This way I can go on most, if not all, of the family hunting trips this year!