Arroz Imperial and the Taste Of Regret
October 20, 2025 at 11:56PMCaroline Hatchett recalls the early days of her marriage in Miami, Florida, cooking on a budget to help feed her and her law student husband. Hatchett takes pride in cooking delicious yet frugal meals, comfort she could not find with a husband deeply devoted to his studies. For The Bitter Southener, Hatchett wonders how she missed out on discovering arroz imperial, a dish created by the Cuban diaspora in Florida, a beloved rice casserole that’s a staple at special occasions and considered the ultimate “carby joy.”
I also wish I had appreciated lunch, a luxurious hour each workday in a little office kitchenette. Meg and I brought back steam-table Indian — eight bucks for a pound of stewed okra, saag paneer, chana masala, and rice, plus a samosa. We ate nasi lemak from a tiny Indonesian restaurant, run by former cruise ship workers. We microwaved leftovers (so many leftovers), gossiped about our bosses, and teased each other gently. I thought that dinner with William had been most sacred, the brightest part of my day. That lie might have saved my marriage, but now I know that I was best loved at lunch.
from Longreads https://longreads.com/2025/10/20/arroz-imperial-comfort-food/
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