“Liberation is at the heart of” Olga Dies Dreaming
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK - WINNER OF THE BROOKLYN PUBLIC LIBRARY PRIZE - INTERNATIONAL LATINO BOOK AWARD FINALIST
Olga Dies Dreaming, by debut novelist Xochitl Gonzalez, has been calling to us from our TBR for months. The wait was totally worth it!
Olga Dies Dreaming
by Xochitl Gonzalez
Get ready to welcome Brooklyn-bred Olga into your world: successful, savvy, sharp. Her upbringing was shaped by a mother who fought for Puerto Rican independence and a father who experienced tragedy. She witnesses it all with her brother, whom she has a strong love-hate bond with.
Olga has a thriving wedding planning business — one whose revenue streams are more complex than meets the eye. She’s a bit of a man-eater, until a man named Matteo sweeps her off her firmly planted feet. Her life takes a turn when Hurricane Maria pummels her family's homeland, further setting her world afire. This novel is amazing with its touch of history, deep storyline, and captivating characters that will stay in your mind.
There wasn’t a single page we didn’t enjoy in Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez. We came in with high expectations for this one — and it surpassed those expectations at every turn. Filled with historical references, plenty of humor, a little heartstring-tugging, and scandal galore, we found ourselves supporting Olga throughout her journey, fully aware that she would probably reject our encouragement if given the opportunity.
Feel free to read on for a few questions to get your Olga-themed conversation going, as well as a cocktail that we imagine you might find being mixed at Sylvia’s Social Club, and a closer look at contemporary Puerto Rican history.
Wine Pairings:
Pinot Noir
The Hacienda San Juan Pinot Noir is from Chile, not the capital of Puerto Rico, but the name caught the editor's eye. Always pulled toward Pinot Noir, this bottle turned out to be so satisfying. This wine is a bit of the opposite of Olga, as the sweetness lands first, followed by something earthy and grounded.
Sauvignon Blanc
For our white this week, we’re staying in Chile and selecting a Sauvignon Blanc, because it will pair perfectly with our recipe. The fresh and dry taste of this grape will pair perfectly with the sofrito on your palate.
Cocktail Pairing:
Daiquiri
You can get pretty wild with a rum recipe — and trust us, we have! But this week, we’re celebrating an unsung classic with the daiquiri. This isn’t your Caribbean-arrival pineapple-adorned blender-bred smoothie-style daiquiri. Nope, this one is much more sophisticated, and simpler with only three ingredients.
Food Pairing:
Carne Guisada
From Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook by Illyanna Maisonet
The novel Olga Dies Dreaming celebrates Puerto Rican pride and explores the island's politics and recent history. We didn’t want to go far when looking for the perfect recipe, and also wanted something we could picture Olga and any of her family members turning to for a little heritage-reflective nourishment.
Ingredients -
2 tbsp canola oil or vegetable oil
1-1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, cut into 1- inch chunks
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cups water, or as needed
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup unpitted Manzanilla green olives (optional)
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1/4 cup sofrito
1 tbsp sazón
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Basic White Rice for serving
Steps -
1. Add the canola oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot and place over medium-high heat. Add the chuck roast and sear for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until translucent. Stir in the water, tomato sauce, half of the olives and potato pieces, 2 tbsp of the sofrito, and the sazón, then scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen all the brown bits. Turn the heat to low and let simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, keeping an eye on it because the potato will thicken the broth and you might need to add more water.
2. Add the remaining half of the potato to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potato pieces are fork-tender. Add the remaining 2 tbsp sofrito and remaining olives and stir to distribute well.
3. Serve the guisada over rice.
Reprinted with permission from Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook by Illyanna Maisonet copyright © 2022. Puerto Rico location photographs by Erika P. Rodriguez. California location and food photographs copyright © 2022 by Dan Liberti. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Discussion Questions
Book Pairings:
In Olga Dies Dreaming, one of the characters is gifted three books that serve as an intro and insight into contemporary Puerto Rico: A collection of essays by Hostos, a biography of Che Guevara, and a book of poems with Julia de Burgos and Pedro Pietri.
Ensayos. Antología
by Eugenio María de Hostos Y Bonilla
Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life (Revised Edition) (Revised)
by Jon Lee Anderson
Inventing a Word: An Anthology of Twentieth-Century Puerto Rican Poetry
by Julio Marzán
All three are worthwhile reading. We’ll also add the following books; The Battle for Paradise by Naomi Klein, Puerto Rico in the American Century by Cesar J. Ayala and Rafael Bernabe, and We Fed an Island by José Andrés. Pick up any of these for a deeper summary into the island’s complicated history.
The Battle for Paradise: Puerto Rico Takes on the Disaster Capitalists
by Naomi Klein
Puerto Rico in the American Century: A History Since 1898
by César J Ayala - Rafael Bernabe
We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time
by José Andrés