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What started as a special request from Gloria and Emilo Estefan has turned into one of Miami’s new taste sensations. The Estefan’s daughter was planning her Quince party and had requested a cake in her favorite flavors: guava and cream cheese. Iliana Lombardero, owner of Divine Delicacies Custom Cakes created a masterpiece that delighted the Estefans and has become a very popular selection at her bakery located near the FIU campus in Miami.

Divine Delicacies Custom Cakes has baked cakes for many national and local celebrities. In addition to the Estefans, the bakery has created custom cakes for singer Rihanna, director John Singleton, Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade, and Carmen Electra.

On any afternoon, the store may be busy with people stopping by to look through photos of the many available cakes. The store has a licensing agreement with Brazilian artist Romero Britto. The bakery’s current catalog includes more than a dozen colorful Britto-inspired creations. Even the lowly Bundt cake gets some new twists here, with flavors like dulce de leche, guava, pineapple, and mango.

Although many cakes sold here are made to order, the store also offers several “Cakes-to-Go” -- ready-made cakes in the signature vanilla rum flavor that can be personalized.

“The Three Guys From Miami get a lot of requests from people who are looking for a true Cuban cake for their wedding or special party,” Musibay says. “Divine Delicacies is a great choice -- a great cake -- I loved it!”

Lombardero and her husband Jorge Rodriguez started baking cakes in Havana in 1985 where they earned quite a following for their delicious and artistic creations. The bakery’s signature cake is a vanilla rum cake and it finds its way into many types of elaborately decorated cakes for everything from Father’s Day to birthdays, weddings, and celebrity events.

“My husband Jorge was the master of the fondant cake,” Lombardero said. “His cake designs have been used by several prominant Miami bakeries.”

Open: Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM | Monday & Sunday Closed

Divine Delicacies Custom Cakes

1659 SW 107 Avenue

Miami, Florida 33165

305-554-4446

Website: www.ddcakes.com

Recently, Lombardero invited the Three Guys From Miami to come over and try the guava cream cheese cake. On a recent sultry Saturday, Jorge Castillo and Raúl Musibay visited the shop. Both men were delighted to find a freshly baked cake that literally had their name on it.

“Sometimes the filling in guava pastries can be very thick and cloyingly sweet,” says Castillo. “In this cake the guava favor is very light -- almost subtle. And my wife tells me that this is the moistest cake she’s ever eaten.”

Sweet, moist, and dripping with sweet guava goodness...

Almost too pretty to slice!

(L-R) Jorge Castillo, Laura Rodriguez, Iliana Lombardero, and Raúl Musibay.

Sadly, Jorge Rodriguez passed away in 2004. However, his wife and two beautiful daughters are carrying on the family tradition. “My sister and I were blessed with my father’s passion,” says daughter Laura Rodriguez. “We will forever carry on his legacy at Divine Delicacies.”

When Cubans cook out, it's common to start the grilling with several Spanish-or Portuguese-style chorizos to be eaten as appetizers while the main dish cooks. Chorizos for the grill are not the typical dry cured Spanish chorizo, but a semi-cured cooking sausage.

These "Peregrino" Spanish-style chorizos are made in America using a traditional Spanish recipe that includes smoked sweet Spanish paprika, Cadiz sea salt, and fresh garlic. They are great on the grill and always tender and moist.

Find out more by clicking here.

Spanish Chorizo

Still the king in our book, the Palacios chorizo is our favorite for paella and rice dishes or just lightly fried and served as a snack with Manchego cheese and Cuban bread. This flavorful chorizo is made by a family-owned company in Spain.

The delicious pork sausage is seasoned with sweet smoked paprika This mild chorizo is made from a generations-old recipe by a family-owned company in La Rioja.

Seasoned with sweet smoked paprika , Palacios chorizo is all natural with no artificial preservatives.

Find out more by clicking here.

Chorizo for Use in Most Recipes

“Three Guys From Miami Celebrate Cuban” is our latest book. Here you’ll find many classic Miami Cuban recipes, this time with an emphasis on dishes that are great for parties.

“Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban” is our first book. It contains many classic Miami Cuban recipes and favorite dishes.

Two great Miami Cuban cookbooks!

Capture the Cuban Flavor of Miami.

Sure, it is a great place to party and for most tourists, Key West is all about Piña coladas and Jimmy Buffet. After a hot day in the sun in Key West, the cool evening brings the nightly sunset festival on Mallory pier and a mile-long block party along historic Duval Street. With sun, sand, and fishing in the daytime and a lively party scene at night, it is easy to forget the great Cuban heritage of Key West. Cubans have been living in Key West for more than 150 years.

Florida and the Keys have been forever connected to Spain. Even the name Key West is a transcription of the island’s original Spanish name, “Cayo Hueso” so named for the human bones found in local Indian burial mounds. Early Spanish explorers led by Ponce de Leon came to Florida in 1513 and claimed it for the Spanish crown. Although France and England laid claim to it at varying times, Spain held Florida and the Keys through much of its colonial history until 1815 when Spain ceded Florida to the United States.

In the early 19th century, the business of Key West was wrecking and marine salvage. Shallow waters and the nearby coral reefs led to scores of offshore shipwrecks. Salvaging ships that had run aground became a profitable venture that employed hundreds of sailors recently arrived from New England states.

The San Carlos Institute was the first desegregated school in Florida. Here Cuban children attended classes regardless of their race. As late as the 1950s, the land and building legally belonged to the Cuban Government. The developers brought in architect Francisco Centurion from Cuba to design this beautiful two-story building. The building is a Cuban baroque style, with typically Cuban elements including an arched arcade along the sidewalk and an overhanging balcony. Large French doors face the balcony and feature louvered shutters with stained glass fanlights on the top. Tall ceilings and marble checkerboard floors are all typical of late 19th and early 20th century Cuban architecture.

An interesting side note: After the school closed in the 1970's, vagrants set up camp in the deserted building and dozens of valuable artworks, books, and documents were lost. It looked as if the building had finally reached its end in 1981 when a large chunk of the building’s exterior fell on a passing tourist. However, Florida's Hispanic Affairs Commission stepped in and led a six-year effort to restore the building to its former glory.

In April of 1980, during the Mariel Boatlift, Key West became the focal point of what became a massive rescue effort. Florida Cubans, who had relatives back on the island, soon overwhelmed the public boat launch. Others came to Key West in cars and hired local charter fishing boats, shrimpers, and other vessels. In days, more than 1,200 vessels left Key West bound for the Cuban port city of Mariel. Days later, the first wave of returning boats arrived in the port. A large sign written in Spanish greeted the arriving masses. It read, “Could the last person to leave Cuba please turn out the lights?” For thousands of Marielitos, their arrival in Key West was the first time they set foot on American soil.

Once a year the city celebrates its Cuban roots with the Cuban American Heritage Festival. Past events have included the “world’s largest conga line” and other, less esoteric pursuits such as a progressive dinner and a big Latin street dance.

The start of Cuba’s Ten-Year War for independence brought a large wave of Cuban immigrants to Key West. During this time, more than ten percent of the Cuban population fled the island for U. S. cities such as New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Key West. Vicente Martinez Ybor, a Spaniard who supported the Cuban rebels, arrived in Key West in 1869 and established the first cigar factory. Key West proved to be ideal for cigar making. Much like Cuba, Key West has a perfect temperature and humidity that allows tobacco to remain pliable throughout the manufacturing process.

Cigar making proved to be a very profitable venture for factory owners and workers alike. Using tobacco shipped daily from Cuba by ship, skilled cigar makers could make as much as $50 per week. Within a few years, cigar making became even bigger than marine salvage. At its peak, Key West’s cigar industry included more than 200 factories that produced over 100 million cigars per year.

Finding the Cuban side of Key West can be a challenge amid the carnival atmosphere of the more touristy spots. Perhaps the most visible reminder of Cuban influence is the hundreds of roosters that seemingly run wild on the narrow streets and lanes near the Naval Station. This wild flock descends from the many Cuban roosters brought to the island to compete in the sport of cock fighting.

The Key West Historic District or Old Town Key West includes more than 3,000 historic structures in a 200-block area that includes Key West’s business district and about 30 percent of its housing.

Admit it, when you think of Key West, you're probably thinking about something like this!

By 1890, Key West was the largest and most prosperous city in Florida with about 12,000 Cubans living in the bustling city. With so many Cuban exiles in the mix, Key West was truly the first Cuban-American city. There were no fewer than six Spanish-language newspapers and nearly 100 patriotic clubs that kept the émigrés connected to their homeland. Stores and restaurants sprung up to provide Cubans with the products and foods they preferred. Even the native conchs found it necessary to learn Spanish, which became the primary, if not the official language of Key West.

Walk along some of the byways to discover a side of Key West that has not changed much in 100 years. Along the 600 block of Elizabeth Street are shotgun-style houses that Cuban cigar workers once occupied. These simple, three-room Bahamas-style cottages are small and narrow, partially due to the lack of lumber, but mostly due to the slender lots made necessary by limited island space. The locals call these residences shotgun houses because one can reputably fire a shotgun in the front door and have the pellets exit the back door without hitting anything in between.

Many Key West houses have front porches and shuttered windows to control sunlight and protect against storms. Several homes still have cisterns to capture rainwater, as there is no natural source of fresh water anywhere in the Keys. Some of these cigar maker’s cottages have been converted into guesthouses and there is at least one example remaining on Duval Street. A one-story cottage is now the home of Cuba! Cuba!—a store that specializes in Cuban art and memorabilia.

One vibrant link to a Cuban past is Fausto's Food Palace, a Key West landmark that started life as a neighborhood grocery at Virginia and Packer Streets in 1926. Faustino Castillo arrived in Key West from Havana in 1910 to take a job at a local cigar factory. He and his wife turned a longing for Cuban food into a full-time business that catered to the tastes of Cuban immigrants. Fausto’s offered a large selection of island comfort food like guava paste, mango jelly, farmer’s cheese, and Spanish chorizo, plus all of the favorite tropical fruits shipped direct from Cuba and South America. Today, Fausto’s has gone upscale, catering to more gourmet tastes, but still maintaining its local character.

Key West

Sure, come for the party atmosphere, but while you are here explore the Cuban side of Key West. There are several sites of Cuban historical significance in Old Town Key West and along Duval Street, although several have been repurposed to cater to the tourist trade.

SIGHTS/SHOPPING

Cuba! Cuba!

T-shirts, posters, and pedestrian souvenirs mingle with ceramics and fine art, all with a Cuban theme.

Open: Daily 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

814 Duval Street

Key West, Florida 33040

305-295-9442

Fausto's Food Palace

The tourists may snap up the pink grapefruit marmalade and key lime jelly, but locals come here for gourmet quality foods: produce, high quality meats and seafood, even a sushi counter.

Open: Monday through Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. | Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

522 Fleming Street

Key West, Florida 33040

305-296-5663

1105 White Street

Key West, Florida 33040

305-294-5221

Shotgun Houses

Look for these classic cigar maker’s homes along Elizabeth Street. A few are now guesthouses that rent by the week.

621-629 Elizabeth Street

Key West, Florida 33040

The San Carlos Institute

This neo-classical style building has been the center of Cuban culture in Key West for more than 85 years. Jose Marti was a frequent visitor to what he fondly named "La Casa Cuba," the Cuban House. A museum and library containing Cuban historical documents are open to the public. There are also regular programs presented in the Institute’s Opera House, a large auditorium that has hosted such greats as Enrico Caruso.

Open: Friday to Sunday noon to 6:00 p.m.

Cost: Free

Length of Visit: Allow one hour.

516 Duval Street

Key West, Florida 33040

305-294-3887

The Gato House

The house, built for cigar magnate E. H. Gato, Jr., is a large, imposing Classic Revival style structure. After its completion in 1885, the owner had the house jacked up, moved, and turned around so that the building’s porches would enjoy the cooling shade away from the late afternoon sun. The Gato House is now home to the Southernmost Point Guesthouse.

1327 Duval Street

Key West, Florida 33040

305-294-0715

The Teodoro Pérez House

This was the de facto headquarters of Marti’s Cuban Independence Movement. In the 70s, it bore the name “La Terraza de Marti,” but now goes by “La Te Da” a name that could only happen in Key West! The La Te Da Hotel is an adults-only resort hotel that includes a fine-dining restaurant called Alice's Restaurant.

1125 Duval Street

Key West, Florida 33040

877-528-3320

The Cuban Club

Built in 1917 as a social gathering spot for cigar makers and their families and now a condominium resort hotel. Weekly dances, games of dominos, and card games were popular at the club. A fire destroyed the original building in 1983, although part of the original façade was included in this rebuilt structure.

1102 - 1108 Duval Street

Key West, Florida 33040

800-432-4849

The Cuban Consulate

The Alfonso/Diaz Carrasco House on Eaton Street is a two-story Classic Revival house complete with a tower and gingerbread trim. The Cuban consul to the United States used the house from 1906 on. It includes a second building separated by a garden and pool. The two properties are currently apartment buildings.

1001 Eaton Street

Key West, Florida 33040

Cayo Hueso y Habana

This large building on Mallory Square is where Immigration clerks processed thousands of Cuban refugees into the United States during the 19th century. Home to the Cuban restaurant El Mesón de Pepe, there is also a small museum depicting Cuban life in early Key West with depictions of a typical barbershop, spirited games of dominos, and cigar making.

Open: Daily 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Admission/Fees: Free

Length of Visit: Allow 20 to 30 minutes.

410 Wall Street

Mallory Square

Key West, Florida 33040

305-293-7260

RESTAURANTS

El Mesón de Pepe

Located in Mallory Square, El Mesón de Pepe is a great place to eat either before or after the sunset festivities. "The Cistern" is the place to be after dark. It's a sunken patio, surrounded by trees and warmly lit with tabletop candles. When the sun goes down and the evening cools, you can kick back and listen to the gurgling of the fountain or performances of live music. Every meal starts with fresh Cuban bread and a chimichurri sauce for dipping. The churrasco steak is a real crowd pleaser as are two excellent chicken dishes. Pollo al ajillo features a grilled half chicken with caramelized onions and a mojito glaze. The pechuga de pollo a la plancha is a grilled chicken breast with mild chimichurri sauce of parsley, garlic, and oil.

Open: Daily 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Price: Moderate

Dress: Casual

410 Wall Street

Key West, Florida 33040

305-295-2620‎

El Siboney Cuban Restaurant

If you get a little tired of the hustle and bustle of Mallory Square and Duval Street, wander up Catherine Street to El Siboney. You will find that the crowd at El Siboney is a lot more subdued than that group you left at Captain Tony’s! Don’t pass up the enchilado de camarones, a good serving of tender shrimp in a delicious tomato-based Creole sauce and the medio pollo a la plancha, a half chicken roasted with an abundance of garlic. Simple food all under the watchful gaze of the restaurant’s namesake, a large wooden Indian that dominates the dining room.

Open: Daily 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Price: Low to moderate

Dress: Casual

900 Catherine Street

Key West, Florida 33040

305-296-4184

Jose's Cantina

They make the Cuban Mix at Jose’s, a Cuban sandwich ruined with the addition of lettuce and tomato, but we won’t hold that against them. They do know their pork here and the lechón asado is first rate as are the palomino steaks. However, since you are right next to the ocean, why not opt for one of Jose’s whole fried fish?

Open: Daily 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Price: Moderate

Dress: Casual

800 White Street

Key West, Florida 33040

305-296-4366