A Cuban chef based in Spain recently revisited some of the most challenging episodes of the so-called Special Period in Times of Peace, following an experience in his restaurant that deeply affected him.
It is about Eduardo Alemán, known on social media as @mialteredu (My Alter Edu), co-owner along with Erika Domínguez of Restaurante Las Peñas in Cantabria.
The content creator mentioned in a video that he welcomed two diners at his establishment whose stories transported him back to the most critical years of the economic crisis in Cuba.
Alemán recalled extreme practices that sadly became notorious on the island during the 1990s, such as the use of melted condoms to simulate cheese on pizzas, the so-called "steaks" made from floor mats, and the ground meat made from banana peels.
These were real cases that reflected the ingenuity forced by scarcity, but also the hunger endured by thousands of Cuban families.
Decades later, many Cubans are facing a similar situation, marked by blackouts, shortages, and precariousness, amidst the current crisis affecting the island.
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