E
ven before President Barack Obama announced plans to warm up relations with Cuba, Americans were vis-
iting the island in record numbers. According to the U.S.-based Havana Consulting Group, travelers from
the U.S. have surged in recent years, from 245,000 in 2007 to nearly 600,000 in 2013. Commercial airline
route maps are being redrawn to include Havana, although charter flights remain the only way to fly there direct
from an American city for now.
The scarcity of ingredients created limited opportunities for
quality food in Cuba for decades, but with the lifting of the U.S.
embargo on the island nation, fans of the cuisine are hopeful that
the local fare will regain its former glory. In the meantime,
popular Cuban food options are available stateside.
CUISINE
RECOVERING CUBA'S
64 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com
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