August 27th, 2014
The tomatoes are at the height of the season, the peaches are still sweet….this is pretty much a raw salad. Bursting with flavor, it has everything to offer for a perfect end of the summer 2014 meal.
When I made this salad I used gluten free bread. The recipe, actually calls for white bread with crusts removed. Your choice.
TOMATO, PEACH, CORN, AND FETA SALAD
2 slices white bread, crusts removed, cut or torn into small pieces
1/2 cup plus 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
2 ears fresh corn, shucked
4 ripe tomatoes, a variety of colors….or plain red will do. About 2 lbs.
4 large peaches (about 2 lbs. too)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion or shallots (I used red onion.)
3/4 cups of sheep’s milk feta, crumbled
Pulse the bread in a blender or food processor until the bread breaks down into coarse crumbs.
In a medium skillet, over medium heat, warm 1/2 cup of oil. Once warm, add breadcrumbs and gently toast until golden and crispy. Transfer crumbs to a plate line with paper towels. Season with salt.
Using a sharp knife, slice corn kernels off the cob.
Cut tomatoes and peaches, preferably into wedges. Place in large bowl with onion slivers and corn kernels. Season with salt, optional.
Add the Feta cheese.
Add 6 tablespoons of oil and toss to combine. And then, sprinkle your favorite white balsamic vinegar. My choice was Cranberry Pear White Balsamic from the new store in Downtown Rehoboth Beach….The Olive Orchard.
Distribute salad among plates, then scatter breadcrumbs on top…..serve and enjoy!!
August 10th, 2014
Summer Travel? Yes, Puerto Rico, year round!! I was just talking to my cousin in Puerto Rico and she told me that it is a spectacular day in La Isla del Encanto.
Locals in Old San Juan take to The Castle of El Morro, which was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century. It was needed to protect Old San Juan from attacks by French and English buccaneers.
On a beautiful sunny day, having fun at El Morro is a must.
Old San Juan is a city protected by a wall….The Paseo de La Princesa is very walkable and gorgeous.
Stroll on Calle Del Cristo on the cobblestones take some maneuvering….but you can do it. The Chapel at the end is full of history and forklore.
Many of the old 17th and 18th century Spanish houses have been restored and now serve as attractive shops, restaurants, and museums.
A stop at Rosa de Triana, a traditional Spanish Tasca is what we did. This building was built in 1523. It is one of the first structures of the Old San Juan Government Center during the XVI century. It was also the first City Hall.
It is located in one of my favorite streets in Old San Juan #72 Caleta de San Juan, across El Convento Hotel. Tel. 787-722-1144.
 
We sat by the cellars which also served as the first jail of the capital. The walls were so thick that cell phones did not work well inside, which was a good thing ,by the way.
 
We ordered tapas for the table: Boquerones, Sorullos, Salchichas, Pulpo, Papitas, and plenty Sangria.
So easy to get to Puerto Rico….major airlines, no passport, English is spoken. See you.
May 31st, 2014
My uncle Guiso, who is in his 8Os said to me…”this is true Puerto Rico, local color at its best”. Uncle Guiso does not go on the computer, let’s hope. Here is a photo of part of my group as we enjoyed La Placita in Santurce, Puerto Rico, on a Saturday evening.
It is Saturday and going to La Placita is something Puerto Ricans do every week. In reality it is the Plaza del Mercado, the true market in every sense of the word. La Plaza del Mercado was established in 1910. It was a farm that was donated to the Puertorican Government with the condition that they would build this type of market. Many years ago, before supermarkets came into the scene, people went to these markets and got everything they needed. They got to know their vendors up close and personal.
This Plaza del Mercado in Santurce is the only one in Puerto Rico with its own Code of Arms. You can see it on the photo above displayed. It is located at Stop #18 between Ponce de Leon and Baldorioty de Castro. It opens Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday until Noon. Website? http://www.placitasanturce.com.
After 6 p.m. locals gather and the open air block party begins.
You can buy drinks from the bars around La Placita, like we did. That’s my group waiting for twilight.
You can also buy homemade coconut ice cream. The best!! The vendor will be strolling with his cart anouncing “Helao de Coco”.
I know that Cuban cigars are sought after, but in Puerto Rico the cigars are also well known. Right at La Placita you will find the home of Don Rey Cigar. Don Rey Cigar has been preserving the tradition and artistry of cigar making. In 2005 they made a cigar that measured 62.5 feet and earned them the award for the longest cigar in the world given by the Guinness World Book of Records and, therefore, breaking Cuba’s record holder. If you want to know more about Don Rey Cigar, please visit http://www.donreycigar.com.
They call him El Azuceno….he sells the most fragrant flowers, and in Puerto Rican homes you can usually find them displayed in vases. El Azuceno was there that evening, but you also can find him in different areas of metropolitan San Juan.
 
Surrounding La Placita, many restaurants and bars have opened and all of them compete to see which one is the most popular. La Placita is a place where many Puerto Ricans come to socialize after work. Puerto Ricans are gregarious and love to party.
We went to Tasca El Pescador. Usually, know for their good food. On that particular night, it left us very disappointed. The food was okay, but nothing to write home about. It should have been excellent. Everything we order was so local. The service was definitely lacking.
Like I was saying….Puerto Ricans love to party and dance….and when it is on the streets, it is even better!
May 11th, 2014
I wish all my friends and readers a beautiful day. I remember when I became a Mother, I was totally complete.
For those of you you who Mother someone in your life….Happy Mother’s Day!
Note: The photo was taken in Bethany Beach the other day. It is not unusual to see families like this throughout the Delaware Beaches in the Spring. I never get tired of looking at them.
March 5th, 2014
Oh yes!! Still cold and snowy. Looking foward to daylight savings on Sunday!! Life’s simple pleasures like a short getaway to the island of Culebra. My last post is from the beautiful Flamenco Beach.
Culebra is very laid back; you disconnect from the ordinary.
Club Seabourne is located on Fulladoza Bay, with its own private dock in case you arrive by boat. It is a boutique hotel. Tel. 787-742-3169 Website? http://www.clubseabourne.com
Relaxing by the pool or bar…
The restaurant? Guava….Caribbean Creative Fusion under Chef Maira Isabel.
So now that I have given an excuse to get rid of your coats and boots….all you need in Culebra is your bathing suit and flip flops!!
March 3rd, 2014
The snow continues as I write this post. An all day snow event. March has come in like a lion and we are all hoping it will leave like a lamb.
Warmer temperatures, preferably in a Caribbean island would be just the perfect Spring Get-A-Way. That’s what I am thinking about today. Culebra is the island I have just in mind to introduce you to, if you do not know it already.
Puerto Rico owns 2 islands: Vieques and Culebra. Vieques is now a bit more commercialized. Culebra is still just like I remember it so many years ago. Nothing has changed…still that quiet and tranquil atmosphere, with amazing beaches and topography.
There are several ways to get there, including flying from San Juan. But, the majority of people take the ferry. Puerto Rico owns the ferries, but a competitor has a private ferry which as of this writing I have a feeling is not going to be doing the trips unless something changes. The thing is that the private ferry is so much faster than the locally owned ferry. I will leave it at that. I experienced them both.
The ferry leaves from the Port of Fajardo. The local ferry will take almost 2 hours, at $2.25 per person. You also will find other passengers on the trip….local color with the fighting cock.
For the most part the trip is pretty good. But, the sea can get a little rough at times. Don’t worry, the captains are experienced. Leave the “mainland” and heading east, our ferry left at 5 p.m. Culebra is 17 miles east of Puerto Rico.
We arrived in Dewey….yes, there is another Dewey, also named after Admiral George Dewey. This is the center of the island on the west coast. It is where the ferries arrive and also where the airport is located.
Dewey has a handful of streets…the Culebrenses are friendly and are happy to answer questions. Culebra is 7 x 5 miles. The island has cliffs, sandy coral beaches, and mangrove forests.
Culebra has 10 beaches, 4 forests, 8 bays, 4 lagoons and 24 keys. It also has the Luis Pena Natural Reserve one of the best snorkeling spots in Culebra and just across from the private residence I was so lucky to be staying.
One of those beaches is amazing and if you are in Culebra just for the day…then it is a must. It is called Flamenco Beach.
When my husband and I used to visit Culebra so many years ago, it was just the beach. Now, you can find places to eat, like the Puertorican kiosks, shops and even a camping site.
Roosters and hens roam around the island…part of the local color. Following the path to beach….
Flamenco Beach is ranked among the best beaches in the Caribbean. It is the only beach in Culebra with lifeguards, showers, bathrooms and changing rooms.
Walking its coastline, you will come face to face with one of the 2 tanks on this beach. In 1939 the U.S. Navy began to use Culebra as a gunnery and bombing practice site. This ended in 1975 when the operations moved to the other island…Vieques. A lot of controversy never to be forgotten.
Near this tank…a great place for snorkeling.
The posts on Culebra do not end here…..lodging is next! Stay warm!! Spring is around the corner.
February 16th, 2014
When I was younger Sundays, did not mean a thing. As I matured, I found that Sundays are magical. It is that day of the week where you can just relax, cook outdoors, read a good book….it is your own time. No worries. Monday is the next day, and you will worry about that when it gets there.
Visiting the Island of Culebra off Puerto Rico….Laid back Caribbean Island. There is a slower time. It is so scenic. The sounds of the waves is all it takes to put you to sleep under a palm tree.
When visiting Culebra, and I will tell you more about it in a later post…..lunch at the Dinghy Dock is very relaxing. At dockside. It is located outside the Dewey Draw Bridge on Calle Fulladoza. Tel. 787-742-0233. Locals mingle and Dinghy Dock serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
 
Entering Dinghy Dock and sitting at dockside….it is an open air restaurant with full bar, serving American and Puertorican food.
The view of the anchored boats and of the fish expecting a treat from your table.
A full bar and grab a table, please. Remember, you are on island time…..no rush.
It was the perfect place to stop for lunch after touring the island with family. On our table the following was ordered.
Beef Fajitas
Two orders of the local bean burritos.
And after I had been eating lechon asado (roasted pig), morcillas (blood sausages), pastelillos (turnovers), plantains….it was time to eat fish. So, my sushi grade seared tuna hit the spot!!
No dessert for us….we were completely satisfied.
Visiting Culebra….priceless!!
February 13th, 2014
 
You cannot blame me for the continuation of my posts on the Island of Puerto Rico. Have you looked outside today? Delaware Beaches are getting rain but the tri-state area is getting snow. So, Puerto Rico, is a quick get-away for many. Only a few hours from major airports in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, PA. No passport needed. Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the U.S. English is spoken for the most part throughout the island.
One of my favorite cities in Puerto Rico is Old San Juan. Strolling through Old San Juan will set you back over 500 years. Gorgeous cobblestone streets, wear comfortable shoes. This walled city is so unique that the United Nations Educational Scientific & Cultural Organization, also known as UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site. It is a 7 block museum, where people, live, shop, dine, and party.
A few months ago a friend stayed in Old San Juan with her husband. Both were so surprised to see and experience how Spanish the island is. Not Latin American but Spanish from Spain…food, buildings, and traditions.
I don’t have to think twice when someone asks me where to stay in Old San Juan. My answer is always the same: El Convento Hotel, located at 100 Cristo St. Tel. 787-723-9020. Website? http://www.elconvento.com.
 
Hotel Convento…the word convento is convent; it was a Carmelite Convent 356 years ago. In 1959, under Operation Bootstrap….Operation Bootstrap gave U.S. companies tax incentives to come to Puerto Rico. Hotels, Pharmaceutical companies and Oil companies came to the island looking for those benefits.
Robert Frederic Woolworth, heir to the Woolworth fortune, began converting the convent into the El Convento Hotel in 1959. Since then, other major renovations have taken place in the 1990s and in the 2000s. The hotel has 58 rooms, and several restaurants.
 
El Convento has a rooftop pool. Visiting the Island of Puerto Rico would not be complete if you do not visit its beaches, as well. El Convento has beach and pool privileges at La Concha Hotel located on Ashford Avenue in the Condado section of San Juan and in Isla Verde at the Marriott Hotel. These are both great beaches if you are in San Juan.
The forecast for the Delaware Beaches looks pretty good this week-end. Hard to believe that you think it is warm when the temperatures raise to 40 degrees!! Oh, well spring is around the corner.
See you,
 
|
Comments Off on DE Beaches Eat!! Tomato, Peach, Corn and Feta Salad, Sugar Meets Salt, Easy, Delicious!! Perfect for Labor Day Cook-Out!!, Southern Delaware, Delaware Beaches