- Welcome Tyler Florence Fans!
- Welcome to everyone who saw the Three Guys from Miami on "Tyler's Ultimate Paella." For those of you who can't get enough of Tyler Florence, we have a brief article and some additional photos of our taping: CLICK HERE.
-
- Tyler Florence
If Tyler Florence has peaked your interest in Cuban cooking, this is the place to get started. Here you will find the same paella recipe we prepared for Tyler on the show. You'll also find the web's largest collection of Cuban food recipes. Just click on the recipe link at the top of this page. Better yet, why not buy our cookbook: Three Guys from Miami: Cuban Food with Attitude? For just $4.99, it's one of the best cookbook bargains around.... (more) 
Cuban Stomach Remedies
If you have a stomach ache in a Cuban household, chances are the abuela of the house will fix you up with one of three popular Cuban remedies. The first line of attack for many families is a thick puree of malanga, the root vegetable that is a staple in Cuban diets.
Another popular option is manzanilla tea, which is not only good for stomach problems -- many people swear it cures colds, reduces fevers, and rids the sufferer of headaches!
Still feeling bad?
The third and final line of attack is Eno®, a brand name for a type of effervescent antacid. It's like the Cuban version of Alka-Seltzer® in powder form. Just mix with water and drink it. Relief is just one good burp away...
Tampa's La Terisita
The popular La Teresita Restaurant on Tampa's Columbus Drive has grown over the years. It is now a complex that covers an entire block. One thing that hasn't changed is the same great food and great prices.
Eat at the traditional lunch counter or go a little upscale, and eat at "Capdevila's at La Teresita," a more formal restaurant.
La Terisita turns out some great chicken and yellow rice and one of the most tender Palomilla steaks we've ever had...(more)
|
 |
|
|
It may be true that nobody bakes a better loaf of Cuban bread, but one thing is sure. We doubt that anyone has been doing it longer that La Segunda Central Bakery, located on the edge of Ybor City in Tampa.
The original bakery La Primera, or "the first," opened in 1915. La Segunda, "the second" was built after the original building burned down in 1957. The bakery has always remained a family operation, now run by the third generation of the Moré family.
The bakery has grown and it now turns out more than 6,000 loaves of Cuban bread each day, many bearing the distinctive charred remnants of a palmetto leaf that is indicative of a genuine La Segunda loaf. The palmetto leaves are placed on top of the loaves and brushed with water. During baking, the wet leaves hold the top of the bread together and create the distinctive cracking along the leaf line.
If you have ever eaten Cuban bread in Ybor City, chances are it came from La Segunda Central Bakery. Real diehards drive right to the source where you can buy fresh loaves directly from the bakery's retail store. Tampa Cuban bread is slightly longer and thinner then the bread we get in Miami. It's closer in shape to French bread.
- Detail from an old Ybor City cigar box.
Although we don't know the exact recipe, we can let you in on one secret: they always save a little dough from the day before to mix in with the new batch.
La Segunda is also a great place to get Cuban sandwiches and pastries. Tampa Cubans claim to have invented the Cuban sandwich (we're not even going to go there!) and in Tampa, it isn't a Cuban sandwich without Genoa salami! However, that is an addition that is unique to Tampa. You won't find salami on a Cuban sandwich in just about any city that we know about... (more)
If you love soup like we do, you'll want to serve some of your own homemade sopas Cubanas in these beautiful hand crafted soup bowls from Spain. Created by skilled Spanish artisan Justo Alonso Paredes, these bowls combine the best elements of Moorish and Christian art, including bright floral colors and symmetrical designs.
Click here for more information.
|
|
|
|
Sopa de Chorizo
Many Americans have never tasted real Spanish chorizo. Spanish Chorizo is much milder than the typical Mexican variety. The flavor comes mainly from paprika and garlic and the dry cured smoking process. This gives the chorizo it's distinctive smoky flavor.
Cubans love to use chorizo in many different dishes as it imparts a delicious flavor to just about anything. You'll find Spanish chorizo in many Cuban rice and eggs dishes -- it is the key ingredient to a good paella!
One of our favorite ways to enjoy the flavor of chorizo is sopa de chorizo -- chorizo soup... (more)
Frijoles Negros Rápidos
Many Cuban food purists will cringe when they see this recipe -- black beans from a can? Horrors! Frijoles negros is such a beloved dish and people take great care and pride in cooking it.
However, there isn't a Cuban cook out there who hasn't had to speed things up again in a pinch. Well, except for Jorge's mother!
For those in a hurry, there is a way to enjoy a good dish of black beans without a pressure cooker or starting your beans a day ahead. We've used this recipe on several fishing trips, and with a little tinkering it was just the thing for several hungry fisherman... (more)
Ah, the misunderstood and underappreciated garbanzo bean! For many people, the garbanzo is just something to toss on your salad, it's a common feature of many salad bars.
However, garbanzos are delicious in many dishes, especially soups and stews. In this salad the garbanzo isn't just a member of the supporting cast, it's the star attraction! This is a delicious cold summer salad... (more)
|
