Sabor Cubano: A Cuban Family Feast for Celebration

Class Description: A Collaborative Taste of La Isla Grande

Join us for a vibrant and soulful, hands-on exploration of Cuban cuisine. Cuban food is the ultimate celebratory fare—meant to be shared, comforting, and packed with complex, slow-simmered flavors.

In this class, we’ll master the building blocks of this delicious island cooking by working in smaller groups to tackle the menu's components. You’ll collaborate on creating the essential sofrito base, perfecting savory rice and meat, and finishing with a flaky, tropical dessert. This shared preparation experience makes the learning efficient and the final family-style feast truly rewarding. Get ready to fill your kitchen with the fragrant, joyful aromas of Cuba!

The Menu: A Classic Family Feast

We will prepare four essential Cuban dishes that form a hearty and delicious family-style meal.

The Main Dishes:

    •    Family Style Picadillo: Working together, we will slow-simmer this flavorful Cuban staple of seasoned ground beef, tomatoes, olives, capers, and aromatic spices—perfectly seasoned and ready to be served family style.

    •    Cuban Rice (Arroz Cubano): Learn the technique for making perfectly fluffy white rice that serves as the essential base for the entire meal.

The Sides & Dessert:

    •    Platanitos (Tostones): Master the technique of preparing and twice-frying green plantains to achieve the classic, savory, and crunchy side dish.

    •    Delicious Pastelitos de Guayaba y Queso (Guava and Cream Cheese Pastries): End the meal with this iconic Cuban pastry. You’ll learn to work with flaky puff pastry to encase a warm, gooey filling of tropical guava paste and cream cheese—a delicious nod to Carmen’s dairy expertise!

Class Details

    •    Duration: 2.5 - 3 hours (depending on complexity)

    •    Skill Level: Intermediate

    •    Format: Hands-On, Shared Preparation (participants work in small groups)

    •    What you’ll gain: Confidence in Cuban cooking techniques, a master recipe for sofrito, and a complete family-style meal ready for your next gathering.