Un Viejo, Su Coche, y Un Batido de Mamey

I'm sure everyone who has been to or lives in Miami has experienced Un Batido de Mamey... [a mamay milkshake]. If you haven't, then you are missing out on a taste of heaven my friends. A mamey (aka sapote) is a fruit widely enjoyed by Cubans. It is eaten raw out of hand or typically made into milkshakes, smoothies and ice cream. The fruit's texture is creamy and sweet.

Most Cuban Cafeterias in Miami will make you a mamey milkshake, but they use frozen mamey. There is one place where you can have the mamey shake of a lifetime here in South Florida. It is of all places in a fruit stand/farmer's market called "Robert is Here". You can't miss it if you're traveling to the main entrance of Everglades National Park (or if unfortunately, you're traveling to the South Dade Correctional Institute). You take U.S. 1 or State Road 9336 to SW 344th Street, turn right through Florida City, past tomato and squash fields to "Robert Is Here" Fruit Stand. I like to stop there either when I'm on my way to the Glades or when I'm leaving the Glades. It's a fantastic old fashion fruit stand with a huge variety of tropical fruit, jams, jellies . . . you name it. But I stop there for the tropical milk shakes. They make them so thick you have to eat them with a spoon or you'll pull a muscle in your mouth trying to drink it with a straw. They have every tropical fruit imaginable: mamey, papaya, mango, and key lime, just to name a few.

On occasion when I pass through there on weekends, they have these old guys in thier real old antique cars like the old guy in the above image. Nice guy even posed for me.

So my friends, next time you're in South Florida make sure you visit the Everglades and on your way, stop by Robert is Here to have the mother of all mamey shakes. In fact, pick up a fresh mamey while you're there.

Ciao infidels.