Sense of Place: The Food of Florida

The food of Florida is a blend of Southern comfort and spicy Latin fare, strongly influenced by Caribbean and Cuban cuisine.

As we saw in the list of Forida's flavors and ingredients, it's not shy about using the fresh citrus, tropical fruits and vegetables, and abundant seafood available throughout the state either.

But enough talking: let's eat!

You only need to glance through the collection of recipes below to see how this cuisine is truly the sum of all the people and cultures who have made their way through Florida at one time or another.

Spanish, African, Latin, Island, even Indian cuisines have all left their mark. It's this fusion of these influences with local ingredients that makes Florida cuisine unique.

Main Dishes - Meat:
• Cuban Sandwich at Three Guys from Miami
• Roast Pork Loin with Pickled Caramelized Guavas at Epicurious
• Spicy Mojo Chicken with Mango-Avocado Salsa at AllRecipes.com
• Ropa Vieja at Epicurious

Main Dishes - Seafood:
• Grilled Mahi Mahi with Tamarind Glaze at Epicurious
• Grilled Shrimp with Spicy Tamarind Dipping Sauce at Epicurious
• Keys Conch Chowder at Cooks.com
• Gator Jambalaya at Florida Seafood
• Curried Stone Crab Claws with Hot Marmalade Sauce at Florida Seafood
• Ginger-Honey Amberjack at Florida Seafood

Sides:
• Yuca Fries with Chipotle Mayonnaise at Epicurious
• Frijoles Negros at Taste of Cuba
• Plantain Chips with Warm Cilantro Dipping Sauce at Epicurious

Dessert:
• Key Lime Pie at Epicurious
• Guava Pie at About.com-Southern Food
• Banana Ginger Trifles at Epicurious
• Pineapple Banana Fritters at Epicurious

Extras:
• Mojito at Taste of Cuba
• Mojo Sauce

What else would you add to this list?

(Image: Flickr members The Lost Wanderer, Elvissa, mccun934, and Oscar Alexander licensed under Creative Commons)