Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died at the age of 90 recently and while some celebrated his death, there were others who are truly shocked and saddened. His personal chef Erasmo Hernandez Leon, 72, is one such person.
Hernandez told The Telegraph UK that he didn't feel so bereft even when his own father passed away. He said, "I respected him because he worked so hard. I'd cook him dinner at 2am, and he'd be back at work at 6am. And he respected me because I was loyal."
The El Comandante, however, had specific likes and dislikes when it came to food. Castro, who enjoyed cooking, mostly followed a vegetarian diet and his favourite food was Fernandez's vegetable soup. He also loved good wine. But there were other specific items too, ironically from the United States, that were regular in his diet. The olives, meats and cheeses, which were imported from the United States, were some things that Castro loved to feast on.
Interestingly, Castro also loved one vegetable from India very much. The drumstick was actually cultivated by him at his moringa farm. He reportedly got the seeds from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as he stated it had medicinal properties.
The Cubadebate website quotes him as saying, "Moringa, originally from India, is the only plant that has every kind of amino acid. With proper planting and management, its green-leaf production can exceed 300 tons per hectare in a year. It has dozens of medicinal properties. Its effects on the digestive system are very good as with all plants, apart from its high protein qualities, but people should not eat more than 30 grams per day, depending on intestinal motility. Some people can handle more. I know some who consume more in the form of tea, or powder, with excellent results due to its sedative qualities which are helpful for rest."
