You know you are a die-hard foodie when you are going to Mexico for a weeks vacation and you are almost more excited about the food than the fun in the sun. I can lie in bed at night and almost taste the breakfast I will have every morning and it is scrambled eggs, beans and chiquilles. Chiquilles is made with either a red or a green sauce (I prefer green) into the sauce they put a bunch of fried tortilla chips that they squish down into the sauce, cover with white cheese and bake it - the sauce gets soaked up in the chips making it a bit soggy but browned and crispy with the cheese on top and the corn taste - YUM!
My other favorite meals I am planning are at this great spot in Cozumel called La Choza - run by a family and recognized in town as "authentic". They have great flash friend Snapper that is awesome rolled up in tortillas with limes, onions and cilantro. I am also looking forward to Tortilla soup and of course Mole over Chicken. A true mole has chocolate, cinnamon and an adobo red sauce that rocks my world.
We always had a easter egg hunt when we were little. We would hard boil and decorate eggs with those Paas kits and then leave them out for the Easter Bunny to hide. Our Easter egg hunts were always inside as lets face it - its usually still snowy at Easter in Minnesota. With 4 girls running around I am not sure how it was that we didnt find all the eggs one year but we didnt. My dog Miseltoe found one as it was stinking behind a chair in the living room about 4 weeks later and ate it, and got sick all over the floor in my bedroom.
Why do I remember these things and I cant remember what I ate for lunch yesterday? :)
I have visited a few places this week that I wanted to share with you.
One of my favorite happy Hour spots is Kincaid’s. I know that might sound like a weird spot to tie one on but they have great Happy Hour dishes for $3. Last night we had the deviled egg trio – three types of deviled eggs topped with a yummy sauce and wither shrimp, crab or salmon. We also had a Tuna Tar tare tostado topped with a wasabi mayo and Daikon radish that gave it a sweet, spicy crunch. I always love the sweet potatoes fries with the Garlic Aioli also – yum. Lastly, drinks at Kincaid’s are fin and the bartenders are some of the best mixologists in town. You can get a great martini, mojito, my South American favorite Caprinia and also a solid glass of red wine.
I had the opportunity to visit Café Barbette for a light bite earlier this week and it was really special. I love the neighborhood vibe of this place and I even knew a few of the folks on staff. I sat at the counter and caught up on some reading with a fine glass of El
Portillo Mendoza Argentinian Malbec 2005 that was recommended to me by my server when I asked for a spicy red wine. The wine was perfect. I also had their nightly scallop appetizer which was three perfectly seared tender scallops atop a curry sauce that had a hint of apple flavor and was glossy from the butter I suspect they added at the end of reducing the sauce – this was served alongside a mixed green salad with balsamic and olive oil. For such a sweet little dish this one was to die for it was sweet and salty from the scallops and I was only sad there wasn’t more to dip my salad fork in. The best French bistro in my mind also have great Pommes Frite and Barbette was no exception, the fries were thin, perfectly crisp, lightly salted and served with a rich garlic aioli that was divine.
I found out a few hours ago that Patrick Swayze has Pancreatic Cancer.
I am not sure why this is having such a profound affect on me but it really is. I can’t imagine the world without his Dirty Dancing Body in it. Somehow it makes me feel old and like my time might be coming just around the corner. Its weird how someone so alive can be so gone so fast. Is that what I am reacting too? The fear that it can happen to me. I am sure we all know people that thought it would never happen to them – the big C word – that seems to be the way Cancer goes. Too sad I tell you. Who will baby dance with?
If you like wine I want to recommend that you check out the City Pages wine tasting at International Market Square. The event is really accessible and there is something for everyone. You get to taste all different kind of wines in a fun, unpretentious setting. I always find a cheap wine that I like there that I can get for under $10 that I would not be embarrassed to serve at a dinner party.
It was here that I discovered Big House Red. Its not fancy but its tasty and my favorite wine to drink on the deck at the cabin. I love that you can get this wine at almost any liquor store in America and it has a screw cap!
Ticket for the wine tasting are $28 in advance $35 at the door.
