ONCE UPON A TIME IN CUBA....
There was a woman, known to all in the Island for her great beauty,
her sensual dancing, her love for chickens, and her passion for cooking.
Her name was Juana....Juana "la Cubana".
She was the direct descendant of a Spanish conquistador, Gabriel de Aragon, who had
broughthis wife Carmen de Bernal to live in the new colony...Gabriel and Carmen, fell in love
with Cuba. So much so that they disobeyed the order of his Royal Highness King Ole
Flamenco to return whence they came from. Spain. Gabriel and Carmen went inland and
hid... never to be seen again.
Centuries later, their great- great- great- great- great-great-great-great-great-great-grand-
daughter, Juana, was born. She was a special child. She danced before she walked, and
chickens would follow her everywhere she went...
By the time she was a teenager, Juana, was known in her town of Matanzas as the
"Chicken whisperer"...
However, she grew into a mesmerizing woman, and a great dancer. By the late 1930's she
was the hottest attraction at the Copa Cabana. She swayed her hips like the palm trees in
the beach during a hurricane. Men from all over the world came to admire her talent ...and
buy her chocolates. But, she refused them all...Thus, becoming even more desirable!
One of those men...was Ernest Hemingway. Yes, Juana, was the real reason why he hung
around Cuba drinking mojitos and writing books...
He longed to kiss her juicy, ruby red lips...and, as he sipped his mojitos he would imagine
Juana in all her splendor dancing...dancing...dancing...just for him!!!
Nevertheless, Juana was waiting ...and waiting....and waiting...
Yes, she waited a lot...for good things come with time!!!
As I was saying...She waited for that one aspecial man to conquer, not only her heart,
but to quench her appetite for..."Ropa Vieja", a Cuban beef stew!!!
That was the key to her heart. Hemingway, not knowing this, asked her out to dinner
after her last show at the Copa Cabana. She was always very hungry after dancing
and she accepted, hoping that he would take her to eat Ropa Vieja...Instead...he took
her to a very popular restaurant called "The Fisherman and the Sea". Not Good.
She looked at the menu. Disappointed, she cried. The server, a young man called Pepe,
spoke to her in a soft voice that sounded like Antonio Bandera's...
-"Miss Cubana, do you not see what your heart desires
in our menu?"
-"Ay chico, no I don't"!!!" she said sobbing.
-" Come with me Miss Cubana ...leave this old man, and I
will take you to my house where I have all the fixings for
Ropa Vieja!
Simmered flank steak until it's tender...onions...peppers...
garlic and bay leaf
I will first saute the garlic...
then add the onions and peppers...
and will let it play in the pan a little...
Then I will add the shredded beef...
and if you like...some roasted peppers...
I will finish it off with some tomato sauce!!!
How is that sounding, my Cubanita? Oh, and then I splash some
red Spanish wine ...you know...we could drink some too....
And finally...I will let it simmer like my passion for you ...
And ...I will serve it to you with hot, steamy white rice and
sweet plantains!!!
Juana got up so fast from the table, that she knocked it over! Then
waived goodbye to Hemingway as she ran away with Pepe. The rest
is history. When Juana tried Pepe's Ropa Vieja she knew he was the
one she had been waiting for!!!
After dinner she smoked a cigar.........
and danced for Pepe..
Good evening, Chicken Whisperer...you crack me up as well as your camerawoman I see. Thanks...I needed this. My ribs hurt.
Jan @ BellaCasa
Posted by: Bella StyleBook | 01/25/2011 at 07:50 PM
Well my friend, I sure am glad I made you laugh this time!! My daughter Sandra still cracks up with that video...by the way, I made that outfit in 5 minutes..the skirt that came undone was a curtain, but while it lasted it was quite stylish...wasn't it? lol!
hugs
Posted by: Juana | 01/25/2011 at 08:55 PM
Hi there You chicken lover...I think I like this post so much that I am going to send it to Oprah,What are you doing just writting? you nned your own T.V. show....I think you can do it...I do want you to be happy, but I don'[t want you to go to Spain! and if I can get you a contract here , well I think your whole family can move back and live happily ever after! Ropa Vieja! Oh my goodness you make it the best! I can taste it now! I love you baby sister! Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Hilda Aragon | 01/26/2011 at 11:25 AM
Oh my gosh Juana La Cuban Chicken Whisperer - we are going to have to get together some time and go dancing! I can see you have a lot to teach me! (The Ropa Vieja looks delicious, too!)
Posted by: Barbara Shallue | 01/26/2011 at 06:12 PM
You bet!! I will teach you her hot Cuban moves AND belly dancing. That's next on my coming soon list...
Posted by: Juana | 01/27/2011 at 12:36 AM