The Jesús Argüelles Hidalgo Semi-boarding School exhibits a very different panorama these days.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- Since the interruption of the school year, as a preventive measure against the threat of the COVID-19, the hustle and bustle of several people, with bags and pots, warns that the school kitchen has not stopped. A glance is enough to discover that a processing center is operating there. The benefits are oriented to the most vulnerable families in the area.
Luis Mayedo Labrada tells me that the initiative was materialized from one day to the next one. The Municipal Company of Gastronomy gave them the challenge of moving from the cafeteria of the University of Las Tunas to that school, and the group of nine workers assumed the task with the commitment imposed by the current circumstances.
“We took the step forward because we knew that we would produce food for the part of the population that has fewer resources in popular councils 4 and 5 - the economist points out. It was not easy. Our unit is a cafeteria of light groceries and cooking for 100 people is quite another matter”.
We offer a menu based on rice, broth, salad and main course, whether it be croquette, egg, fish mash, or hot dog. The costs generally range around 2.00 pesos (National Currency), but in order to vary, we offer other dishes that may have a slightly higher price."
We have a list of the beneficiaries by constituency, so we would like to achieve more. Needless to say, we take great care in sanitary measures for food safety and we strive to make a quality culinary proposal."
WITH THE CHEF'S HAT
The idea of the elaboration center was given to Alfredo Pupo Machado with the peculiar mission of becoming from a producer to a cook. And although he had an endorsement from La Escuela de Gastronomía (School of Gastronomy), he assures that the first few days he felt a little afraid when faced with the century-old menu, with the peculiarities of the dubious quality of the rice and the exact point of the salt. But then he turned around.
“Ask out there for the taste of my food and you will see that I do not lie to you”, suggests Alfredo, who with his 65 years goes daily on foot from Buena Vista to "Argüelles".
We start cooking at about 7:00 in the morning and before 11:00 everything is ready," he says. The truth is that it has not been easy because we have to do it with coal, they have not been able to supply us with liquid gas and that makes the work more complex and punishes the smoke a lot.
HANDLING PANS
I meet Sulay Estrada in the middle of the day, standing outside the kitchen. I recognize her right away, she's a volleyball teacher. With bags and bowls in her hands, she confesses to me that for more than 15 days she has been taking lunch home to seven elderly people with health problems.
People have welcomed this help with great joy," Sulay emphasizes, "although the elderly are sometimes capricious. Admittedly, not everyone has the chance to have a meal like this on their table, and so they are grateful.
PRAISE AND RECOMMENDATIONS A LA CARTE
Among consumers waiting to take their lunch home, I heard very timely praise and recommendations. “One man said that we should start selling earlier, because 12:00 noon is very late, and old people are used to eating food much earlier.
There are those who demanded that the lists are rectified and that vulnerable cases be included that have been forgotten. The most grateful ones recognized the good elaboration, the variety and the courteous treatment of the gastronomes in charge.
Two weeks ago, the staff of the University cafeteria invaded the kitchen of "Jesús Argüelles". They make 100 lunches each day and ensure their availability to stay there, dealing with the coal smoke until it is necessary. In this way, they also fight against the COVID-19.
