Banana Bread

Return to Mai Thai Wandering post Homebound: life amid coronavirus pandemic

excellent banana bread for breakfast. As a dessert, serve with ice cream or with fruit

Found this recipe in a Georgia travel magazine that I picked up at a Georgia Visitor Center several years ago. 

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup oil
3 Tbsp buttermilk

3 medium bananas, mashed
½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a 8 X 4 loaf pan with parchment paper; set aside
On a piece of wax paper, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together oil, eggs, sugar and buttermilk
Stir in the flour mixture. Fold in bananas and nuts and pour into prepared pan
Bake for 55 mins or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cook's Note
Substitute buttermilk - use milk and squeeze a wedge of lemon juice.
I usually cut down on the sugar and oil, and often substitute blueberries or cranraisins for the walnuts.

A memorable Thanksgiving in Turkey

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Many a year, I've hosted Thanksgiving dinner party at my house. One November, a newsletter landed in my email box with an incredible deal. Renaissance Cruise was offering a 5-day Mediterranean cruise from Istanbul, Turkey to Athens, Greece, with a 2-day stay at a 4-star hotel in either city, and included airfare from New York City. It was a last minute thing, so the price for the whole package was less than the airfare to Istanbul alone! I called my husband right away. Vision of the movie "Midnight Express" danced on his mind, so he hesitated on Turkey but was thrilled about visiting Greece. Good deals are irresistible; I made the reservations the next day. We would be spending our Thanksgiving holiday in Turkey.

We drove from Boston to New York City to catch our flight to Istanbul, Turkey. At the JFK International Airport, we exchanged some money just in case we needed some Turkish Liras for tips or a taxi. Fifty U.S. dollars instantly turned my husband into a multi-millionaire! We later learned that Turkey's inflation was spiraling out of control, to the point where even the locals preferred to hold U.S. dollars. Every day, the exchange rate fluctuated violently, sometimes by as much as 6,800 liras! Everything was in millions of liras, a number so cumbersome the locals didn't even bother to use the last three zeros.

We arrived in Istanbul, Turkey after a nine hours flight. Renaissance representatives waiting at the airport whisked us away to our hotel. After checking in, we attended a welcome briefing, where we picked up information about the cruise and all the available tours. Renaissance Cruise was a family of ships designed to provide excellent service, fine dining, reasonable prices and exotic ports-of-call. Our ship The Renaissance R1 was the first in a series of eight 684-passenger ships.

Thus began our exciting adventure in Turkey. Our hotel, located in the outskirts of Istanbul, overlooks the Sea of Marmara. On our first evening, we walked around the neighborhood, and anticipated some good food at a local restaurant. Our Turkish friends back home had introduced us to their delicious cuisine, so we were undaunted. We managed to get someone to give us restaurant recommendation. At the restaurant, we just went up to the display case that was showcasing all kinds of meat and fish, and pointed to what we wanted. Our meal of mixed grilled chicken and fish served with vegetables were excellent. The unfiltered coffee, however, was not something we could get used to.
The next day, we went on a whirlwind tour to see the highlights of Istanbul. Our first stop was the Basilica cistern, which provided water for the Imperial Palace. The underground cistern with Medusa column bases might appear familiar to some people, as the James Bond movie "From Russia with Love" was filmed on location here. Next, we toured the impressive Topkapi Palace, where sultans and their harem lived during the heydays of the Ottoman Empire. Spice lovers would love the intoxicating aromas of the herbs and spices at the Egyptian Spice Bazaar.

Later that afternoon, we took a taxi and went out on our own to explore the Grand Bazaar. Incidentally, the opening motorcycle chase scene of the new James Bond movie "Skyfall" was filmed on the rooftop of this market. We had read about the Grand Bazaar, but nothing prepared us for the astounding size of this medieval looking market. With over 58 covered streets and 1,200 shops, you can literally get lost in the maze. The bazaar is organized by specialty. There is a lane lined with leather goods, another with carpets, another selling only jewelry, and so on. Between them are a few restaurants and cafes. We bought a pair of leather jackets; they were much cheaper in Turkey. Then we wandered into the carpet alley and went into a store. The shopkeeper sat us down, offered us some tea, and asked us some questions regarding our preferences on colors, patterns, and size. Then he proceeded to give us a lesson on carpets - the knots, the type, and the stories behind them. His assistants began to unfurl one carpet after another. As soon as we made a gesture, the carpet was set aside. We were off to some serious carpet buying. At the end of the show/entertainment/education, we bought two small rugs. We paid good money for them, and probably got ripped off since we are hopeless at bargaining. Our friends had recommended the Blue Mosque, and when the store merchant also insisted that we went before the mosque closed for the evening, he volunteered his friend to drive us there. Since we didn't want to carry the carpets with us, he suggested that we left them at the shop and pick them up later. We took his advice, but when we returned to the Grand Bazaar, we could not find the carpet store! We were sure we got scammed. After going round and round the labyrinth of shops for what seemed like hours, we finally found the store. We picked up our carpet and left the bustling market; we had enough excitement for one day.

Our ship was supposed to leave Istanbul on a Wednesday evening. It was timed so that the R1 will pass through the Straits of Dardanelles between 7 am and 9 am the next day, Thanksgiving Day. The Dardanelles is a body of water that is 38 miles long with a width varying from four to three quarters of a mile separating the continent of Europe from the westernmost tip of Asia Minor. This strategic strait was the site of naval conflicts over the years. The ancient city of Troy, best known for the legendary Trojan War, lies southeast of the Dardanelles. Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties, we did not cast off from Istanbul until the next morning. By the time we reached the straits, we were enveloped in complete darkness. We could barely see outside the ship, much less the straits.

Luckily, we had plenty to do. It was our first day on the R1. We spent the day exploring the ship, getting our bearings around our "home" for the next five days. The dining options on this cruise were different from other cruise lines. The R1 had four restaurants, two of which needed an advance reservation, if you wanted to dine there. Most of the restaurants had open seating, mostly with tables for 4 to 6, and a few for 2. Much to our delight, the dress code was casual. Our first day at sea was Thanksgiving Day, and we were excited to learn that they would be serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. We sat with two other couples and shared stories about our experiences we had had in the city. They were better at bargaining than we were. As for our dinner, the chef did a good job serving up a pretty authentic Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. We like cranberry sauce on our turkey, and that was the only thing missing.

From Istanbul, we cruised to Kusadasi, Rhodes and Crete before disembarking in Athens, where we stayed on land for another two days. Overall, it was a fantastic trip. As it turned out, my husband discovered he liked Turkey better than Greece. New experiences will change your thoughts and feelings about places. So, when traveling, keep an open mind!

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dardanelles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Bazaar,_Istanbul

Did you know?
Istanbul is the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents.

Travel Experiences: Celebrating St Patricks Day in Savannah, Georgia

This article was originally published on the now defunct AssociatedContent.com in 2009

Eight years ago this March, my husband and I embarked on a cruise of a lifetime. We had bought a boat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and were bringing her home to New England. After traveling out in the Atlantic Ocean for several days, we decided to “stop and smell the roses” and cruise in the more protected waters of the Intracoastal Waterway or ICW, a part canal, part natural waterway that runs from Miami, Florida to Norfolk, Virginia.

Our timing couldn’t have been more perfect, as spring was in the air at every port of call we visited. This was our first time in the South. We had no idea what to expect, but we were about to experience the gracious southern charm and hospitality that the south is synonymous with. We pulled into a marina in Thunderbolt, a small town 5 miles southeast of downtown Savannah. We had planned to stay for a day or two. The marina manager insisted that we stay the week so we can celebrate the upcoming St.Patrick’s Day in Savannah. To entice us further, he gave us two complimentary nights at the marina. How could we refuse the generosity and the chance to experience such a fun festival? Every morning, the daily newspaper and a box of six melt-in-your-mouth Krispy Kreme donuts were delivered to our boat. Even though we had to give most of the donuts away, this is Southern hospitality at its finest.

The marina manager was right about Savannah having one of the best, if not the best, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the country. We didn’t know this at the time, but it is Savannah’s largest annual celebration, and the second largest St. Patrick’s Day event in the United States, with over 400,000 people attending. That is an impressive number considering the population of Savannah is only 132,410 (as of July 2008), according to city-data.com

Savannah celebrates Saint Patrick’s Day like it is New Year’s Eve, only without the fireworks at midnight. Revelers go all out and dress rather outrageously, just begging to be seen. Many not only color their hair, they color their dogs as well! City water fountains are dyed green, and vendors sell all kinds of stuff with a shade of green. And when even the local Chinese restaurant garnished their rice with specks of green, you get the feeling that this festival is big.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Savannah is held on March 17 every year. This year’s parade will be its 186th edition, celebrated with glorious floats, pipe and marching bands, and Irish good cheer. Several streets in the downtown area will be closed to traffic for the famous parade. As you wander the streets to stake out a perfect spot to watch the parade, you walk through beautiful squares dotted with majestic moss-draped oak trees and blooming azaleas. Spring is in the air, and it is absolutely gorgeous.

After the parade, the celebration continues at both City Market and River Street with live music and dancing. The cobblestone River Street overlooking the Savannah River, is lined with pubs, restaurants, and shops. Throngs of party-goers congregate here for live entertainment, contests and games. To consume alcohol outside the restaurants, you need to buy a wristband and must be over 21 years. People cavorting to live music, boats gliding by, River Street is the best place to watch Savannah in its most festive mode.

We loved Savannah’s St Patty’s Day celebration so much we went again the following year. After hosting the parade 185 times, Savannah does a mighty fine job and sure knows how to throw a party and have a jolly good time. Y’all have fun. Cheers!

Sources:
city-data.com.
https://atlanticintracoastal.org/

Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

Master Recipe for Basic Muffins
Cook's Illustrated Magazine, Feb 1997

Serves: 12 muffins 

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1½ cups plain low-fat yogurt
Vegetable cooking spray or additional unsalted butter for muffin tins

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl; set aside.

2 Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in one-half of dry ingredients. Beat in one-third of yogurt. Beat in remaining dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with yogurt, until incorporated.

3. Spray twelve-cup muffin tin with vegetable cooking spray or coat lightly with butter. Use large ice cream scoop to divide batter evenly among the cups. Bake until muffins are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Set on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and serve warm.

For Lemon Poppy Seed

Follow Master Recipe for Basic Muffins, adding 3 tablespoons poppy seed to dry ingredients and 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest to butter-sugar mixture. While muffins are baking, heat ¼ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup lemon juice in small saucepan, until sugar dissolves and mixture forms light syrup, 3 to 4 minutes. Brush warm syrup over warm muffins and serve

Cook's Note: I used orange, and I halved the recipe because I have a small convection oven.

Cruising Ocraoke, N. Carolina

Trip's Log Date: Oct 19 to Nov 15, 2004 Route: Pamlico River, Pamlico Sound, ICW

We split with Colorado Cat and headed east to Ocracoke on the Outer Banks. Entering unfamiliar territory can sometimes be a challenge, and this was no exception. You leave the red markers to port as you enter Big Foot Slough channel. To add to the confusion, there were a bunch of range markers sticking out there. We made it in ok and were the only boat at the Silver Lake anchorage. During our stay here, we would hear boaters over the radio asking questions on the approach, and to our surprise, boats and ferries come in and out, no matter what the weather.

Entrance to Silver Lake

Ocracoke Light

Home to the 1823 Ocracoke Lighthouse, Ocracoke is a charming town that exudes Cape Cod ambience. It is dotted with restaurants, and hotels, inns and many private homes are all for rent. No doubt this is a busy place in the height of summer. And apparently, fishing IS the thing to do here. We saw 4-wheel drive vehicles on the beach carrying fishing rods up the ying yang.

High winds had us hunkered down inside the boat for two days. North winds blowing at 25-30 knots, and seas building to 9-12 feet made for boisterous conditions outside. We were stuck. It is no coincidence that the Outer Banks has been called the "graveyard of the Atlantic." Over the centuries, thousands of sailors and boats have met their fate here, as did the notorious pirate Blackbeard. When we had a good weather window, we got out of there as fast as we could!

Chocolate Raspberry Bars

Return to Thanksgiving and Holiday Festivals

Chocolate Raspberry Bars

makes about 24

Brownie

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1 tablespoon butter

8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 1/2-pint baskets raspberries

Powdered sugar

For Brownie:

Preheat  oven to 350 degree F. Line 13X9-inch baking pan with foil. Combine chocolate, butter and jam in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat.

Whisk eggs in large bowl until foamy. Add sugar, vanilla and salt; whisk until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in chocolate mixture. Add flour; mix just until blended.

Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake just until springy to touch and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan on rack.

For Topping:

Combine cream, jam and butter in medium saucepan. Bring to simmer, stirring until jam and butter melt. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; stir until smooth. Let stand until cool but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.

Spread topping over brownie. Immediately top with raspberries, arranging in rows. Chill until cold. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated).

Using foil as aid, remove brownie from pan. Fold down foil sides. Trim edges. Cut into bars. Sift sugar over.

Recipe is from "An Elegant Cocktail Party," Bon Appetit, Feb 1994

Cocolocos

(recipe from Food and Wine magazine, March 1994)

These satisfying cookies get their crunch from pecans and their chewy texture from coconut and oats. Use the best chocolate you can buy to make the chunks.

Makes About 3 Dozen Cookies

2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ pound (1 cup) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into ½-inch pieces

1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup sweetened grated coconut (about 3 ounces)

½ cup coarsely chopped pecan (about 2 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in the chocolate, oats, coconut and pecans.

2. Spoon rounded tablespoons of the dough about 2 inches apart on a large cookie sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes until the cookies are golden. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. (The cookies can be stored for up to 1 week in an airtight container.)

Sichuan Eggplant or Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce (鱼香茄子)

http://mvmaithai.blogspot.com/2013/08/sichuan-eggplant.html

Sichuan Eggplant or Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce (鱼香茄子)
Serves 4

Ingredients
3 Japanese eggplants

8 oz ground pork (or pork tenderloin, cut into thin slices)
dash of sugar
½ tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp Sesame oil
2 Tbsp water

3 cloves garlic, minced
1” piece of ginger, thinly sliced
2 green onions, cut into thirds

2 Tbsp chili bean paste 
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
¼ cup chicken broth

2 Tbsp Sesame oil
2 Tbsp Canola oil

Instructions
1. Cut the eggplants on an angle into 1½ " wedges. Place the eggplant pieces in a large bowl. Add cold water to cover and stir in ½ Tbsp salt. Weight the eggplant pieces with a plate to keep them submerged. Soak for 15 minutes, drain and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Marinate the pork with sugar, cornstarch, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and 2 Tbsp water.

3. Prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, add chili bean sauce, soy sauce and rice vinegar. Set aside.

4.  Heat your wok over medium-high heat. Dry fry the eggplant for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp sesame oil around the perimeter of the wok. Stir fry for 2 more minutes, then sprinkle 2 Tbsp water. After 5 minutes, sprinkle another 2 Tbsp water, and stir fry until the eggplant is soft. Set it aside.

5. To a hot clean wok or saucepan, add 2 Tbsp Canola oil. Add garlic, ginger and the white part of the green onions. When fragrant, about 2 minutes, stir in pork. Cook until the meat turns opaque, about 5 minutes. Add the bean sauce and chicken broth. Bring it to a boil. Stir in the eggplant, lower the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the eggplant is just tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Uncover, and stir in the remaining green onions. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with white rice.

Cook's Note: Soaking the eggplant in salt water helps reduce bitterness, and also helps to reduce oil absorption.

Pork with Jalapeno peppers(豬肉片炒辣椒)

http://mvmaithai.blogspot.com/2013/08/preserving-summers-harvest-and-recipe.html 

adapted from the recipe found here

Serves 2
 

¾  lb marbled pork, cut into thin slices (beef is a good substitute)
dash of rice wine
salt and pepper to taste
2 Jalapenos, 4 Cayenne peppers, cut lengthwise, seeds removed.
6 green onions, cut into 2” strips
3 tablespoon Canola oil
4 tsp KimLan soy sauce, 1 tsp Golden Mountain soy sauce
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil

Marinate pork slices with a dash of wine and salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, mix both soy sauces, sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil; set aside.

Heat a large, sturdy frying pan on medium for one minute. Add 2 tablespoon Canola oil. When the oil is hot, about 3 minutes, add the pork slices, and let it sear for a few minutes. Turn them over and cook until they turn golden. Remove pork from pan and set aside.

Wipe pan clean with a paper towel. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Stir in both peppers. After 1 minute, add the green onions. Cook until the pepper and the onions are soft, about 2-3 minutes, then add the pork back into the pan. Add in the seasonings, do a few quick stir and transfer to a serving plate. Delicious with plain white rice.

Cook's Note
To avoid tearing and choking, make sure your windows are open when you are cooking the peppers or cook outside if possible. When cutting and removing the seeds from the pepper, please use gloves. If you like it hot, by all means, leave the seeds in. You can use 1 brand of soy sauce. Just be aware that some are saltier than others. You can get the soy sauces from any Asian grocery stores. Walmart carries Kikkoman, which is not as salty.

Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Salt and Pepper Shrimp

http://mvmaithai.blogspot.com/2009/02/salt-and-pepper-shrimp-anyone.html

Serves 2
 
14 large shrimp (21/25 count), deveined, and with shells on
5 lettuce leaves
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
½ of a jalapeno pepper, sliced thin (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil

Wash and brine shrimp in ½ teaspoon salt for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Wash and dry lettuce leaves. Cut crosswise into ½” slices and place in a serving dish.

In a large saucepan or wok, under medium high heat, dry fry shrimp (yes, no oil!) for about 2 minutes. When the color of the shrimp turns pink, turn it and sear the other side for 1-2 minutes.

Sprinkle in the pepper and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt (and jalapeno, if using). Stir until shrimp is well coated. Add olive oil and shake the pan or wok so that the shrimp is well coated with the spice and oil. Pour over lettuce in serving dish. Serve immediately with cooked rice.

Cruising Florida (2001)

back Trip's Log Date: Mar 8 to Mar 11, 2001 Total Distance: 328 nm Route: Atlantic Ocean (Ft Lauderdale, Ft Pierce, Ponce Inlet), ICW (St Augustine, Fernandina Beach) Mar 8 Our broker Gerard insisted that we hired a captain to help us break in the boat, and so we did. It was one of the best decisions we've made on this trip.  Captain Chris, who was also an ex-programmer,  came by at 06:00, checked the engine and decided we needed parts, so we didn't leave Royal Palm Yacht Basin,  Dania Beach until 10:30.  It was a beautiful sunny day, around 65 degrees, with a slight wind.  Out in the Atlantic, it felt colder. We were driving up in the fly bridge.Along the way, schools of dolphins frolicked around us. Life is wonderful.  Our adventure was about to begin.

Testing out the anchor

We drove 97.4 nautical miles at around 13.5 knots, and got to  Harbor Town Marina at approximately 18:00.  Before entering into the marina, Chris showed Sophal the ropes of anchoring.  After fueling up (not too bad at $1.20 a gallon for diesel, albeit we took 122 gallons, marina was $0.95 per foot), we waited for Chris' girlfriend to come by.  Then we all went to dinner at the restaurant on site to celebrate our first successful day of cruising without any mishap.

Mar 9 We were on our own.  We both felt apprehensive and excited at the same time. Luckily for us, it was a glorious sunny day with no wind!  The current was a little strong as we left the marina, but not a big deal.  We left at 8:30am and traveled out in the ocean.  Five hours later, we were relieved to see Cape Canaveral from a distance. At around 15:00, we passed by  Titusville, and winds started to pick up.  We saw rollers of about 5 feet.  Water was splashing all the way up the fly bridge!  And it was COLD!  Around the same time, the high temperature light came on for the starboard engine.  The first mate panicked.  Land looked very far f-a-a-r away.  the captain turned off the engines, and went down to the engine room to check them out.  Fifteen minutes later, he claimed everything looked fine, and when he turned the engines back on, the light went away.  We continued on our merry way.  By 18:00 we should be getting into Inlet Harbor, our destination for the night. Minutes after entering Ponce Inlet, we found ourselves in shallow waters. Every which way we turned, the depth sounder alarm, set at 7 feet, beeped nonstop. To avoid running aground, we slowed to a stop trying to figure out how to extricate ourselves from our current position. We were in front of some restaurants and felt the diners' inscrutable gaze on us. A SeaTow boat immediately (a sign that the area is quite shallow) showed up.  It would cost $10/ft to be towed, but we were already on the phone with Boat/US with whom we are members.  The gentleman on the SeaTow boat was nice enough to tell us that we had 5 feet of water at our stern, and if we backed straight out, we should be all right.  We were able to get out of here without being towed, thank goodness, but at this point we were so disoriented we didn't know where to go since the chart took us down the wrong way!  Again, the nice SeaTow gentleman showed us the way.  So, 114 nms later, we tied up at Inlet Harbor Marina.  What a long and tiring trip!

Inlet Harbor Marina is near Daytona Beach, where all the action is.  The marina has a popular restaurant complete with live band and singer and a well-stocked bar.  One thing we noticed was that once away from Ft Lauderdale where all the mega yachts reside, our boat was about to become bigger and bigger.

Inlet Harbor, Ponce Inlet

Mar 10 Strong winds and current (6 knots) as we left Inlet Harbor at 8:45, but later became calmer.  This time we decided to cruise on the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW).  What a change of scenery!  We saw homes after homes, most with docks, all beautiful, especially by Ormond Beach and Summer Haven.  The ICW itself was neat, with its twists and turns.  One has to go slow though (lots of no-wake zone), around 8 knots, so if you're in a hurry, this is not a route for you.  We did 62 nm and stopped at St Augustine Municipal Marina around 16:00.

Little did we know that St Augustine is the oldest European settlement in America!  It is a charming little town with lots of history and beautiful architecture.  Since the marina is right in town, we were able to explore the town by foot.  This is definitely a place we'd like to come back to on the way down. Mar 11 We departed from the marina around 09:30. It was a little breezy, temperatures of 73 degrees.  The sun came out a little later on.  Along the ICW, we passed by some more beautiful homes and saw dolphins.  It was all very exciting.  At around 15:10, we anchored at Fernandina Beach after cruising for a total of 54 nm.

Black-eyed Peas Salsa

http://mvmaithai.blogspot.com/2010/11/black-eyed-pea-salsa.html

This is adapted from a dish (L.A. Caviar) served at Lulu’s (Jimmy Buffet’s sister’s restaurant in Gulf Shores, Alabama). It’s an excellent  appetizer or side dish.

Serves lots

Salsa
3 (15-oz) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup red onion, diced
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Dressing
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper. Set aside.
2. In large glass bowl, toss together the black-eyed peas, all the bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onions and cilantro. Pour dressing over the black eyed-peas mixture, and toss to combine. Transfer to plastic container, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Avocado and Roasted Corn Guacamole

back

courtesy of F&W April 1991
8 Servings

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1 Tbsp corn oil
2 large avocados, preferably Haas, cut into ¼” dice
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander
1 large tomato, cut into ¼” dice
2 Tbsp minced red onion
About 1 tsp minced fresh or pickled jalapeno pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp cider vinegar
1 ½ tsp coarse (Kosher) salt
¼ tsp cumin

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a baking sheet, toss the corn with 1 Tbsp oil. Roast, tossing often, for 7-8 minutes, until golden. Let cool, then transfer to a medium bowl.
Fold in the avocado, tomato, cilantro, onion, jalapeno and garlic.
Stir in the lime juice, salt, vinegar, cumin and 2 Tbsp oil.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.
Serve with tortilla chips