HAPPINESS IN HAVANA FOOD OR FRIENDS OR FAVOURITES

Normally my friend and taxista, Yodel, picks me up in a 1958 Chevrolet. This time he surprised me on this very well kempt 1949 Oldsmobile.. remainders/reminders of a glory past..

I have a surprise for you, announced Chef Carmen. and began cutting and mixing the above which turned out to be malanga.

I had brought with me some alaskan wild caught salmon (in cans) and with added spanish salad and spices it becomes another tasty dish

The Queen of the Show is always the Black Beans  Frijoles Negros which I like to call the Cuban Caviar 

Here you are, ladies and gentlemen, milanga frita.. so tasty

The table is set and there is the ubiquitous wine..

these are called Temptations and made from Sweet bananas. 

Chef Carmen and her husband who always join me in dinner whether a small one for 6 or a large one for 16

My dinner plate: arroz, frijoles negros,tentaciones, salmon

Chef Carmen's daughter and son-in-law join the dinner

Early morning we made our way (walking of course) to the farmer's market or agricultural market.

At that time of the morning the Habaneros are busy buying their vegies and such, as this is the market mainly for fruits and vegetables with a couple of stalls for meat and sundries.

I greet the butcher, who has fresh meat, more organic than you can imagine, no hormones or antibiotics here. We bought three sides of lamb which cost us 13 usd total.

I am always happy to see Bok Choy.

Okra or Quimbombo as it is called here is a childhood favourite and i relished eating them during my stay as they are in season now 

Chef Carmen is of chinese descent on her father's side so her spices are unique and made at the moment

Acelga or Bok Choy is cooked in olive oil.

A panoramic view of the sitting room as well as the dining table with entrance into the kitchen

When a psychologist friend decided to drop in, opened the bottle of rose (merlot) a little early

Tony on the left has a reputation of making good pizzas and he has promised me a vegetarian pizza.

Dinner was a surprise birthday party for CG, who is a leading Psychologist in the field of health. All of us have been friends for years.

Chef Tony after retirement has become a traveller. He is Cuban but has a Spanish passport to boot, so travels to business cum pleasure trips to Miami and Panama.

The block of flats that I live in was built by a Jew. Cubans admire greatly admire Israel, even though the Government denies any connection to Israel

The birthday lady who lives in Spain for six months and in Havana for the rest of the year. Her daughter is a professor at an university there.

Two very happy cubans and good friends of mine.

People loved the lamb, rice, temptations, red beans, string beans

Foot wear in Havana October 2018

She is an English teacher and soon would be on her way to Mexico for a short holiday and a possible contract to work in another Latin Country. Fiercely loyal to Cuba, I admire these friends of mine, who stoically put up with the difficulties but enjoy all the best of human possibilities this country offers, without doubt one of the friendliest countries on earth.

I was given a couple of lobsters and Chef Carmen prepared it for me and left me alone with the book I was reading and a glass of white wine
what am I reading?
Havana Fever by Leonardo Padura 
Have I got Havana Fever, you can bet so...