Lighthouses & Cuban Fritas

Happy Tuesday. Today we will do a little Florida sightseeing by giving you a photo of the historic Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse in Jupiter, Florida. For those unfamiliar with Florida, it is on the northernmost edge of East Palm Beach County, right before the Martin County line.

Originally a civil war lighthouse, it has stood over one of the most treacherous inlets in Florida. Even the most experienced boat captain must watch himself when manuevering these waters.

While El Farito, or the Cape Florida lighthouse, is one of my favorites, the Jupiter Lighthouse is second on my list. Perhaps it is because I have a fondness for red brick colored lighthouses. Most of them are white, or black and white striped, or simply metal towers. The Pone Inlet light in Volusia County is also red. I like that one too and will feature it in a later post. The Jupiter light is endearing to me as an artist since it faces the inlet which allows for some interesting photographic compositions. This shot was taken from across the inlet from the boat docks.

My buddy Pete the Drummer, moved all the way to Jupiter from Miami Beach and really digs it out there. However, one cannot find Cuban Fritas in Jupiter. It would require him nearly 2 hours to find the nearest frita from the Jupiter Inlet.

Hell, even in Fort Lauderdale, one cannot find a Cuban Frita. Only when I visit my mother in Westchester (S.W. Miami for you non-locals), can I enjoy a Cuban Frita at El Rey de las Fritas on Bird Road. Back in the days when I used to be a musician, myself and my fellow musicians, (Pete included), would end our rehearsals by heading out late in the evening to Las Palmas Restaurant on Calle Ocho to order some Cuban Fritas. They always seem to go down good with a Pineapple Soda or Beer. However, you'll still taste them for hours after you consumed them.

For those without a clue, the Cuban Frita is a spicy hamburger served on a hamburger bun made of Cuban Bread. I've seen many recipies for them, but none of them taste like the ones we enjoy in South Miami. Dunno the secret. I've tried to make them with a mix of ground beef and ground chorizo (with a lot of paprika). My version taste pretty good, but it's not quite there.

So for those like Pete, myself, and others of Cuban descent who have ventured far away from the frita capital of the world, we welcome your frita recipies. Post them here in care of Mr. Mike. To close my post, in the words of the immortal Oscar Wilde, "Work is the curse of the drinking classes.” Ciao infidels.