Miami, is a coastal city in the southern part of the state of Florida. The city is known for its gorgeous beaches, art scene, and nightlife. Some additional facts that I learned about Miami while visiting, are that:
1) It is the only major, American city founded by a woman.
2) It is home to the largest collection of art deco architecture in the United States.
3) Sun tan lotion was invented here.
4) Surrounding the city are over 40 underwater wreck sites.
5) Most of Miami's beaches are man made.
Little Havana Food Tour
"Musica"
I started off my trip to Miami with a food tour in Little Havana. Our group met on Calle Ocho in front of this colorful, hand-painted, ceramic sign. (Don't fret, McDonalds was not a stop on the tour circuit, but it is where our group met to start our food marathon.)
Little Havana offers a slice of Cuba in Miami. Once a predominately Jewish neighborhood, the landscape changed as a large number of Cuban dissidents fled Castro's regime to settle here. Their presence influenced the language, culture, art and, as you will see, the food in this neighborhood and beyond.
Mojito
We launched the food tour with a nod to both Cuba and Hemingway, one of my favorite authors. While Hemingway lived in Cuba, he was known for adding angostra bitters to a traditional mojito. The recipe left its mark, as this style of mojito spread beyond Cuban borders, into the U.S., and into my glass. I'm not sure if it's true, but it is said that Hemingway consumed 12 of these cocktails per day.
Cuban Sandwich and Plantain Chips
To accompany our mojito, we enjoyed a Cuban sandwich, or Cubano. Despite the name, the Cubano was actually birthed in Florida. The sandwich, made of ham, roasted pork, swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles, was created to cater to Cuban workers in the region. The sandwich gained tremendous popularity and can now be found far beyond Florida's borders.
Empanada
Our next stop was for Cuban empanadas. Empanadas can be found in the cuisine of many countries including Spain, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Chile. That said, in Miami, Cuban empanadas are king, and can be found almost everywhere. This hand-held, deep-fried pocket is the perfect snack food.
Inside a Cuban empanada, you will find seasoned ground beef, onions and chunks of green olives.
Café Cubano
Café Cubano is an espresso that originated in Cuba. The coffee is sweetened with sugar during the brewing. The foam that you see floating on top, is a byproduct of the sugar that was added. It lends to the richness and creaminess of the coffee, though no actual cream has been added.
Fresh Mango Juice
Mangos, which grow plentifully in Cuba, are cherished in their solid form and are also enjoyed as a beverage. In Little Havana, you can find fresh, mango juice at Los Pinareños Fruteria, a classic, open-air fruit market. The market has been family-run since it opened in 1963.
Churros
Cuban churros are a special treat. They are thinner, crispier and more airy than their Mexican cousins. I found them similar in style to the traditional, Spanish churros I ate at Chocolatería San Ginés in Madrid, minus the chocolate sauce.
Guava and Cheese Pastelito
Next, we sampled another sweet treat called a pastelito. Pastelitos are made of baked, puff pastry filled with an assortment of fillings, and are to Miami, what bagels are to New York. We sampled the traditional guava and cheese pastelito and it was simply delicious. The crust was flakey and the filling was both sweet and tangy.
We ended the tour the way we started it - with a mojito. This time around however, we enjoyed live music as well, on very full bellies.
After the food tour, I continued to wander around Calle Ocho, the street at the heart of the Little Havana neighborhood.
Throughout the neighborhood, you can find large, fiberglass roosters like this one. Each one has a unique, hand-painted motif. To explain their significance, Pedro Damián, the artist who started the project said, “The rooster is a multi-ethnic symbol. Many countries claim it as a national emblem, and it’s one of the most beloved animals in the Caribbean, Latin America and Europe.” In Cuban culture, the rooster represents strength and power.
Máximo Gómez Park / Domino Park
I continued to walk and found this park, affectionately known as Domino Park, due to the crowds of retirees who gather daily to play dominoes. They were welcoming, yet simultaneously undistracted by my presence due to their intense focus on their respective games of dominoes.
The official name of Domino Park is Máximo Gómez Park, named after Dominican-born General Máximo Gómez, who was a Generalissimo in Cuba's war for independence from Spain.
Eternal Torch of Brigade 2506
Little Havana is also home to the Eternal Torch of Brigade 2506, a memorial for the soldiers who perished in the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba.
Celia Cruz Star
Not to be outshined by Hollywood, this neighborhood even has its own Walk of Fame, honoring Hispanic artists and celebrities such as Gloria Estefan, Sammy Sosa and the late Celia Cruz.
Like Cuba, Miami's Little Havana is known for its cigars. Cigar shops abound on Calle Ocho and welcome visitors with sweet smelling cigars and displays such as this one, that caught my eye.
Inside, there was no dearth of Miami-rolled, Cuban cigars.
While in the shop, I also met a skilled torcedor who allowed me to watch as he executed his craft. Torcedor literally translates to "twister" in Spanish, referring to the act of folding tobacco leaves in order to roll them by hand. This is the cornerstone of every Cuban cigar; it is made "completamente a mano" or completely by hand. In the video, you will see the torcedor cutting and rolling the tobacco leaf to create a cigar.
That concludes the first installment of my trip to Miami. Next, I visit the famous, South Beach with its gorgeous beaches, art deco buildings and celebrity homes.
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