Comments on: I Remember. Do You?

By: Michele Caridad

Michele Caridad — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:43:53 +0000

~The spoonful of Aceite Mineral with Sugar for Hiccups

~The plastic little bag with flowers on it that my Tia Clara would take to the Mercado(they were ahead of their time…now is when the recycle bags are being used)

~the banging noise that would only mean giant big crispy tostones at dinner!

~The “lio” on the side of the house when my uncles went fishing and all the men (+ my grandmother…telling them how to do it) were cleaning fish

~Laying on the floor of my grandmas living room all watching raul velasco on the domingo show…(that’s all that was on on sun. nights!)

~My grandmothers’ 12″ statues of her santos on her chiforobe: Santa Lucia, San Lazaro, Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, Santa Barbara

~the ((ding!)) on the rice cooker when it was ready

~bolitas de maduros that my grandma would make me( and sneak a piece of bistec inside each one)…

By: Catherine

Catherine — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:29:47 +0000

That sounds like Miami. 8th St and Sweetwater to be exact. For me, it’s the opening of a new bottle of Mistolin from Navarro. Always does the trick.

By: SAHMami

SAHMami — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:14:31 +0000

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

By: Anne Marie

Anne Marie — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 23:32:28 +0000

I remember:
The plastic-covered dining set and couches that I had to peel my skin away from when I stood up in the south Florida humidity
The warm milk with sugar before bed at abuela’s house
The clanking of aluminum and spoon as my abuelo mixed sugar and cafe for the colada to have foam
The smell of aceite, maduros, and whatever else was cooking lingered in the house for hours or a day. The smell of a Cuban household never really goes away…
Special, old ‘vasos’ from the 60s
The danish cookie containers saved up to make a good flan in later
Can you tell we ate? Haha. It’s all food related…

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:20:09 +0000

Wow… What an amazing post!

By: Marta

Marta — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:54:23 +0000

Carrie, that was beautiful!

All those things you’ve listed were like a springboard into the past.

However, more evocative for me are the smells of my Cuban upbringing. I most often equate fragrances with the people I love.

- Babies whose heads were doused in Agua de Violetas.
- Awakening to the amazing aroma of the first cafécito of the day.
- My grandmother’s “talco.” (talcum powder)
- Vitalis and English Leather – grooming products of choice for Cuban men in the 60′s.
- Vicks Vaporub – to this day, my mom has it on her nightstand (por si acaso.)
- Fresh Cuban bakery bread.
- My dad’s “puro” – he loved cigars when he could get them.

And, of course…
- Sofrito. Sofrito. And sofrito. =D

By: Abuela

Abuela — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:22:50 +0000

Gracias hija,por ayudarme a recordar cosas que poco a poco se van de nuestra mente.As always a great job.Mirando esa foto me recuerdo de una cancion que dice,Como han pasado los años.

By: Tweets that mention I Remember. Do You? - Growing up Cuban-American in Miami -- Topsy.com

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:19:37 +0000

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