Cuban American Experience: Pastelitos de Guayaba

This was originally published in 2012:
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Back in the 1980s, pastelitos de guayaba (guava pastries) were a treat enjoyed on the weekends. Mama, Papa, and I would go to Abuela's (Grandmother's) house on a Saturday or Sunday morning after picking up some staples at the Cuban bakery that time has erased. Staples were a roast chicken, pastelitos de guayaba, pan cuban (Cuban bread), and a couple of bottles of Coca Cola. Each of us would also get a sweet treat, enjoyed while shopping. My favorite was this layered sweet white cake with some kind of thick, crispy, sugary frosting much like the Krispy Kreme donut glaze. Mama's favorite was "un enborrachito," and Papa's was a cafe cubano.

You might be wondering, "Why on weekends? You lived in Miami!" In those days, North Miami Beach had no Cuban bakeries. We visited Little Havana for my Abuela's company. Kosher, Italian, Winn Dixie and Publix were the markets and bakeries available in our home neighborhood in that era!

That Cuban market and bakery are regrettably long gone, but pastelitos de guayaba are still found in Miami! Every time I enjoy one, it takes me back to driving to Abuela's to have lunch with her and my parents.

​I plan on having some fun blogging about my growing up as the "Gringa de la Familia." If you have suggestions or questions, feel free to ask! If you are from Miami, or have lived here a long time, please share some of your good experiences!

Pastelito de Guava, taken at home, bought from now a long forgotten bakery, by Angeline Marie Martinez

​2020 Update: 

Well. I picked this to repost because it was one of the most viewed posts of my old Blogger blog. All the good intentions I had of continuing the series went “poof!” like this pastelito in the photo, lol. So...I’ll do my best to share these little things in my life that are so “Cuban” in my life that makes me feel different, or just me, in the future. No pressure, lol!