The Tiki Tiki on Tostones

I'm very proud to announce that Tiki Tiki Blog published my first contribution today. I love this blog; it celebrates everything about being a Hispanic-American woman and then some! One of its founders, Carrie Ferguson Weir, is not only a wonderful gal and savvy entrepreneur, but also a writer whose work I greatly admire over at Bilingual in the Boonies.

My first piece is about tostones (twice-fried plantains) and how my American boyfriend is learning about Cuban food. It's also a travel story about where to eat the best of this Cuban staple in Miami. And of course, it wouldn't be Manola if it also wasn't about the love. Here's a teaser:

I love el hombre as is, but ever since he had the first bite of a tostón, I’ve been noticing some changes. That twice-fried plantain, smashed flat to look like a big round cracker, has been working its homey magic on my fledgling Cubanaso. Actually, he would be a Jewbanaso, because he’s a Jewish New York transplant. And you know if there’s one thing Jews and Cubans have in common, it’s a healthy appetite for good food.

Served hot and fresh, with a little salt, a good tostón is crispy on the outside but creamy on the inside. Adventurous Cubans may squeeze a lime on their tostones or dip them in a simple mojo – minced garlic lightly fried in oil. . . .

Read more over at Tiki Tiki Blog. Tostones 101: How My American Boyfriend is Becoming a Cubanaso.