Three Guys From Miami: Cuban Food - Travel - Culture - Cookbooks

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September 2005

Miami Area Parks Give You a Taste of the Tropics

They say that everyone has a green thumb in Miami. Stick just about anything in the ground and in a week or two you have a giant leafy green thing growing in the backyard. Miami has a wide variety of tropical and semi-tropical plants.

For most visitors from northern climes, Miami plant life is a new experience. Drive around any Miami neighborhood and you're going to see a lot of things you never saw in Dubuque! And we're just talking about plants here, folks.

The plant life here is quite remarkable and definitely beautiful. The county and state have really helped out with massive plantings -- especially palm trees -- along the turnpike and expressways.

Many of these trees replaced trees damaged by Hurricane Andrew. Drive through a tree-lined street in Coral Gables and you will enjoy a wonderful tropical plant experience.

But what if you want a more "up close and personal" experience? Miami people are friendly, but unfortunately most people aren't going to be too enthusiastic about opening up their backyards to curious travelers.

Ever wonder where Cuban bread comes from? Well in Miami, it literally grows on trees! This loaf is just about fully mature. Place it in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes and you too can have a delicious loaf of fresh-baked Cuban bread. (OK, not really! This is a sausage tree at the Fruit and Spice Park.)

If you really want to get to know and love Miami flora, there are a few places where you can get out the car and immerse yourself in a tropical garden.

If you don't know a Mangifera indica (mango) from a Hevea brasiliensis (rubber tree), why not visit a place where they have people who can set you straight? In no time, you too can be a tropical plant expert.

There are two excellent parks in Miami that will give you an up close and personal look at tropical plant life. The Fairchild Gardens first opened to the public in 1938. They were created by Robert H. Montgomery and name in honor of his friend David Fairchild, a world-renowned botanist.

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Little Havana Restaurant Serves North Miami Cuban

There is one Little Havana eating establishment that isn't even located in Little Havana. The Little Havana Restaurant has two locations -- the original in North Miami and a second restaurant by the same name in Deerfield Beach.

We frequently hear from visitors to Miami who are staying in the less expensive Northern sections of Miami Beach. Like everyone, they are looking for some great Cuban food without traveling too far from the beach. The Little Havana Restaurant is a classic Cuban restaurant with an extensive menu, great service, and a nice atmosphere.

They have a large and ambitious menu here. In addition to the standard menu items, they usually offer a dozen lunch and dinner specials. The restaurant is located on Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami in an area that was once dominated by American style restaurants. Owner Jorge Alvarez opened the restaurant in 1991 and it has become a popular spot.

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Come See Us at Macy's

The Three Guys From Miami will be doing a cooking demonstration and book signing at Macy's Home Store in the Dadeland Mall on Saturday, October 8 at 1:00 PM. We'll be cooking a few dishes from our Miami Cuban cookbook, "Three Guys From Miami Cook Cuban." After the demonstration, hang out for awhile as we sign books and get a chance to meet everyone. It's a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon in Miami!

Details:

Three Guys From Miami
Saturday October 8
1:00 PM
Macy's Cooking School at the Dadeland Kids' & Home Store
7675 North Kendall Drive
Miami, FL 33156

For more information, call 305-577-2296

Two out of Three Guys From Miami hanging out around town. (Above and Below)

Hurricane Katrina

Raúl's backyard. His beloved mango tree was nearly destroyed.

Hurricane Katrina hit Miami directly last month with high winds and heavy rains. Most of the damage was to trees and vegetation. Large palms were toppled all over Miami and as residents dug out from the storm, piles of dead vegetation littered the streets. Fortunately, most homes survived the storm intact. The biggest problem for many was no electricity and no air conditioning for a couple of days.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the many people in Louisiana and Mississippi who were devastated by this terrible storm.

Up Next a NEW Cookbook:

"Three Guys From Miami Celebrate Cuban"