As we enjoy the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, we'd like to pay homage to all the wonderful dishes that hail from the Sunshine State. If you haven't had a chance to visit and taste them firsthand, then we've got good news for you: you can make them in your own kitchen with these famous Florida recipes. Think seafood and Cuban dishes, and ready your taste buds for a whole lot of Southern savor.
Hot off the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, I scoured the Miami International Airport terminal for some viable food options, as I was still — believe it or not — hungry. But my choices were extraordinarily slim, unless I wanted to grab a three-inch-thick slice of pizza sitting under a heat lamp or a pile of greasy lo mein from Manchu Wok.
I continued walking until I came upon an eatery with the Spanish name La Carreta, which translates as "The Cart." I was getting down to the wire on time, so I hastily ordered a salad. That's when I spotted a machine full of empanadas. "What's that?" I asked the guy behind the counter, pointing to a round, puffy fritter. "Oh, it's a Papa Rellena — I like them very much and think you will, too," he told me.
He couldn't have been more spot-on — "loved" would've been a better word. It was shepherd's pie meets hush puppy, a battered exterior followed by a layer of impossibly creamy potato and a center of cumin-scented ground beef. I instantly regretted not having bought another. And as I settled into my plane seat with the latest edition of Saveur, I instantly regretted not adding a Cuban sandwich on top of that. Sigh. Anyone down to go to Miami this weekend?
I've had plenty of Cuban sandwiches in my lifetime, made by everyone from local San Francisco cafés to national chains like Quiznos. But until I visited Miami, I'd never had an authentic Cubano sandwich as it's served at a typical lonchería in South Florida.
What makes a real Cuban sandwich? Why, it's not just the slow-cooked pork, but also the bread. An authentic version of a storied sandwich is made from heavily-buttered pan Cubano, an elusive long, rectangular bread that tends to be flaky and crisp on the outside and tender and moist on the inside. In between goes sliced ham, roast pork, swiss cheese, and dill pickles, and the whole thing is warmed on the press, or plancha, where it's heated until the exterior's toasty and the interior steamy.
The variation I tried was made to order at David's Café, and it was so many things all at once: crispy, juicy, creamy, soft. I'd never eaten anything quite like it and decided that my pairing of the meal with a Dominican Presidente beer couldn't have been more spot-on. Have you ever had a real Cuban sandwich?
When you taste Cuban food for the first time, you'd swear that Spanish and Caribbean cuisines had a little love child — which isn't too far from the truth. The diversity of Cuban culture is indicative in the rich and varied flavors of the country's cuisine. One of the most thriving Cuban communities in the US is located in Miami, FL (and let me tell you, they've got the food to prove it!). Lucky for the rest of us, there are great Cuban restaurants all over the country that tantalize our taste buds with recipes that pack a powerful punch of flavor. Are you a fan of Latin American foods, but not sure where to start when it comes to comida Cubana? Continue reading to get to know a few staples of Cuban cuisine.
When it comes to weeknight cooking, nothing beats pork tenderloin. The affordable cut usually comes two to a pack meaning it easily feeds a crowd. It also cooks incredibly quickly, faster than a whole chicken, in about 20 minutes. The best thing about pork tenderloin, however, is its versatile adaptability. It can be seasoned with everything from fresh herbs to spicy pastes. 
This recipe looks to Cuba for inspiration and marinates the pork in a generous mixture of fresh citrus, fragrant cumin and oregano, and lots of minced garlic. Thick slashes are made on the meat before it's dunked in the marinade; the result is juicy, tender pork packed with flavor. If you've got time, marinate overnight, but otherwise, give it a flash marinade for at least 30 minutes. For the uncomplicated recipe, read on.
After falling in love with a Cuban-inspired crockpot chicken, tonight I'm cooking along the same vein with a beef and pepper braise that conjures up images of dinner in Havana.
I'll serve the fork-tender flank steak and bell pepper medley over steamed white rice, avocado, and my favorite herb, cilantro. Ready to make your own one-pot Latin meal? Then keep reading.
A little Cuban sandwich is called a "medianoche," meaning midnight, because it's often scarfed down after a night out. I made the mistake of consuming a much larger version of the sandwich smack in the middle of the day and, as a result, used up most of my energy until dinner digesting it.
Invented either in Cuba or by Cuban laborers in Florida (no one can quite decide which), a classic Cuban sandwich contains roasted pork, ham, pickles, swiss or provolone cheese, and mustard, all served on a roll that's flattened and grilled on a sandwich press or "plancha." Since Cuban bread isn't often found outside Florida, cooks elsewhere make them on hoagie rolls or regular sliced bread. For more details on my Cubano panini, read more
During the hot Summer, I hate to be indoors. Browsing through Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, I found the perfect recipe to escape my toasty kitchen, Cubano Quesadillas. The recipe requires a minimum amount of preparation and everything is cooked on the grill! 
Traditionally, Cubano sandwiches consist of glazed ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, spicy mustard, and dill pickles served on Cuban bread. This recipe combines these delicious ingredients and contrasting flavors. They're topped with sweet, grilled red onions and sandwiched between two crisp tortillas. To learn how to make these fast and easy quesadillas, read more
In my opinion, the best part of a travel party is transforming each room to resemble a different country. With a little imagination, it's easy to come up with festive and fun decor.
Do you have a great decorating or music idea for my travel-themed party? Tell us in the comments below!
I've already got a portion of the menu planned for this week's travel party - where the theme takes itself from five countries. The Mexican, Japanese, and Russian rooms will have delicious savory nibbles, dips, and tasty appetizers for guest to enjoy while they mingle. For an element of surprise, create an English cheese tasting platter for the British room. Generally cheese platters consist of Italian, French, or Swiss cheeses, so a platter with nuts, jams, honey, fig crackers, English cheddar, and Stilton will wow guests with your originality. Meaty Cuban sandwiches with pickles and mustard finish up the menu. Head over to Cost Plus World Market to supplement the rooms with sweet treats and exotic bites from the respective countries. For the recipes that will take you around the globe, read more
