Everyone in the world knows NYC is known as “The Big Apple,” but did you know that Tampa is known as “The Big Guava?” The nickname was coined in the 1970’s by longtime newspaper columnist Steve Otto, after researching Gavino Gutierrez’s quest to find wild guava trees near Tampa Bay along the west coast of Florida in the late 1800s.
The story goes like this . . . Gutierrez was a Spanish immigrant living in New York, importing and exporting goods from Spain, Cuba, and Mexico. He had heard a rumor that guava, a fruit he was already familiar with, was growing wild throughout Tampa Bay. Coincidentally, he had a friend who owned marmalade and guava paste factories in Cuba and was looking for a place in America to open a factory—so the two gentlemen packed their bags and headed to the bay area.
Once they arrived, they were hard-pressed to find any wild guava trees growing in abundance, and the trip would not result in a new guava paste factory for Gutierrez's pal or riches for himself. But the trip wasn’t a total loss. Gutierrez reached out to one of his old acquaintances, Vincente Martinez-Ybor, and told him Tampa could be the perfect spot to open a new cigar factory. Hence why you may hear people refer to Ybor as the “Cigar City ''; but that’s not its only moniker. Ybor city has also been given the name “The Big Guava '' stemming from NYC being called the “Big Apple '' and referencing Guiterrez’s failed quest in locating native guava trees in Tampa. Fortunately for him, it had opened the door for much success down the road in the cigar industry.
Ybor City has since hosted an array of guava related events, one of the most notable holidays being Guavaween. It began over 30 years ago when a Latin-esque Halloween celebration took place on the last Saturday of October in the streets of Ybor City, and was aptly named after Tampa’s nickname, The Big Guava. Around dusk, the Mama Guava Stumble Parade would start up led by Mama Guava, the queen of the parade, featuring floats and costumed revelers armed with sugary treats and beads to throw at spectators. While the original Guavaween has been taken over by a more family-friendly party planning company, it will forever be a part of Ybor City culture and transcend generations.
Tampa Bay is still home to many other guava-related events such as GuavaFest, GUAVA Immersive Art & Music Event, and the Big Guava Festival to name a few.
Now, to the tasty facts! Even though guava trees are not native to Tampa Bay, when planted in this climate, they are able to thrive! A tropical fruit with a rich and diverse cultural significance, guava has been a staple in many cultures for centuries. Its sweet and tangy flavor has made it a favorite ingredient in many restaurants and dishes around the world, especially here in Tampa Bay.
La Segunda may be known for our authentically made Cuban bread, but our guava pastries are some of the most popular and in-demand items on the menu! Hundreds of people each week sink their teeth into our Guava Turnover, Guava Cheese Turnover, Flip Guava, and Flip Guava Cheese. These sweet and buttery pastries are made fresh daily and when paired with a cafe con leche, make the perfect breakfast or midday snack.
Get a taste of Ybor City history and order your guava pastries today!