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Cuba

Cuba, the largest Caribbean island, is a time capsule of colonial architecture, vintage cars, and revolutionary fervor, with Havana as its colorful, salsa-filled heart. Once a Cold War flashpoint, it remains a socialist state under tight government control, famous for cigars, rum, and figures like Fidel Castro. Its beaches, like Varadero, attract tourists, though economic struggles and U.S. sanctions challenge daily life. Cuba’s Afro-Cuban heritage fuels its music, dance, and defiant spirit.

Cuba

Featured Dishes from Cuba

Baked eggs with sofrito sauce

Baked eggs with sofrito sauce

Baked eggs with sofrito sauce, often referred to as "Huevos Enchilados," is a Cuban dish where eggs are baked in a flavorful sofrito made from ingredients like onions, garlic, and bell peppers. This dish can be served with tortillas or as a standalone meal, often enjoyed for breakfast or brunch.

Bakes

Bakes

Fried bake is a Caribbean dish. Many West Indian nations including Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica and Grenada eat this dish. The main ingredient in fried bake is flour. It can be served in a multitude of ways. This dish is usually served with salt fish and steamed vegetables.

Café con leche

Café con leche

Café con leche is a coffee beverage common throughout Spain and Latin America consisting of strong coffee (usually espresso) mixed with scalded milk in approximately equal amounts. The amount of milk can be higher in a café con leche en vaso or a café con leche de desayuno. Cuban and Puerto Rican establishments often prepare the drink with sugar. Sugar or sweetener is added to taste. It is similar to the Italian caffè latte and the French café au lait. Café con leche came from Spain, but its exact origin is unclear. After becoming popular in Spain, this coffee beverage has spread to other Spanish-speaking countries and areas. Café con leche is very common in Spain and Latin America, as well as diasporic Latin American communities around the world. Cuban restaurants in South Florida often have a walk-up window (ventanita) that serve café con leche.

Café Cubano

Café Cubano

Cuban espresso, also known as Café Cubano , is a type of espresso that originated in Cuba. Specifically, it refers to an espresso shot which is sweetened (traditionally with natural brown sugar whipped with the first and strongest drops of espresso). However, the name can refer to coffee based drinks that include Cuban espresso as the main ingredient, such as café con leche. Drinking café cubano remains a prominent social and cultural activity in Cuba and in Cuban-American communities, particularly in Miami, Tampa and the Florida Keys.

Cocoa tea

Cocoa tea

Hot chocolate with spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves

Coffee

Coffee

Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially available. There are also various coffee substitutes. Typically served hot, coffee has the highest sales in the world market for hot drinks. Coffee production begins when the seeds from coffee cherries are separated to produce unroasted green coffee beans. The "beans" are roasted and then ground into fine particles. Coffee is brewed from the ground roasted beans, which are typically steeped in hot water before being filtered out. It is usually served hot, although chilled or iced coffee is common. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, French press, caffè latte, or already-brewed canned coffee). Sugar, sugar substitutes, milk, and cream are often added to mask the bitter taste or enhance the flavor.

Eggs

Eggs

Humans and their hominid relatives have consumed eggs for millions of years. The most widely consumed eggs are those of fowl, especially chickens. People in Southeast Asia began harvesting chicken eggs for food by 1500 BCE. Eggs of other birds, such as ducks and ostriches, are eaten regularly but much less commonly than those of chickens. People may also eat the eggs of reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Fish eggs consumed as food are known as roe or caviar. Hens and other egg-laying creatures are raised throughout the world, and mass production of chicken eggs is a global industry. In 2009, an estimated 62.1 million metric tons of eggs were produced worldwide from a total laying flock of approximately 6.4 billion hens. There are issues of regional variation in demand and expectation, as well as current debates concerning methods of mass production. In 2012, the European Union banned battery husbandry of chickens.

Fresh fruit

Fresh fruit

Mango, melons, papaya, mamey

Huevos habaneros

Huevos habaneros

Eggs in a sauce made with tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, garlic, dry sherry, spices

Orange juice

Orange juice

Orange juice is a liquid extract of the orange tree fruit, produced by squeezing or reaming oranges. It comes in several different varieties, including blood orange, navel oranges, valencia orange, clementine, and tangerine. As well as variations in oranges used, some varieties include differing amounts of juice vesicles, known as "pulp" in American English, and " bits" in British English. These vesicles contain the juice of the orange and can be left in or removed during the manufacturing process. How juicy these vesicles are depend upon many factors, such as species, variety, and season. In American English, the beverage name is often abbreviated as "OJ". Commercial orange juice with a long shelf life is made by pasteurizing the juice and removing the oxygen from it. This removes much of the taste, necessitating the later addition of a flavor pack, generally made from orange products. Additionally, some juice is further processed by drying and later rehydrating the juice, or by concentrating the juice and later adding water to the concentrate.

Pastelito

Pastelito

Cuban pastries are baked puff pastry–type pastries filled with sweet or savory fillings. Traditional fillings include cream cheese quesitos, guava (pastelito de guayaba) and cheese, pineapple, and coconut. The sweet fillings are made with sweetened fruit pulps. The cream cheese filling is also a slightly sweetened version of cream cheese, that resembles the flavor and texture of a cheesecake. The savory fillings are usually beef, but sometimes chicken or ham and cheese are used. The beef fillings consist of a seasoned but not spicy meat, made in a tomato-based sauce. It is typical to include raisins and green olives as part of the meat filling. It is also typical for a sweet glaze to be applied to the top of even savory fillings. The pastries are typically consumed at any time as a snack. In Miami, one can find many "window cafeterias" with customers having a pastelito with coffee throughout the day.

Potato

Potato

The potato is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground tubers of the plant Solanum tuberosum, a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae.

Rice and beans

Rice and beans

Rice and beans, or beans and rice, is a category of dishes from many cultures around the world, whereby the staple foods of rice and beans are combined in some manner. The grain and legume combination provides several important nutrients and many calories, and both foods are widely available. The beans are usually seasoned, while the rice may be plain or seasoned. The two components may be mixed together, separated on the plate, or served separately. The dish usually consists of white or brown rice accompanied by cooked brown, red or black dry beans and seasoned in various ways. This dish is also commonly served with sides of stewed chicken, pork, beef, potato salad, boiled potatoes, and many other sides from many different cultures. In many areas, beans and rice are often served side by side rather than combined. Either way, they may be considered a meal, frequently with a topping of meat or chicken. Meat or other ingredients are sometimes placed atop beans and rice or, less frequently, mixed into it. Different regions have different preferences. In Nicaragua, for example, red beans are more popular while cooking Gallo pinto, while in Costa Rica black beans are. Also, in Brazil, black beans are more popular in Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, while in most other parts of the country these are mostly only used in feijoadas. The New Orleans specialty known as "red beans and rice" is often accompanied by a side of smoked sausage or a fried pork chop.

Sobras

Sobras

Leftovers are surplus foods remaining unconsumed at the end of a meal, which may be put in containers with the intention of eating later. Inedible remains like bones are considered waste, not leftovers. Depending on the situation, the amount of food, and the type of food, leftovers may be saved or thrown away. The use of leftovers depends on where the meal was eaten, the preferences of the diner, and the local culture. Leftovers from meals at home are often eaten later. This is facilitated by the private environment and convenience of airtight containers and refrigeration. People may eat leftovers directly from the refrigerator, reheat them, or use them as ingredients to make a new dish. At restaurants, uneaten food from meals is sometimes taken by diners for later consumption. In the United States, a once common term for the containers the leftover food was put into was "doggy bag", with the food being notionally to feed to pets, whether or not it is in actuality.

Tostada

Tostada

Sliced bread is buttered and toasted or grilled in a sandwich press or panini press, may also include an egg, serve with coffee

Arroz con leche

Arroz con leche

Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and commonly other ingredients such as sweeteners, spices, flavourings and sometimes eggs. Variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such as sugar. Such desserts are found on many continents, especially Asia, where rice is a staple. Some variants are thickened only with the rice starch, while others include eggs, making them a kind of custard. Rice puddings are found in nearly every area of the world. Recipes can greatly vary even within a single country. The dessert can be boiled or baked. Different types of pudding vary depending on preparation methods and the selected ingredients. The following ingredients are usually found in rice puddings:

Barritas de mango

Barritas de mango

Boniatillo

Boniatillo

Sweet potato pudding

Buñuelo

Buñuelo

A buñuelo ( Spanish: [buˈɲwelo], alternatively called boñuelo, bimuelo, birmuelo, bermuelo, bumuelo, burmuelo, or bonuelo, is a fried dough fritter found in Spain, Latin America, and other regions with a historical connection to Spaniards or Sephardic Jews, including Southwest Europe, the Balkans, Anatolia, and parts of Asia and North Africa. Buñuelos are traditionally prepared at Christmas and Hanukkah. It will usually have a filling or a topping. In Mexican cuisine, it is often served with a syrup made with piloncillo. Buñuelos are first known to have been consumed among Spain's Morisco population. They typically consist of a simple, wheat-based yeast dough, often flavored with anise, that is thinly rolled, cut or shaped into individual pieces, then fried and finished off with a sweet topping. Buñuelos may be filled with a variety of things, sweet or savory. They can be round in ball shapes or disc-shaped. In Latin America, buñuelos are seen as a symbol of good luck. "Buñuelo" and all other variations of the word in Spanish derive from the Old Spanish *boño or bonno, which itself derives from the Germanic Gothic language *?????? , and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰenǵʰ (thick, dense, fat).

Buñuelos de anís

Buñuelos de anís

Anise-flavored figure 8-shaped fritters, serve with syrup, which may also contain anise

Buñuelos de yuca

Buñuelos de yuca

Yucca fritters served with spiced syrup

Cake de ron

Cake de ron

A rum cake or black cake is a type of dessert cake which contains rum. In most of the Caribbean, rum cakes are a traditional holiday season dessert, descended from the holiday puddings . Traditionally, dried fruit is soaked in rum for months and then added to dough prepared with sugar which has been caramelized by boiling in water. The result, also known as "black cake", is similar to a fruitcake, with a lighter texture. In Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, fruits are preserved in cherry brandy or rum to be used in the making of black cake. Black cake is traditionally associated with Christmas and weddings in Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. On the mainland United States, rum cakes have been popular since at least the 1970s. While many island travelers go out of their way to pick up a Caribbean variety, more and more small U.S. companies are competing, much the way that craft beers are competing with the large beer manufacturers. Some offer baked-to-order rum cakes. Some infuse the rum directly into their cakes (instead of glazing). Many appear to have a decades-old special recipe. In Puerto Rico, rum cake is called Bizcocho de Ron, and is a sponge cake, so as to absorb the rum. If fruit is added to it, it is fresh or dried. Raisins and sultanas may be soaked in rum for one day or one night. Bizcochos de Ron are given as gifts during the holiday season.[citation needed]

Chocolate from Baracoa

Chocolate from Baracoa

Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans that can be a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring in other foods. The cacao tree has been used as a source of food for at least 5,300 years, starting with the Mayo-Chinchipe culture in what is present-day Ecuador. Later, Mesoamerican civilizations consumed cacao beverages, of which one, chocolate, was introduced to Europe in the 16th century.

Churro

Churro

A churro is a type of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, made with choux pastry dough piped into hot oil with a piping bag and large closed star tip or similar shape. They are also found in Latin American cuisine, Philippine cuisine and in other areas that have received immigration from Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, especially in France and the Southwestern United States. In Spain, churros can either be thin (and sometimes knotted) or long and thick, where they are known as porras, jeringos, or tejeringos in some regions. They are normally eaten for breakfast dipped in coffee, or in hot chocolate for an afternoon snack. There are also two slightly different snacks in Portugal, called porra and fartura, which are filled with jelly instead of the doce de leite traditional to Brazilian churros.

Cremitas de leche

Cremitas de leche

Sweet milk cream confections, made with milk, condensed milk, sugar, salt

Cucurucho

Cucurucho

Cucurucho is a sheet of paper, cardboard or wafer rolled into a cone shape that contains different types of ice cream, sweets, candies, seeds, etc. Cucurucho is a local delicacy of the city of Baracoa in eastern Cuba. Wrapped in a cone-shaped palm leaf (hence the name: cucurucho - Spanish for cone or cornet), it is a mix of coconut, sugar and other ingredients such as orange, guava and pineapple. The conical container, whether cardboard or of another type, is also known as a cucurucho. The song in question is “El manisero” (“The Peanut Vendor”), which in Spanish the lyrics say: don't go to sleep, without eating a “peanut cone” (“cucurucho de maní“).

Currants roll

Currants roll

Rolled pastry with a sweet currant filling

Dulce de guayaba

Dulce de guayaba

Goiabada is a conserve made of red guavas and sugar, commonly found throughout the Portuguese-speaking countries of the world. It dates back to the colonial times of Brazil, where guavas were used as a substitute for the quinces used to make quince cheese. It required an abundance of sugar and slave labor for its production as it was made in large batches within cauldrons cooking over a slow fire. In rural areas of Brazil, it is still commonly made at home for family use or sale. Very similar to goiabada is the closely related Colombian bocadillo, also made from guava but with more sugar. It is known as guava paste or guava cheese throughout the English-speaking Americas, especially the Caribbean, and dulce de guayaba, barra de guayaba, pasta de guayaba, bocadillo or guayabate in Spanish-speaking Americas. It is commercially available, most often packaged in flat metal cans, or as long rectangular blocks in chipboard boxes.

Dulce de leche

Dulce de leche

Dulce de leche , caramelized milk, milk candy, or milk jam is a confectionery popular in Latin America, France, Poland, and the Philippines prepared by slowly heating sugar and milk over several hours. The substance takes on a spreadable, sauce-like consistency and derives its rich flavour and colour from non-enzymatic browning. It is typically used to top or fill other sweet foods. Since 1998, and at the initiative of the Argentine Center for the Promotion of Dulce de Leche and Related Products, International Dulce de Leche Day is celebrated every October 11.

Dulce de leche cortada

Dulce de leche cortada

Sweet curdled milk dessert

Flan

Flan

Custard dessert topped with a layer of caramel sauce, variations include coconut, chestnut, chocolate

Flan de coco

Flan de coco

Guava pie

Guava pie

Guava pie is a dessert made with a crust filled with sliced guavas, sugar, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It can be baked until the crust is golden and the filling is tender, offering a sweet and tropical flavor.

Helado de mango

Helado de mango

Mango ice cream

Ice cream

Ice cream

Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food colouring is sometimes added in addition to stabilizers. The mixture is cooled below the freezing point of water and stirred to incorporate air spaces and prevent detectable ice crystals from forming. It can also be made by whisking a flavoured cream base and liquid nitrogen together. The result is a smooth, semi-solid foam that is solid at very low temperatures . It becomes more malleable as its temperature increases. Ice cream may be served in dishes, eaten with a spoon, or licked from edible wafer ice cream cones held by the hands as finger food. Ice cream may be served with other desserts—such as cake or pie—or used as an ingredient in cold dishes—like ice cream floats, sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream cakes—or in baked items such as Baked Alaska.

Majarete

Majarete

Sweetened corn and coconut pudding

Masareal

Masareal

Masareal or masa real is a Filipino delicacy made from a mixture of finely-ground boiled peanuts and sugar. It is dried and cut into rectangular bars. It is traditionally sold wrapped in white paper. It originates from Mandaue, Cebu. The known makers of masareal in Mandaue are the Mana Acion's, Didangs and Ponsas brand. The name is Spanish and literally translates to "royal dough".

Merengue

Merengue

Meringue is a type of dessert or candy, of French origin, traditionally made from whipped egg whites and sugar, and occasionally an acidic ingredient such as lemon, vinegar, or cream of tartar. A binding agent such as salt, flour or gelatin may also be added to the eggs. The key to the formation of a good meringue is the formation of stiff peaks by denaturing the protein ovalbumin (a protein in the egg whites) via mechanical shear. They are light, airy and sweet confections. Homemade meringues are often chewy and soft with a crisp exterior, while many commercial meringues are crisp throughout. A uniform crisp texture may be achieved at home by baking at a low temperature (80–90 °C or 176–194 °F) for an extended period of up to two hours. The Oxford English Dictionary states that the French word is of unknown origin. The name meringue for this confection first appeared in print in François Massialot's cookbook of 1692. The word meringue first appeared in English in 1706 in a translation of Massialot's book. The first documented recipes recognizable as meringues are found in two considerably earlier 17th-century English manuscript books of recipes which give instructions for confections called "white biskit bread" in the book of recipes written in 1604 by Elinor Fettiplace (c. 1570 – c. 1647) of Gloucestershire and called "pets" in the manuscript of collected recipes written by Lady Rachel Fane (1612/13 – 1680) of Knole, Kent. Slowly baked meringues are still referred to as "pets" in the Loire region of France due to their light and fluffy texture.

Natillas

Natillas

Natillas is a term in Spanish for a variety of custards and similar sweet desserts in the Spanish-speaking world. In Spain, this term refers to a custard dish made with milk and eggs, similar to other European creams as crème anglaise. In Colombia, the delicacy does not include eggs, and is called natilla. Natillas is a diminutive of nata ("cream", in English), that is, crema de leche (milk cream), referring to the consistency of the dish. In Spain, natillas is a custard dish typically made with milk, sugar, vanilla, eggs, and cinnamon. The dish is prepared by gently boiling the milk and slowly stirring in the eggs (often just the yolks) and other ingredients to create a sweet custard. It is often served with a María biscuit on top.

Pastelito

Pastelito

Cuban pastries are baked puff pastry–type pastries filled with sweet or savory fillings. Traditional fillings include cream cheese quesitos, guava (pastelito de guayaba) and cheese, pineapple, and coconut. The sweet fillings are made with sweetened fruit pulps. The cream cheese filling is also a slightly sweetened version of cream cheese, that resembles the flavor and texture of a cheesecake. The savory fillings are usually beef, but sometimes chicken or ham and cheese are used. The beef fillings consist of a seasoned but not spicy meat, made in a tomato-based sauce. It is typical to include raisins and green olives as part of the meat filling. It is also typical for a sweet glaze to be applied to the top of even savory fillings. The pastries are typically consumed at any time as a snack. In Miami, one can find many "window cafeterias" with customers having a pastelito with coffee throughout the day.

Pastelito de guayaba

Pastelito de guayaba

Cuban pastries are baked puff pastry–type pastries filled with sweet or savory fillings. Traditional fillings include cream cheese quesitos, guava (pastelito de guayaba) and cheese, pineapple, and coconut. The sweet fillings are made with sweetened fruit pulps. The cream cheese filling is also a slightly sweetened version of cream cheese, that resembles the flavor and texture of a cheesecake. The savory fillings are usually beef, but sometimes chicken or ham and cheese are used. The beef fillings consist of a seasoned but not spicy meat, made in a tomato-based sauce. It is typical to include raisins and green olives as part of the meat filling. It is also typical for a sweet glaze to be applied to the top of even savory fillings. The pastries are typically consumed at any time as a snack. In Miami, one can find many "window cafeterias" with customers having a pastelito with coffee throughout the day.

Plátanos en tentacion

Plátanos en tentacion

Ripe plantains cooked in syrup, caramelized plantains

Polvorón

Polvorón

A polvorón is a type of heavy, soft, and very crumbly Spanish shortbread made of flour, sugar, milk, and nuts (especially almonds). They are mostly produced in Andalusia, where there are about 70 factories that are part of a syndicate that produces polvorones and mantecados. Under the name mantecados, these sweets are a traditional preparation of other areas of the Iberian Peninsula and other Spanish-speaking countries as well. Polvorones are popular holiday delicacies in all of Spain, Hispanic America, the Philippines, and other Spanish-influenced countries around the world. Traditionally, they were prepared from September to January, but they are now available all year round. Mantecado is a name for a variety of Spanish shortbreads that includes the polvorón. The names are often synonymous, but not all mantecados are polvorones. The name mantecado comes from manteca (lard), usually the fat of Iberian pig (cerdo ibérico), with which they are made, while the name polvorón is based on the fact that these cakes crumble easily into a kind of dust in the hand or the mouth.

Pudin de pan

Pudin de pan

Bread pudding is a bread-based dessert popular in many countries' cuisines. It is made with stale bread and milk or cream, generally containing eggs, a form of fat such as oil, butter or suet and, depending on whether the pudding is sweet or savory, a variety of other ingredients. Sweet bread puddings may use sugar, syrup, honey, dried fruit, nuts, as well as spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, or vanilla. The bread is soaked in the liquids, mixed with the other ingredients, and baked. Some other names bread pudding goes by is "poor man's pudding", "bread and butter pudding" or just "pudding". Savory puddings like breakfast strata may be served as main courses, while sweet puddings are typically eaten as desserts. In other languages, its name is a translation of "bread pudding" or even just "pudding", for example "pudín" or "budín". In the Philippines, banana bread pudding is popular. In Mexico, there is a similar dish eaten during Lent called capirotada. In Liverpool in the United Kingdom, a moist version of Nelson cake, itself a bread pudding, is nicknamed "Wet Nelly".

Señoritas

Señoritas

Puff pastry sheets with a chocolate or vanilla custard filling, cut into squares, similar to Napoleons

Tocinillo del cielo

Tocinillo del cielo

Airy and sweet flan

Torrejas

Torrejas

French toast is a dish of sliced bread soaked in beaten eggs and often milk or cream, then pan-fried. Alternative names and variants include eggy bread, Bombay toast, gypsy toast, and poor knights . When French toast is served as a sweet dish, sugar, vanilla, or cinnamon are also commonly added before pan-frying, and then it may be topped with sugar (often powdered sugar), butter, fruit, or syrup. When it is a savory dish, it is generally fried with a pinch of salt or pepper, and it can then be served with a sauce such as ketchup or mayonnaise.

Torticas

Torticas

Shortbread cookies, Torticas de Morón are shortbread cookies from the city of Moron

Tres leches

Tres leches

A tres leches cake , dulce de tres leches, also known as pan tres leches (lit. 'three-milk bread') or simply tres leches, is a sponge cake originating in North, Central and South America soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk. Tres leches is a very light cake, with many air bubbles. This distinct texture is why it does not have a soggy consistency, despite being soaked in a mixture of three types of milk. By 1896, the U.S. Department of Commerce was exporting condensed milk to Nicaragua. Cattle, sugarcane plantations, and milk preservation techniques were introduced to Nicaragua by that time, by way of American military occupation.

Turrón

Turrón

Turrón , torró ( Catalan: [tuˈro] / Valencian: [toˈro]) or torrone ( Italian: [torˈroːne]) is a Mediterranean nougat confection, typically made of honey, sugar, and egg white, with toasted almonds or other nuts, and usually shaped either into a rectangular tablet or a round cake. Turrón is usually eaten as a dessert food around Christmas in Spain and Italy. In Malta it is sold in street stalls as qubbajd during the parish patron saint feast of the various localities. Similar products are sold in street stalks of North African Arab states such as Tunisia, suggesting Arab or moor origins.

Turron de mani

Turron de mani

Peanut confection, made either into a nougat or a brittle

Batido

Batido

Licuados are a Latin American handmade blended beverage similar to smoothies, made with milk, fruit, and usually ice. They are also sometimes called "preparados" (meaning "prepared"). Licuados and other fresh fruit juice drinks are ubiquitous throughout Mexico. They are sold by street vendors, and in special licuado shops, restaurants, and fruterias (restaurants specializing in fresh fruit). Licuados ("blendeds" or "liquifieds" in Spanish) are among a larger category of fruit drinks made with fruit juice diluted with milk or water: jugos (juice), vitaminas, aguas frescas (juice mixed with sugar and water), refrescos (nonalcoholic carbonated soft drinks), and batidos. Names for various types of shakes and smoothies vary regionally, and are not completely fixed.

Bucanero

Bucanero

Cachito

Cachito

Canchanchara

Canchanchara

The Canchanchara is an IBA official cocktail made with Cuban aguardiente, honey, and fresh lime juice.

Cocoa tea

Cocoa tea

Hot chocolate with spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves

Cortadito

Cortadito

A cortado is a Spanish beverage consisting of espresso mixed with a roughly equal amount of warm milk to reduce the acidity, although the exact ratios have considerable regional variation. The milk in a cortado is steamed, but not frothy and "texturized" as in many Italian coffee drinks. The cortado is commonly served all over Spain. The word cortado is the past participle of the Spanish verb cortar , in the sense of 'dilute', and can refer variously to either coffee or espresso drinks throughout Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries. In Spain a café solo corto is a small amount of black coffee (usually a single shot of espresso), while a café cortado or more commonly just a cortado is an espresso with a splash of milk. The term cortado is itself broadly associated with various coffee or espresso beverages having been "cut" with milk. The cortado is very similar or the same as the Italian macchiato or the French noisette.

Crème de vie

Crème de vie

Eggnog, common during Christmas

Cristal

Cristal

Cuban espresso

Cuban espresso

Cuban espresso, also known as Café Cubano , is a type of espresso that originated in Cuba. Specifically, it refers to an espresso shot which is sweetened (traditionally with natural brown sugar whipped with the first and strongest drops of espresso). However, the name can refer to coffee based drinks that include Cuban espresso as the main ingredient, such as café con leche. Drinking café cubano remains a prominent social and cultural activity in Cuba and in Cuban-American communities, particularly in Miami, Tampa and the Florida Keys.

Daiquiri

Daiquiri

The daiquiri is a cocktail whose main ingredients are rum, citrus juice (typically lime juice), and sugar or other sweetener. The daiquiri is one of the six basic drinks listed in David A. Embury's classic The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, which also lists some variations. Daiquirí is also the name of a beach and an iron mine near Santiago de Cuba in eastern Cuba, and is a word of Taíno origin. The drink was supposedly invented by an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox, who was in Cuba (then at the tail-end of the Spanish Captaincy-General government) at the time of the Spanish–American War of 1898. It is also possible that William A. Chanler, a US congressman who purchased the Santiago iron mines in 1902, introduced the daiquiri to clubs in New York in that year.: 168

Doncellita

Doncellita

After-dinner cocktail made with crème de cacao and heavy cream, topped with a maraschino cherry

El Presidente

El Presidente

The El Presidente is a Cuban cocktail made of rum, orange curaçao, vermouth, and grenadine. The original recipe calls for blanc vermouth. Some believe it is the only bona fide classic cocktail that is supposed to use harder to find blanc vermouth and is frequently mismade with dry vermouth. While variations are made using other orange liqueurs than curaçao, the drink is traditionally meant to be red in color, so blue curaçao should not be used. The red comes from red curaçao,[citation needed] or when paler colors are used, from the grenadine. The El Presidente earned its acclaim in Havana during the 1920s through the 1940s during the American Prohibition. It quickly became the preferred drink of the Cuban upper class.

Guarapo

Guarapo

Sugarcane juice is the liquid extracted from pressed sugarcane. It is consumed as a beverage in many places, especially where sugarcane is commercially grown, such as Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, North Africa, mainly Egypt, and also in South America, especially Brazil. Sugarcane juice is obtained by crushing peeled sugarcane in a mill and is one of the main precursors of rum. In the United States, where processed sugarcane syrup is used as a sweetener in food and beverage manufacturing, "evaporated cane juice" is considered by the Food and Drug Administration to be a misleading term for "sugar" on product labels because the FDA regards "juice" as a liquid derived from fruits or vegetables; the preferred term is "cane sugar". There are some diseases that can be transmitted by raw sugarcane, such as leptospirosis. In Brazil, sugarcane juice has been linked to cases of Chagas disease, as sugarcane can contain traces of its responsible pathogen, Trypanosoma cruzi, left by infected insects if not properly cleaned.

Havana Cooler

Havana Cooler

Mixed drink made with ginger ale, rum and mint leaves

Hemingway Special

Hemingway Special

A Hemingway special is an all day cocktail based on the Floridita daiquiri and is recognised by the IBA. It is made with rum, lime juice, maraschino liqueur, and grapefruit juice and served in a double cocktail glass. Ernest Hemingway, who stayed in Cuba, tried the Floridita's signature drink, the Floridita daiquiri, and said "That's good but I prefer it without sugar and double rum," which became a cocktail now known as the Hemingway daiquiri or the Papa Doble. This recipe was later modified further, adding grapefruit juice to the mix, at which point the drink was dubbed the "Hemingway special".

Ironbeer

Ironbeer

Ironbeer is a soft drink that originated in Cuba in 1917 and was created by Manuel Rabanal. It has been described as tasting like "a fruitier Dr Pepper" or like Ironport soda. After Fidel Castro became Cuba's leader and oversaw nationalization of private property in 1960, "Inversiones Rabanal" run by Jesus Larrazabal along with the Ironbeer of Cuba families (Rabanal, Larrazabal, Rojas) were exiled and settled in Miami. The U.S. version of Ironbeer Softdrink, without the 500 pounds (230 kg) bell on logo, is owned and operated by the Blanco Family. In 1991, Ironbeer's sister company, Sunshine Bottling, got into a business venture with Tropicana, which was looking for a new bottling company. Ironbeer then invested heavily into expanding Sunshine Bottling Co. to get it ready for the demands of this really enormous contract.

Licuado

Licuado

Licuados are a Latin American handmade blended beverage similar to smoothies, made with milk, fruit, and usually ice. They are also sometimes called "preparados" (meaning "prepared"). Licuados and other fresh fruit juice drinks are ubiquitous throughout Mexico. They are sold by street vendors, and in special licuado shops, restaurants, and fruterias (restaurants specializing in fresh fruit). Licuados ("blendeds" or "liquifieds" in Spanish) are among a larger category of fruit drinks made with fruit juice diluted with milk or water: jugos (juice), vitaminas, aguas frescas (juice mixed with sugar and water), refrescos (nonalcoholic carbonated soft drinks), and batidos. Names for various types of shakes and smoothies vary regionally, and are not completely fixed.

Malta

Malta

Malta is a lightly carbonated, non-alcoholic malt beverage brewed from barley, hops, and water. Corn and caramel color may also be added. Maltín Polar is a popular non-alcoholic drink manufactured initially in Venezuela. It is a common drink to accompany breakfast and lunch or at anytime throughout the day or night. [citation needed] There are many brands of malta in Venezuela, including Caracas, Regional, and others. Malta India is a non-alcoholic beverage drink. Malta India is a Puerto Rican drink that stands as a low-sodium beverage often referred to as kid’s beer. [citation needed]

Mary Pickford

Mary Pickford

A Mary Pickford is a Prohibition Era cocktail made with white rum, fresh pineapple juice, grenadine, and Maraschino liqueur. It is served shaken and chilled, often with a Maraschino cherry. Named for Canadian-American film actress Mary Pickford , it is said to have been created for her in the 1920s by either Eddie Woelke or Fred Kaufmann at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba on a trip she took to Havana with Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks.

Materva

Materva

Materva is a mate-based soft drink, originally produced and popularized in Cuba prior to the Cuban Revolution. It has been produced in Miami since the 1960s by Cawy Bottling Company. Materva is a carbonated drink made from yerba mate, a tea popular in Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Unlike the somewhat bitter tea-like mate on which it is based, Materva is sweet, with a flavor described as similar to ginger ale or cream soda. Current production includes a diet version called Diet Materva.

Mauby

Mauby

Mauby, also known as madi, maví, mobi, mabi, and maubi, is a tree bark-based beverage grown, and widely consumed, in the Caribbean. It is made with sugar and the bark and/or fruit of certain species in the genus Colubrina including Colubrina elliptica and Colubrina arborescens, a small tree native to the northern Caribbean and south Florida. Recipes usually include other ingredients as well, spices such as aniseed being very common. Mauby was traditionally a fermented beverage made in small batches, but is now predominantly a commercial non-fermented soft drink. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two of the largest Caribbean exporters of the bark and leaves. Often the drink is fermented using a portion of the previous batch, while sometimes it is consumed unfermented. Mauby is often bought as a pre-made syrup and then mixed with water to the consumer's taste, but many make it themselves at home or purchase it from neighbourhood producers or street sellers. Its taste is initially sweet, somewhat like root beer, but changes to a prolonged, but not astringent bitter aftertaste. To many, it is an acquired taste, and has been known to cause an initial laxative reaction unexpected to many first-time drinkers. In Puerto Rico the drink is also called mavi champán (champagne mauby) because the drink is fermented, causing it to foam. This process is made by mixing an older batch with a new batch. Mauby bark and leaves are boiled with ginger, avocado leaves, brown sugar and other spices. The drink is then placed in a tight sealed bottle and left out in the sun for 6-8 hours. The drink is then placed in a dark cool place left to ferment up to a week. Ginger has a significant role in the fermentation process.

Mayabe

Mayabe

Mojito

Mojito

Mojito is a traditional Cuban punch. The cocktail often consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, soda water, and mint. Its combination of sweetness, citrus, and herbaceous mint flavors is intended to complement the rum, and has made the mojito a popular summer drink. When preparing a mojito, fresh lime juice is added to sugar (or to simple syrup) and mint leaves. The mixture is then gently mashed with a muddler. The mint leaves should only be bruised to release the essential oils and should not be shredded. Then rum is added and the mixture is briefly stirred to dissolve the sugar and to lift the mint leaves up from the bottom for better presentation. Finally, the drink is topped with crushed ice and sparkling soda water. Mint sprigs or lime wedges are used to garnish the glass.

Piña Colada

Piña Colada

The Piña Colada is a cocktail made with rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice, usually served either blended or shaken with ice. It may be garnished with either a pineapple wedge, maraschino cherry, or both. The drink originated in Puerto Rico. The name piña colada (Spanish) literally means "strained pineapple", a reference to the freshly pressed and strained pineapple juice used in the drink's preparation.

Rum and coke

Rum and coke

Rum and Coke, or the Cuba libre , is a highball cocktail consisting of cola, rum, and in many recipes lime juice on ice. Traditionally, the cola ingredient is Coca-Cola ("Coke") and the alcohol is a light rum such as Bacardi; however, the drink may be made with various types of rums and cola brands, and lime juice may or may not be included. The cocktail originated in the early 20th century in Cuba, after the country won independence in the Spanish–American War. It subsequently became popular across Cuba, the United States, and other countries. Its simple recipe and inexpensive, ubiquitous ingredients have made it one of the world's most-popular alcoholic drinks. Drink critics often consider the drink mediocre, but it has been noted for its historical significance.

Sidra

Sidra

Cider is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of apples. Cider is widely available in the United Kingdom (particularly in the West Country) and Ireland. The UK has the world's highest per capita consumption, as well as the largest cider-producing companies. Ciders from the South West of England are generally higher in alcoholic content. Cider is also popular in many Commonwealth countries, such as India, South Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and New England. As well as the UK and its former colonies, cider is popular in Portugal (mainly in Minho and Madeira), France (particularly Normandy and Brittany), northern Italy (specifically Friuli), and northern Spain (specifically Asturias and Basque Country). Germany also has its own types of cider with Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse producing a particularly tart version known as Apfelwein. In the U.S. and Canada, varieties of alcoholic cider are often called hard cider to distinguish it from non-alcoholic apple cider or "sweet cider", also made from apples. In Canada, cider cannot contain less than 2.5% or over 13% absolute alcohol by volume. The juice of most varieties of apple, including crab apples, can be used to make cider, but cider apples are best. The addition of sugar or extra fruit before a second fermentation increases the ethanol content of the resulting beverage. Cider alcohol content varies from 1.2% to 8.5% ABV or more in traditional English ciders, and 2.5% to 12% in continental ciders. In UK law, it must contain at least 35% apple juice (fresh or from concentrate), although CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) says that "real cider" must be at least 90% fresh apple juice. In the US, there is a 50% minimum. In France, cider must be made solely from apples. Perry is a similar product to cider made by fermenting pear juice. When distilled, cider turns into fruit brandy.

Soft drinks

Soft drinks

A soft drink is any water-based flavored drink, usually but not necessarily carbonated, and typically including added sweetener. Flavors used can be natural or artificial. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a sugar substitute (in the case of diet sodas), or some combination of these. Soft drinks may also contain caffeine, colorings, preservatives and other ingredients. Soft drinks are called "soft" in contrast with "hard" alcoholic drinks. Small amounts of alcohol may be present in a soft drink, but the alcohol content must be less than 0.5% of the total volume of the drink in many countries and localities if the drink is to be considered non-alcoholic. Types of soft drinks include lemon-lime drinks, orange soda, cola, grape soda, cream soda, ginger ale and root beer.

Tu Cola

Tu Cola

Ajiaco

Ajiaco

Ajiaco is a soup common to Colombia, Cuba, and Peru. Scholars have debated the origin of the dish. The dish is especially popular in the Colombian capital, Bogotá, being called Ajiaco Santafereño, where it is typically made with chicken, three varieties of potatoes, and the herb galinsoga parviflora, known locally as guasca or guascas. In Cuba, Ajiaco is prepared as a stew, while in Peru the dish is prepared with a number of regionally specific variations. The exact origin of this dish has been debated by scholars. In his book Lexicografia Antillana, former president of Cuba Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso stated that the word "ajiaco" derived from "aji", the native Taíno word for "hot pepper." Cuban ethnologist Fernando Ortiz stated that ajiaco was a meal typical of the Taíno, and was an appropriate metaphor for Cuba being a melting pot. In the Cuban city of Camagüey, the San Juan festival begins with the making and serving of ajiaco. La Calle magazine of Cuba stated that the inhabitants of the village of Santa María de Puerto del Príncipe began the tradition of making ajiaco using their own cooking ingredients, donations from passersby, surplus from farmers, and surplus slave provisions. Ajiaco is believed to have become popular in Cuba during the 16th century, particularly among rural Cubans, although it was occasionally enjoyed by the upper class. In the Colombian capital of Bogotá, ajiaco is a popular dish typically made with chicken, three varieties of potatoes, and the Galinsoga parviflora herb, commonly referred to in Colombia as guasca or guascas, and in the U.S., where it is considered a weed, as gallant soldier. It can be garnished with capers, avocado slices, pieces of corn on the cob, or cream.

Arroz con camarones

Arroz con camarones

Rice with shrimp

Arroz con pollo

Arroz con pollo

Arroz con pollo is a traditional dish of Latin America. It typically consists of chicken cooked with rice, onions, saffron, and a potential plethora of other grains or vegetables. In the Dominican Republic it is alternately called locrio de pollo, and in Saint Martin it is called lokri or locreo. There is some debate as to whether it originated in Spain or Puerto Rico. Many Puerto Ricans note that arroz con pollo cannot be made without beer and annatto oil, and saffron is no substitute. Beer and annatto are rarely used in Spanish cooking and never in arroz con pollo there. Annatto is frequently used in Puerto Rican cooking especially in rice dishes like arroz con gandules (rice with pork and pigeon peas) and arroz con maiz (rice with corn and sausage). Beer is used in many Puerto Rican dishes like pollo guisado (braised stewed chicken) and asopao de pollo (chicken rice stew). Many Puerto Rican rice dishes are generously seasoned with sofrito, a sauce commonly used in arroz con pollo. Food writer Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz, pointing out the international aspects of the dish, notes the origin of arroz con pollo in the Spanish forms of pilaf, already reflecting international influences: chicken was brought from India and rice from Asia; saffron (used for the yellow colour in Spain, instead of annatto) was introduced by Phoenician traders; tomatoes and peppers (also known as sofrito) are natives of the Americas.

Arroz con puerco

Arroz con puerco

Arroz con salchichas

Arroz con salchichas

Rice with vienna sausages

Arroz frito

Arroz frito

Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish. Fried rice is a popular component of East Asian, Southeast Asian and certain South Asian cuisines, as well as a staple national dish of Indonesia. As a homemade dish, fried rice is typically made with ingredients left over from other dishes, leading to countless variations. Fried rice first developed during the Sui dynasty in China. Many varieties of fried rice have their own specific list of ingredients. In China, common varieties include Yangzhou fried rice and Hokkien fried rice. Japanese chāhan is considered a Japanese Chinese dish, having derived from Chinese fried rice dishes. In Southeast Asia, similarly constructed Indonesian, Malaysian, and Singaporean nasi goreng and Thai khao phat are popular dishes. In the West, most restaurants catering to vegetarians have invented their own varieties of fried rice, including egg fried rice. Fried rice is also seen on the menus of non-Asian countries’ restaurants offering cuisines with no native tradition of the dish. Additionally, the cuisine of some Latin American countries includes variations on fried rice, including Ecuadorian chaulafan, Peruvian arroz chaufa, Cuban arroz frito, and Puerto Rican arroz mamposteao. Fried rice is a common street food in Asia and other parts of the world. In some Asian countries, small restaurants, street vendors and traveling hawkers specialise in serving fried rice. In Indonesian cities it is common to find fried rice street vendors stationing their food carts in busy streets or residential areas. Many Southeast Asian street food stands offer fried rice with a selection of optional garnishes and side dishes.

Bistec

Bistec

Bistek , also known as bistek tagalog or karne frita, is a Filipino dish consisting of thinly-sliced beefsteak braised in soy sauce, calamansi juice, garlic, ground black pepper, and onions cut into rings. It is a common staple in the Tagalog and Western Visayan regions of the Philippines. It is eaten over white rice. Bistek tagalog is made of strips of beef sirloin or tenderloin, usually flattened with a meat tenderizing tool, it is marinated then braised in soy sauce, calamansi juice (or some other citrus fruit like lime or lemon), smashed whole garlic cloves, ground black pepper, bay leaves, caramelized red onion rings, and (optionally) muscovado or brown sugar. In some recipes, fresh white onion rings are used instead to preserve its crunchiness.

Bistec de palomilla

Bistec de palomilla

Bistec de palomilla is a Cuban dish consisting of beef round or cubed steak marinated in garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper then pan-fried. It is usually served with black beans and yellow or white rice. In Spanish, palomillo means moth or butterfly, referring to the way that it is split in thickness to make two thin steaks of equal size. Because it is a tougher (but inexpensive) cut of meat, this makes it easier to chew, and more susceptible to being tenderized with a meat mallet, which is an essential part of the dish's preparation.

Boliche

Boliche

Boliche is a pot roast dish from Cuban cuisine consisting of eye round beef roast stuffed with ham. The stuffed roast is browned in olive oil simmered in water with onions until the meat is soft, and then quartered potatoes added. Additional ingredients can include green peppers and various spices such as coriander, oregano and bay leaf,[a] and salt and pepper. During the cooking process, the flavors of the ham and beef intermingle, and the ham can serve to baste the interior of the beef. Boliche is usually served with white rice, black beans and fried sweet plantains. Other cuts of beef can also be used to prepare the dish, such as beef tenderloin.

Caldo gallego

Caldo gallego

Caldo galego or simply caldo , also known as caldo gallego (in Spanish), meaning literally "Galician broth", is a traditional soup dish from Galicia. It is essentially a regional derivative (with added beans and turnip greens) of the very similar caldo verde, the traditional soup dish of neighbouring Portugal. Ingredients include repolo (cabbage), verzas (collard greens), grelos (rapini), or navizas (sweet turnip greens); potatoes; white beans; and unto (lard). Additionally it can contain fatty pork, chorizo, ham, or bacon (compango). It is served hot as a starter, often as part of almuerzo (lunch), and sometimes dinner. Traditionally it was usually served in cuncas (earthen bowls).

Caldosa

Caldosa

Stew or hearty soup made with chicken, chorizo, ham, potatoes, onions, plantains, taro, corn, sofrito

Camarones a la criolla

Camarones a la criolla

Stewed shrimp in tomato-base creole sauce

Cazuela

Cazuela

Cazuela is the common name given to a variety of dishes, especially from South America. It receives its name from the cazuela (Spanish for cooking pot) – traditionally, an often shallow pot made of unglazed earthenware used for cooking. The ingredients and preparation vary from region to region, but it is usually a mid-thick flavoured stock obtained from cooking several kinds of meats and vegetables mixed together. The cazuela is a typical dish of Chile. The most common types are made of chicken or beef, but there are also other types made from pork, lamb and turkey. A notable characteristic of Chilean cazuela is that it is made by cooking all the ingredients separately and uniting them when serving on the plate. A typical dish of Chilean cazuela is made by boiling the meat (normally beef or chicken) with chopped onions and carrots. All the rest of the ingredients are boiled separately in individual pots, but the stock from the meat is complemented with the stock from the boiling of the vegetables; the plate is served accompanied of a piece of squash or zapallo camote in Spanish, one big potato or a couple of small potatoes, green beans, previously cooked rice and a piece of sweetcorn. Its normally topped with a bit of fresh coriander, parsley or ají verde.

Chicharron de pollo

Chicharron de pollo

Crispy fried chicken, chicken is marinated, battered and deep-fried

Choripán

Choripán

Choripán is a type of asado sandwich with grilled chorizo. It is popular in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela. The name comes from the combination of the names of its ingredients: a grilled chorizo sausage and a crusty bread (Spanish: pan) such as a pan batido, baguette, or francés. The Argentine choripán consists of a sausage made out of beef and pork, hot off the grill, split down the middle, and served on a roll. The chorizo may be used whole or cut in half lengthwise, in which case it is called a mariposa (butterfly). It is customary to add sauces on the bread, most likely chimichurri. Choripanes are commonly served as an appetizer during the preparation of an asado, but they are also very commonly sold at sport venues (particularly football games) and on the sides of roads and streets in major cities in Argentina. Taxi cab drivers in Buenos Aires are avid consumers and some street sellers can gather a long line of cabs during lunch time and afternoons when drivers get their lunch break.

Cubano

Cubano

A Cuban sandwich is a variation of a ham and cheese sandwich that likely originated in cafes catering to Cuban workers in Tampa or Key West, two early Cuban immigrant communities in Florida centered on the cigar industry. Later on, Cuban exiles and expatriates brought it to Miami, where it is also very popular. The sandwich is made with ham, mojo, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami on Cuban bread. Salami is included in Tampa, but is not usually included in South Florida. The Cuban sandwich is at the center of a long-running friendly rivalry between Miami and Tampa. As part of that rivalry, the "Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich" was designated the "signature sandwich of the city of Tampa" by the Tampa City Council in 2012.

Empanada

Empanada

An empanada is a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and filling, common in Spain, other Southern European countries, North African countries, South Asian countries, Latin American countries, and the Philippines. The name comes from the Spanish empanar , and translates as 'breaded', that is, wrapped or coated in bread. They are made by folding dough over a filling, which may consist of meat, cheese, tomato, corn, or other ingredients, and then cooking the resulting turnover, either by baking or frying. The origin of empanadas is unknown, but they are thought to have originated in 7th century Galicia, a region in northwest Spain.

Enchilado

Enchilado

Cuban enchilado is seafood stewed in creole sauce, a mildly spicy tomato sauce, made with lobster, fish, shrimp, crab. Note that this differs from Mexican enchilado which is a white cheese coated with paprika

Escabeche de pescado

Escabeche de pescado

Pan-fried fish with a pickling sauce made with vinegar, olive oil, chilies, onions, herbs and spices, the fish may be pickled prior to being fried, several variations

Fricase de pollo

Fricase de pollo

Fricassee or fricassée /ˈfrɪkəsiː/ is a stew made with pieces of meat that have been browned in butter then served in a sauce flavored with the cooking stock. Fricassee is usually made with chicken, veal or rabbit, with variations limited only by what ingredients the cook has at hand. Fricassee is first attested in English in the mid-16th century. It is a word of French origin, although the exact etymology is unclear. It is theorized to be a compound of the French frire and casser or quasser (to break in pieces). By the general description of frying and then braising in liquid, there are recipes for fricassee as far back as the earliest version of the medieval French cookbook Le Viandier, circa 1300. In 1490, it was first referred to specifically as friquassée in the print edition of Le Viandier.

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