


Glenn: The first time I came to Florida I expected to find fresh squeezed orange juice flowing from every tap and fountain in the state. No sooner had we gotten into our rental car, then we started our search for the delicious golden beverage. We stopped at several grocery stores and I was amazed that not one sold fresh squeezed orange juice. The refrigerator shelves were stocked with the same reconstituted orange juice I was so sick of drinking in Minnesota. It just didn't make any sense that in the land of the orange there wasn't a drop of fresh juice to be had.
Jorge: There are several orange groves in the state where you can stop and pick up a gallon or two of delicious juice.
Glenn: But it still baffles me why when there is so much fresh juice available in Florida, most people just drink the reconstituted brands available in the supermarket.
Raúl: Hey, you don't have to look very hard to find orange juice in Miami!
Glenn: We have a couple of favorite places in Miami for fresh squeezed juices.

Jorge: At the Palacio de los Jugos (Palace of Juices) they squeeze it to order right in front of your eyes.
Glenn: The juice is always fresh and very sweet at this funky little restaurant/market.


Jorge: On any Sunday in Miami the after-church crowds fill El Palacio de los Jugos.
Glenn: Outside at the walk-up window, everyone sips on tiny cups of hot Cuban coffee.
Raúl: Inside, in the front of the store, customers order freshly squeezed juices -- orange, mango, pineapple, grapefruit, mamey, guanabana...
Glenn: The prices are very reasonable too, about four dollars for a half gallon.
Jorge: Behind the counter is a heated glass cabinet stacked with crispy fried chunks of pork and chicharrones.
Glenn: Chicharrones are slices of pork belly, like bacon. Each slice includes a layer of skin, fat, and meat. The meat is slow cooked, roasted, and lightly fried in the oil from the pig.
Jorge: You eat the entire chicharrón, and it's best to get all of the layers in every bite.
Raúl: They have another treat right next to the cash register -- a huge steaming caldron of freshly made Cuban tamales.
Glenn: If you're thinking "hot tamales," you've got the wrong country. These are Cuban tamales and they are NOT spicy hot, just delicious!



Jorge: In the back of the store they make delicious sandwiches and have many hot dishes available for take-out.
Glenn: There is nothing fancy here, just good, solid country-style Cuban food.
Jorge: Dishes like picadillo, with ground beef, tomato, onions, green peppers and spices.
Glenn: Or vaca frita, tender beef shredded and fried and served swimming in a rich tomato-based sauce.
Raúl: Or lechón asado, a pork leg marinated in mojo and slow roasted until the meat is literally falling off of the bone.


Jorge: Of course, they also have a huge selection of tropical fruits and vegetables.



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