Tuesday, November 13, 2012

MEATINESS

Why vegetarians are currently extinct in Cuba. 

For an island that treats cows and sacred, and refrigeration as semi-necessary there is sure a lot of meat to be eaten. Jamon (all types of pork) and pollo (all parts of chicken) are the primary sources of protein in Cuba.  Ever Cafeteria menu displays pan con queso and jamon, and if you are lucky they have all three and can serve you up a sandwich in a jiff. Or you can choose from tasty pre-mades. (No sarcasm here, meat eaters tell me that the street sandwiches are not that bad).


The typical option


In addition to fast-food-meat there is slow-food meat sold at every Carneceria. Usually in the form of half a pig leg, chicken breast, or at the well stocked agros feet, heads, livers, organs, and fried up skin!

Just when I though Havana had showed me all of Cuba’s meaty secrets, I went to Santiago, and discovered the WHOLE-PIG Cafeterias. These booths like to keep meat as fresh as possible and by cooking the pig whole, and plopping it right on the table in front of you so you can choose exactly what part you would like to eat. While this is mildly nasty, it does solve the western mentality of food-dislocation, you know exactly what and where your meat comes from. 


Choose a part, any Part. 
I propose that McDonald’s take a hint, these show-and-eat sandwiches are wildly popular in el Oriente. 

No comments:

Post a Comment