Mango Café (found in Colonia Meterorologico on Isla Mujeres, Mexico) is infamous as a great place for breakfast.  Our first ever visit to Mango was for dinner on the equally infamous Jamaican Night hosted every Monday.

I love Mango.  The owner Polo is a great host and the food is fantastic. I make a point of making at least one stop there every trip but it occurred to me that I have never tried their regular dinner menu. I was so over the moon with their Jamaican food and breakfast items, how could I have overlooked an opportunity to sample even more of their fare?

The menu at dinner is not extensive, but I am a firm believer in doing less and doing it really well, instead of doing lots and it being just OK.  We were a party of seven and most of us ordered different items, so this meant I got a look at almost every item on the menu.

We started with a couple of orders of Tostones for the table.  These yummy fried plantains were topped with a green apple guacamole, an interesting twist on tradition.

For our mains the boys ordered Ajilla catch of the day in a garlic and gualillo chili sauce and chicken stuffed with guava paste, cream cheese and chaya, a Mexican green thought to be a super food.

Two of the girls ordered enchiladas and tropical fish stuffed with crab, shrimp and cheese topped with a pepita (pumpkin seed) sauce.

Three of us wanted to try the chicken skewers served with coconut peanut sauce.  My friends made a special request to have a side of rice to make this appetizer into a light meal.  I, on the other hand, added another appetizer to make mine dinner.

I tried the jalapeno peppers stuffed with goat cheese and blue cheese and topped with bacon.  These were served with two dips; habenero jelly and tamarind balsamic dressing.

As we were celebrating the recent nuptials of friends who joined us for dinner, we decided we had to conclude the evening with a couple desserts and seven forks.  We had the cheese cake which was scrumptious; served on a chocolate crust topped with strawberries and sauce. We all love the coconut crusted French toast at Mango for breakfast and at dinner they turn this delicacy into dessert by topping it with vanilla ice-cream and caramel sauce, calling it Mango toast and cream.

The attention to detail in the food at Mango is exemplary.  Even the beverages were a delight.  Many of us enjoyed the ginger lemonade and a few others ordered a variety of agua frescas, refreshing fruit waters made with everything from watermelon to hibiscus flower.

I know that next year I will have to be back for breakfast but will also return for dinner.  Only problem is I just noticed a lunch menu packed with items I’ve yet to try.  So much food, so little time!

Kath’s quote: “One way can be learned by starting to see the magic in everything. Sometimes it seems to be hiding but it is always there. The more we can see the magic in one thing, a tiny flower, a mango, someone we love, then the more we are able to see the magic in everything and in everyone. Where does the mango stop and the sky begin?”- Joshua Kadison

Love-that is all.

I wrote this in my travel journal the morning after we had spent a very special evening:

As you know I have been traveling every year to Isla Mujeres since 2005 and I can honestly say that last evening was the most precious of a string of pearls that I call my Isla Memories.  I have seen the saying “Mi Cusa Es Su Casa” on many ceramic plaques.  I have purchased one for a friend and another one sits at my own front door.  But I have never truly understood the meaning until last evening.

I have written in the space about our dressmaker friend Hortencia: how she will allow you to select a pareo and when you return the next day, have a sun dress whipped up and waiting for you, matching shawl and all.  I have also made reference to her children and her adorable grandchildren.  We know Hortencia well enough by now, to know that she and her husband have worked hard to raise their family and to provide in a manner that all parents hope for. 

I have imagined Hortencia in her kitchen, as I have caught glimpses of the lunches that she has packed for her family, so that they can have a nutritious meal right at the store and not interrupt the flow of shoppers or disappoint anybody if she is not on site.  Last night I got to see Hortencia’s kitchen. 

It is truly a perfectly planned room, set away from the rest of the house with only a doorway in and out of the outdoor space that sits at the back of the house.  This way when Hortencia is cooking for her family (who all still reside with she and Papi), she will not heat up the rest of the house. 

She took the day off from the market stall yesterday, to do what we understand is a rare thing indeed.  She stayed home to watch over a pot of love-her own mole recipe.  The chicken must have simmered for hours as it was so tender, not in a stewed way but a moist, baked one. She served the casserole with a beautifully flavoured rice, her own guacamole, homemade tortilla chips, pickled peppers and huge stacks of tortillas.

The meal was absolutely delicious by any standards, but in truth, it had nothing to do with the taste of the ingredients because you could literally taste the love-the love of us, her Canadian friends, the love of her family (standing at a separate table so that we her guests could sit around her big dining table), the love of her Island and her country.  

The evening passed with jokes and stories animated with huge gestures to get the point across.  Simple English was spoken by Hortencia and her family.   Simple Spanish was streamed through Sister #3, Miguel, Dona and Paula all having worked hard to immerse themselves in the romantic language.  And thank heavens they had, because their contribution to the enjoyment of the evening for us all, was immense. 

We are a pack of travelling pet lovers and are all missing our babies back home.  Hortencia’s household is shared by two adorable Chihuahuas and a muscular and handsome pit bull.  So many of us got our canine snuggles in with the Chihuahuas nestling their noses under elbows and the pit bull guiding Sister #2’s hand back to the spot on his chest where he loved to be nuzzled.

At some point in the evening Hortencia’s son got out their huge family album to walk us through the faces and history of his family.  We too, went back through our archived photos on our digital cameras to provide images of our huge family assembled for a recent wedding.

We were reluctant to leave, but the kids needed to get to bed and all the adults obviously put in very long days.  We thought Hortencia might be tired but she laughingly admitted that she was “frio” (chilly).  Not surprisingly, we Canadians thought that the weather was pretty much perfect. Brother K gallantly offered his Winnipeg Jets jackets which she graciously accepted. 

We hadn’t known what to bring that would be a gesture of gratitude for the hospitality.  We didn’t want to insult the family by brining food, so we amassed a huge bouquet of flowers and toys for the grandkids.  How do you adequately thank someone who wants you to truly feel as if their home is your home?

Kath’s quote:“The home should be the treasure chest of living.”Le Corbusier

Love-that is all.

We are into our Isla routine of waking up with the sun.  We are rewarded over and over again with incredible colours and play of light and water.

We spent a lovely morning on the Caribe side of our little room and the delightful street patio.

D is really content this year to just stay put in the mornings.  I did some beach-combing while D read and sunned in the hammock.  He is learning how to truly relax and lap up the pleasures that the island has to offer.

In the late morning, we walked to the north Colonias to explore together. As much as I love Centro, the “neighbourhoods” offer a charm all their own.

And the people are just as gorgeous as the brightly coloured buildings.

I spot a place that I absolutely cannot resist capturing with my camera.  It has a familiar feel and then I realize that it is Lolo Lorena’s.  I have dined there only once and it was dark when I arrived and so I did not recognize it in the brilliant sunshine.

Lorena is across the street from a house where a person creates shell hangings that are illuminated.  I got a gorgeous one for our gazebo back home.  At $30 for a work of art, I was thrilled.

We found this little place for lunch only to find that they weren’t yet serving lunch.  We always seem to want to eat earlier than islanders.

So we stopped  (for our very first visit) at Iguana’s at Marina Pariso.  You might say that Iguana’s is appropriately named.   The lunch area is a shady spot under a canopy of leaves with beautiful lanterns adorning the boughs.

We shared lunch of fish and chips (fabulous fried fish and ok fries) and a simple but absolutely delicious onion and potato omelet.

With 2 icy cold coronas to wash it down and a beautiful setting, it was a great lunch.

We strolled down to the marina before winding our way back through the Colonias and our way home.

We actually wore ourselves out with the long walk home, so we had to rest up before we ventured out for the evening.

Kath’s quote: “Laziness is nothing more than resting before you get tired.” -Jules Renard

Love-that is all.

The truth is, I truly can’t decide which is my favourite destination between Italy and Mexico and the food is the reason why.  How do you choose between the fresh sparkling taste of cilantro when paired with chilies, tomatoes and freshly squeezed lime and the earthy tones of rosemary, garlic and red wine which transforms a tomato into something else, indeed?  Thankfully, now a days, the world is truly our oyster, so why do I just have to have one favourite?

The first time I set foot on Isla Mujeres, I knew that the little island would always be a part of my life.  We have already booked a villa on the sea for the 2014 season, when we take the entire family including “Baby”, who will be born this summer.  Getting to Mexico can be fairly affordable, if you plan carefully and start researching airfares in advance.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you choose to travel at the last minute, there are often some tremendous deals.  But, we don’t roll that way.  My readers know that the anticipation of a trip for me, is often as satisfying as the trip itself.

Italy and the rest of Europe is a special treat.  We reserve overseas travel for significant birthdays and anniversaries.  With the exception of this fall, when we are taking time in October so that I can lead a blogging workshop in Tuscany.  The vacation package includes tutelage in the kitchen by Chef Enrico, whose ancient restored estate is where the participants will reside.  That is, when we are not touring the cities and towns of Tuscany or foraging for truffles in its forests.

But in the mean time, here is a more immediate reward.  If you are interested in one of four $100. Sobey’s gift cards, create and then share your own Sobeys West Pinboard.  Copy and paste your board  URL(s) in the comments section below. How the contest works: Anyone who creates a pinboard and repins 4 pins from http://pinterest.com/sobeys, using the keyword SobeysWest, is entered to win!  You have to reside in Manitoba and west to do so.

Here’s a link to my own pinboard: http://pinterest.com/foodmusings/dream-destinations-mexico-or-italy/

So, make a cuppa tea.  Sit back and let’s dream of where we want to travel next….happy pinning!

Kath’s quote: “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There  is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes  open.” – Jawaharial  Nehru

Love-that is all.

Getting the precise timing of D’s arrival at the ferry landing on the Cancun side was crucial, since he was expecting me, but on the Isla side. I didn’t want to be heading west across the Bay of Cancun, as he was heading east towards Isla.  I have always thought that those Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movies, where they are always mere seconds away from meeting each other, were way too tense and anxiety-provoking. I am not kidding, doesn’t the suspense drive you to the edge of your seat? No? Okay, it is just me, then.

After careful calculations, I left Luna D’Miel precisely at the moment that D’s plane would have been touching down. I had a 15 minute walk ahead of me and a wait for the ferry. I arrived at Gran Puerto just as the 11:30 am ferry was boarding. I caught D’s attention as he was charging ahead to climb on board, for the noon crossing.

We celebrated being back together with a beer on the top deck and then more beer and mixed ceviche at the Fisherman’s Co-op. Why so much celebrating? D and I have been together for over 30 years and every time we reunite after a time apart, we rejoice anew.

We walked up the Airport Road to Luna D’Miel with D’s luggage in tow and then headed back down to Centro for a quiet sit together by the water and then to buy some more provisions.

As much as we love watching the sun rise in the morning (especially from our bed), we love love gazing at its setting as well. This is one of the many reasons why we love staying at Luna D’Miel.  Where on the Island, can you enjoy both with such splendour?

We chose not to linger because we were meeting the gang for dinner.  There was much deliberation on what the nine of us had a hankering for, but in the end, the answer was tacos.  Then of course, the discussion centered upon where  the best place for tacos was.  Traveling with an entourage has its delights, but not necessarily when conclusions have to be made, especially when we are staying at four different areas of the island.  In the end, the determination was Tacqueria Media on Hidalgo, but we were too early, as they don’t open until 8ish (with the emphasis on the “ish”). So we strolled south on Hidalgo and decided upon Don Cheapo.

The food was quite tasty and we were having a very enjoyable evening, until a table of very loud patrons, drove us into the street. Has this happened to you, as well?  The group was piercingly loud and argumentative and had clearly had way too many margaritas.  The staff and management did not dare muffle them, for fear of lost of business (and I am guessing- gratuities).  But we could not focus on our own festivities, once they had arrived.  Our attention was constantly pulled to their table, until we just gave up and decided to find somewhere for a quiet ice cream.

But before their arrival, we tucked into this array of tacos. The pork chop tacos were assembled from sizzled strips of pork chop including a little round bone.

D adventurously ordered the cactus tacos as well.  We scrutinized the taste and declared that it was close to a pickled pepper (unless you have never tasted one of those).

My Sis-in-Law enjoyed the Chicken Fajitas.

Sister #2  elected to taste the chicken tostada with ham peas, tomato sauce and sauteed plantain.

My Bro-in-law opted for crispy chicken tacos.

Sister #3 determined that she need a shrimp fix but I am not totally sure if there were enough crustaceans in these to satisfy her.

I was delighted with my choice of fresh fish that was lightly sauteed in butter and garlic and served alongside broccoli shoots.

D was ready for his first night of blissful sleep with the sound of the crashing ocean waves outside our windows.  As a result, we did not linger in Centro, but strolled back out to our little piece of paradise.

Kath’s quote: “Ancient lovers believed a kiss would literally untie their souls, because the spirit was said to be carried in one’s breath.”  -Eve Glicksman

Love-that is all.