Cooking in Cuba is more than just preparing food; it's about surviving with ingenuity. The Cuban TikToker El Henry (@itss_henryyy_), known for his charisma and humor, demonstrated this in a recent video.
The young man was preparing some classic macaroni with hot dogs and tomato sauce. Everything was going well until the electricity said goodbye.
"I started to sauté the seasoning, but since 'Cuba moves forward and that hurts them', the power went out and I had to finish cooking haphazardly, making use of the heat from the electric burner before the stove cooled down," he recounted.
The scene, though humorous in its telling, reflects a daily reality in many households in Cuba. Cooking during unexpected blackouts is very common. What to do when the power goes out in the middle of a recipe? Here are three useful ideas:
- Take advantage of the residual heat from the electric stove or oven, and finish cooking what you were making as soon as possible.
- Quickly transition to an alternative kitchen, such as a wood stove, a charcoal burner, or if you are lucky, gas.
- Never, ever throw away food. Remember that to reheat or finish something very light, like a sauce or a sofrito, some candles or an alcohol lamp can provide the minimum necessary heat.
If these options fail, you have one last card to play, turning to close relatives or neighbors. If you have a good relationship with someone who has gas, a generator, or a charcoal stove, you can finish your meal there, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, since this energy crisis in Cuba affects millions of households equally.
Frequently asked questions about how to cook during power outages in Cuba
How do Cubans manage to cook during power outages?
During power outages, Cubans resort to alternative methods such as cooking with firewood, charcoal, or even alcohol burners. They take advantage of the residual heat from electric stoves, if possible, and seek help from neighbors or family members who have access to gas or generators.
What are the main difficulties of cooking in Cuba today?
The scarcity of electricity, liquefied gas, and coal are the main challenges for cooking in Cuba. This forces families to improvise with traditional methods such as firewood, facing high costs and risks to health and the environment.
What impact do blackouts have on the daily lives of Cubans?
Prolonged blackouts severely affect the quality of life in Cuba, interfering with food preparation, food preservation, and the performance of basic household tasks. This creates constant stress and forces the population to resort to creative solutions to meet their daily needs.
What alternatives are Cubans using to cook without electricity or gas?
Amid the lack of electricity and gas, Cubans are using firewood and charcoal as the main alternatives for cooking. Some have devised homemade systems to generate electricity using solar panels and batteries, although these resources are limited and costly.
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