Influences and Origins

Cuban food has been influenced by several cultures over the decades.  As one of the earliest colonies in the New World, the Island has seen its share of immigrants from all walks of life, as well as the influence on food from African slaves.  [i] These slaves had their own customs and traditions, and their food was gradually incorporated into Cuban cuisine.   One of the most popular Cuban dishes was actually created by the African slaves.  The slaves had invented tostones, they had been fed plantains and bananas, and eventually they had decided to flatten and cook the plantains.  [ii]

Of course the Island had several food items that were “new” to Spanish explorers.  These included “corn, cassava, peanuts, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and peppers” (Phillips, 2008)[iii].  The native peoples of Cuba had eaten these, as well as other crops, and these fruits and vegetables are still apart of Cuban food on some level.  [iv]  The natives had mostly relied on fishing and had a diet of mostly seafood, the land was difficult to farm as the humidity caused store crops to spoil easily.[v] 

As I mentioned before, the Spaniards had brought cattle and pigs to Cuba from Spain, and other immigrants would bring their own food specialties from their homelands.   This mix of different cultures all helped shape Cuban food as we know it today.

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[i] "Food in Every Country." Food in Cuba. Food by Country, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. <http://www.foodbycountry.com/Algeria-to-France/Cuba.html>.

[ii] Phillips, Denny . "A History of Cuban Cuisine." Ethnic And International Foods. Culinary Arts 360, 2 Apr. 2008. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. <http://http://www.culinaryarts360.com/index.php/a-history-of-cuban-cuisine-27765/>.

[iii] Phillips, Denny . "A History of Cuban Cuisine." Ethnic And International Foods. Culinary Arts 360, 2 Apr. 2008. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. <http://http://www.culinaryarts360.com/index.php/a-history-of-cuban-cuisine-27765/>.

[iv] Phillips, Denny . "A History of Cuban Cuisine." Ethnic And International Foods. Culinary Arts 360, 2 Apr. 2008. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. <http://http://www.culinaryarts360.com/index.php/a-history-of-cuban-cuisine-27765/>.

[v] Phillips, Denny . "A History of Cuban Cuisine." Ethnic And International Foods. Culinary Arts 360, 2 Apr. 2008. Web. 15 Nov. 2013. <http://http://www.culinaryarts360.com/index.php/a-history-of-cuban-cuisine-27765/>.