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my fair lady and the bangkok affair

my fair lady and the bangkok affair

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thai-style fried red snapper + sweet tamarind sambal sauce + cilantro lime rice

I walked into my local fish monger today and was struck stupid when I set eyes upon the freshest red snappers in all of Central Florida. Brilliant red, clear eyed and emanating the enticingly bright fragrance of the sea, I knew these little beauties were coming home with me. And, I knew exactly how I was going to prepare them. I would give them the My Fair Lady treatment. No, not like Broadway’s Eliza Dolittle…allow me to explain.

Back home in Miami there is a fantastic Thai restaurant called Bangkok Bangkok. It was there that I tried Thai food for the first time and that meal sparked my lifelong obsession with Southeast Asian cuisine. Smothered in exotic décor that underscored an authentic dining experience, the eatery quickly became a go-to for celebrating special occasions. On my first visit there I scarcely knew anything about Thailand, much less Thai cuisine. I had no idea at all what to order (neither did my parents–it was their first time too), and was quickly growing desperate after our server’s third fruitless visit to the table. Just as I was about to close my eyes and order whatever my finger landed on in the menu, I saw it. Held high over the head of the demure hostess that ran the place was the triumphant, sizzling platter. As it moved through the room my gaze was transfixed; it was an entire fried fish garnished with all manner of verdant vegetables and lemon wedges. A procession of servers followed it, carrying bowls of rice, platters of herbs and containers of chilis and sauces. The fish itself was fried to a deep golden-brown, frozen in a pose that made it seem as if it was still swimming. It was covered in a chunky sauce, the aroma of which transported me to far-off exotic lands. I instantly knew that this would be my destiny!

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east vs. west + the rise of the o.g. sanguich

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miami-style cuban sanguich (the real o.g.)

There has been a war of sorts going on for a very long time and it centers around a simple, yet exquisite sandwich representing the heart and soul of a people. I’m speaking, of course, of the indomitable Cuban Sandwich. In an epic battle to lay claim as the originators of this gastronomic tour-de-force, Miami and Tampa have been locked in combat for decades. My grandmother told me that she used to eat the emblematic combination of roast mojo pork, sweet ham, queso suizo, pickles and mustard pressed between crispy bread, in cafes and around the sugar mills my grandfather worked for in Cuba. Back then, however, it wasn’t called a “Cuban Sandwich” or “Sanguich Cubano.” She knew it as “El Sanguich.” My mother remembers eating them as a kid in the early 50s at a restaurant called La Antigua Chiquita in Havana, which is still there to this day. Based on my family’s testimonials along with countless others from older Cubans that were there pre-revolution, the distinction goes to Cuba, “La Madre Patria,” as the true creator of the sandwich. I have found that actual life experience beats a historian’s second-hand account any day.

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how the piggy got its mojo

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roast mojo pork butt

Pork and mojo are as intertwined with Cuban culture as are congas and rum. From the moment we are old enough to eat solid foods, pork, or as we call it lechon, becomes an integral part of our culinary identity. Be it as a whole roasted suckling pig, chicharrones (crispy cracklin’), chorizos, or fried chunks called masitas–the pig is the noble animal that has fed generations with its delicious versatility and unambiguous delectability.

It is to Spain, however, that the Americas and the Caribbean owe the introduction of the magnanimous pig. Cuba was the first country in the Caribbean to be colonized by the Spaniards and due to this, Cuban food has deep-rooted ties to Spanish cuisine. Having been domesticated and used as a source of sustenance for millennia in Europe, pigs were brought by these Spanish explorers on their long journeys. De Soto, it is said, brought about 200 pigs with him on his expedition and it is believed that these were the ancestors of most now in the Americas. 

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meat + potatoes meets the flower power revolution

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orange saffron roast chicken + rosemary roasted baby potatoes

Rarely has a spice captivated my heart so strongly as saffron. Worth its weight in gold, it was for treasure such as this that Columbus set sail into the unknown. Poems have been written about it, songs have been sung in exultation of its piquant magnificence and at least one war has been fought for it. The scent of saffron has always reminded me of home, the frail crimson filaments transporting me back to memories of family and festivity. For many folks, saffron is an exotic spice; they’re unsure of its use, but it holds a mysterious attraction that makes it impossible to ignore. In my house it was a part of countless meals, imbuing our rice dishes with a sunshine hue and suffusing meats with a particular glamour unmatched by any other constituent. 

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next stop: mojojination station

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three citrus table mojo

Is there any savory meal not made next-level better with mojo? Garlicky, packed with vibrant citrus juices and unreasonably delicious, it brings a dynamic complexity to meat, seafood and vegetables like no other condiment. I have rejoiced in mojo my entire life and never grown tired of it. The brio that it brings to any dish its paired with makes this recipe one to keep handy for any occasion. 

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street life never tasted so good

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chili sofrito braised chicken street tacos + honey chipotle sauce + citrus red cabbage slaw

This past weekend was Valentine’s Day, and while most people were thinking of filet mignon, lobster or sushi for their romantic meal, I was dreaming of tacos. Not just any tacos. The best ones I’ve ever made. Like most folks in the southeast, I grew up on tacos served in an oft stale, crunchy shell. Stuffed with ground beef and heaped with shredded cheddar, sour cream, iceberg lettuce and tomatoes, they were all we knew and we were glad to have them. Don’t get me wrong, some people love that style of taco and that’s awesome; I myself have heartily delighted in gobbling up my share. I had no idea that tacos could be anything other than that until one fateful day when I stopped to have lunch in Homestead, FL on my way down to The Florida Keys.

My friends and I were heading down for the world-famous Bartenders Bash, where professional party hosts become the partiers just once a year. It was a debaucherous bacchanalia of binge drinking, depravity and fun in the sun. On our way, we stopped at this little authentic Mexican joint that served house-made fare to hungry travelers out of a shack in the farmlands of deep South Florida where legions of migrant workers looking for a better life toiled under the hot sun. This was to be our one last meal before spending three days sustaining ourselves on bounteous amounts of alcohol. After glancing at a menu, I ordered the house-special “street tacos” without giving it a second thought. When they arrived I was like, “WTF is this?!” On my plate there were simply two soft corn tortillas filled with braised meat and topped with chopped onions, cilantro and fresh salsa. That was it. I wasn’t even sure I had ordered the right thing, but I knew I didn’t want to wait for something else, or worse, look like the doofus that didn’t know what he wants. So I snatched one up and took a big bite. Bang! Zoom! Something happened in my brain. It was like I woke up from the dead! 

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how much is that tatanka in the window?

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brown sugar + rosemary crusted bison sirloin

I first became aware of bison as a food source in the early 90s. It was a time when many young adults were looking to the 60s for inspiration. Bohemian ideals, art and music were quite prominent and everyone was searching for some form of peace and identity. Free-spirited teenagers were listening to post-Grateful Dead bands like Phish and the neo-hippie hip-hop stylings of De La Soul. The popular watering hole in town was a little café/crystal shop called Cosmic Connection. Street beat poetry was ascendant and everyone was trying to find enlightenment by ingesting copious amounts of ganja and popping blotter acid like jelly beans. It was in this environment that I truly became open to all things new and exciting, including cuisine.

This was when I first saw the epic movie Dances with Wolves. Like most people my age I was enthralled by the grandiose depiction of the serene lifestyle of the Lakota Sioux. The way they existed in perfect harmony with their surroundings, and their crunchy ethos were extremely alluring to an impressionable youth such as myself in those days. In the movie there was a scene where the Sioux and Lieutenant Dunbar were throwing down a magnificent shindig following an exhilarating buffalo (or “tatanka”) hunt and they were gorging themselves on succulent looking meat. Their dewy faces were smeared with grease from their hard-earned quarry. The images were seared into my brain and stirred a hunger in me every time I thought about them. Bison however, was pretty much impossible to find in South Florida at that time.

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brown sugar + rosemary rub

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Sweet, piquant, slightly smoky and aromatic, this versatile rub is absolutely phenomenal. It has always invoked the flavors I associate with Christmas, and has a warmth that brings depth and character to any dish.

Works perfectly rubbed on beef, bison, baby back ribs or turkey. Also works wonderfully as a seasoning for sweet potatoes!

brown sugar + rosemary rub

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp. paprika
¾ tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. mild dark chili powder
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. smoked paprika

Whisk together all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

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brown sugar + rosemary rub

Print Recipe

Description

Sweet, piquant, slightly smoky and aromatic, this versatile rub invokes the flavors of Christmas, and has a warmth that brings depth to any dish.

 

Ingredients

Scale

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced
1 tsp. paprika
¾ tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. mild dark chili powder
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. smoked paprika

Instructions

Whisk together all ingredients until thoroughly combined. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

 

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: jams + jellies + charms + chutneys, plant-based voodoo, sauces + spells + marinades + dips
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: brown sugar, rosemary, rub, bison, beef, turkey, seasoning

how old clothes became a national dish!

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beef cheek ropa vieja over crispy fried tostones

There are few dishes that evoke the warm feelings of hearth and home quite like ropa vieja. No other meal is so singularly entwined with Cuban culture and cuisine than this ebullient stew.  Cuba’s legislature officially declared arroz con pollo (chicken + yellow rice) the national dish of Cuba in 1930, but if you ask people from all walks of life what Cuba’s national dish is, you’ll get a very different answer. The one you’ll get most often is ropa vieja, which whimsically translates to “old clothes” since its shredded beef resembles old, tattered clothes. This hearty beef and vegetable stew, in which the meat has been twice cooked, is a staple in just about every Cuban home and restaurant throughout South Florida and the Caribbean. Heaven knows that I’ve probably wolfed down 50 cows worth of ropa vieja in my life, and I intend to devour another 50 before I check out of this realm!

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sofrito basico

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Sofrito is the foundational basis for countless dishes, and every Cuban meal begins with a good sofrito. An ancient and perennial condiment dating back to at the 1400s, recipes for it are varied and handed down within families from generation to generation. Loosely translated as ‘lightly fried,’ Spanish explorers brought this cooking technique with them to the Americas and the Caribbean, where it spread to every country in which they set foot. Savory + aromatic, sofrito consists of ingredients such as onion, sweet or hot peppers, tomatoes, garlic and herbs like oregano, bay leaves and cilantro that are fried in a good quality olive oil. Depending on the region from which it is from, the sofrito can be red or green, chunky or pureed. There are even versions that add chorizo or ham. This particular version is the red and pureed kind, typical of the Cuban style. I encourage you to experiment with different varieties for different dishes to see which will be your own, personalized go-to.

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