Big Sweet Tooth

Isla Mujeres...I Finally Made it~

You know what the scary thing about this picture is?  It's 100% real...and I was just there less than 24 hours ago.  Yep, you got it, I just returned from Isla Mujeres, Mexico...one of my new favorite places in the world.  Though I was only gone for a few days, I have a dozen stories to tell, a thousand photos to share and a million and one reasons why I wanna go back.  Starting with the snorkeling...NEVER have I been snorkeling in such crystal clear waters and within seconds had hundreds of rainbow colored fish surrounding me, enveloping me, flirting with me so close to my face...what an unbelievable experience.  For $4 bucks you can hit up Garrafon (right next door to the actual Garrafon Park) and see all sorts of little creatures.  Totally blew my mind and what a way to spend a day.  I'll follow up some more on the entire trip all this week in my ode to Isla Mujeres.  Stay tuned, por favor~

Insanely Perfect Granola at Mogan's Cafe in Pacific Palisades~

I have never seen ot tasted granola as unbelievably beautiful as the bowl that is served up at Mogan's Cafe in the Pacific Palisades. My pal Chez used to work there a long time ago and every time I was in LA, I would cruise in and grab a big bowl of the maple flavored granola with fresh berries on top.  Dousing it with ice cold soy milk, I swear I could not get the spoonfuls in my  greedy little mouth fast enough...but, I gotta say, every thing at this adorable little cafe is delish.  Tucked away on a little switchback road in the heart of the Palisades, ya gotta know what you're looking for or you'll never happen upon this place.  There is a great Italian restaurant right next door and the old owner of Mogan's used to own one of my other fave LA haunts, Misto in Santa Monica.  They also have fantastic food...and it's super cheap to boot.  There also happens to be a Misto down in Hermosa Beach that is just as lovely.  Just a little note if you plan on making it out to LA soon...
Mogan's Cafe
548 Palisades Drive

Spindrift 43'~Now I Know What Kind of Boat I Must Have

This past weekend, I was in San Diego looking at a sailboat that I'd been checking out for months online.  The second I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one...it was that simple.  After taking a tour of her and laying in the V berth imagining myself with a rum in hand, I got CRAZY and straight up made an offer on her.  No matter that there is no chance in the near future I'll be able to enjoy her; who cares if I have no crew; what the hell if the slip fee is almost as much as my mortgage---that is what happens to you when you find a boat you love--ALL REALITY goes out the window.  After a few days of going back and forth with the broker, turns out someone swooped in and made an offer that brought me to my senses...one that took me off the market...but only for the time being.  Now that I  know what boat I want (this has to be the one)...it will making working and saving dough that much easier to manage.  This cutter rig is truly what bluewater dreams are made of and I cannot wait to continue my hunt when I have a little more MST time on my hands.  p.s. I actually full-blown broke into the marina late that night after seeing her (fueled by a few cocktails down in Baja, mind you) to just lay on the deck and imagine what it would be like if she were truly mine and I were gazing up at the stars somewhere in the tropics.  What  great memory to bring home to Chicago with me~~
Break in is such a strong word...how about "I found myself unescorted into the marina after hours"...much better!

What's Doin' at the Mexican Border?

The US/Mexico border in Tijuana is a huge cluster of pure and utter madness.  On the way out that is.  Hell, getting in is easy as pie. I was just cruising down the 5 shootin' the shit on my cell phone and within a split second, I shot across the border was was hauling ass down the coast.  No passport needed to get in, that's for sure.  Now getting out is wild. The lines to the border are easily a mile long and weaving their way around every vehicle are all sorts of vendors selling everything from nieve (amazing dairy-free ice cream) and soda pop to churros and tamales.  Guys serenade you at your car window with the guitars they're selling and some of the vendors just pop a squat on the side of the highway for  a little snack (see pic on left).  It's a pretty amazing thing to witness and you'd think that drivers would go ballistic at the people hawking their wares, especially when they just want to get across the border...but oh, no!  In essence, since you're still in Baja, you're still on Mexican time!  And, I was just asked for an ID on the way out--NOT a passport. Hmmmmm.......

LA is Great...Because Baja is So Close~

See, that's the one good thing about Los Angeles...its proximity to Mexico.  Hell if you're in LA and have wheels, you can be in Baja within 2 hours.  Which is exactly where I spent the day.  I'm actually out in LA for work, but since I had yesterday off, I woke up at the crack of dawn, headed south to San Diego to check out some sailboats and within moments after viewing my dream boat, I shot over the border into Mexico. I drove all the way down to the new marina, Puerto Salina, to check out their slips and grabbed fish tacos x 2 along the way. Of course, proper fish tacos were my first priority upon touching down on Mexican soil. My favorite--perfectly executed--fish tacos (with strawberry daiquiri chaser, of course) were at this great little restaurant called La Fonda (pix on left).  It's a long time haven for surfers, expats and day trippers and since they have a little hotel on the beach and have recently added a spa, you can swim, surf, stuff your face, nap, get a facial, have drinks, get a massage and then hit the sack without ever having to go anywhere else.  La Fonda is at KM 59 off Highway 1-D.

Take Me to the Indian Ocean...Pronto!

Only because it's about zero degrees out and I'm nurturing my addiction to Mexican hot chocolate am I posting this photo of the Indian Ocean off the coast of Zanzibar.  I spent all day today in the total doldrums (because I gave up my Red Bull and Mike and Ike addiction this morning, I'm certain) and thinking of nothing but tropical weather in faraway places.  I was researching tickets to Mexico and scouting out real estate in remote (and HOT) tropical lands and then I happened across my photo.  What a way to purely escape from the messy weather in the Midwest right now.  This hotel I stayed at (Ocean Paradise) was literally that close to the ocean and every morning (after sleeping in til a scant 9 am), I would head out to the beach, grab a lounger and plop down to take in the sights.  Fisherman in their wooden sailboats, friendly hawkers, and the occasional passerby on their way to work (chuggin down the sand) were the only people out at that hour and the later it got in the AM, the bluer the ocean became...until it was almost impossible to look at. I guess I'd love to be there right now, or at least slurping down a rum-heavy caipirinha right now...yeah...that'd do...Here's how to make one.

Entabeni Game Reserve in South Africa

There are hundreds of game reserves in South Africa...all claiming to be better than the next.  It's almost impossible to choose which one to go to, but Entabeni (Place of the Mountain) is one of the better ones.  We went there over X-mas and had the most fantastic time...scoping out all the animals, playing hectic games of Scattegories, eating like mad, trekking through the bush (of course, my favorite part was discovering and documenting all the various animal's poo), and drinking lots of wine.  I stayed in the Ravineside Lodges (picture on left)--which are these little huts on stilts looking out over the majestic ravine.  I really wanted to climb that mountain but Simon (our guide) claims there's no trail.  I was totally entranced by it and have more pictures of it than of the actual animals.  Entabeni is in malaria-free Waterberg (insanely beautiful) and about a 3-hour drive from Jo'burg.  The last 45 is spent weaving your way to the lodge on a windy dirt road--literally in the middle of nowhere~

A Bustling Little Village Called Stonetown

The only town that's really a town worth exploring on Zanzibar island is the broiling village of Stonetown, a world-famous UNESCO World Heritage site.  All you really need is one day to explore the bustling bazaars, the dusty curio shops (never have I seen so many brilliant compasses and gorgeous sextant's), the wretched fish market (I almost hurled at every turn due to the layers of flies, blood and bugs covering the fresh fish), the lovely fruit market (much better), the packed mosque's, and the striking marina.  The town is a labyrinth of tiny winding streets (no cars allowed, but a fly-by motorbike will practically kill you every few minutes) with ancient Arab details.  There are all these old brass-studded wooden doors everywhere which are just stunning.  The place is such a delight to get lost in and these tiny street vendors sell the most delicious food out of their glass encased cabinets (mini fried fish cakes, hell...fried everything!) for like .50 cents each.  Have a sundowner (a nice mojito for me) upstairs in the lounge at The Africa House (one of the nicer hotels in the heart of town) and watch all the wooden dhow's ease in with their catch of the day.  If you are staying at one of the resorts on the coast, they will want to sell you a day tour of Stonetown, but it is better to catch a ride into town or simply rent a car and see the entire thing on your own...nobody likes trolling around with crowds of tourists looking at slave quarters.  Do you??
*Also Freddy Mercury (from Queen) was born here and has a perfect little restaurant in the marina that has great food (seared tuna) and makes a killer mojito...it's called Mercury's.

Zanzibar Blues

Bloody hell, now this is the kinda photo I'm talking about.  Since coming back from the southern hemisphere, I have been hit with nothing but snow, gray skies and very little sunshine.   What a bunch of baloney.  Just one week ago, I was on the glorious island of Zanzibar off the coast of Africa sailing and eating salty lobster cooked on a deserted beach.  Yikes!  What happened?  What was I thinking coming home?  The blues of the water in Z'bar are surreal.  Deep pockets of midnight blue patches right beside the lightest, palest blue you can imagine. It makes for utterly fantastic snorkeling and diving (though I'm told Nosy Be in Madagascar is the best diving in the world and I need a whole new trip there sometime really soon) and you cannot imagine how phenomenal it feels to sail out to a tiny island and literally jump off the boat into crystal clear waters...in the hundred degree temp no less.  Summer is Chicago is just around the corner, right?  Right????

Glen Afric and Baby Lions

Never, ever in my life have I seen anything as cute as these baby lion cubs.  They are the most precious little creatures I have ever come across, and these particular two were being guarded by a wild-eyed timberwolf at Glen Afric (a private game reserve just outside of Johannesburg) that thought it was their mama (you have to take them away from their real mama's because she might kill them).  While I was there for New Years, I also got to see hippo, giraffes, lions, tigers, leopards, wildebeests, zebras and tons of other happy animals.  I also tasted--how could I not--warthog.  They'd slung a whole one on the pit and fired it up for the New Years bonfire.  I only had one bite, but it was delish.  I mean, who the heck eats warthog?  The South African's love it--they are mad meat eaters...
Oh, and the tent accommodations were awesome--complete with claw foot bathtub dead in the bush.

Zanzibar--Who EVER goes there?

Just as the Oprah documentary project was wrapping up last week in South Africa, I decided it was high time for me to take  a little vaca. I was THIS close to taking the quick hop down to edge-of-the-earth Cape Town (next time!), but at the very last second, I decided to go a little more exotic and off-beat.  All I wanted was to be dead alone, a crystal blue beach and some R-U-M.  Out of nowhere, Johanna (a delightful woman who runs a travel agency in JBG) came up with a last minute flight to Zanzibar.  It had been on my list of places to go, but I guess I'd forgotten how close it was to South Africa (3.5 hour flight later and you land on Z'bar island and are in a totally different world).  Thank God I went there--from snorkeling on tiny, remote sandbanks and eating grilled lobster on a deserted beach (plus I slammed my first beer that I've had in YEARS--a huge, icy-cold Kiliminjaro), to eating the most insane tropical fruits, to guzzling stout caphirinas, to touring lush spice farms (the highlight of my year!), to befriending a local social butterfly named Abhi and buying him a drink at Mercury's (Freddy Mercury's lovely bar/restaurant on the beach in Stone Town), to sailing on an ancient slave-trading sailing vessel (jahazi), to getting the tan of the century...I had the most stunning time.  That is the best part about Africa--it is the jump off point to so many other cultures and regions.  Of course, now I'm all about buying a place in Cape Town to fuel my next adventures....yikes!

South Africa~Where to Even Begin??

This is the longest I have gone without posting even a tiny little entry on food or travel.  I'm just as stunned as you guys are...But, I have very good reason--Since early December, I was caught up in the MAD, MAD world that is South Africa (with an roller coaster ride to dusty/beautiful Zanzibar on the tail end)!  But, now I am am home and once I get myself settled back into my new place (major jet lag is settling in right now after the 2 day trip home), I will be back on track and detailing all my glorious discoveries of this enchanting land.  Every where you turn, there is just one beautiful vista after another, the people are gorgeous and forever loving, the rum drinks are aplenty (I somehow developed the HIGHEST tolerance of my life for mojitos, caphirinas, DOUBLE Captain and cokes and the whirlwind of tequila shots on this shoot)--it's definitely seared its way into my heart and soul over the past months.
But--I'm also delighted to be home--it seems as if dozens of new restaurants popped up while I was gone and some resourceful readers also brought some old gems to my attention.  I can't wait to have a tamale and cafe con leche at La Unica asap...I have missed this cozy restaurant the most of all!
More to come~~~

Barcelona and Port Vell from the Air

If you've never been to Barcelona, Spain--now you know what it looks like.  I took this photo on my way out of town and it's of my favorite part of the city, the port and Barceloneta.  From the air, the city seems so tidy and compact but in reality, it is a sprawling mecca of tiny restaurants and charming bars.  I especially love the area by the marina for all the amazing seafood and paella--and sangria, of course.  Anyway, I'm back on the hunt for a new sailboat and I'm constantly researching the best marinas round-the-world.  Barcelona has a beautiful expansive marina with tons of liveaboards roaming around.  Though Mexico is probably where I will homebase my new boat, I love nothing more than idle away hours upon hours digging up the most remote, cozy and exotic marinas I can find.  This one is a little too big for me and I've already been to Barcelona twice but for folks looking for a cheaper way to explore Spain, think about living on a boat in the marina for awhile.  There is no other way to sleep~~

Finally Home from Spain~~

Yeah~I'm finally home!  Even though Barcelona was gorgeous, I simply could not wait to get home to my own stomping grounds and hit up the farmers markets.  I'm headed to the Green City Market today to load up on blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, tomatoes, and everything green that I can get my hands on!  The thing I will miss most, food-wise, about Spain are the little sandwiches that dot the counter tops of every single little cafe on the street.  The most delicious are the ones that are smeared with crushed tomato and have razor thin slices of jamon on them (the best in the world, mind you).  Paired with a piping hot cortado, it's a dollar meal made in heaven.
But, honest to god, to have a full fridge and cook a meal in my own kitchen---nothing in the world compares to that!

Back on Bali Again...and This Time it's all about Candidasa

I know I keep coming back to Bali, but I'm just not quite done with her yet.  In  my quest this week to find a remote, tropical location directly on the ocean located within a 5-hour distance of Chicago, I have come across so much crap.  Stuff that is literally hundreds of dollars a night for nothing, you know?  I just quickly wanted to post this about the most charming little hotel that I stayed at in Candidasa (tiny village on East coast of Bali)...it's called Lotus Bungalow and cost about $35 bucks a night--and that is considered expensive.  This was the view from my little bungalow and it was almost impossible to leave the property (which I only did so I could hike the nearby volcanoes).  The food was great, b'fast was included, the shower was incredible (and outdoors) and this infinity pool felt like being in the middle of the crashing ocean.  You really cannot top a place like this most anywhere in the world--see why I keep coming back?  I'm just awed again every single day at what an amazing place Bali is~Oh, and a poolside, hour long massage was, you guessed it--$5 bucks!

Ever Had a Coffee Ground and Fresh Papaya Scrub?

Bali is absolutely a spa nation.  Every which way you turn, little tiny spas are hawking $5 massages and $7 facials.  While I was there, I partook in no less than a dozen 1 hour ($6) massages--maybe even more, but the thing that took the cake was this deal from the most beautiful little spa with wide-open windows overlooking a verdant field. 

Check this out jaw-dropping deal:
+2 hour full body massage and body scrub (my whole body was slathered down with yummy-smelling coffee grounds and deliciously icy fresh papaya pulp--truly wonderful)
+1/2 hour bath in hot tub filled with soft flower petals
+Cold rinse in a wild plant-filled shower
+Hair brush out by my personal assistant
+1/2 hour deep hair cream bath with head and shoulder massage
+1 hour facial (wtih masks, peels, massages--all that good stuff)
+manicure (with arm and hand massage)
+pedicure (with foot massage)
I was at this place, Passion Spa, in Ubud for FIVE hours and all of this...everything---was $35 US dollars!  Can you imagine?  I have never in my life felt so pampered and delighted to be touched and for THIRTY FIVE BONES, I mean, you could rock this every day...and I thought my little $30 1/2 body scrub in Chicago was a good deal---see, now that is yet another reason why I LOVE Bali--and really, all things Indonesian~

Homestyle Cooking--Namely Chicken and Dumplings

I just got back to Chicago from the most relaxing week home in Tennessee, where I did nothing but eat, eat, and then eat some more.  I don't know why I pull a full-on gorge every time I head home--it must be all the mountain air.  My family and I drove the short jaunt over to Georgia to have lunch with my Granny and when I tell you she makes the most delicious chicken and dumplings...they're like nothing I've tasted.  Her batch last week was superior to any other she's whipped up recently and I will have to learn to make them next time I head home.  Her dumplings are light, but dense...creamy and buttery...and dotted with tender morsels of chicken pulled from the bone, plus tiny bits of chicken fat...you could definitely make a full meal of them, but oh no!  No Southerner would ever do that---she also made (for lunch no less) tender pot roast with potatoes and carrots, soft green beans, buttery rolls, dressing, and the most mouthwatering cream style, peppered corn.  It's a feast for every meal down there and makes me want to get out of the restaurants and get straight back in the kitchen.
Maybe when I get back from Bali in a few weeks, yeah?

The Field Museum: An Around-the-World Adventure

This past Saturday, I spent the day getting lost at the Field Museum.  I haven't been there in over five years and just wanted to see what I'd been missing.  I wandered in and out of every country, it seems, as they were featuring exhibits on everywhere from Kenya to the South Pacific to Egypt.  My favorite exhibit to hide out in was on the upper level and was called:  Plants of the World.  I was totally fascinated by all of the species of plants (it all goes back to food) that they had out, especially one on my favorite tea from South America, mate.  I also really dug the miniature exhibit they had on a tea plantation in Sri Lanka...it was so thorough and real, all the way down to fingernail sized people hauling bags of tea leaves way out in the fields.  I just ambled about and munched on my tofurky (spicy Italian is my favorite) sandwich and Chilean grapes that I'd smuggled in and imagined what life would be like sippin' some tea in Sri Lanka.  Guess I just gotta go now~

Little Corn Island: A Casa Iguana Hut

Since I've been back from Little Corn Island,Nicaragua, I've been getting a bunch of emails from travelers wondering if it is safe there, if it is worth it to go, and especially if Casa Iguana is a good place to stay on the island.  I've been emailing folks back rapid-fire because I was in the same position as them before I went...wondering if the island was safe and if all of the bad reviews I'd read about Iguana online were true.  Well, I did stay at Casa Iguana (casita #12 is my favorite, with the best view) and I totally loved it.  The managers (Robin and Lee at the time) were awesome and the entire staff was so helpful. By the time I left, I realized that if I had wi-fi in my little hut with beach views, I could easily live in one forever.  The lodge served great breakfast and dinner (thanks, Maribell) and it was nice to have a communal place to chill at every day on the east side of the island.  Clean laundry came back  in a jiffy and the internet cafe on their property was the only one on the island (hrs. 8am-12 noon).  To me, it was the perfect place to get away and be in the jungle, yet still feel connected to everything. And the east side of the island was definitely my favorite.  Any more intel needed, send the emails my way...but YES!  Little Corn Island is safe, beautiful. humid (which I love) and a perfect place to fall off-the-map.  Get going~

Nicaraguan Sea Turtles Are Your Friends~

Before I went to Nicaragua, I'd heard that folks down there eat all sorts of things...sea turtles included.
But I had no idea I'd actually see one being slaughtered.  I'd say it was probably one of the most intense things I've ever witnessed.  To know that so much history was all wrapped up in the gigantic shell of one turtle and then, to watch a machete hack it to parts was totally nuts.  Of course, I had to get in close and smell it and even touch the head (I couldn't believe that I was touching a fifty-year-old sea turtles huge head).  The villagers loved it, though...they make turtle soup, turtle stir-fry, and anything turtle...and were standing in line to buy the turtles various parts.  I asked one guy if it tasted like chicken and he said,  "No, I don't like chicken."  Wow.  There is just so much going on in the world that I don't even know about, it constantly amazes me.  You know, when you travel, you're always gonna run across some village ritual or something that you don't necessarily agree with, but jeez, this one was a toughie to watch unfold.  Fascinating, but harrowing, if you get me. 

Back on the Game Plan

Every single time I come back to Chicago from being home on the mountain in TN, I've got a new eating game plan.  That's usually because when I'm home, I find myself wolfing biscuits with my butter and my granny's homemade fig jam, hundreds of plump muskydimes, dozens of potato's (it's all about French Fries in my world), vats of ice cream with crumbled snickers bars, and various bottles of wine (my cousin actually showed up at the airport to pick me up with a chilled bottle of wine and two wine glasses, ahhh...to be home!).  So, when I roll back into Chi, I'm always ready to start a brand new running program (even though I do hike the mountain), eat loads of veggies (I guess French Fries aren't veggies) and never again to eat meat (sometimes, when you're at a bar and they bring out a half dozen crispy wings with chunky blue cheese, there's nothing more to do but wolf!).  All of that being said, I'm rocking some mad vegetables for a while (in any shape or form that I can) and am very excited about it.  Yeeeeeaaaaahhhhhh!  I have to document it somewhere, you know?

Nichol's Farm: The Most Beautiful Compost Pile You've Ever Seen

Do you have a compost pile?  I know I should, but living in the city makes it a little hard to start one and I guess I'd have nowhere to sling the compost when it's ready to roll.  Well, the boys out at Nichol's Farm certainly do.  I just thought their pile was the most beautiful array of colors, with all these near-perfect vegetables closing in on each other to create this almost-masterful arrangement.  Plus, it was huge...about the size of my bedroom, if not bigger.  I guess there is just so much to learn from farmers and I'm jealous that I don't have a pile to call my own.  I love the city and all, but sometimes, I'm just craving a bit more space (like a huge yard).  I' thinkin' I'll have to take the compost plan down to TN and get my parents all riled up and crazy over it. (I can just imagine nothing but a hundred wild mountain dogs rolling around in all of the vegetables, creating a lovely bed for themselves.)

LA Farmers Markets: Some of the Best Around

After a glorious weekend spent in lovely LA (spent mostly sippin' mai tais and cleaning my sailboat), I returned to Chicago thinking about how I'll miss their beautiful farmers markets.  The one that I used to go to (way back in the day when I lived on Sweetzer Ave. and when I lived in Beachwood Canyon) was the Hollywood one and the one that I hit nowadays is the Pacific Palisades one on Sunday.  I just get so happy to know that this market is rollin' every single week of the year, especially knowing that the market I love in Chicago will be shut down in a few months, if not sooner.  Look at all that beautiful fruit the LA area farmers are pumping out.  Year round fresh fruit: Definitely one of the best things LA has to offer.

Sweet Olive Cafe, New Orleans

On my last day morning in New Orleans, not only did I do a beignet shove down at Cafe Du Monde, I went on a full eating frenzy and had one of the top five tuna fish sandwiches ever at a cute little hideaway called Sweet Olive Cafe.  I'm am going a little nuts in Chicago trying to figure out where to find one as good and went to Whole Foods yesterday to get some yellow fin tuna in a can.  The only kind they had was in oil, but I am going to rock it out later and see how it tastes.  This sandwich was so mayonaissey, firm and crisp...a superior tuna fish concoction.  And with the chips and a bit of potato salad, it has become my summer time fave.  I'm on the mad hunt, so if anyone knows some good stuff in Chicago, email me.

Crispy, Flaky, Beautiful Beignets

The most famous place in all of New Orleans to get beignets is Cafe Du Monde.  Located across from Jackson Square, it's a huge indoor/outdoor cafe that only serves beignets and variations on coffee and milk.  I was just there for a few days and right before I left for the airport, I literally skipped there to have an order of these famous treats.  The waiters are slow and the heat inside is sweltering, but the milk was icy cold and the beignets were melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  The first bite could literally stop time.  (All for a buck-sixty-nine, no less)!

Southern Food: Butter and Mayo are King!!!

I just returned from a much needed trip home to the mountains of TN, where my mom whipped up one of my favorite meals of all time; juicy corn on the cob (slathered in gobs of butter, salt and pepper), baked potatoes (with more butter and half a friggin tub of sour cream), cooked-all-day pinto beans with homemade chow-chow and the best of all, her Southern-style cole slaw (made with buckets of mayo, diced tomatoes, and a little sugar).  Though this is all vegetarian, I'm sure I'm on my way out, what with all the butter, sour and mayo I consume when I'm home in Tennessee.  What the hell...you only live once, yeah?  Though it may look a little sloppy, this is a vision of food perfection to me (and probably cost less than a whole dollar)!

Food Is Always Where the Heart Is

No matter how far around the world I travel (the wilds of Mexico, the side alleys of Paris, the narrow streets of Barcelona, the hills of Cinque Terre, the butterfly fields of Greece, or the mountains of Switzerland), the word that's always on the tip of my tongue is food.  Be it a platter of re-fried beans, an entire freshly baked baguette, a smear of some homemade goat cheese, a dab of prickly jam, or a pile of poisonous nettles, I'm constantly searching for my next beautiful bite.  Food--it's the one thing the entire world has in common; and I love roaming the world in pursuit of all its mouthwatering glory.

Nieve~The Best Dessert in Mexico

Nieve (which means "snow" and is Mexico's version of sorbet) has turned into  the sort of treat that instills a severe longing for us while were here in Mexico.   It seems to be offered at stands and carts  all over the peninsula (you have to be careful, though, as some vendors let it sit so long the flavors become chalky), but the best I've had is at a tiny store in Mulege.  The charming woman who runs it makes all of the flavors from scratch and there is no dairy, no milk, no cream, no nothing in it (yet, it is still as creamy and delicious as ice cream).  After weeks on the road, to stop off in Mulege and order a cup of nieve (my favorites are pistachio, coffee and banana) is pure nirvana.  A recreation is definitely in order when I get home.

Fish Tacos in Baja

There really are no fish tacos like the ones that are found in the tiny restaurants lining the port in Ensenada, Baja, Mexico.  When you pull in the narrow street just off the marina, every tart young thing comes running for your vehicle, hawking their wares and it's really hard to decide which colorful establishment to choose.  Ultimately, I go with my heart and rock out with the first person who makes contact with me.  The fish (simply described as "white fish") is flaky, tender and perfectly fried.  The toppings are kept to the bare minimum (cabbage, cilantro, fresh lime) and I love dousing them with the creamy, sour cream/mayo blend that sits on the long, family style tables.  After tasting the tacos in Ensenada, I thought that was it for me...taco heaven found.  BUT, after heading further south in the peninsula, I took the recommendation of the owners of Eco Mundo (an awesome little eco-friendly hotel in one of the most perfect places in the world, Bahia Conception) and went to Ana's Restaurant (in Santispac) for her version.  Sars to letcha know, they were the finest I've ever had.   Served with a side or mashed potaotes (almost like scalloped  mashers) , beans, and sides of pico de gallo, salsa, cucumbers, avacado and limes...what more could I say.  Top it all off with a potent margarita and  Ana's is truly paradise on the Sea of Cortez. 

Onion Rings: The Real Kind

Take it as a sign....you know, the 'ole septic tank needs cleaning and what does the Roto Rooter guy spew out as I was giving him a blow by blow description of the meal I'd just wolfed down from Waycrazy's (BBQ joint on the mountain I call home in TN)? 
He tells me that if I want good onion rings (the ones I'd just had at Waycrazy's blew), then I gotta head to Nikki's Drive-Thru down in North Chattanooga.  He claimed they served the best in town, made from real onions, not the freeze dried junk that most places sling in oil.  'Nuff said.
I just happened to roll past at about 10 p.m. and whaddayaknow?  Still open, ready to make some rings.
They were crispily delicious, not too oniony and the perfect price:  less than $3 bucks.  Doused in ketchup and just very, very lightly fried (almost tempura-style), I must say I was quite impressed.  Next time I'm there, I'm gonna have to order up a platter of the fried shrimp the praise on the wall's claims Nikki is famous for.  But seriously, as a side note...how could you not serve dessert?  You're the ultimate diner.  Get with the big sweet tooth, you know?

Gimme More Churros

I guess I still can't get enough of these crazy churros.  This was the caramel filled one from a little corner bakery in the Gracia district of Barcelona. Where is one made like this in the USA?  I've never seen them stuffed with anything; just served the standard way, deep fried and sprinkled with sugar--Delicious?  Yes...But mind boggling?  Sars to letcha, no.

Churros Dulce de Leche

Sweet Jesus...these little fried pastry doughs (in charming corner bakeries all over Barcelona) were my daily fix while there.  I had never seen a churro stuffed with anything, and to find it oozing with cream, and chocolate, and caramel..it got a little nutty.  The first time I saw them and bought one, I wasn't 2 steps away from the bakery when I took my first bite; I was just totally flabbergasted and so were the ladies behind the counter rockin' out on the deep fryer, when I came right back in (still with the first cream-filled churro in hand) and ordered another one...this one with sweet and creamy caramel.  Just a true taste sensation~they sorta made doughnuts seem silly and useless.

Spanish Hot Chocolate--The Real Deal

What really prompted the Spain trip was tasting the mind-boggling hot chocolate at The Angel Food Bakery.  I swear.  I had to taste for certain the real deal and when I found an apartment switch on craigslist (free trade, clean and clear) with a couple from Barcelona, well...it was a done deal.  As you can see from the picture, real Spanish hot chocolate is even thicker and chewier than I had anticipated--BUT, no matter where I had it, it was always a little less sweet than that at Angel Food (I like it super-sweet).  Still though, it puts all other versions of hot chocolate that I have ever tasted to shame!  I would guesstimate that I had about 2-3 per day.  Good God, in retrospect, that is truly horrifying!

Belly Up in Barcelona

Only in Barcelona, Spain could it hit me smack dab in the face--I don't know jack about food.  I thought I did, I was certain I had it down pat...but after wandering the ailses day after day at La Boqueria (the main food market off of touristy Las Ramblas in Barcelona), and eating hundreds upon hundreds of tapas, I realized I am an utter novice when it comes to cuisine.  That's all about to change, though.  Spain was a groudbreaking trip in many ways~ I will unleash the discoveries over the coming days, as soon as I collect my overloaded thoughts.  I can say this though--thank God I got that one off the list!