Book excerpt: Discover the fresh flavors of contemporary Cuba in this gorgeously photographed volume of stories and recipes from the country’s enterprising restaurants. Over the past decades, paladares—or private restaurants—have led a cultural and culinary renaissance in Cuba. In Paladares, James Beard Award-winning food writer Anya von Bremzen shares a fascinating journey through the country’s new food scene. Born in Soviet Russia, Bremzen brings a unique perspective to the stories she hears from Cuba’s chefs, restaurateurs, farmers, and food historians. She eavesdrops on passionate arguments about black beans and tamales; pries Daiquirí secrets from the legendary El Floridita (Hemingway’s watering hole); and guides us to vibrant markets and visionary organic farms. Through Bremzen’s travels, we learn of Fidel’s obsession with dairy cows and hear wrenching memories of privation from the time after Soviet aid vanished. We meet colorful expats-turned-restaurateurs and local hipsters who obsess over global culture glimpsed in foreign movies and magazines. The more than 100 recipes in Paladares are as intriguing as the characters behind them. And Fawn Schlow’s evocative photographs frame it all with the ramshackle glamour of old Havana, Cuba’s stunning countryside, dishes that are earthy and innovative, and Cuba’s incredible people.