The Tale of Empanadas, Part II
These things are so delicious
A little while ago, I discovered a wonderful taco place near my house that served empanadas. I cannot stress enough how absolutely delicious (but not very nutritious) empanadas are. I don’t need any excuse to eat them due to their very high delicious factor. But in case you do need an excuse, e.g. you’re on some kind of diet, I want to let you know that the Cuban holiday of Commemoration of the Assault on Moncada is coming up on July 25, 2023.
The Commemoration of the Assault on Moncada is a Cuban holiday celebrated every July 25. The actual attack on Moncada was on July 26. So in honor of eating empanadas … I mean, a Cuban holiday … today, I am taking a bit of a cultural dive into Cuba.
In law school, we had the chance to visit Cuba. I had some serious reservations about this trip … hello, Otto Frederick Warmbier, anyone? Otto’s story serves as a horrible reminder not to travel to North Korea, who represses its citizens into extreme poverty and then gives tours to those curious about its deplorable conditions. I serve this as a reminder: do not go to North Korea on any ******* tour, okay???
Anyhoo, I was not about leave this country for Cuba, either. Inheritance is a bit of interesting subject in Cuba, which I don’t even pretend to understand or want to understand. The subject of Cuba’s inheritance rights don’t have anything to do with empanadas, of course, but that was the reason for the law school sponsoring a trip to Cuba.
Fortunately, I don’t need to travel to Cuba to get Cuban empanadas. We have this cute little place called, appropriately, El Cubano, that serves the most delicious empanadas in the entire world. (Read: very bad for your diet.) And that’s exactly what me and The Husband did on Friday in celebration of the upcoming Cuban holiday.
¡Las Promociones!
This newsletter is sponsored by Clean Plates, a lovely newsletter all about eating well. After eating a bunch of empanadas this week, you might need a few of their yummy recipes.
We have a group book promo That Unearthly Chill: An All-Genre Giveaway for Stories with Ghosts and Spirits … if you like the paranormal, be sure to check it out. The books are free.
¡Sucesos!
I do not speak Spanish, so, uhhhh … I have no idea if those headers are correct.
Last week, I mentioned that I wrote a legal thriller book review on Patriot’s Act by Kenneth Eade. This book was about the death of Ahmed, who was captured as an al Qaeda insurgent and imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Ahmed was an American citizen, who was not a terrorist, and the book details the lawsuit that his wife, Catherine, filed against the United States. Hint: the military can’t throw American citizens in prison and torture them indefinitely because they are “suspected” terrorists. We are not North Koreans.
I also wrote a courtroom drama movie summary of A Few Good Men, starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore. This movie was the criminal defense of Downey and Dawson, who were ordered by Col. Jessup to haze Pfc Santiago (something called a “Code Red”). Where? You guessed it. Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
If you, too, want to celebrate with me the Commemoration of the Assault on Moncada, I made Arroz Con Leche (Rice Pudding). This stuff is absolutely delicious, if I do say so myself. Maybe not as delish as empanadas. But let’s not have a fight about it. I won’t even attempt to make an empanada. Also, I want to say that this recipe was Cuban-inspired, because I am not Cuban and cultural appropriation is lame.
Next week, I will (hopefully) do another triple threat and write about all the Lincoln Lawyer things. If you haven’t watched it yet (I haven’t, either), it’s on Netflix rn.
About the Cuban Holiday of the Commemoration of the Assault on Moncada
The Cuban holiday of the Commemoration of the Assault on Moncada is an annual celebration, held on July 25th that marks an important event in Cuban history that ignited the revolution against the Batista dictatorship. The Assault on Moncada took place on July 26, 1953. The attack was led by Fidel Castro, who at the time was a young lawyer and revolutionary, along with a group of 136 guerilla fighters. Their main objective was to overthrow the corrupt and oppressive Batista regime, which had been in power since 1952. The Moncada Barracks, located in Santiago de Cuba, was chosen as the target due to its strategic importance and symbolic value.
The assault itself did not go as planned, and the revolutionaries faced heavy resistance from the military. Despite the initial setback, the events at Moncada would serve as a catalyst for change in Cuba. The attack drew attention to the injustices faced by the Cuban people under the Batista regime and galvanized support for the revolutionary cause. While the immediate outcome of the assault was not successful, it set in motion a chain of events that would eventually lead to the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959.
Of particular importance was that Castro was captured and found guilty. His iconic speech "History Will Absolve Me" made headlines across the island, which in turn awakened nationalism in the Cuban people.