Floribbean-History

Cuisine combines flavors and foods indigenous to Florida and the Caribbean with influences from Spanish settlers and African slaves.

TIMELINE

1513 - Ponce de León discovered Florida in his quest for gold

1565 - Spanish founded St. Augustine First permanent settlement of white explorers in

the United States

Middle 1500s - Thousands of African slaves arrived

1950 to the 1980s - Many Cubans immigrated to Florida Many settled in Miami

Regions

North and much of central Florida resembles the cuisine of The South.

Cornbread Grits Greens Okra Lots of pork

Ham hocks, fatback, or bacon grease for flavoring

Fried foods Hushpuppies

Floribbean Florida’s coastal rim and southern interior, and the

islands of Puerto Rico.

A Balmy Peninsula During the last ice age,

theworld’s ocean levels werelow and Florida was a wide, semi-arid cape covered with tall grass. As the globe warmed, theoceans rose and Floridabecame a narrow peninsula. The cape’s formerperimeter became a wideunderwater shelf, providinghabitat for many species ofaquatic animals.

Tropical ClimateLow latitude and proximity to the south Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, and

the Caribbean gives South Florida a tropical climate. Wintertemperatures of 70° to 80°F and miles of sandy beaches make

South Florida a prime vacation destination.

Varied TopographySouth Florida’s coastal rim

(green) primarily comprises sandy beaches; barrier islands are separated from the mainland by inlets.

In the 20th century, land reclamation created a low interior plateau (blue) suitable for agriculture.

Florida’s southern tip is a maze of swamps and wetlands called the Everglades (brown).

South Florida Wildlife

deer jackrabbits muskrats skunks rodents feral hogs bears coyotes waterfowl exotic birds

manatees alligators crocodiles turtles caimans lizards toads and frogs snakes multitudes of insects

South Florida Native Americans

South Florida’s four original tribes were hunter-gatherers; the region’s warm

weather and abundant food sources made agriculture unnecessary. Natives used barbeque techniques for cooking meats, poultry, and

fish.

South Florida Native American Settlement

SeminolesFlorida’s best-known Native American tribe were newcomers to the

region, entering in the 1700s in response to population pressure in thePlantation South. Seminole means “wild man” or “runaway.” Seminolesincluded remnants of Southern tribes and included African-Americans.

South Florida Native American Foods

FORAGED FOODSHearts of palmSea grapesPrickly pearsPokeweedCoontie (Florida Arrowroot)

BARBEQUE South Florida NativeAmericans cooked meat, fowl, and fish over glowing embers in a combination of direct

heat and steam. This technique was likely learned from Caribbean natives, and is the precursor of Southern barbeque.

A Limited Legacy

Traditional and modern South Florida cuisineexhibits virtually no direct Native American

influence. minimized food culture little contact between settlers and natives US government policy removed most native groups prior

to mainstream settlement (Trail of Tears- Jackson; Act-1830)

European Exploration and Settlement

Ponce de Leon arrives in Florida in 1513 (fountain of youth).

Central and northern Florida is sparsely settled for farming and strategic purposes; these areas are part of the Plantation South.

South Florida was largely ignored, except for one area.

The Florida Keys The Florida Keys form agateway from the

CaribbeanSea into the Gulf of Mexico.

British Creoles from theBahamas and seafaring

NewEnglanders settled the

islands,making a living by trading

and“wrecking.”

Florida Keys settlers were

called conchs, after one oftheir primary foods.

Keys CuisineConch is a univalve shellfish with sweet but tough flesh (top

left).Conch must be tenderized by physical means (chopping; pounding; long, moist cooking)or chemically, with an acidic marinade.Key limes (bottom left) are small,with a complex flavor and floralaroma. They are used inmarinades and sauces, such asold sour, a condiment. Key limesmake authentic mojito cocktailsand are essential in Key lime pie.

American SettlementA small number of Americans from the Plantation and

Appalachian South settled Florida’s central plateau wherethey raised small, hardy cattle. Mostly of Scots-Irish

ancestry, they were called Crackers.

American Settlement

CRACKER CUISINE Beef as the primary

protein Frog legs, ‘gator tail,

fish, shellfish Cornmeal, biscuits,

beans, and other pioneer provisions

Plantation South frying Palm heart is “swamp

cabbage” boiled or fried Key lime marinades Tropical fruits

FLORIDA CITRUS In the early 1800sAmerican settlers planted orange groves on the central plateau. After the greatfreeze of 1894 citrus movedto newly reclaimed landsouth of Okeechobee. Citrus is an importantingredient and spurredeconomic viability.

Modern South FloridaHenry Flagler’s railroad reached Palm Beach, near

the Florida peninsula’s tip, in 1894.Land reclamation creates agricultural land and

beachfront property.In 1928 Carl Fisher builds Miami Beach.Air conditioning makes year-round residence

viable.

South Beach Art Deco Style

In the 1920s and 1930s the southern end of Miami Beach was built up with hotels in the new Art Deco style.

The style’s pastel colors and streamlines, rectilinear forms became part of new South Florida cuisine’s presentation style.

Traditonal South Florida Cuisine

Plantation South methods applied to local seafood and produce

Fish and shellfish Tropical produce Avocados, grapefruits,

palm hearts, chayote Conch chowder, fritters Salads and cold entrées Stone crab claws (left)

served cold with mustard sauce (season: October 15th to May 15th)

New South Florida Cuisine

In the 1980s Miami’s revitalized South Beach Art Deco

hotels and restaurants hired world-class chefs whodeveloped new South Florida cuisine.

New South Florida Cuisine

THE MANGO GANG Norman Van Aiken

(right)

fusion cuisine New World cuisine Allen Susser Mark Militello Doug Rodriguez

Nuevo Latino cuisine

Characteristics of

New South Florida Cuisine bold flavors and

sharp contrasts light textures and

consistencies tropical tubers “crusted” foods tropical fruit sauces

and salsas salads (as starters, sides,

garnishes)

coconut milk in place of dairy

strong Caribbean influence

traces of Plantation South

Asian ingredients and techniques

Art Deco plate presentations

Tropical Tubers

Puerto Rican Cuisine

About 1000 miles southeast of Florida’s tip, Puerto Rico is a tropical island.

Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony until it became part of the United States in 1898.

Roots of Puerto Rican Cuisine

INDIGENOUS TAINO FOODWAYS

Taino People: Seafaring peoples of Bahamas, Greater Antilles, northern Lesser Antilles.

Indigenous ingredients: Annatto Mexican oregano Chiles Culantro (not cilantro) aka

recao (left) Tropical fruits Seafood

Caribbean

Roots of Puerto Rican Cuisine

SPANISHColonial Domesticates pork and preserved pork beef cheese rice

Tropical Imports bananas and plantains mangoes citrus fruits sugar Asian soy sauce and

ginger

AFRICANThe Spanish brought WestAfrican slaves to Puerto Rico okra cornmeal sesame seeds true yams Guinea hen gandules or pigeon peas fried foods

AMERICAN canned meats corn oil cooking technology

Characteristics of Puerto Rican Cuisine

Most Puerto Ricans are of mixed Spanish, African, and Caribbean heritage.

A strong creole culture resulted in a lively hybrid cuisine, called cocina criolla.

Characteristics of Puerto Rican Cuisine

SEASONING BLENDSPuerto Rican cookingfeatures pre-madeseasonings blends, both dry and moist.

Adoboa dry blend of granulated onion,granulated garlic, black pepper,oregano, salt, cumin

Mojo Criolloa marinade based on sour orange juice, onion, garlic, olive oil

Sofritoonions, garlic, green peppers, celery, tomatoes, culantro, and chiles cooked in olive oil

Recaitoa rough purée of onions, garlic, green peppers, and culantro

Characteristics of Puerto Rican Cuisine

patties, tamales, meat pies:mofongopastelestostones

Rice dishes:arroz con polloarroz con gandulesasopao

Soups and stews:gandingamondongo

Seafood:grilled fish with seasoning saucebreaded fried fishbacalao (salt cod)octopus salad

Meat dishes:spit-roasted pigropa vieja

Desserts made with tropical fruits, custards

South Florida and Puerto Rico Dishes (Floribbean)

APPETIZERS Caribbean Conch Chowder Ybor City Black Bean Soup Coconut Shrimp South Beach Conch Fritters Key West Conch Ceviche Stone Crab Claws Black Bean-Stuffed Plantain

Cakes Ruby Red Grapefruit Salad Everglades Frog Legs

DESSERTS Key Lime Pie Tres Leches Cake Coconut Cream Pie Tropical Fruit Palette

ENTREESPanéed GrouperYellowtail SnapperMalanga-Mango-Crusted

SnapperCuban Crab-Stuffed Lobster

TailsGrilled MahimahiPompano en EscabecheJamaican-American Jerk

ChickenRopa ViejaDouble-Pork Calle Ocho