ISBN: 978-0-8130-2737-1
Order Number: GOV285
Price: $19.95

The Habana Cafe's lists of 'Bests' began in 1997, soon after the restaurant opened on Florida's Gulf Coast. Customer favorites are all represented here, with simple, straightforward directions, colorful photos, and a glossary of Cuban ingredients.

Of course, she also includes Habana Cafe's standard sides of rice, black beans, and glazed golden-brown plantains. Customer favorites are all represented here in easy-to-follow recipes and colorful photographs--from appetizers and soups, seafood and vegetarian entrees, to classics (Cuban sandwiches and flan) and beverages (mojitos, sangria, cafe con leche, Cuba libre). Gonzalez-Hastings also provides a glossary explaining typical ethnic Cuban ingredients such as bijol, a condiment used to give rice a yellow color; naranja agria, the tart Seville orange often used to marinate meat and make mojo sauce; and malanga, a mild, nutty root that flavors soups and other sauces.

The author shares family stories and photos of life in pre-Castro Cuba, recreating the days when Havana was a dining mecca.

6 in. x 9 in., 134 pages, color and b&w photos, glossary, index