Add lime, chill, and serve: Fun stuff in the kitchen

OK. Confession time again. I love my crazy Cuban family, but sometimes they can be frustrating. We are all so close and yet so ~~stubborn~~ opinionated. My family truly is a very happy one; unless we have different opinions in the kitchen. And goodness have we had differnt opinions the last few weeks. I feel like my life has turned into one big food fight.

Let me start at the beginning. And let me start with the good things: My Aunt is visiting!

My Dad is one of 6. 3 girls and 3 boys, but they all have
their own personalities. Aunt Livia is the ying to my Dads yang.

My Aunt is really cool. I know you get tired of hearing me say it: New Hope is cool. My Mom is cool. But trust me, my Aunt is really cool! She has years of restaurant experience and is an incredible chef. She will be here the next few weeks as we open Mojito. Heaven knows we need her!

She's also stunning in trash bag apron chic.

And my Aunt has brought nifty stuff that a real Cuban restaurant needs!

These are not torture devices! They are tools!

Plantains are a staple in Cuban cooking.

These are starch banana type fruits that pretty much go with anything.

This large mandolin is used for thinly slicing the starchy banana like fruit in order to create crunchy plantain chips. Crunchy plantain chips are great in Cuban Guacamole!

Cuban guacamole is similar to the mexican kind, but you add lots of garlic, some citrus tang, and carribbean spices. It is SO GOOD!

Bentley really wants some Guac.

Please?

But plantains arent just yummy as chips, they go with everything! Smashed plantains are called maduros. This device smashed the plantain into a little cup so it can be topped with more fun stuff like picodillo.

These babies make great little serving boats for picadillo (seasoned ground beef with raisens- sounds weird but trust me its delish), fresh pico de gallo, and cuban guacamole.

So we are deep in the realm of recipe perfecting.

We've also been experimenting. Mom thought plantains wrapped in bacon sounded yummy. Who doesnt like stuff wrapped in bacon?!

We can't blame the gringa for trying!

They got my vote- but unfrtnately didnt make the final cut. (Sorry Mom)

One dish that definitey made the cut was Ropa vieja.

This traditional stew like dish is full of peppers and beef and delicious Cuban flavors. And when my Aunt makes it, it is IN-CRED-I-BLE! Seriously, you have to try it. It is so good.

Dad is a big supporter of these fried chicken legs he calls “Tripple Dippers”. He calls them that because he has a trip of yummy sauces he wants to showcase with these guys.

They are very tasty but its so hard to decide how to have a balanced menu with the very best offerings! And, while we are testing everything out- I think I've gained 10 lbs!

But speaking of sauces, have you ever had real chimmichurri? I dont mean the stuff that comes in a bottle- I mean real. Fresh. Chmichurri. Like this:

Its amazing.In a food processor, you combine fresh parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and red pepper and some other secret spices.

Process that until smooth season to taste with salt and pepper.

Then you whisk it in olive oil and let it sit. You have to let it sit in the refrigerator because for some reason the cold soak results in this neon green harmony of zesty flavours.

It doesnt work if its not kept cold, and you have to let it sit for like a day so it can mature.

Its green! And beautiful.and delicious!.

Delicious for dipping plaintain fries. Delicious for soaking up with fluffy cuban bread. Delicious over marinated steak.

Lordy Lordy.

Steak Chimichurri. What is better than juicy steak, flamed up on the grill, and then topped with the yummiest freshest green sauce chimichurri?

NOTHING. Nothing is better.

Unless its cake.

Hey! Have you ever tried Cuban Cake?

Its like a butter pound cke with guava fruit and cream cheese flavor. I don't want to talk about it because its like a religious experience. You haveto taste the

Warm

Butter

Crusty

Decadent

Cake yourself. I just cant do it justice. And I realy really love cake.

My family has been collecting recipes for years.

Some are old favorites, and the creases in the note paper show their age even before I realize that the Spanish text uses antiquated phrases. Some recipes are new,and by new I mean- since the invention of the food processor. It always makes me laugh to see these ancient printed or handwritten recipe cards sitting next to our ipads and smartphones. We need both the old and the new to start a business.

No matter what the final menu reads- I've enjoyed this time of heated debate. I've gotten to eat some incredible food, experiement with new ideas, and learn more about my family. Mostly I've learned that we are all crazier than even I believed- but thats cool. We can always talk out our opinions and reach the best solution together.