Cuba

Our Posts about Cuba

Steve
Steve

Saturday Video: How to Make the Perfect Cuban Mojito

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We’re heading down the homestretch of our first-ever Month of Rum celebration – just five days left til we name a winner in our VIP RumFest Escape Sweepstakes! If you haven’t thrown your hat in the ring as yet, click here for a chance to win the grand prize: two VIP passes to the 2012 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, plus $500 for travel expenses (or rum).
Once we do name a winner, I, for one, plan to toast his or her good fortune with the drink featured in today’s post: El Mojito.
Not a very uncommon drink selection, I know, but the thing is I plan to make my Mojito EXACTLY as outlined in the video.

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Patrick
Patrick

Friday Happy Hour: Samaroli Caribbean 2003

Samaroli Caribbean Rum 2003

If I plunked this bottle down in front of you with no explanation, the first thing you might ask is:
“What’s in it?”
It’s a fairly simple shape and size, adorned with a pale yellow label sporting a patterned border. As you can see, the main illustration is reminiscent of the 1920′s flapper era style and smack in the middle, it simply says CARIBBEAN 2003.

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Steve
Steve

Wish You Were Here

Stéphane PIA (Asdrúbal WERT) via Flickr

Caminando con estilo en La Habana, Cuba.

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Patrick
Patrick

Caribbean Wallpaper Wednesday: Cuba, Castro, Orchids & The Dangers of Wanting Too Much

Cuba Orchids

Sometimes it’s possible to want something too much.
This was definitely the case when I was planning my next Uncommon Caribbean adventure. I had it in my mind that I’d finally visit Cuba and spend time in Havana, Trinidad, and climbing the three highest peaks on the island. This was inspired by a trip offered through KE Adventures — a company I’d used a few years ago to climb mountains in Morocco. The itinerary looked perfect. Hiking! Camping! Jungle! Beach! With excitement in my voice, I gave them a call. All was going well… Until I mentioned that a 6 month old infant would be one of my proposed adventurers.

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Steve
Steve

Saturday Video: Authentic Rumba with Los Muñequitos de Matanzas

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We frequently pine over not being able to freely and legally travel to Cuba on Uncommon Caribbean, but here in South Florida, I’m blessed with free and easy access to the next best thing – Miami. Here, Little Havana landmarks like Domino Park and the Walkway of the Stars, combine with vibrant annual festivals, like Calle Ocho to re-create the spirit of the largest and most sheltered Caribbean island just 200 or so miles to the south. (The occasional Cerveza La Tropical helps too.)
Next Friday, I plan to enjoy the strong cultural ties between Miami and Cuba by taking in a performance of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas at the magnificent Adrienne Arsht Center in downtown Miami.

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Steve
Steve

Getting Down Underground at Cuba’s Disco Ayala

Hoyasmeg (James Emery) via Flickr

A lot of nightclubs around the world boast of having some sort of underground  status. It’s usually marketing schtick, of course, meant to hype a venue’s cool factor and provide some cover for charging ridiculous drink prices. Recently, though, I heard of a nightclub in Cuba that truly lives up term.
The club is called Ayala and you can find it in a small and historic town called Trinidad, centrally located along Cuba’s southern coast. Trinidad, Cuba dates back to 1514, and by most accounts, not a lot has changed there since the days when sugar was king on just about every Caribbean island.

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Steve
Steve

Friday Happy Hour: La Tropical, Cuba’s Original King of Beers

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The stories of Cuban corporations and business leaders fleeing the island once Castro seized power and nationalized the economy are legendary. Some homegrown Cuban brands, like Bacardi and Cohiba, have thrived in exile, while others were seemingly lost to the sands of time.
Cerveza La Tropical definitely fit the latter category. Originally founded way back in 1888, La Tropical was not only the first beer ever produced in Cuba, it was also the #1 brew during the pre-Castro Golden Years. In 1958, La Tropical accounted for nearly 60% of all beer production in Cuba, making it one of the island’s chief corporate icons.

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