Miami....Again

When you move or go to a new place, you're inevitably going to be exposed to new things. How well you take to those things, is up to you. When you move to a place so different than where you grew up, every day is a chance to experience something new. Of course I'm talking about living in Miami. This place is really starting to grow on me. It may have something to do with picking up more and more Spanish, or that I'm starting to build relationships with a lot of people. We're not going to talk about the wave frustration though. With that being said I've put together a little list of some of the things I've been exposed to down here and that I have really taken to. Most of it, as you might expect is food. It's no surprise that the food of a culture is a huge part of what makes a culture a culture. But there are some others on the list. So enjoy......

Cafe Cubano
Let's start here. I liked coffee before I got to Miami, now, I love it. Dark, strong and they sell it everywhere, you will have no problem getting your Cuban Coffee here. Technically it's just espresso. But its far better and stronger. It comes served many different ways; cafecito, you can mix it with water (Americano), or my personal favorite, cafe con leche (coffee with milk, it's similar to a latte, but it's very much not a latte). I went to some coffee shops back home over the break and they can't touch the sketchiest gas station's coffee in Miami.

Maduros (fried plantains)
If you know me well, this is no surprise. Much like cafe Cubano, you can get maduros almost anywhere. They are in every grocery store and at every cafeteria. These are the best. Ripened plantains deep fried. Goes well with everything.





The Constant Sun and Amazing Weather

While I do miss seasons, and having a fireplace, for the most part you just can't beat the weather here. Especially right now!



Churrasco con Chimichurri
The next two really go perfectly together. Churrasco is a South American specialty. Basically it's beef tenderloin thinly sliced longways, and then grilled. It is incredible. Tender, Latin spices, perfect. Did I mention tender? By far, in my opinion, the best way to eat it with chimichurri.





A sauce made of parsley, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinaigrette, lime juice, and olive oil. However, the recipes vary as much as there are places that serve it.

Some like more cilantro, some like none, and you can add any number of spices to the mix to get it just the way you want it. So far all attempts to make this myself have not succeeded. I just can't get it right so, I will be seeking out Argentines, Uruguayans, and Paraguayans to let them teach me this delicious condiment.


La Musica
You know how when you go on vacation you want to hear music of your surroundings. Preservation Hall in New Orleans, reggae on a cruise... well Miami has salsa, and many other genres all of which are pretty good. And all fit the local. And one of the best stations to hear good jazz and Latin is WDNA. If your in Miami tun in to 88.9 FM.



South Beach
Of course I've got to mention South Beach. While it's expensive, often crowded, and sometimes hard to find parking. It's definitely an interesting place. Lincoln road (pic)is a pedestrian mall where you can go and spend an entire paycheck on one undersized mojito, and people watch.



Cuban Women



Enough Said














Finally For now

The Mojito
The perfect summer drink. Refreshes, looks cool, and is fun to make. Much like chimichurri, there are variances to style. On South Beach you'll find a hundred crappy ways to make it just so they can turn a big profit. I like mine sweet and not overpowering. When the weather up North turns warmer, make these and you'll be okay. Unlike chimichurri, these I can make. Here is my personal recipe. Enjoy.


Ingredients
5-8 Fresh mint leaves
1 cup water
1 cup Sugar
Rum (White or Spiced, your call, I use Bacardi Silver)
Limes
Seltzer/Club soda
Ice

Directions

1. First thing's first, you have to make a simple sugar solution. In a sauce pan heat the 1 cup of water to nearly boiling. This won't take long. Right before it boils, combine the 1 cup of sugar and mix until dissolved. Remove form heat and cool. If I'm in the hurry I put it the freezer for a few minutes.

2. while the simple sugar solution is cooling, put the mint leaves in the bottom of a 16 oz glass. Crush the leaves using a pestle. You can use a spoon but be very careful not to tear the leaves. It ruins the presentation and is annoying when you have bits of mint everywhere and in your mouth. Don't tear the leaves. Take a lime wedge and squeeze the juice from a wedge or two into the glass. Throw the wedges in with the mix.

3. Add 1.5 oz (45mL) of rum (that's one shot glass full) and 1.5 oz of the simle sugar solution. Give it a quick stir to mix. Don't tear the leaves!.

4. Fill the glass with ice and add the seltzer/club soda.

5. Garnish with mint, provide a stirring device and serve. I prefer to serve without stirring to allow the drinker to mix as desired. Some people enjoy the strong mix at the bottom.

There you have it.



Hasta Luego

~Patricio