Key West, Florida has long been a favorite destination for vacationers seeking to escape the harsh winters of the northeastern states during the winter months. Although the winter months remain the peak season for visiting the island town, the off-season months have also become busy. There is plenty to do and see in Key West in the daytime and evenings. You can go fishing in the morning, go snorkeling in the afternoon, watch a theater production in the evening, and dance the night away at many of the nightclubs. In the midst of all the fun, you're bound to get hungry at some point. Luckily, Key West restaurants are plentiful. You can stay there a month and not eat at the same place twice.

You can tell a lot about the native population of the island by the type of cuisine Key West restaurants serve. One highly recommended restaurant is El Meson De Pepe which is located in the town's Mallory Square. The cuisine can simply be identified as Cuban but it's really more than that. It is a unique "Key West Cuban" dining experience. The menu not only includes typical Cuban dishes such as black beans and roast pork, but also typical Key West favorites such as conch chowder and key lime pie. To enhance your Key West Cuban experience, the walls are lined with many historical artifacts of Key West's Cuban population which include old photographs and memorabilia dating back to more than 100 years. For more information, visit the restaurant's website at www.elmesondepepe.com.

There are many other Key West restaurants you can try. Another recommended choice is an old favorite called The Rooftop Café which is located at 308 Front Street. The cuisine leans strongly towards seafood served in a romantic atmosphere. It is one of several Key West restaurants you may decide to try for a nice quiet evening out.

For further information about The Rooftop Café and many other Key West restaurants, visit www.tripadvisor.com.

Cuban cuisine has been enjoyed in many American cities with a significant Cuban-American population for many years now. Although Cuban cuisine may not be as familiar to Americans as Mexican food, Cuban restaurants are becoming popular in American cities that didn't have them before. As Cuban Americans have settled in communities outside of areas where they have a large population such as Miami and New Jersey, Cuban eateries in these new communities have opened. Additionally, Cuban cuisine cookbooks are found in bookstore shelves where other cookbooks are stocked.

At its core, a typical Cuban dish consists of black beans and rice with a choice of beef, pork, chicken, or seafood. Other foods such as yuca (root vegetable) and platanos (bananas) are also commonly served with a meal. The cuisine is strongly influenced by Spanish, African, and other Carribean foods. For example, Spanish paella is often found in Cuban restaurant menus. In Cuba and in many Cuban-American communities, the cuisine is called comida criolla (creole food) because some of the root vegetables and fruits that are native to the Carribean are typically served with many Cuban meals.

If you would like to savor Cuban food but are unsure where you can find a Cuban restaurant near you, a recommended source to check out on the web is called Three Guys from Miami. This site is put together by two brothers and a friend who have travelled all over the country reviewing Cuban restaurants. They provide a listing of all the restaurants they've visited. The site is highly entertaining and includes some stories behind the origins of Cuban dishes.

For Cuban recipes, a cookbook titled Memories of a Cuban Kitchen by Mary Urrutia Randelman is recommended. The book not only offers many recipes but many anecdotes about the origins of these recipes.

If you want to get a taste of the tropics without leaving your home, you can get a true experience by trying different tropical foods. When most people think of tropical foods, they immediately think of the wide variety of fruit that the tropics have to offer. Yet, although vast arrays of tropical fruits are available in many areas, often people neglect to try them. The fact of the matter is that today tropical foods are cultivated to grow in warm climates even outside of the tropics. As a result, they are easily accessible and often can be found for a reasonable price.

There is a long list of tropical fruits. Undoubtedly, you will have heard of some of these tropical foods, while others may be new to you. For example, common produce such as avocado, banana, and watermelon are, in fact, considered tropical. However, other less prevalent produce such as persimmon, mango, gooseberry, jackfruit, kumquat and guava are also on the list of tropical foods. If any of these fruits are new to you, why not try sampling them to see what you think?

The guava is a tropical fruit that many people grow to love. These are plants in the myrtle family that are native to Mexico and Latin America. Scientists believe that this fruit naturally spread to Southeast Asia and the Caribbean through the process of ocean drifting. A guava fruit has a tough outer skin, which can be yellow, orange or green. The inside is quite fruity, and some people have said that the taste reminds them of a kiwi-strawberry flavor. One great way to prepare guava is in a fruit salad. Guava juice is also very delicious. This particular fruit is also very healthy as it is rich in vitamin A and C.

When you are considering tropical foods, another great fruit that many people neglect to eat regularly is the mango. A mango is very sweet and can be either soft and pulpy, or firmer like an avocado. Mango is ideal for juice, ice cream, and pies. This fruit also comes with remarkable health benefits and is high in vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A, C and E. If you want a truly tropical drink on a hot day, try making a smoothie with mango, orange juice, pineapple juice and ice cubes. This drink can also benefit from a splash of rum!

Take advantage of the fact that tropical foods are available across the globe. If you are planning to take a trip to the tropics, incorporating these types of fruits into your diet will undoubtedly get you in the mood.

It is always fun to grill outside and tropical fruits like mango or pineapple are a welcome addition to chicken or fish.

This recipe does take some preparation but the results are totally worth it. This is a great meal to make for family or guests for your next tropical meal outside by the pool or beach.

• 1 pound of chicken breast, cut into cubes
• 1 mango, peeled and cut into cubes
• 1 red onion – cut into 1 inch squares
• 1 green pepper or red pepper – cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Skewers

Note: if you use wooden skewers, soak them in water first to avoid burning on the grill.

Place cubes of chicken, mango, red onion and green pepper on skewers. Brush with vegetable oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Cook on grill about 5 minutes on each side. Serve with the sauce recipe below.

Combine all the ingredients listed below in a sauce pan and heat on medium heat. Serve with the kabobs for dipping.

• ½ cup Plum sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
• Juice of one lime
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 green onions – chopped

This meal goes well with whole-grains like brown rice or quinoa. Add a salad or another vegetable for a complete tropical meal your whole family will enjoy.

225 calories per kabob - 18 grams protein - 36 grams carbohydrates - 4 grams fat