|
The heir to the British throne and his wife the
Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, also ground sugar cane for juice
and prepared mojitos on Wednesday in one of the private
restaurants that have flourished in Havana since Cuba started
opening up its economy to free enterprise.
Their three-day trip to Cuba was tacked onto their Caribbean
tour of former and current British territories at the request of
the UK government. The visit underscores warming relations
between Britain and Cuba, even as the administration of U.S.
President Donald Trump seeks to isolate the Cuban government.
"The prince took some (croquettes) to eat on the plane and I
gave him the recipe because he said it was one of the things
that he had most enjoyed in Cuba," said Sahily Romero, 44, the
owner of the restaurant Paladar Rita y Champagne.
Hers was one of several restaurants that contributed to the
buffet held on the couple's last day in Cuba, showcasing dishes
from Cuban cuisine that blends native, European, African and
Caribbean flavors.
Classic Cuban dishes include "ropa vieja" (literally, 'old
clothes') or shredded meat and "moros y cristianos," a reference
to the medieval battle between Islamic Moors and Christian
Spaniards and used to designate rice and black beans.
But the restaurant owners also used those to inspire more modern
fusion dishes - like the black bean croquettes.
"It was very emblematic that the prince prepared his own 'guarapo'
juice, grinding sugar cane," said Lis Cuesta Peraza, the wife of
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who works for the state
tourism agency Paradiso. "We feel proud."
Camilla made headlines ahead of the visit, reportedly saying she
was not so sure about Cuban food, prompting the British embassy
to organize the event.
Many Cubans feel their country has lost much of its culinary
heritage due to food shortages resulting from central planning
and financial restrictions, and uniformity in a state-run
economy.
Cuba started opening up its economy to free enterprise in the
1990s, following the fall of benefactor the Soviet Union, which
some say has led to an improvement in restaurant menus.
Private restaurants are now flourishing in Havana, although
their owners complain about not being able to access wholesale
markets or officially import. Many bring ingredients in their
suitcases from trips abroad or hire others to do so.
After the tasting, Charles visited Cuba's biotech hub and met
with scientists conducting joint research with UK institutions,
while Camilla visited Cuba's national equestrian center.
The royal couple then departed to the last stop on their
Caribbean tour, the Cayman Islands.
(Reporting by Nelson Acosta; writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by
Rosalba O'Brien)
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
