What is Cuban cuisine? A delectable intermingling of Spanish, Portuguese, Arabian, Chinese, and African culinary traditions—a true melting pot of all the influences that combine in Cuban culture. Now, Raquel Rabade Roque gives us the definitive book of Cuban cuisine: encyclopedic in its range, but intimate and accessible in tone with more than five hundred recipes for classic, home-style dishes—from black bean soup to pork empanadas, from ropa vieja to black beans and croquetas, from tostones to arroz con pollo, from churros to café con leche— as well as the vividly told stories behind the recipes. Based on the author’s family recipes, this is real Cuban cooking presented with today’s busy cooks in mind. Whether you are an experienced cook or a novice, a lover of Cuban cuisine or just discovering it, The Cuban Kitchen will become an essential part of your kitchen library. Raquel Rabade Roque is the owner of the Downtown Book Center in Miami. She lives in Miami, Florida.