It’s time for another date night in! Andrew suggested a Cuban themed night, I think he just really wanted Mojitos but I have never been to Cuba and it’s a place with a fascinating history that has always intrigued me. So shake up a tasty rum cocktail , turn up the salsa and let’s have a date night in Cuban style.
What to Eat:
When I think of Cuban food I immediately picture a Cubano, one of my favorite sandwiches. Sliced ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard….yum! This is perfect for a date night in but it does take some time. To make it right you need to marinate and roast the pork which take about an hour total. This recipe looks great and not super involved. Another great option is ropa vieja, one of the most popular dishes in Cuba. This stewed shredded beef dish is slow cooked in crushed tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic and wine to create a delicious meal. Served with white rice, black beans and sweet plantains it’s a super flavorful date night dish.
The most popular desserts look to be custard based, like Flan or Tocinillo del Cielo (the recipe is in Spanish, Google translate is your friend). If you are looking for something a little less eggy try pastelitos de guayaba. Guava is one of the most internationally known Cuban fruits and these guava puff pastries look SO good.
What to Drink:
Mojitos are one of my favorites to sip poolside and are quite popular in Cuba so they would make the perfect date night in drink. If you want something a little easier to make try a Cuba Libre. The key to a tasty Cuba Libre and not just another rum and coke is to muddle the lime a bit in your glass first, it will release the oils and make it taste so much better. If you feel like bringing out the blender, whip up some frozen daiquiris. Fun fact: Daiquiris were first shaken up in Cuba and then served frozen by using a blender in the 1930s.
Classic Mojito
Ingredients:
- 5 mint leaves
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces white rum
- 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
- Club soda, to top
- Garnish: mint sprig
- Garnish: lime wheel
Directions:
- Lightly muddle the mint with the simple syrup in a shaker.
- Add the rum, lime juice and ice, and give it a little shake, then pour into a highball glass.
- Top with the club soda.
- Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wheel.
What to Listen to:
Cuban music just makes me want to dance. Check out the Cuban Salsa mix or Cafe Cubano on Spotify for some great tunes for your date night.
What to Do:
Play a game! Dominos are super popular in Cuba, some even say it’s the national game of the country. The rules of Cuban Dominos may be a little different from the way that you play at home, I found this page helpful to learn the Cuban way to play. For something a little more active try learning some salsa moves via Youtube! There are plenty of videos on the site to get your hips shaking. I’m always down with a movie night too, A Tuba to Cuba, Dirty Dancing Havana Nights or Cuba and the Cameraman are great choices.
I hope you have a wonderfully spicy date night in!
Cover photo by Dimitri Dim: https://www.pexels.com/photo/car-on-the-road-1845870/
