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Please keep me posted on upcoming Cuban restaurant in Charlotte or nearby. I moved here from NY about 6 months now and haven't found a good latin restaurant. When I first moved out here I was so excited to see Taste of Havana on Albermarle Rd. I went there believing that I would get some Cuban food.The food is nasty. Not Cuban food at all.I should know because I am Cuban. Not one Cuban in the Restaurant. The owner is from South America and the cooks are Mexican. They might be able to fool the Americans here,but that's about it. So please please keep me posted on any Authentic Cuban or Carribian Resturants coming soon to Charlotte. And please let me know when and where that 1st Annual Pig Roast will take place, I would love to go.
I just read your forum. Please keep me posted when you open that Cuban Restaurant in Charlotte. I just moved here from NY 6mos ago. I think a real Cuban Restaurant/Cigar cafe is a fantastic idea and know it would do really well especially in Uptown Charlotte where they're trying to turn into NYC. I wish I had the money to start it up myself.
Come on Havana Cafe.
I am in luck! My parents are driving up from Miami with 4 loaves of Cuban bread, sweet ham and pork from the corner store, and two cases of El Ebro Black Beans! Dinner tonight will be sandwiches and cafe' con lecha.
I get the point ok , but while we wait for cafe havana can we at least get some pan cubano around here?
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour
Vegetable oil (for greasing)
Sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup of the warm water in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 cup water, the olive oil and salt. Slowly add the flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix to make a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 4 minutes, or until the dough is satiny and elastic. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down the dough and shape it into a 12-inch long oblong loaf. Place the loaf on a lightly greased baking sheet (or one dusted with cornmeal), cover it with a towel, and allow it to rise for 30 minutes.
Brush loaf lightly with warm water. Bake it on the baking sheet in a preheated 400 degrees F oven until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped, about 35 minutes. Remove the bread and cool it on a wire rack before serving.
Makes 1 large loaf.
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 to 3 1/2 cups bread flour
Vegetable oil (for greasing)
Sprinkle yeast over 1/2 cup of the warm water in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 cup water, the olive oil and salt. Slowly add the flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix to make a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 4 minutes, or until the dough is satiny and elastic. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down the dough and shape it into a 12-inch long oblong loaf. Place the loaf on a lightly greased baking sheet (or one dusted with cornmeal), cover it with a towel, and allow it to rise for 30 minutes.
Brush loaf lightly with warm water. Bake it on the baking sheet in a preheated 400 degrees F oven until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when the bottom is tapped, about 35 minutes. Remove the bread and cool it on a wire rack before serving.
Makes 1 large loaf.
[SIZE=2]Cuban bread is ideal for making Cuban sandwiches, especially Pan con Lechon(*) Fresh Cuban bread is also wonderful served with a small slab of guava paste or dollop of guava marmalade and cream cheese![/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][site owner's note: for those who email me asking, there is only one website I know of to buy Cuban Bread online, click here to visit their site. They send it fresh from La Rosa Bakery in Miami, it's traditional and tastes incredible] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]
Day-old Cuban bread makes the best bread puddings I've ever tasted! Or if you have some left over bread, the next day, slice it thin, spread a bit of butter and toast it!
The distinctive taste is due to the use of a starter, which is made the day before. Also the dough is enriched with lard. You can substitute the lard with solid vegetable shortening if you prefer, but the bread acquires its' basic smoothness through the addition of the lard.
STARTER
3/4 tsp active dry yeast(1/3 envelope)
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup bread or all-purpose flour
The day before baking; mix the starter ingredients, dissolving the yeast in the water first. You want a thick paste when you add the flour. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let "ripen" in refrigerator for 24 hours. Leftover starter will keep for several days in the refrigerator and can be frozen.
DOUGH
4-1/2 tsp active dry yeast -(2 envelopes or 2 cakes of compressed yeast)
1 Tbsp sugar
1-1/2 cups warm water
3 to 4 Tbsp lard or solid vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 batch starter (see above recipe)
1 Tbsp salt
4 to 5 cups bread or all-purpose flour
Dissolve yeast and sugar in 3 tablespoons of water in a large mixing bowl. When the mixture is foamy (5 to 10 minutes), stir in the lard, the remaining water, and the 1/2 batch of starter.
Mix well with your fingers or a wooden spoon. Stir in salt and flour, 1 cup at a time. You want to get a dough that is stiff enough to knead. You can also mix and knead in a mixer fitted with the dough hook or in a food processor fitted with the double blade, as the processor dough hook will not handle this job easily.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes, adding flour as necessary. The dough should be pliable and not sticky.
Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it doubles its' bulk, about 45 minutes. Punch down.
To form the loaves, divide the dough in 4 pieces. Roll out each to form a 14-inch long tube, with rounded ends (sort of like a long meat loaf) Put 2 of the loaves on a baking sheet, about 6 inches apart. Cover with dampened cotton dish towels and let rise in warm, draft-free spot until double their bulk, about 1 hour. If you want to let it rise at a slower pace, you can do it in a cooler spot and even in the refrigerator, but give it 3 to 4 hours instead.
Preheat oven to 350 F
Lay a dampened piece of thick kitchen string or twine (about 1/8 " thick) all along the top length of the loaf. Bake until the breads are lightly browned on top and sound hollow when lightly tapped, about 30 minutes.
Let them cool slightly and remove the strings. They will leave a distinct little ridge on top. Transfer loaves onto a wire rack for cooling.
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Now that looks more like it, I was sure it used a starter, if things go to plan I shall have some this weekend.
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Not Cuban food at all.I should know because I am Cuban. Not one Cuban in the Restaurant. The owner is from South America and the cooks are Mexican. They might be able to fool the Americans here,but that's about it. So please please keep me posted on any Authentic Cuban or Carribian Resturants coming soon to Charlotte. And please let me know when and where that 1st Annual Pig Roast will take place, I would love to go.
I am in luck! My parents are driving up from Miami with 4 loaves of Cuban bread, sweet ham and pork from the corner store, and two cases of El Ebro Black Beans! Dinner tonight will be sandwiches and cafe' con lecha. 
but while we wait for cafe havana can we at least get some pan cubano around here?
