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What's your flava SoFlo?
- Thread starter RobStar
- Start date
Guava like the Cuban pastries
If you want something non-fruity, see WalkGoods sofrito starter.
Garlic, green pepper, onion, olive oil.
If you want something non-fruity, see WalkGoods sofrito starter.
Garlic, green pepper, onion, olive oil.
SoFlo has sooo much more than just Cuban influences. While it is a big one there are also Jamaican and Haitian influences. So if your looking to create something that is Cuban I'd start with a really good Mojo (Garlic, Sour Orange or Grapefruit and Olive Oil) as a starting point. If you really want to build something SoFlo though I'd maybe think along the line of a fusion of all three. Say taking the Cuban Mojo, Jamaican Jerk and Haitian Picklese, they eat it with everything, and fuse them into a Super SoFlo Mojo 
I'll ask a couple of my SoFlo Bro's to step in here and give you some really good pointers.
cheers,
RM
I'll ask a couple of my SoFlo Bro's to step in here and give you some really good pointers.
cheers,
RM
Thanks RM! After Chris's reply I googled a few things and mojo popped up - I do like the citrus route and it is on my list to try. I am looking to create a fresh, tangy, almost zingy sauce that would complement seafood BUT also a second sauce that would complement meat esp. pork. The mojo is already taking big strides towards filling the first void. A sofrito-type sauce could work for the carnes (obviously the jerk would be better but that's a whole different sauce that I already have lined up under a different name).
I would appreciate any help from your Bro's!
Cheers
I would appreciate any help from your Bro's!
Cheers
Rob, Mojo is used on every type of meat down here and works really well on pork. It's even sometimes used to dunk yuca fries, drizzled over black beans and rice, and sometimes splashed over tostones. It's pretty versatile and really is the essential flavor of many Cuban dishes. But SoFlo is more than Cuban, like RM said. Jamaican, Haitian, pick a South American country or Central American country and insert here... but those are all influences that make up SoFlo now. Those flavors have been imported from other countries, but the Caribbean influence has been here since Miami was a backwater town. Floribbean is the name of the cuisine.
Making one sauce that has ALL of that incorporated would be almost impossible, IMO. Too many competing flavors.
If I were to make a SoFlo sauce, and it has crossed my mind, I'd be doing hardcore research on the native fruits and plants here. What did the Tequestas and Calusas dash on their fresh oysters? Whatever it was must have been darn good. The oyster mounds of Florida are pretty impressive when you think about what it took to make them.
Making one sauce that has ALL of that incorporated would be almost impossible, IMO. Too many competing flavors.
If I were to make a SoFlo sauce, and it has crossed my mind, I'd be doing hardcore research on the native fruits and plants here. What did the Tequestas and Calusas dash on their fresh oysters? Whatever it was must have been darn good. The oyster mounds of Florida are pretty impressive when you think about what it took to make them.
I've did native plants studies in college. There aint much , and what there is, is survival food aside from Muscadine grapes and Elderberry. South Florida had Smilax, Cocoplum, Seagrape, Hog Plum, Pond Apple, Mastic, possibly Maypop and Dewberry, and a few others. The only starch was from the Native Coontie.SumOfMyBits said:
Red Mulberries are native to the center and North part of the state. Citrus was introduced in the 1500's from Spain.
The Tequesta and Calusa probably used Red Bay and Wax Myrtle as spices, and some of the native Rosemary relatives.
I wouldn't go all ancient on a soflo sauce.
I'd embrace the Cuban influence, it is, after all, the dominant ethnic group in the area. With WONDERFUL food!
Problem with Cuban food is that it's not Hot and Spicy like other Latin and Caribbean cuisines.
Guava was a good idea. Make a sweet fruity sauce to go on anything from fish to flan. Use sugar cane juice or coconut water if you can.
Mojo was a great idea! There is so much you can do with that. Like Sum said, it goes with EVERYTHING. Do a little research on Mojo Criollo.
We see a lot of habaneros down here. I would use that as the heat source. Is it a coincidence that Havana, Cuba, and the name of the Habanero pepper are quite similar??
Some other things to consider: Mango, Avocado, Garlic, Star Fruit, papaya
Just have fun with it! Let us know how it goes!
I'd embrace the Cuban influence, it is, after all, the dominant ethnic group in the area. With WONDERFUL food!
Problem with Cuban food is that it's not Hot and Spicy like other Latin and Caribbean cuisines.
Guava was a good idea. Make a sweet fruity sauce to go on anything from fish to flan. Use sugar cane juice or coconut water if you can.
Mojo was a great idea! There is so much you can do with that. Like Sum said, it goes with EVERYTHING. Do a little research on Mojo Criollo.
We see a lot of habaneros down here. I would use that as the heat source. Is it a coincidence that Havana, Cuba, and the name of the Habanero pepper are quite similar??
Some other things to consider: Mango, Avocado, Garlic, Star Fruit, papaya
Just have fun with it! Let us know how it goes!
)
frydad4 said:
Fitty and Sum are the Overlords of all 'thangs Cuban and SoFlo.
Y'all better recognize!
True story.
Thanks dudes and dudette! Mojo criollo with some heat looks to be the thang! As for heat - I hear ya about habs - not kinda keen on them though - I do not like the overly floral taste that tends to become plasticky (is there a word like that?) after a while in a sauce. I was thinking of Datils. However if my plants don't produce sufficiently then I'm going with Lemon Drop to accentuate the citrus and yellow scotch bonnets or yellow CARDI scorpions for extra heat and added fruitiness.
SL - me thinks good, well-matured (@ 7% ABV) lager or a very hoppy pilsner (hmmmmmmm Pilsner Urquell) will do me good during the production process. The last big batch of sauce I cooked down - I smashed my way through a bottle of Powers Irish Whiskey. I was talking soooooooo shhhhhweetly to that pot of bubbling goodness. Bewdiful!
SL - me thinks good, well-matured (@ 7% ABV) lager or a very hoppy pilsner (hmmmmmmm Pilsner Urquell) will do me good during the production process. The last big batch of sauce I cooked down - I smashed my way through a bottle of Powers Irish Whiskey. I was talking soooooooo shhhhhweetly to that pot of bubbling goodness. Bewdiful!
Rob, don't think of Habs as just the Orange ones. There are many habs to choose from and remember that SoFlo is a Fusion of many Caribbean cultures. So you could easily substitute Scotch Bonnets, Jamaican Hot Chocolates, Caribbean Reds or any other pepper that comes from the Caribbean into the mix. You could use a mix of peppers, want more heat try Red Savinas. There are numerous was to achieve your end goal and all would be SoFlo, Bro
