April8
“Many of our meals on Isla are fresh fish. The Gulf of Mexico side of the island is lined with tiny fishing boats and the daily catch is available at a variety of “Cocktelerias” that line the waterfront. Fish being so abundant means that the fresh is super fresh and really cheap.

Almond Crusted Fish at Cockteleria Justica Social
Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut (10 oz)
1 cup flour 3/4 cup beer
3/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg 6 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 lbs of shrimp (I like to use the largest I can find)

Coconut shrimp at Miramar
Method
Rinse shrimp under cold running water, blot dry with paper towel. I like to ensure that the slit down the back of the shrimp is nice and deep to add to the butterfly for this dish. Pour some coconut into a pie plate. Whisk together flour, beer, baking soda, salt and egg and mix until smooth. Heat oil in a deep heavy pot until it register 350ºF. While oil is heating, hold each shrimp by the tail and dip into batter, letting the excess drip off. Dredge in coconut, I like to press the shrimp cut side down into the coconut to increase the butterfly. Transfer to a plate and repeat for each shrimp. You will need to discard your coconut as it becomes clumped with excess egg and start with fresh coconut. I always seem to need more coconut than I expected to use. Place batches of the shrimp into the hot oil and fry until golden. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel to remove excess oil.
Serves more than you can possibly eat but if you’re going to the trouble to make them why not make lots.”
Kath’s quote: “Do not overcook this dish. Most seafoods…should be simply threatened with heat and then celebrated with joy.” –Jeff Smith (The Frugal Gourmet)

March31
My favourite Isla haunt for dinner is a little place called Fredy’s, named after owner, chef and all time funny guy Fredy.

He is famous for his chuleta Puerco which are two rib thick porkchops grilled to perfection on his B.B.-Q but my favourite dish is the plato Mexicano.


Sister #1 Interjections: One night when I arrived solo on Isla, Sis #3 had assembled this gang to meet me at the ferry. I had a migraine but was so excited to see everybody that I wasn’t thinking straight (or walking straight for that matter). I was passing off my knapsack and accepting a marguerita from an outstretched arm when OOPS my foot slipped between the wooden dock and a concrete wall and got wedged in there. But Fredy’s pork chops were calling me so I still made it out to dinner. Fredy knows how to prepare them perfectly, which is to say, still pink in the middle. I always have enough left over for a beach sandwich the next day.

Fredy's
We often have our first Isla dinner at Fredy’s and then our last, so I have also had the chance to taste many of his shrimp dishes, my favourite being shrimp baked in garlic and butter and accompanied with cilantro and cheese. Other fans claim his Garlic Grouper and Lobster are best on the island.
Fredy’s is a bit further north on Hidalgo than most other choices. Fredy’s hospitality and expert cooking makes the extra steps worth taking. In fact in 2009 when there was construction on Hidalgo, we had to climb over bricks and a barricade and it was still worth it.
Kath’s quote: “There is poetry in a pork chop to a hungry (wo)man.”-Philip Gibbs

March23
Sister # 3: “While the traditional regional cuisine on Isla Mujeres is amazing, there is also a huge variety of fare available because people from around the world have discovered this little Island and now call it home.

March 2010
Olivia’s Israeli owner/operators offer a nice variety of good Mediterranean food including moussaka and kebab.”


Added by Kathryne: We were so excited to try Olivia’s in March 2008, that we accepted a table right in front of the restaurant’s open kitchen. The result was that we were engulfed by the smoke from the open fire. This did not dampen our appreciation of their well made mojitos or carefully prepared food. We tried their spanakopita, moussaka and Moroccan fish on couscous.

Moroccan Fish
In February 2009 we were fortunate to make a reservation for the best table in the house. There is a beautiful, large square table at the rear of the restaurant which is under a thatched canopy where enjoyed another lovely dinner .

Sisters 1-3 Under the Palapa
On my next visit, I intend to try their Shawarma. This was one of my favourite meals when I travelled to Israel a decade ago. I still recall the glistening juices as the meat portion was shaved off of the rotating spit. We had stopped at a roadside diner outside of Jerusalem. Their version was served with crunchy veggies and a variety of sauces-the memory of the taste is still very vivid.
Kath’s Quote: “Don’t take a butcher’s advice on how to cook meat. If he knew, he’d be a chef.” -Andy Rooney
March17
Each year we gather on Isla Mujeres for a couple of weeks in the sun and sand as an escape from the snow and cold of Winnipeg. What started as a week away for the three sisters has turned into a significantly larger gathering. Other family members and friends have joined us each year and we continue to make great friends with people we meet on the island.
Whenever we meet someone new or are preparing friends for a first time trip, we spend a significant amount of time discussing the food. By now readers of Kathryne’s blog can see that our family’s life revolves around food. However it is not our preoccupation with food that causes our obsession with the food of Isla, it’s the food itself. Ask anyone who has spent any time on this jewel of an Island and they will tell you that the food is as magnificent as the beaches and as lovely as the people. 
This 5 mile long island is made up of sand and coral and salt water lagoons dominate a big part of its land mass, leaving little room for agriculture. Yesterday our new friends Jeff and Kathy from Minneapolis told us they saw a cow, but I myself have yet to see any animals except beach dogs, street cats, iguana, geckos and the occasional roaster. So you would think that this little island whose main industry is fishing would only be able to boast about delicious fish and seafood, but you would be amazed at the food offered up here.

March9

Palms on Isla Mujeres
A weekend tradition for us when we are on Isla Mujeres is lunch from the Sunday Rib Man. This talented cook (and mighty fine dancer) serves the best ribs around on Saturdays as well. But we’ve been ordering from his simple tienda since 2005 when Sunday was his only day of operation and the name has stuck. The first time I tasted his ribs I was staying at Suites Los Arcos around the corner on Hidalgo. The helpful staff at the front desk offered to fetch them for me when they knew that I was going to be away from Centro on a day excursion. This is one of the many kind gestures made by the wonderful residents of the little Island.
So the name is one contradiction in terms and here’s another-we don’t actually order his ribs but his boneless pork that he adeptly chops into strips so that they appear to be ribs. The strips fit perfectly into the stack of mini tortillas that he serves with every order. The other fixings include a cole slaw, a broiled white onion and a couple of sauces; along with the customary lime of course.
I don’t know what size the order was in this picture captured on a previous trip, but recently we ordered a kilo for $180 pesos. Four of us ate til our heart’s content for approximately $4.50 per person.

Sunday Rib Man Ribs
We don’t know what he marinates them in or what he adds while they are cooking on the open fire, we only know that they are the most delicious ribs on Isla. 
The Sunday Rib Man is located near the corner of Matamoros and Rueda Medina in Centro on Isla Mujeres. There is no sign…just use your nose to locate the smoke. If you are there on a daytrip it is very close to the ferry.
Kath’s quote: “Never eat more than you can lift.” Miss Piggy
