📷: Photo by Danny Mejia
Hi Cristina! In a few words, who are you and what do you do?
I’m the founder and head baker of I Knead More.
How does Miami help you do what you do or influence your work?
Miami’s flavor profiles are a major contributor to my baking business and recipes. Case in point is I Knead More’s leading star, the Guava and Cream Cheese Babka. I took something quintessentially New York and made it Miami.
Wax poetic for a minute and tell us: what brings you most alive about this city?
Having been a Miamian since age two with a five-year break in New York, there are three things about Miami that just get my blood pumping.
First is the incomparable Cuban cuisine, my apologies to Tampa and Union City. When I would visit from New York, my first priority was either a Vaca Frita from Latin American or a Frita con Leche Malteada from El Rey de Las Fritas.
Second, Art Basel/Miami Art Week. I’ve attended Art Basel events since my teenage years and I’m always impressed how this landmark event has evolved drastically over time.
And finally, Miami’s history and culture. Miami’s cultural identity, obviously, has very strong Caribbean roots. I didn’t realize the impact of something so minor as being greeted by a kiss on the cheek until I moved to New York. To tell you the number of times I had to explain to very startled New Yorkers that where I’m from, a kiss on the cheek is second nature.
What is your favorite Miami memory?
Watching Miami evolve after being away in Manhattan for five years. I never imagined Miami would be on the Michelin Guide, host more fine dining institutions, or change Little Havana into a thriving nightlife hotspot.
What’s your favorite local social media account to follow and why?
@beyondsouthbeach on Instagram! The sibling duo behind the account, Alex and Philip, share content not just about dining destinations off the beaten path, they also share interesting quips of Miami history.
If you could eat only one meal from a local restaurant for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Vaca Frita con Yuca Hervida and Arroz Moro from Latin American on Calle Ocho and 57th Ave. I have yet to find another spot that makes immaculate Vaca Frita like the lovely folks at Latin American.
Outside of the obvious stop above, share your other top three destinations for where you’d go on your perfect Miami day.
I’d start my perfect Miami day with a Vegan Croissant Breakfast sandwich from L’Artisane Bakery in Coral Gables, followed by wandering around art exhibitions either in the Perez Art Museum or Bass Museum, and end this fantastic day with my usual Dark and Stormy cocktail at Gramps.
What’s an unpopular opinion you have about the city?
Wynwood lost its cool factor when developers priced out artists and closed their galleries and started charging a fee to see The Wynwood Walls.
If you could give any one piece of advice to locals, what would it be?
As challenging as it is in this town, be patient — especially on the road. Also, support small businesses and local music venues. Miami needs its hidden gems and local talents. RIP Las Rosas.
What are you looking forward to through the end of this year?
I’m finally moving I Knead More from my home to a commercial kitchen in Doral! I can’t wait to expand my production and clientele.
That’s a wrap on this week’s Locals to Know. Know someone who ought to be featured or would like to be featured yourself? Reach out by sending an email to [email protected] with the subject line “TNT Locals to Know 2022.” If chosen, you might just see yourself or a friend in a future newsletter.