Anyone who knows Flor Santiesteban knows she wouldn't stand without doing anything in front of COVID-19. She has never done so. Not in the hardest years of the Special Period, nor in the terrible days of Hurricane Ike, when she found herself, with a few locals, near the sea; nor now, when this health dilemma challenges her to do more for the nutrition of the people of La Herradura.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- She has traveled a lot of kilometers between that fishing village and El Canal neighborhood, in the municipality of Jesús Menéndez. She is capable of walking in the dark through those twists and turns, because behind every door, in the face of any scare, someone would recognize her. Flor has dedicated her life to the work of gastronomy in these places and now, it cannot be different.
We talked on the phone and it was always clear to me that my questions should, by necessity, be direct, precise. She doesn't have much free time to chat.
“There are five of us who work at El Ranchón on La Herradura beach. I can assure you that right now no one has a definite job position. You have to do everything and be working as long as necessary every day.
“We began to offer a module that includes croquette, hamburger and candy for the population of Laguna Blanca and La Herradura every month. For that, we have the car of the area and the support of the leaders and neighbors of the people's council for the transfer of products, which is among the priorities. The intention is that it does not take more than four hours for the assorted products to be distributed.
I hear her strong voice giving me details of many things. She repeats from memory the number of families and consumers of the regular stores of basic supplies in Laguna Blanca, Guayacán, La Herradura and other nearby areas. She also tells me about the 14 grandparents in the community market on that beach, who are guaranteed lunch and food.
She is grateful that she is not lacking in resources. And one day it's egg, another sausage, mince mix or chicken; but there's always something to cook and take to their table. She also tells me about the contribution of the candy store they have there, the same one that many didn't bet on before. Now the module can include Creole sweets and, although they make them in small quantities, they look for ways to keep them going.
They already substitute one raw material for another and bet on sweetening with honey, which is easier to get, by making an effort and knocking on the right door.
It does not matter what it takes to bring the smell of saltpeter and the lullaby of the sea in this fishing village north of Las Tunas, so the COVID-19 continues to be the subject of news reports and family anecdotes.
