The Cuban sandwich looks almost as good as the ones in Tampa.
There are three Florida "dishes" where I consider myself the world's highest authority (just to be clear, no one else considers me the highest authority, but I digress): Cuban sandwiches, Key Lime pie, and Key West Grunts.
In October 1968, I got saved in a little Pentecostal church in Key Marathon, Florida. I was only six at the time, but I feel confident that I am, um, "God's Man When It Comes to Key Lime Pie." Don't bother ordering any, since, in my experience, it is now extinct (even the wonderful Key Lime Factory doesn't quite hit the high notes that my memory holds).
Then, Tampa in the late 80s. At a work party, someone brought a sandwich that was sliced, etc. I said something about how delicious that "Cuban sandwich" was. My Cuban friend told me, "It's good, but it's not a real Cuban Sandwich." A day or two later, I find myself just behind old Tampa Stadium at a place called "La Ideal," a little Cuban store(?)--where old Cuban men sat around and drank Cuban coffee...and remembered. And thither I often resorted to eat the best Cuban sandwich known to mankind. It was the glorious alchemy of Cuban bread, ham, Cuban pork (which is roasted, but with spices/flavors that distinguish it from all others), Swiss cheese, mayo/mustard, and pickles. THAT'S IT! Then you press it, spreading butter generously on the browning crust. Surely it's what God made gave for manna in the wilderness. La Ideal no longer exists, even if the name does--a truth for all of us.
6
Only the NYT could call Cuban bread Cuban lard bread. Yes it does contain lard but no one calls it Cuban lard bread. I haven't had a decent Cuban sandwich since I left Tampa. I ate one a few years ago that was served on a hamburger bun and nearly wept with disappointment. At least where I live I can still buy Bustelo in the "party size" container.
9
Have you ever heard of Pan de Manteca or Pan de Agua? How would you translate these for readers not familiar with Cuban baking?
7
@Martin
In case you didn't notice, the article was written in English, where both of the above are amazingly enough called "Cuban bread."
Best wishes to the owners-chefs and their clients.
But, if "guava paste and cream cheese [are] the peanut butter and jelly of Cuban food", I shall skip the former, as I dislike the latter.
3
@Tuvw Xyz: Guava Paste is simply a preserve/concentrate: guava fruit (which tastes somewhat like ripe pears) deseeded, the flesh cooked down with sugar and maybe some lemon juice to avoid cloying sweetness. It's perfectly palatable by itself.
I agree with you that the combination with cream cheese probably doesn't do it any favors. With guava paste alone, the recipe would be pretty much identical to a fruit strudel.
2
@ PMN USA
Thank you for this enlightening note. So far, I liked guava fresh and cold.