Casabe, Cuba’s little-known traditional bread, seeks world recognition

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ
Associated Press

QUIVICÁN, Cuba (AP) — Cuba is leading a delegation of Caribbean nations, including Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Honduras and Haiti, to formally request UNESCO to add casabe, a little-known ancestral flatbread made of yuca, cassava, to the organization’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The goal is to get casabe the recognition it deserves as one of Cuba’s oldest dishes and to protect the millenary tradition associated with its harvesting, production and consumption. The multi-country request comes as the gluten-free, thin, crispy type of tortilla makes a comeback in the island, with entrepreneurs promoting its benefits and restaurants increasingly adding it to their menus.