A Jeanne in the Kitchen

The name Cozumel means swallows nest, but ironically we didn’t see many, if any swallows, at all. We did see a lot of other beautiful birds though. You all know how I love my birds. 🙂

The Great-Tailed Grackles are very common, and we see them all the time. They are cousins to our Common Grackles I see here at home all the time too.

There were lots of Brown Pelicans flying all about. They are slightly smaller than our American White Pelicans who frequent our lakes in the spring.

There were Mexican Vultures.

Sand Pipers or Sanderlings

Parrots

He’s eating his apple, but he doesn’t like the skins. He spits the skins out.

Yellow birds.

Gray and yellow birds.

Tropical Meadowlarks.

Ibis.

And the biggest birds – the planes flying in, with some frigates guiding them to the airport.

Have a great day and make everyday great. I still have plenty more fun things from Cozumel, so stay tuned. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Yesterday I presented you with our discovery of trompitos. Cozumel – Part 3 – Time For Trompitos But we made oh so much more than trompitos. We had a full menu, including trompitos, frijoles charros, pico de gallo guacamole, sikil p’aak, Mexican squash, and grilled plantanos con crema para los postres, or dessert, as well as the cosolitos para los bebitas. As you can see, we made way more than just trompitos. We made a Mexican feast. Everything was mui delicioso!

The silik p’aak, we had made before at Ix-Kool. Ix-Kool It is a sauce made with roasted, or in this case, boiled tomatoes, ground pepita seeds, garlic, salt, pepper and either jalapenos or habeneros. As with anything, there are always many different variations. All of the recipes and dishes we made were handed down to Tanya from her abuela or her grandmother. So they have been in her family for generations.

For the Mexican squash, we cooked it with oil, garlic, onions, salt, pepper, and then topped it off some Mexican cheese that was similar to Parmigiano cheese once it was cooked to perfection.

The frijoles charros or charred beans are very similar to cowboy beans. We made them with bacon, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, achiote paste and beer. We used pinto beans with their juice.

First we sauteed the bacon, garlic and onions together, then added the peppers and achiote sauce. Once those were softened, we added the beans, brought everything to a boil and let it boil for about 10 minutes, then added the beer and brought it back to a boil again. After it was done, Tanya grated some of the cheese and put it on top.

For the cosilitos, Tanya added 1 shot each of fresh grapefruit juice, orange juice and lime juice, then 2 shots of tequila, a dash of fresca and soda water, and something else, that was her secret ingredient.

These were so cool and refreshing and just perfect for a hot day. And they were very tasty too.

And for dessert, we had grilled plantanos con crema.

From starting at the grocery store until the time we finished eating as much as our tummies would hold, it was about 2-2 1/2 hours. It was a very fun experience with delicious food. And Tanya is a true gem. She was fantastico! I highly recommend cooking with Tanya. It is a great way to immerse yourself into the world of Mexican cooking. I will have to get the information from Larry if you are interested. It was listed as a private Mexican cooking class on Trip Advisor, or something like that.

Que tengas un gran dia y haz que cada dia sea grandioso. ‘Til next time.

Our post dive activities were both our fun and entertainment and our meal for the day. We took yet another cooking class, but unlike the one we took at Ix-Kool a few years ago, Ix-Kool, this one took place in someone’s home. Both were great, and totally different experiences. I would highly recommend both.

We met Tanya, our trompito chef, at the Super Aki, supermercado or supermarket. She and I were buying the ingredients needed for the day and she was explaining everything to me as we bought them.

Once we got everything we needed from the supermercado, we went to a tortillaria for some fresh, hot tortillas. Then we were off to the kitchen Tanya uses for her classes. The house belongs to her boss. It was a very nice house with a big kitchen.

I had never heard of trompitos before, but now I definitely know what they are and I know how to make them. They are delicious too. Trompitos, also known as trompos, have a long history, dating back as far as 4000 BCE. It is believed they first originated at the banks of the Euphrates River. There is also evidence that both the Ancient Greeks and Romans ate trompos as well. Trompitos are a variation of al pastor. Lebanese immigrants first created tacos al pastor in Mexico in the early 1900s. These immigrants brought their shawarma-style cooking techniques, which included rotating meat over an open flame—the method still used today to make tacos al pastor.

One of the main differences between al pastor and trompitos is the way the meat is cooked. For al pastor, the meat is roasted over an open flame. Trompitos are slow cooked and then shaved off into very thin slices. The name trompito is derived from their “trompo” or semi-tubular shape. These are very popular street tacos in Mexico, and in the Northeast. Creating al pastor tacos involves a gigantic spit—the trompo—piled high with succulent pork and pineapple, slowly spinning next to an open flame until the meat’s ready to be sliced off and tucked into a tortilla.

Before making the actual trompitos though, we had to make the red sauce or salsa roja. Tanya hasn’t sent me the actual recipes yet, though I mostly remember how to make it from memory.

Tanya and I rinsed and cleaned all the vegetables, then put a few tomatoes and a jalapeno in water to boil until softened.

As the tomatoes and jalapeno were boiling, we got everything else prepared for the sauce, such as fresh garlic, peppers, and the seasonings. Once the vegetables were ready, we blended them together and strained the sauce. The sauce was then the marinade for our thin pork slices.

We let the pork marinate for about 30 or so minutes, and while it was marinating we got busy making all the accompanying dishes. I will give you the recipes for those later. We made pico de gallo Pico de Gallo, guacamole Holy Guacamole, Mexican style sauteed squash and frijoles charros for the main meal. Then some grilled plantanos or bananas with crema for dessert and some cosolitos, or tequila with fresh grapefruit, orange and lime juice as our bebidas to go with our meal. But today, I just focusing on the trompitos.

When the meat was ready, we sliced some pineapple and onions, which were used to stack the trompitos. Nothing goes to waste. The pineapple peels were our base. We stuck skewers in the pineapple peels then added a layer of pork, onion and pineapple, and repeated until the skewers were full. Once ready, we put them in the base of the air fryer, added the sauce, more onions and more pineapple and let it all cook for about 30 minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer, no problema. I do not, just roast it in the oven, and that will work too.

Larry was busy cooking too. We put him to work as well.

Tanya was great. She and I clicked right away, and it was like we had been cooking together for years and were old friends or viejas amigas. Everything was excellent o todo fue excellente. Tomorrow, I will give you more of the recipes we made. We had a great time. Even Larry enjoyed himself, though admittedly, he lost interest after awhile and was more interested in the dog and cats. 🙂

This was so much fun, and I highly recommend it to everyone who likes to cook. Que tengas un gran dia y haz que cada dia sea grandioso. ‘Til next time.

We ventured back to another delicious favorite restaurant of ours, La Choza for dinner. Mariachis At La Choza, Mas Comidas de Cozumel – 5 Once again, the food was just as delicious as we remembered it to be. We split dinner and ceviche, and still had leftovers. The good thing though, is that we are eating less. We have gotten into the habit of getting fresh ceviche wherever we can, when in the neighborhood. There are so many different and delicious varieties too.

This time we had a combination seafood ceviche and

fajitas with both pork and beef.

!Delicioso!

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

There are not a lot of cruise ships in port on Sundays in Cozumel, so a lot of the businesses are closed, allowing families to spend time together. The rest of the week there can be up to 10 cruise ships in port all at the same time. Of course we were diving in the morning, but after diving, we spent some time at the beach before touring around to take in the sights.

Relaxing at Palancar Beach.

Cozumel is a small island, so it doesn’t take long to take in the sights for the whole island in one day. We started up north and worked our way south and around.

The north and south parts of the island are completely different.

The lighthouse and marina up north for larger boats.

A little church up north.

One of my absolute favorite statues. It’s a dedication to scuba divers and the abundant marine life in Cozumel. There are all kinds of fun, colorful statues all over the island.

The ferry terminal, with ferries coming in from Playa del Carmen.

The main part of town, in San Miguel.

This is supposed to represent the corals.

A cute little church in town. Church and religion are very important to everyone in Cozumel. There are many religious options, but the predominant religion is by large the Catholic religion.

El Cedral is kind of in the central part of the island. It is mostly agricultural there.

We had a friendly family of pigs run out to the car to greet us.

The little piglets were so darn cute.

We drove down south to Punta Sur. We’ve been many, many times, but it is always so beautiful to see. It’s wild and untamed territory for the most part. The waters are rough but beautiful. If you can get to the beaches, they are the same.

After making the loop around the island, we came back up to where we were staying and it was time for dinner. We were actually staying in the heart of town this time. Usually we stay away from the action, down south. I will NEVER stay in town again though. It was so loud and noisy, particularly at night. I like my peace and quiet.

Before dinner though, we stopped to enjoy the gorgeous sunset.

I refuse to cook on vacation, for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is I want to try the local foods of where we are. Some of the restaurants we went to were old, familiar places to us, where we have dined before, and others we new to us. Our fist meal on Cozumel was back to one of our favorite places, Colores y Sabores, a restaurant the specializes in Mayan and Yucatan dishes. Mas Comidas de Cozumel – 3

When surrounded by the sea, we tend to eat as much fresh seafood as we can. Larry ordered the grouper cooked in a delicious garlic sauce, con arroz y verduras, or rice and vegetables.

I ordered a lime and shrimp dish, that was very similar to ceviche. And of course we had to have margaritas as well. There was NO way we ate everything, and this was one of the first of many dishes we took back to our hotel to eat again later.

Everything lived up to our expectations and to our memories of before. Los todos estan mui rico. Everything was delicious.

We have been diving in Cozumel for at least 15 years. We dive all over the world, and hands down, in our humble opinions, Cozumel has the best diving in the world (that we’ve done). Why? Well, most of the island is a protected marine park, so there is lots and lots of large marine life to see and the underwater topography is amazing. And the reefs are very healthy and full of life. Where else can you do so many swim throughs in under water canyons and see so much marine life?

Cozumel is famous for its crystal-clear, warm turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and world-class snorkeling and diving at the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-largest coral reef system in the world, second to the Great Barrier Reef in Northern Australia (we’ve dived there too). Diving is one of the main attractions for visitors and diving was the main reason we were headed back to Cozumel yet again too. And diving for my birthday, well that’s just the icing on the cake. And dive we did. We we sure had some amazing dives too. 🙂

The Caleta is the marina where all the smaller fishing and dive boats are. It is on the southern part of the island. It is always our home away from home when in Cozumel. There is another marina up on the northern part of the island for larger boats.

We had one dive up on the northern part of the island, up at Cantrell, where we had an amazing eagle ray show, with 19 eagle rays showing up and just hanging out with us for about 5 minutes. We were elated to say the least. The current was very strong, and we didn’t want to miss a thing, so we found some big, strong rocks to cling to and just watched the show. I am trying to figure out how to show you the videos, but for now, you will just have to live with photos I take off the internet.

This is EXACTLY what we saw, only there were even more of the rays. It was definitely a sight to behold. I have 428 dives, and this was by far one of, if not THE BEST, dive ever.

Mexico, as a whole, has a rich and diverse culture, with many influences, though predominantly Spanish, Mayan and Aztec, depending on where you go. But Cozumel is most definitely influenced by the Mayan culture.

Cozumel, like so much of the Mexican Riviera and the Yucatan Peninsula, is very proud of their Mayan culture. It is evident in everything from their art, to their architecture, to their food. There is even a Mayan ruin site on the island, San Gervasio. We have been a few times in the past, but we did not go this time. San Gervasio is one of the only Mayan sites dedicated to the goddess, and all things feminine. There are Mayan replicas all over the island.

In the mornings, we would dive, and after diving, and showering and changing, we would do a wide variety of different activities. One of the places we visited was the Museo de la Isla de Cozumel. By going to the museum, we discovered new things to do as well on other days.

Cozumel is an island and municipality in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. Cozumel, a mostly undeveloped Mexican island in the Caribbean Sea. Most of the island is still covered in thick jungle territory, and is therefore still wild and untamed. The name Cozumel, roughly translates to the swallow’s nest. There are swallow references all over the island too.

This is the iconic statue right by the ferry terminal.

Swallows are even imprinted into the cement on the sidewalks and walkways.

This is just a brief overview of our home away from home. Get ready. I have so much more to share with you. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

We’re back home again. We returned home around midnight on Saturday night. As usual when we go on vacation, I always have at least a couple of days worth of catching up to do to get back into my normal routine. I just finished editing all our pictures, (and of course I took a ton of pictures) and have already done all the laundry. Soon, I will once again be back in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. I have lots and lots of fun adventures from Cozumel to share with you too.

Of course we were there to DIVE, DIVE, DIVE and that we did. We had some amazing dives too. The only pictures I get from our diving adventures are those shared by others since we do not have an underwater camera at the moment (again). But I do have this fun one of me making friends with a Southern stingray.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Mallards by far are the most prevalent ducks we have on our lakes. Don’t get me wrong, I love my Mallards, and I think they are beautiful, and I love seeing them. But they are “ordinary” to me, because I see them so often.

The ones who stand out the most to me are the “extraordinary”. We all need to stand out and shine for who we are. We need to be unique and true to ourselves. So, in a lake filled with Mallards, be a Ringneck,

or a Common Goldeneye,

or a Hooded Merganser,

or better yet, be bold and really let everyone know who you are, and be a Wood Duck.

But whoever you are, just always be yourself. Let your own natural beauty shine through everything you do.

Eggs are one of the most universal and nutritious foods on the planet. Everyone eats eggs. Every culture around the world has been eating eggs since the beginning of time. If there are birds, there will be eggs. At first people were eating eggs from wild birds, in the Neolithic times, and then they started cultivating the birds and collecting their eggs.

Basically we eat eggs from all kinds of birds, from wild birds, to ducks, geese, quail, ostrich and domesticated chickens and everything in between. Eggs are very versatile and nutritious. They are loaded with protein and many other nutrients. Eggs provide protein, fat, and important vitamins while being relatively low in calories. Eating eggs as part of an overall nutrient-rich eating plan can support your overall health, including your cardiovascular system and eyes. Eggs are pretty much the perfect food. They contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. They are only 78 calories, and contain 6 grams of protein and only 5 grams of fat per egg. They are full of vitamins and minerals to, such as: Vitamin A – providing 8% of daily needs; Folate, with 6%; B5 or Pantothenic Acid, with 14%; B12, with 20% Phosphorus with 7%; Selenium with 28% of our daily needs, as well as Vitamins D, E, B6, Calcium and Zinc. Bottom line, you can’t go wrong when eating eggs.

Many of the ways we eat eggs today were introduced to us by the Ancient Romans, such as making tarts, baking, and eating eggs poached or in omelettes. The first recorded recipe for baked custard was from Marcus Gavius Apicus, who was a 1st century gourmet.

Aside from being some of the oldest and most nutritious foods around, eggs also have had many different cultural and religious significances as well. In many different Christian cultures, eggs have been a symbol of Christ’s resurrection and eternal life.  Early Christians in the Middle East dyed eggs red to commemorate Christ’s crucifixion. Jewish people have always eaten eggs at Passover. A hard-boiled egg is a symbolic food during Passover, representing the cycle of life. A roasted egg on the Seder plate symbolizes sacrifice and mourning. Eating eggs was later adopted by the Christians as a symbol for Easter. It is believed that the tradition of selling eggs by the dozen came from the British during the Elizabethan times, again drawing from Christian beliefs, that they were representative of the 12 disciples of Christ. The Chinese believe the “century egg” is a preserved delicacy that symbolizes fertility, birth, and new beginnings. They have been painted bright colors from the Pagans and many other cultures, as a sign of the upcoming spring and fertility. They were hung in ancient Egyptian temples in the belief they would encourage fertility.

Most countries around the world do not refrigerate their eggs. They are left at room temperature. Various countries in Europe vaccinate chickens against salmonella beforehand. In addition, eggs are not washed like they are in the United States, so the cuticle is left on the shell. As a result, eggs can be stored at room temperature instead of needing to be refrigerated.

Eggs are still considered to “fresh” for about 60 days. But if you are poaching them or frying them, they are best when “super fresh” at about 1-7 days. After their 60-day period of freshness, the white part of the albumen starts to break down. But how do we know if they are still fresh, other than relying on the dates printed on the cartons? Place the eggs in a bowl of cool water and you will soon have your answer. If they stay on the bottom, they are still fresh. If they float to the top, they most likely are older and past their “expiration date”.

And to close us off, here are some fun old wives’ tales about eggs.

1. An egg laid on Good Friday, thrown on the fire, would extinguish the fire.
2. Don’t eat bluebirds’ eggs: they will make you love to wander.
3. Don’t eat mockingbirds’ eggs: they will make you tell everything you know.
4. If you eat a dove’s egg, you will get bad luck.

So now you know. I hoped you enjoyed your egg lesson for the day. I learned some new things. I hope you did too. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well.

We leave tomorrow, early, early in the morning. I will be back in Cozumel, diving, diving, and diving. So I will be off the grid and underwater for the next week. But have no fear, I will be back before you know it, and before you really even get a chance to miss me. 🙂 ‘Til next time.