Black Beans and Rice

While it is a side dish, Black beans and Rice is a very well-known type of Cuban food.  What is interesting is that there are two names for black beans and rice.  First there is the literal name, which is frijoles negroes y arroz.  The other name is “Moros y Cristianos”, which means Moors and Christians[i].   It is believed this name came about when Spain was occupied by the Moors, the rice represents the Christians and the black beans represent the Moors[ii].   Now that is probably more than a little racist but given that the name came about in the middle ages that should be expected.  Interestingly enough, black beans and rice is commonly served at a Spanish festival called “The Feast of Saint George”, which celebrates the “Reconquista”.[iii]  The Reconquista was the period of fighting between Muslims and Spaniards for the control of the Iberian Peninsula. [iv]

                Black beans themselves are native to the New World so it was easy to cultivate the beans. [v] Rice however was brought to the New World by Spanish explorers. However Rice was not cultivated until immigrants had arrived from India and China.[vi]  No one really thinks about Asian influence on Cuban food, but rice was one of the more “exotic” food types in that it was not native to Cuba, and it was not brought over from Spain.   I will talk a little more about the influences of different cultures on Cuban food in my next post. 

               

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[i] Rodriguez , Hector. "Moros y Cristianos - Black Beans & White Rice." About.com Latin Caribbean Food. About.com, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://latinfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/morosycristiano.htm/>.

[ii] Rodriguez , Hector. "Moros y Cristianos - Black Beans & White Rice." About.com Latin Caribbean Food. About.com, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://latinfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/morosycristiano.htm/>.

[iii] "Moros y Cristianos: Cuban Black Beans and Rice | Choosy Beggars." Choosy Beggars. N.p., 8 Oct. 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. <http://www.choosy-beggars.com/index.php/2008/10/08/moros-y-cristianos-cuban-black-beans-and-rice/>.

[iv] "Moros y Cristianos: Cuban Black Beans and Rice | Choosy Beggars." Choosy Beggars. N.p., 8 Oct. 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. <http://www.choosy-beggars.com/index.php/2008/10/08/moros-y-cristianos-cuban-black-beans-and-rice/>.

[v] Filippone, Peggy . "Black Bean History." About.com Home Cooking. About.com, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. <http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/blkbeanshistory.htm>.

[vi] Houston, Lynn Marie. Authentic Cuban cuisine. (WestPort, CT.: Greenwood Press, 2005). 63