132 THE PLANT WORLD 



When used as a beverage chocolate is made very thick, and is eaten 

 in connection with small sugar cakes. 



3. Tamarind {Tamarindus indica). 



The tamarind is a number of the Pulse Family or Leguminosae, 

 bearing large, thick pods with two or three seeds, the interstices being 

 filled with a thick glutinous mass, of a pleasant acid flavor. These pods, 

 stewed with sugar, form a thick, very rich preserve of delicious quality, 

 but decidedly cloying to the palate. 



4. Orange, bitter and sweet {Citrus species). 



The bitter orange is cooked in light brown sugar and made into a 

 soft paste, which is cut in squares and neatly wrapped in a banana leaf, 

 tied with vegetable fiber. The sweet orange is cooked with sugar until 

 it crystallizes, and sold in hard cakes, like cocoanut candy. Of these 

 two confections the paste is superior, as the sweet orange is scarcely suf- 

 ficiently pronounced in flavor to impart a taste to the confection. 



5. Guava (Psidium guayaba.). 



This is one of the staple fruits of Cuba, frequently eaten uncooked, 

 but more often made into a jelly {^jalea de guayaba) or a paste {pasta de 

 guayaha). These two " dulces," as they are called, or " sweets," may be 

 found at all stores and markets, and on the bills of fare of nearly all 

 restaurants. The jelly is made like other fruit jellies, but is of a very firm 

 consistency ; when fresh and properly prepared it is unsurpassed. The 

 paste is prepared by cooking and mashing the whole fruit, and is more 

 crystalline in texture ; it is preferred by some to the other. Both pro- 

 ducts are put up in long rectangular wooden boxes. 



6. Sesame {Sesamum indicum). 



The seeds of this plant have a distinctive flavor not easily described. 

 One pound of the raw seeds are cooked with twice their weight of sugar 

 and the resulting mixture cut into small squares ; or they may be parched 

 and ground before cooking ; but to American tastes the latter product 

 is scarcely a success. 



In addition to the above list there is a plain candy made of goats' 

 milk and brown sugar which is fairly good when perfectly fresh. 



There are no true confectionary stores in Cuba. The home-made 

 candies are sold in the markets or on the street corners by picturesque 

 old negresses, who frequently astonish you with their knowledge of 

 English, and who prove, when questioned, to be natives of Jamaica. 

 There are, however, numerous booths where endless varieties of little 

 cakes and other sweetmeats are sold. In general it must be admitted 

 that the native candies are not the equal of some of those made in our 

 own countrv. 



