SOCIALISTS EAT CAVIAR: Oh, oui, je me souviens de ces plaisirs…

By Marielena Montesino de Stuart

Oh, oui, je me souviens de ces plaisirs… (oh, yes, I remember these pleasures)

Rue Cler, Paris

I remember the day I walked into a gourmet shop on Rue Cler in Paris’ 7th arrondissement.  The shop owner gave me a taste test of his finest caviar.  And because life is nothing but one contrast after another, I chatted with him about growing up during Cuba’s Stalinist period– and spending seven months eating garbanzo beans (which I do not touch to this day).  My mother became an expert at preparing garbanzo beans in every possible way. Today she would put to shame the most creative chef at Noma, in Copenhagen– ranked the best restaurant in the world for its inventive cuisine.

Castro and Caviar

While we were surviving on garbanzo beans, Fidel Castro was eating Russian caviar.

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