Arroz con Habichuelas

By Efrain Nieves

Nuestro sabor Latino, the food and taste that drives us crazy come dinner time. I remember my mother calling out my name “Junito, ven a comer.” I ran to those words with thoughts of arroz con habichuelas, pollo frito or chuletas. The side dish often included either maduros or tostones that watered my mouth every time mom squeezed down on the tostonera. If there was ever anything I loved to do, it was eat the food that marked our caribbean customs and seperated us from everyone else.

As with everything else we are victim to time, age grows us wiser and less reckless. Life becomes complicated and the foods we had eaten as kids can no longer be a staple of  our everyday home menus. Why is that? Suddenly, fruit, vegetables, as well as any reduced calorie and carb intake charts are planted in our schedules like the 9 to 5 “same routine” scene in the matrix. However, I don’t think even Neo can unplug me from this dream of rice and beans.

I just can’t get enough.

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