No Hablamos Español

How to irritate a Brazilian HERE.

Mas só chove, chove, chove...

Vou falar... nesse país tem chuva bem distribuída o ano inteiro. Nunca vi disso, em pleno verão todo mundo de casaco de chuva, empunhando guarda-chuva. Aliás, isso é artigo de primeira necessidade nesse país- e tem também a tal capa de chuva que preciso comprar ur-gent-te. Pra andar de bicicleta. Pra mim e para meu menino, que visita os amiguinhos e vai `a aula de judô de bike.

Aliás, por ter tanta chuva assim é que os gramados são luxuriantes. Na Holanda, na Alemanha, na Inglaterra e na Escandinávia. Inegável. Nesses países empapados é que a grama viceja.

E por faltar sol decente que te aqueça, te esclareça te anime e te dê esperanças o pessoal compensa a falta de vitamina sol (D) se entupindo de laticínios. Não é normal esse consumo de queijos, iogurtes, "vla" (uma papa cremosa), coalhada, pudinzinhos. Enjoei.

Enjoei da falta de sol, do excesso de chuva e roupa empapada, desses laticínios todos, de viver "dentro":  dentro do ônibus, dentro do escritório, dentro de casa, dentro da loja/bar/livraria. Sempre procurando um toldo, uma marquise, uma tela. Me sentindo sempre uma plantinha de estufa, sempre por tras do vido/janela,porta. Enjoei de viver descamando minhas roupas, como uma cebola. Tira casaco, tira capuz, tira isso e aquilo. Depois põe de novo pra pisar um pezinho na rua. Depois tira de novo quando se chega a uma loja, sempre super aquecidas essas lojas por aqui. Depois põe de novo... afs ! Mesma coisa quanto à roupa de cama. Eu já estava há umas duas semanas sem o edredon dentro da colcha, dormindo só com o lençol fininho... mas aí o verão não vingou... voltou o edredon pra dentro da colcha em pleno mês de julho. Fala sério ! Que verãozinho chinfrim esse !!

Quando vivia no Brasil nunca fui obcecada por praia, praia, praia. Viver toda com dor de queimadura e com gosto de sal... Mas que sol é bom, te dá ânimo e força, ah isso dá ! Aqui na Holanda o povo fica nesse solzinho de araque, que aquece tanto quanto lâmpada de escritório... uma luz bem difusa, linda mas que não dá sustança nenhuma. Por isso que o povo tem burn out. Vai ficando todo mundo introspectivo. E ainda me espanta daqueles que reclamam do calor (creiam-me: há várias pessoas assim por aqui, tolerância zero ao calor). Depois de dois ou tres dias seguidos de calor ficam iritadiços dizendo: "Bem que poderia cair uma chuvinha por uns dias, pra refrescar um pouco". Tsc, tsc, tsc.

Desisto desse povo. Já desisti.

La Cubanita (and CACHAÇA !!!)

Yesterday we have celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday. She decided to celebrate it in Purmerend, because it would be of easy access after we visit my father-in-law in the hospital - he is terminal and living during the past weeks in a clinic in Purmerend. When we eat out with the kids - mine and my sister-in-law's - we look for options that are children friendly. Thus nothing too fancy ! The menu cannot be complicated and they must have space to play afterwards (it is difficult to demand a six year old to behave quietly during a couple of hours.)

My s.i.s suggested this restaurant she had been before: La Cubanita, just around the Cow Market downton Purmerend, North Holland.

Every Sunday you have the possibility of eating one tapa dish for 3 Euros.

The decor is not special, mostly all cliches the Dutch expect to find in a restaurant with Spanish or South American food: each wall on a different (screaming) colour, a Che Guevara poster, a fake banana tree. You know what I mean.

And tiles...

In La Cubanita right above the bar there is this faded ad. After some research on the net I have discovered it was originally and outdoor advert for Sagatiba Cachaça by Saatchi & Saatchi.

The campaign has gorgeous photos. Also by Saatchi & Saatchi:

No, cachaça is not rum from Cuba... Please ! In most bars/restaurants in Europe the waiters explained me that "cachaça is a type of Brazilian rum". C'mon !!!! More about cachaça and Sagatiba HERE.

The photos on the menu and on their site are funky, though. I really like the menu with its very thin pages. The tapas are organized by "cold tapas", "Fish", "meat" and "veggies". That's it. The options for desserts are very limited: crema catalana, chocolate pie, crepe susette (not Cuban, hè !) and vanilla ice cream. No "pudín de pasas" or  "dulce de coco con queso" here. I think you just have to accept this type of restaurant is not with genuine  criollo / Cuban food (rice, beans, pastries, tubers, corn, enchilladas, etc.) but adapted food to Dutch taste buds.

I really regret I didn't order the smoked duck breasts with raspberry sauce ! Next time.  And the eggplants with honey.

Shrimps with garlic.

Mussels in tomato sauce.

Veggies croquettes.

Grilled paprikas.

Fish dishes...

Below: prawns for my mother-in-law and my husband. Both complained it was not marinated, not salty and the sauce was tasteless. I knew it already, mostly is always like that in the NL, they do not know how to prepare prawns. That's why I ordered some beef  onions in a hot sauce.

For the kids we asked veggies croquettes, mini hamburguers in mayo, bread and chicken rolled in bacon. A funny thing is that my 12 year old niece is now refusing to eat "children meals" - so she ignored the hamburguers, the chicken in bacon and the croquettes . On the other side she doesn't enjoy fish in white wine and the hot meats the adults ordered. She would like to play outside with her sister and my kids but refrains herself of that... while she cannot follow everything the adults discuss around the table (mortgage, politics, jobs...). It is difficult to become a teen !!

The chicken was a fave among the kids, they really loved it.

We have enjoyed 90% of everything, I guess:

Everything was yummy and the kids as well had a good time. I recommend La Cubanita if you are looking for uncomplicated food. The restaurant is very central in Purmerend and located on a street with forbidden access to cars, therefore before the dessert they went outside to play on the street.

The service was correct, not more than that. The tapas arrived quickly and all of them were perfect (with exception of the big shrimps, tasteless.) I have already confessed here  that my heart beats harder for fish and sefood, thus my favorite at La Cubanita was the coquilles St. Jacques in shite wine sauce. Followed by the veggies croquettes. 3 Eur per tapa is also a very good deal !

*****

La Cubanita is located in 16 cities across the Netherlands. All of them are 7 days per week open, and from Monday to Thursday you can eat unlimited tapas for 17,50Eur per person.

Amsterdam: Binnen Bantammerstraat 9, 1011CH
The Hague: Noordeinde 138 A, 2514GP
Utrecht: Oudkerkhof 44, 3512GL
Rotterdam:  Blaak 329, 3011GB

www.lacubanita.nl

No ! La vida no es un carnaval !

Yoani Sanchez has an amazing blog about real life in Cuba (in English).

http://desdecuba.com/generationy/

And to finish on a summerish tone, another tutorial on "how to prepare a capirinha".

I like the tip: "...when you shake it, remember: you have to smile !" Hahahaha !