My Problem With The Cuban Sugar Thing

The production of sugar in Cuba started at a rather slow pace at the end of the 16th. century.  Sugar cane cuttings were first brought to the island by Columbus where the rich soil and tropical climate made for an abundant crop.  The Spaniards  first used the original inhabitants of Cuba, the Tainos indians,  to harvest the sugar cane.  After wiping out the indian population the Spanish turned to Cuba’s first thriving industry the African slave trade.  The large scale production of sugar did not actually start till the late 19th. century.  What at first seemed like a blessing, sugar in actuality became a curse.  But this post is not about that.

You see I went to the doctor the other day for my six month physical.  I don’t like going to the doctor especially when there is nothing wrong with me.  Because I have high blood pressure I have to be on medication.  So every time my prescriptions run out I have to go back and visit the doctor.

Anyway at this visit my doctor tells me that everything is fine but he is concerned about my blood’s sugar level.  According to the lab report it was at .6  four points below the danger mark.  Since my mother died from complications from diabetes, my doctor was concerned.

After reading me the riot act.  I went home rather upset because I try to be very careful about what I eat.  Unfortunately like most latins I eat my share of starches which unfortunately break down into sugar.  And I have to admit that I have somewhat of a sweet tooth.   Now don’t get me wrong I’m not a candy freak and I don’t take five spoonfuls of sugar with my coffee either, but I love my cookies, cakes and ice cream.  Which started me thinking.  How and where did I acquire this desire for sugar?

The first memories that I have  for quenching my sweet tooth was when I raided my grandmothers cub board.  As I have mentioned previously somewhere in another post, both my parents came from small towns known as “centrales” where refineries processed the sugar cane to produce sugar.  Well my grandmother kept a can of sugar up on the top self of a cabinet.  Now this wasn’t the white granulated sugar one buys in the store today.  This was unrefined rock hard brown sugar.   I would climb up on the counter to grab a handful of that delicious sweet concoction that would melt in your mouth.

I also remember exploring the railroad yards  by the “ingenio,” or refinery, and watch box car after box car get filled with the processed brown sugar.  You could smell the sweetness.  As a matter of fact the whole “central” would always have a sweet smell to it.

Besides the sugar refineries there was the  candy companies to deal with.  I had an uncle who worked in a Nestles plant near the  town of Banes.  Every time he would come to visit he would bring one of my favorite sugar concoctions – “leche condensada” – condensed milk.  Cubans use condensed milk to make such things as flan and crema de vie.  But me being a sugar conousieur,  I would pour it on almost anything.  I would even eat it straight out of the can.  I didn’t realize it then, but I had a problem.  The situation got worse when I came to the US.  My best friend’s family owned a Cuban bakery.  I would hang out there after school and on weekends having my fill of pasteles de guayaba and other pastries.

It seems however that most Cubans have this fascination with sugar.  Its more than a fascination.  Its an addiction that has been nurtured since childhood.  Just how many teaspoons of sugar does a Cuban put in his coffee is a perfect example of my dilemma.

So as I sit here sipping my coffee with one sugar, I’ve come to realize that there is no easy solution to my problem.  This Cuban thing I have with sugar is going to require some kind of intervention or support.  I wonder if there are Cuban sugar support groups?

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