When most people think of Florida, they picture beaches, palm trees, Disney World and tourists who somehow get sunburned before lunchtime. When I think about growing up there, one of the first things that comes to mind is the food. And I’m not just talking about oranges and key lime pie!
Florida is a melting pot of cultures. Growing up, you often didn’t even have to leave your neighborhood to find completely different cuisines. Southern cooking, Cuban food, Caribbean dishes, Mexican food and fresh seafood were everyday things. You could have Southern biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast, a Cuban sandwich for lunch and Jamaican jerk chicken for dinner. I didn’t realize how special that was until we moved away.
Zack and I have always loved trying new foods and figuring out what makes them special. Sometimes we follow a recipe. Sometimes we change it until it’s our own. Not every experiment is a winner, but that’s half the fun. Food tells stories. Recipes travel across oceans, get passed down through generations and change from one kitchen to the next. Ask five families how to make the same dish, and you’ll probably get five answers. Every one of them will swear Grandma’s was best. And it probably was.
Moving to Oklahoma meant leaving some familiar flavors behind, but we’ve brought plenty into our kitchen. Our boys are growing up with foods we loved in Florida alongside the traditions we’re building here. I hope they’ll always be willing to try something unfamiliar and appreciate the people behind it.
We’re excited to see that same variety in Ponca City! Greek Island offers Greek and Mediterranean food; Tortillería Los Compadres, El Patio, El Potrillo, Los Portales and El Patron bring Mexican flavors; and Enrique’s serves Mexican and Cuban-inspired dishes. There’s also Hunan and Chinese Express for Chinese food, Sakura for Japanese dishes and Napoli’s for Italian. And don’t forget the food trucks serving everything from street tacos to Cajun dishes and seafood.
As fellow small business owners who love feeding people, we appreciate the work and family traditions behind those meals. Try something new and support the people making it. A community with more flavors is a community with more stories to share.
One meal that takes us right back to Florida is Cuban-style mojo pork with yellow rice and black beans. Citrus, garlic, oregano and cumin make the pork shine. And here’s my butcher-shop reminder: pork shoulder, or Boston butt, is affordable and becomes wonderfully tender with slow cooking. The best meal doesn’t always start with the most expensive cut.
Here’s a little Florida for your Oklahoma dinner table. Maybe it’ll become one of your family’s favorites too.
From Our Kitchen to Yours: Cuban-Style Mojo Pork, Yellow Rice & Black Beans
Serves 6-8
Mojo Pork
Ingredients: 4-5 pound boneless pork shoulder, 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, 10 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 sliced onion and zest of 1 orange and 1 lime.
Directions: Mix juices, zest, garlic, oil and seasonings. Coat pork and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Heat oven to 300 F. Place onion and pork in a covered roasting pan; add marinade. Roast 4-6 hours until fork-tender (about 195-205 F for shredding). Uncover and brown at 425 F for 10-15 minutes, watching to prevent burning. Rest, shred and spoon cooking juices over pork.
Our Kitchen Tip: We also use Badia Mojo Marinade when we can find it locally or online. Follow the bottle’s marinating directions for an easy shortcut.
Yellow Rice
Ingredients: 2 cups long-grain rice, 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 diced onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon salt to taste.
Directions: Sauté onion and garlic in butter. Stir in rice and seasonings for 1 minute. Add broth and boil. Cover; simmer on low 15-18 minutes until tender. Rest covered 10 minutes; fluff.
Our Kitchen Tip: We love Vigo Yellow Rice too! When we find it locally or online, we prepare it according to the package for a quick side.
Black Beans
Ingredients: Two 15-ounce cans black beans undrained, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 diced onion, 1/2 diced green bell pepper, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon bay leaf, 1 lime juice and salt to taste.
Directions: Sauté onion and pepper in oil until soft. Add garlic, cumin and oregano; stir briefly. Add beans and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered 15-20 minutes. Remove bay leaf; stir in lime juice and salt.
Serve pork with rice and beans, drizzled with cooking juices.
Happy cooking!
