For example, who wouldn't love an evening in Miami, one of Florida's most popular cities and the home of some of nation's best nightlife and restaurants?

Cuban food is the star of Miami's culinary scene. Thousands of Cubans have made Miami their home in the last half-century after fleeing their homeland in protest of Fidel Castro's communist regime. They brought with them the mouth-watering recipes that have become a staple of Miami's cultural landscape. Cuban food is a type of fusion cuisine, blending elements of African, Spanish, and Caribbean cooking. A typical Miami Cuban meal might include spicy roast pork, rice and beans, mashed plantains, and beer.

Another Miami Cuban favorite is the Batido, a cold, creamy milk-based drink that's as different from your average milkshake as Miami's energy-charged nightlife is from an afternoon at your local strip mall. Batidos can be made with a variety of tropical-inspired main ingredients, including banana, papaya, and this tempting, super-simple mango version:

Batido de Mango

(Recipe adapted from Glenn M. Lindgren, Jorge Castillo, and Raul Musibay)

1 cup fresh ripe mango cubed

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

3 tablespoons sugar (to taste)

1/2 cup crushed ice

Put everything in the blender except the ice and process until frothy. Add the crushed ice and process until the ice is ground fine and the batido is thick and rich. NOTE: The condensed milk is a very Cuban addition. You may omit this ingredient to your taste.