The Three Guys from Miami soon became known for their great parties, centered around whole pigroasts or an elaborate Cuban-style paella. In fact, the Three Guys' "Paella Cubana" was featured on an episode of "Tyler's Ultimate" with Tyler Florence on the Food Network. The Three Guys sat down recently to answer several burning questions -- and we're not talking about burning the food.

What are your qualifications for writing a Miami Cuban cookbook?

Jorge: We are not professionally trained chefs. We owe our skills to many years working in the culinary trenches, actually cooking and eating Cuban food.

Raúl: Oh yeah, a whole lot of eating!

Glenn: We are just three guys who share a passion for good food, good conversation and a great party. What that means to the average person is that every recipe in our book can be easily prepared by the amateur "at home" chef.

Jorge: The only skills required are a rudimentary knowledge of kitchen appliances and most of all, a good sense of humor!

Raúl: Our cookbook represents three lifetimes of enjoying Cuban food and a long process creating, collecting, and refining our recipes.

Jorge: In our book you'll find the dishes that we have cooked and eaten in our own homes for many years.

Glenn: Talk about field testing!

What made you decide to write a Miami Cuban cookbook?

Glenn: It was a natural outgrowth of our website, which in turn came about because of our passion for Cuban food and culture.

Jorge: Glenn actually came up with the idea of creating a site that would share Cuban culture with the entire world. Not having the benefit of growing up Cuban, Glenn quickly assimilated the culture he "discovered" through Raúl and me.

Raúl: Let me tell you he fell in love with Miami and our culture -- he couldn't wait to share his new found passion.

Jorge: Like me, Glenn first learned many of the basics of Cuban cooking from the "masters" -- the women of the combined Musibay-Castillo families.

In Minnesota and Wisconsin, everyone eats beer cheese soup, a creamy combination of sharp cheddar cheese and good American beer. It's a great dish on a cold day. For some reason, it's always served with fresh popcorn on top.

In Miami, where the days are never cold and rarely cool, we enjoy our own cheese soup. There is no beer in it -- although that might not be a bad idea!

Sopa de crema de queso is made with a cheese that was very popular in Cuba: Gouda cheese. It's a great tasting cheese that melts easily and makes a deliciously rich soup. The perfect place to dip your hunk of freshly baked Cuban bread.

After several requests, we hit the kitchen recently to try to duplicate this popular dish. Here is our recipe...

Cafe Piquet turns out some delicious appetizers from the fryer: The papa rellenas, croquetas, and several varieties of empanadas are highlights. The croquetas are very good, very similar to the ones we like best in Miami! The yuca frita was beyond excellent -- just about the best we've ever had. The yuca was cut in large meaty chunks and fried in hot oil until the outside was so crisp and crunchy...

If you're a Los Angeles area resident or you'll be in Los Angeles in January, why not join us for some fun Cuban Cooking in the Sur la Table Kitchens? We'll be participating in the Culinary program at three Los Angeles area locations: