TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Loaf We Love Traced To Conflict

ADVERTISEMENT

By JEFF HOUCK

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 6, 2008

Updated: 05/06/2008 04:22 pm

As I've written here before, the term "culinary pack rat" is such a negative phrase for the talents of Recipes Lost & Found readers. I prefer the term "recipe cherishers." Their love of recipes is what keeps the column chugging along.

Early last month, L.K. of Lutz asked for a Cuban bread recipe. Tom Bailey of New Port Richey came through a few weeks later, but so did several other readers.

Orthea W. Van Voorst of Brandon mailed three-quarters of a yellowed, original clipping she kept of Anthony More Jr.'s Cuban bread recipe, which ran with a story about that topic and about More's La Segunda Central Bakery in October 1980.

"I was cleaning out an old recipe box and found this," she wrote. "Sorry some of it is missing."

No worries, Orthea. A few days later, Barbara Hedgepeth of San Antonio mailed a photocopy of that recipe from that same publishing date, along with the story it ran with. The recipe also appears here.

A side note: Cuban bread as Tampa residents know it can be traced to Anthony More's grandfather, Juan More, according to the 1983 book "Tampa: The Treasure City," by Ybor City historian Anthony Pizzo and University of South Florida history professor Gary R. Mormino.

Born in Catalonia, Spain, Juan More moved to Cuba in his youth to fight with the Spanish army, the books says.

Military conflict between Spain and its colony during the late 1870s forced Cuban bread to change its shape. A shortage of flour prompted resourceful Cubans to convert the conventional round loaf into a long, thin shape. This made it practical to cut into pieces for rationing.

"Thus, Tampa's Latin loaf was a child of the revolution of Cuban freedom," the books reads.

When the war ended, More moved to Tampa instead of returning to Spain, carrying the recipe for Pan-Cubano scribbled on a piece of paper.

Recipe Requests

Peggy Kasper of Lutz would like the recipe for Outback Steakhouse's creamy onion Walkabout Soup.

Still Searching

Terry (Hunter) Blackwell of Atlanta still wants the recipe for the Chicken Valenciana she ate at the former Spanish Park restaurant when she lived in Tampa.

Recipes For Mom

If you're looking for easy recipes a kid can make for Mom on Mother's Day, try the Little Helpers Menu inside "EveryDay Feasts," published in 2005 by the Junior League of Tampa. The menu features Hot Chocolate With Whipped Cream, Morning Granola With Fresh Berries, Tuscan Fritata, Carrot Bread and Double Apple Muffins.

The book costs $17.95 and is available from major book retailers or at www.jltampa.org.

Looking for a recipe? Write to Jeff Houck, The Tampa Tribune, P.O. Box 191, Tampa FL 33601; or e-mail jhouck@tampa

ANTHONY MORE JR.'S CUBAN BREAD
2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

6 packages yeast dissolved in 1 cup lukewarm water

11 to 13 cups bread flour

1 cup solid shortening

1 quart water

Combine salt, sugar, dissolved yeast, flour and shortening in a large mixer. Add cool (about 45 degrees) water, and mix at low speed for 4 minutes, then at high speed for 6 minutes (use a dough hook or knead by hand). Dough will be cool.

Place on greased cookie sheets, cover with a cloth and let ferment (rise) for 45 minutes in a warm place (about 80 degrees).

Weigh dough into 8-ounce rounds. Return to pans and let sit another 20 minutes. Roll into small loaves. Half 7-inch-long moist palm leaves and place each on top of loaves and press hard.

Place loaves, leaf-side down, on cloth-lined board or pan. Space well apart, cover and let rise 30 minutes. Carefully place bread palm side up on greased pan. Bake in preheated 450-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

Makes 10 small loaves.

trib.com. Recipes are not tested. Keyword: Recipes, for more recipes and to check out our online archive.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT