Yikes! Ham from algae??

Many Cubans complain that they earn most or all of their wages in Cuban pesos, but many of the things they want to buy can only be bought using a dollar-based currency known as the "cuc." The Miami Herald's Cuban Colada is reporting that four people were arrested Tuesday after refusing to pay their restaurant tab in "cucs," also known as convertible pesos. It's part of a civil disobedience campaign called, "With the Same Coin." Such protests are rare. Most Cubans find other ways to cope with the dual-monetary system. Many buy fruit, vegetables and pork in markets that accept Cuban pesos. One such market is pictured below. 

Some Cubans find ways to make their traditional favorites, such as ham, using cheaper ingredients. I tasted ham made from algae a few years ago. It contained almost no ham, but it was surprisingly good. It even looked like ham, see below.