Growing up Cuban in Miami, croquettes or “croquettas,” were pretty much a daily thing. Almost always cylindrical and made of ham with a crispy crust and creamy center, they are available everywhere and everybody loves them! My Abuela used to make some out of mashed potatoes, peas and carrots. When I was an impetuous youth I always thought that croquettes were strictly a Hispanic Miami thing. Then in my late teens I went to my first French restaurant and was surprised to see a variety of different croquettes on the menu. There were disk-shaped cheese croquettes, spherical salmon croquettes, and conical ones made of beef and game. Imagine my embarrassment when I found out that they were actually Dutch in origin. I learned two extremely valuable lessons here–that what I believe to be the truth may actually not be, and to always keep an open mind.
