Bags of coal, braziers, and homemade hornillas are returning en masse to Cuban kitchens due to the pressing energy crisis, fueled in recent months by the United States' oil blockade of the island. “Since the deficit with liquefied gas and the blackouts began, we have had to look for alternatives. When there is no electricity, to prepare food I light my coal – which takes a bit of work – but it works,” says Havana resident Miriela Durand to the EFE Agency, as she prepares to cook in her garage. Cubans have employed various strategies, such as storing coal for cooking in rustic hornillas and using others that are lit with diesel, kerosene, or even alcohol to prepare food when blackouts extend for hours and without any schedule. Miriela has both options and considers the diesel option as “emergency,” a fuel that also presents difficulties to find, but allows her to prioritize the preparation of food more quickly in “cases of urgency.” The marks of coal use are visible. Hands and ...