Publix: Where Shopping Es Un Placer
Most of my diet consists of Cuban staple foods, like white rice, black beans, cortadito, and pan tostada. When I decided to move to Tallahassee, my biggest fear was not having access to these essential foods. After scouring the local Publix (on Ocala Rd), I was pleasantly surprised to have most of the ingredients and snack foods that I was accostomed to back in Miami. Organized by Publix aisle below are the essential Cuban ingredients that you will need to cook most of the recipes in my future posts.
Aisle 3: White Rice. Buy this in bulk. I go through a 5-pound bag of rice in a month.
Aisle 4: International Food. This gem of an aisle will have all of your seasoning and snacking needs. The most important items you will need here are Sazon Completa, Mojo, Naranja Agria, and Vino Seco (cooking wine). For snacking purposes, there is guava, black beans, and traditional Hispanic sodas like Jupina, Malta, and Materva.
Aisle 6: All you need to know is that this aisle has coffee. Pick your favorite brand of Cuban espresso beans - Pilon or Cafe Bustelo. I also recommend buying a can of evaporated milk, so that future cortaditos will have a splash of sweet, sweet milk.
The Bakery: Ladies and gentlemen, believe it or not, there is Cuban bread in the bakery. It's usually hidden in different places, but find a sales associate and ask them for it. This will satisfy your tostada and pan con bisetc cravings.
So there you have it. If you read only this post, then you made a good decision. This is the survival guide to Cuban food in Tallahassee. I chose the Publix on Ocala because it is the most centrally located for most Florida State students. These ingredients will help you to cook, smell, and taste what you thought was only possible in your abuela's kitchen. If you're still at a loss as to what to do with these items, consult further posts and I will help you recreate the delicious dishes that smell like your childhood. ¡Hasta mañana!
