I finally cashed in on my Mother's Day gift: a spa package and a lunch date in the city with my hubby. He suggested we check out a place on Congress Parkway in Chicago called Cafecito. When he mentioned that it was a Cuban sandwich joint, I immediately began craving plaintains! To indulge my craving, I ordered the Lechon platter (lechon=roasted pork), which was served with sweet plaintains and a side of Moros y Cristianos (black beans and white rice). Husband ordered the traditional Cuban sandwich (roasted pork w/ham, swiss cheese, mustard and pickles) with a non-traditional side of Lay's potato chips!
For what I considered to be an out-of-the-way place, the food was surprisingly authentic. My beans were perfectly seasoned--just the way I remember them from my time in Cuba. The whole experience left me feeling inspired to experiment more with my food and venture into different cultures through cooking.
With that, I'm announcing a new blog feature entitled "Internationally Inspired." During the last week of every month I will post a recipe that highlights a different culture or exotic ingredient. Feel free to comment with your suggestions or requests!
Meanwhile, I have a couple recipes in the works this week. Stay tuned for more tasty treats!
No comments:
Post a Comment