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The Sunshine State is comprised of a panhandle plus a long peninsula that separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean. The cuisine that has developed here (sometimes called “Floribbean”) reflects the lengthy history of a land that has been fought over by French, Spanish, English, and Native Americans. Before European arrivals, Native Americans cooked with Florida's abundant local ingredients (like yucca, plantains, and hearts of palm). The Spanish arrived in the 1500s, bringing pigs and cattle. They also introduced slaves, who contributed foods like okra, callaloo (a kale-like vegetable), yams, and eggplant. Even today, there's room for continued culinary evolution as the Sunshine State proves to be a magnet for internal American migration. Miami, Florida, meanwhile, has the second largest Cuban population of any city in the world, excepting only Havana. It's not surprising, then, that meals in Miami should often have a Cuban accent. Florida provides 80 percent of the orange juice that Americans drink, and the state is no slouch at growing lemons, limes, grapefruit, and tangerines, plus avocados, mangos, and many other fruits.

Featured Cook Annie W. Home Town: Fort Meade, Florida, USA Living In: Columbus, Georgia, USA

About me: I am a military retiree (enlisted), who spent 22.5 yrs on active duty. Did not have a lot of time to experiment with various foods, but, I learned to eat healthy because of health issues. I try to eat healthy 95% of the time because of health concerns, and because I want to "live long and prosper". I am 57 yrs old and have two grown children, one who is a full time college student who lives with me. My Profile | Cooks I Like | Reviews | Photos Recipes | Blog Create your own Cook's Profile | MORE Cooks »