Cooking to Meet the Heat
In the continuation of “this country needs all the positive support it can get” - Please follow @March_Fourth_ on instagram. They are a hard working group of moms aggressively trying to change the gun laws in this country. If you don’t care for instagram here is your list of local politicians and numbers to call to lobby a vote for gun change. If you live in one of these states -all you have to say is “I’m calling to request that you support HR 1808” This is the proposed assault weapons ban that we so desperately need.
Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) - (202) 225-3635
Ron Kind (WI-3) - (202) 225-5506
Kurt Schrader (OR-5) - (202) 225-5711
Jared Golden (ME-2) - (202) 225-6306
Henry Cueller (TX-28) - (202) 225-1640
Vincente Gonzalez (TX-15) - (202) 225-2531
Chris Jacobs (NY-27) - (202) 225-5265
Back to our regular program - I am a creature of the sun. I’ve been golden brown since birth and, although greatly discouraged, I cannot help but turn my face up to the sky and tuck my shirt sleeves into my bra straps to feel the warmth on as much skin as possible. I look back at pictures from my teen years and I swear to you I am verging on purple I’m so tan. My hair, a platinum Barbie hue. This is not a look you could pay me to rock nowadays. My life long best friend, Jacqueline Gion partnered on the invention of a proprietary blend of lemon juice and salt water in a colorful little spray bottle that we drenched our heads in all summer. It accentuated that fresh off a desert island look. Jac will be the first to admit that her Irish skin had to learn a thing or two laying on a towel on Langdon Beach alongside me. That never stopped her. We were partners in sunshine, and still are given the opportunity. The hotter the weather the better. I took my adventures to places with seasons, but Jac has remained a sun goddess, visiting Chicago winters for like 30 seconds before hightailing it back to 80 and sunny. Can you blame her?!
As our love for the sun, and each other, flourished we took our adventures south to Miami. I had been visiting Miami nearly every year of my life. My grandparents spent much of their time there and we made the trip whenever the Chicago snow turned to gray slush. Jacqueline came a long on spring break and promptly said yes to her acceptance to the University of Miami – The U. It could have been the passionfruit martinis at Joe’s Stone Crab, ordered with terrible fake IDs, or rocking around South Beach in a 1980 white, diesel Mercedes “boat” that wooed her to La Vida Loca, but I can almost bet it was the aquamarine ocean and constant sunshine.
It is most definitely the place I’ve been to more times than anywhere else. I will openly state that Florida is a hot mess, but Miami is one of my favorite cities. Sort of like how I’m from Chicago, not Illinois. There’s a big difference. I love it so much we took 100 adults on spring break and got married there! That’s a story for another time. Miami is vibrant, loud, hot and not for the faint of heart. People in South Beach rollerblade around almost naked, with snakes around their shoulders. It’s the “I don’t care what you think of me” vibe that made me love it. There is style and attitude en masse. Miami is a Latino, Caribbean, transplant melting pot of joy. The food reflects that magic. Neighborhoods are dominated by individual cultures - Cuban, Mexican, Central or South American, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Haitian, you name it. These cultures understand the hot climate and they cook to meet it. What comes out is fresh, light, spicy, fast to consume but passively prepared foods. No one wants to stand over a stove or heat their house with the oven when it’s 100° and 80% humidity. Lest we forget, it’s surrounded by water. Give us fish and citrus, chilled vegetable salads, flash fried plantains, shellfish on the half shell and drinks made from sugar cane. Melting pot cultures make for the best food. The spices are chaotic and wide ranging, and the cooking techniques are well adapted. Anything goes, just be kind to the locals and learn some Spanish, it’s the language of our future!
The Menu:
Yellowtail Peach Ceviche with Lime Chips
Grilled Chimi Chicken Skewers with Herb Crema