Matt Sullivan arrives in Havana, Cuba, full of hopes and dreams. He's in Havana to see his girlfriend, Yarmila Portal, and he hopes she will accept his marriage proposal. Instead, he finds her dead body, his passport yanked by La Seguridad, and is deemed a person of interest in her death. Did Yarmila have a secret life?
I couldn't resist a book set in Cuba, particularly since I had the pleasure of visiting the city of Havana last summer. Teresa Dovalpage does a magnificent job at describing the beauty of Havana, a city caught in the past where the only cars on the road are classic cars, such as Studebakers. Teresa Dovalpage's exquisite descriptions of both the city and the food make me long to revisit Cuba and once again walk among the historic buildings.
Matt, on the other hand, isn't the most likable of characters. It's hard not to feel sorry for him initially as the idea of being anywhere without the protections we've grown accustomed to in the United States is frightening and the loss of one's passport is simply chilling. However, he's so gullible and wishy-washy that it's hard to truly like him, particularly when his character deficits had me cringing. There are a couple twists regarding his character near the end that had me scratching my head in confusion as they seemed somewhat superfluous to the story line.
Fortunately, however, Matt's character doesn't detract from the overall intriguing story that Teresa Dovalpage has for readers. DEATH COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN delves into the politics of Cuba just before (and during) the Black Spring of 2003 and offer some interesting insights into the fear that permeated the country during that time. Oddly enough, Matt's gullibility helps accentuate the overall atmosphere of secrecy and suspicion as he stumbles along, trying to understand what happened to his girlfriend and worrying about his confiscated passport.
DEATH COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN is an intriguing murder mystery that is heavy with political undertones. Teresa Dovalpage's exploration of Cuba will have readers wanting to walk the streets of Havana and taste the scrumptious foods described in Yarmila's blog. I'll definitely be reading more by Teresa Dovalpage as DEATH COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN is a compelling, albeit frustrating read as we see a country caught in the past and full of mistrust of both the police and the government. If you enjoy a good mystery and don't mind unreliable characters, then take a trip to Havana and give DEATH COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHEN a try.
Matt, a San Diego journalist, arrives in Havana to marry
his girlfriend, Yarmila, a 24-year-old Cuban woman whom
he first met through her food blog. But Yarmi isnโt there
to meet him at the airport, and when he hitches a ride to
her apartment, he finds her lying dead in the bathtub.
With Yarmiโs murder, lovelorn Matt is immediately
embroiled in a Cuban adventure he didnโt bargain for. The
police and secret service have him down as their main
suspect, and in an effort to clear his name, he must
embark on his own investigation into what really
happened. The more Matt learns about his erstwhile
fiancรฉe, though, the more he realizes he had no idea who
she was at allโbut did anyone?
EXCERPT
Better than birthday cake
Tocino del cielo is flanโs decadent, slutty cousin.
Tocino means bacon. But tocino del cielo (or tocinillo, as
it is also known) is a misleading term. The reason why a
dessert that falls in the same category as flan and egg
custard is named after cured pork has always eluded me. The
del cielo part is easier to understand: it was โfrom
heavenโโwhere people used to think everything good came
from.
When I was a little girl, I always got a tocinillo for my
birthday. Meringue cake? Forget it. We were given one every
year through the ration card, but I was happy to let the
party guests have it.
Iโll tell you a little secret: though my grandmother Hilda
was the kitchenโs queen, it was mom who made the best
tocinillo. Mom had โthe touchโ for sweets, and this is
something you donโt learn. Either you have it or you donโt.
In most dishes, particularly those involving egg yolk,
butter and sugar, you need to find el punto de caramelo,
that specific, indefinable moment when itโs done.
Momโs soups or stews didnโt always turn out right, but she
got the right punto for tocinillo and flan. She didnโt brag
about it, thoughโand she wasnโt being deferential. She
didnโt want to embarrass Grandma, who was la reina. But she
was also afraid that if her talents were recognized she
would be asked to cook more often.
That, my friends, didnโt sit well with her. Mom was, and
is, a liberated woman, a career woman, not a housewife.
Though born and raised in a rural town, she was rather
avant-garde. She managed the local clinic and served as the
president of the Cuban Federation of Women in our block.
She was also active with the Committee for the Defense of
the Revolution, where she was elected treasurer twice. But
housework she didnโt enjoy.
Would you like to try her tocinillo? Then follow my
instructions. But be warnedโthis isnโt an easy recipe.
Start by making the syrup. Boil half a cup of water and a
cup of sugar with a few drops of lemon for ten minutes,
stirring constantly. (Keep an eye on it all the time, as
syrup is one of these unpredictable sweet sauces that gets
burned when you least expect it.) Then allow it to cool.
While you are at it, heat half a cup of sugar (again stir,
stir!) in a smaller container. Put it aside.
Now, letโs start with the tocinillo as such. Beat five
yolks and two whole eggs together. But do not overbeat! I
think momโs success lay in the fact that she didnโt beat
eggs as if they were going to be used for, letโs say,
merenguitos. Make sure they are well mixed, however.
Add the syrup and a bit of vanilla extractโone teaspoon
will suffice. Then strain it, using a colander, pour
everything into a pan, and get ready for the most difficult
step: the baรฑo de Marรญa.
Baรฑo de Marรญa, which my Yuma boyfriend calls โwater bath,โ
consists of putting a small pan inside a large one and
adding hot water to the larger pan until it reaches halfway
up the side of the small one. (Did I confuse you already?)
The small pan, naturally, is where you pour in the strained
mixture. Be careful not to burn yourself with the hot
water, as I have done so many times. That explains why I am
not a fan of baรฑo de Marรญa!
Bake in the oven for around an hour. Next, turn the
tocinillo over on a plate and drizzle it with the burned
sugar. Refrigerate for three or four hours and enjoy. You
deserve it!
Comments
Cocinera Cubana saidโฆ.
Hola, Yarmi! One way of avoiding the water bath hassle is
using a pressure cooker. Place the tocinillo mold inside
and boil for around fifteen minutes.
Maritza saidโฆ
Yes, this is complicated! Not just the water bath, but
everything else. It will take me a whole day, I am afraid.
Better to buy it at Versailles, hehe.
Anita saidโฆ
Iโd rather wait until I go to Havana and try your
tocinillo, dear.
Yarmi saidโฆ
Cocinera, you are right, the pressure cooker is a
possibility, but I am ashamed to say that it scares me to
death. A childhood trauma! So here is the story: when I was
five years old, a neighborโs pressure cooker exploded and
she was left badly disfigured. I do own one, but only use
it in emergencies.
Maritza, I bet that if you make your own tocinillo, you
wonโt need Versailles at all.
Anita, I will make one just for you when you come.
Besitos, Yarmi
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