CUBA CULTURE SECTION - Havana Journal > Cigars & Food


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Havana Beverages adds third soda - Havana Tamarind

Published: Fri March 28, 2008
By: Publisher

(This is not a paid advertisement and I have no affiliation with the company. I just thought it would be fun to post this)

Havana Beverages launches Havana Tamarind, an orange - ginger flavored premium, all-natural soda sweetened with 100% pure cane sugar, rather than the high-fructose corn syrup used in popular American soft drinks.

Tamarind is a fruit flavor produced by the tamarind tree, which is native to Africa and grows well in tropical areas of the world including Cuba and Mexico.  It is a popular fruit flavor often used to flavor food and candy.…
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New CUBA herbal energy juice to be in Grammy gift bag February 10

Published: Wed February 06, 2008
By: Publisher

Press Release

CUBA Beverages has designed a special package exclusively for the 50th Annual GRAMMY® Awards Talent Gift Bag.  Included in the official bag, CUBA Beverages put together a gift for the Presenters and Performers that is truly worthy of this anniversary celebration.  The GRAMMY Awards, are scheduled to be broadcast live from the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles at 8pm ET/PT, Feb. 10, on the CBS Television Network.

“Gone are the days when you can throw a can or bottle of any beverage into a Gift Bag.  The…
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Pepin Garcia and El Rey de los Habanos cigar factory in Little Havana

Published: Fri December 28, 2007
By: Publisher


Garcia at his El Rey de los Habanos Inc. cigar factory in Miami

By David Savona | Cigar Aficionado December 2007 issue

A star roller from Cuba, now in Miami, is making some of the world’s finest cigars

The uninitiated might be forgiven for walking right by El Rey de los Habanos Inc. From the street the tiny cigar factory looks just like any other shop in Little Havana, Miami. There’s the Cuban flag on prominent display in the window, the word “cigars” in large letters, and…
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A self guided Cuban cigar and tobacco journey

Published: Sun September 30, 2007
By: Publisher

Steven Baker | Forbes Traveler

“Take a look. Cohibas.”

I’m sitting in a taxi, speeding along the Malecon with windows down. The night air smells heavy with salt; the few lights that mark Old Havana sparkle in the distance. My driver had urged me — oddly — to sit in the front seat, then suggested I look in the glove box. Wrapped in a white plastic bag is a box of cigars. “Originales,” he assures me.

Uh-huh. These “Cohibas” cost $20 each in the government-run stores, but…
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Las Tunas increases Cuban cigar production to meet demand

Published: Mon September 10, 2007
By: Publisher

DTCuba.com

The eastern Cuban province of Las Tunas has increased cigar production to meet the growing demand from the international market.

According to statistics, one 1.5 million cigars were made from January to July 2007, and more than 2.5 million units might be produced this year.

Las Tunas, which is 670 kilometers east of Havana, is not a traditional cigar producer, but it has joined the national effort to increase exports since 2004.

Two million cigars were made last year, and the staff working in cigar factories is being trained to improve…
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A Cuban American’s cigar rolling story

Published: Mon August 20, 2007
By: Publisher

NORWALK, Conn - He sits diligently at a wooden work bench by the door, his hands busy, his eyes content. In front of him is the day’s work so far—small bundles of more than 50 Robustos, Churchills, Coronas and double Coronas.

Alberto Hernandez reaches into a bag to pull out a moist brown leaf of Nicaraguan tobacco. He stretches and kneads the pliable frond, cutting off sections he doesn’t need with a small, half-moon shaped blade called a chavetta.

“I brought this with me from Cuba,” Hernandez, 65, said at the Cigar Factory Outlet on Hanford…
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Cuban Cigar Stars by Cigar Aficionado

Published: Wed July 11, 2007
By: Publisher

Cuba’s Stars

The island’s oldest and most venerable smokes have been superseded by the new kids on the block

Posted: Tuesday, July 10, 2007

By James Suckling

From the June 2007 issue of Cigar Aficionado.

Cuba has made many great cigars since I first wrote about the island’s “star cigars” in 1992. Sure, there have been some ups and downs in quality, and the worst period ever—from 1999 to 2001, when as many as one out of five cigars exported did not draw properly—has long passed. Now that those days…
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Link to hundreds of Cuban food recipes

Published: Thu June 14, 2007
By: Publisher

Thanks Mako for sending us this link to Recipes from Cuba

There are hundreds but we just copied a few titles below to give you a sample.

Cuban Cookies (Torticas de Moron)
Cuban-Style Red Beans and Rice
Cuban Turkey Sandwich (Elena Ruz)
Fried Chicken Morsels (Masitas de Pollo Frito)
Fried Sweet Plantains (Platanos Maduros Fritos)
Flying Saucers (Platillos Voladores)
Galician Bean Soup (Caldo Gallego)
Garlic Shrimp (Camarones al Ajillo)
Guava Tart (Masa Real de Guayaba)
Olives…
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Governor Schwarzenegger lights up Cuban cigar in Canada ?

Published: Sun June 03, 2007
By: Publisher

Associated Press
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger fired up a stogie during his trip to Canada this week, but did he break U.S. law to do it?

The celebrity governor known for his love of premium cigars was headed to the Ottawa airport Wednesday when his motorcade made a detour to a hotel. There, Schwarzenegger picked up a Cuban Partagas cigar in a shop, with the $14.83 bill paid by an aide traveling with him, the Ottawa Citizen newspaper reported.

Under trade restrictions, U.S. citizens are prohibited from buying Cuban cigars anywhere in the world.


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June issue of Cigar Aficionado to focus on Cuba

Published: Sun April 29, 2007
By: Publisher

CigarAficionado.com

For most Americans, Cuba is still the forbidden fruit of travel. Tales of the the island’s golden age entice, while stories of political repression instill uncertainty. Although the political debate rages on over relations between Cuba and United States and getting there seems to be more difficult than ever, there is promise in recent happenings and the hope for a better tomorrow.

In the June issue, Cigar Aficionado magazine delves into the island nation from all angles. We sit down with top U.S. politicans, both Democrat and Republican,…
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View all Havana Journal culture articles in 2008


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