savor the flavor

The Island Life is always an interesting culinary delightful surprise.

My morning ritual of Egyptian Licorice Tea is followed by a handful of raw almonds. Then a brisk walk to La Tamehua, the new taqueria for pulled chicken or turkey tostada, laced with la crema and habenero picante, chased with a very cold Negro Modelo. Then my girfriend anounces she has just cleaned the fresh squid which was only swimming earlier that morning. So off I go to her new seaside home where we sit in her welcoming cocina, Caribean breezes kissing our faces as we sip clean, clear tequila and moan over the tasty dish she prepared of squid, garlic, fresh ginger, chilies, and cilantro all sauteed in organic coconut milk. One more tequila for dessert.

Then a long walk on the beach, swimming and shell collecting, laughing, telling stories of old boyfriends, good and bad, reminescing and allowing the sunshine to toast our shoulders.Our appetite is once again returning.

Ah ha, when we return to her house, there is a message that another friend has a fresh leg of lamb but a broken oven, so it is our mission to gather the dinner from her house, pile it all up on the moto including the leg, potatoes, fresh rosemary and garlic, and her fresh assortments of French breads. So we fire up her oven, which she never uses except for dry goods storage and wait, and sip more tequila, and test the leg, and sip, and wait, and watch the waves roll onto the shore, and wait and sip.After a couple hours the air is filled with the aroma of garlic and roesmary and it is finally time to load up the meal onto the moto.....so here we go with 5 legs in tow and two very hungry again girls. Upon arrival the variety of fresh mushrooms being chopped for saute is too numerous to count, the mint has just been picked for Mojitos and we are picking at the crusty breads like hungry birds on a beach. Finally the time has come as we all sit at a very long table, raise a glass of white wines, mojitos and coca colas to yet another grateful day spent on this magical Island. A place I used to call home, but have come to say farewell for now, and savor the flavor of Isla Mujeres.