(June 3, 2012– Jupiter, FL)

It is always spectacular!

There is a fine line between fishing and standing at the shore with a rod in hand and looking like an idiot. I have come to appreciate the quest, solitude and desire to catch a fish. 

You breathe in a new day, experience amazing colors at sunrise and sunset, open a bail of a rod and throw forward a shiny lure or tasty bait to kiss the ocean.  It is the excitement of a strike that keeps you coming back.

It is not an easy exercise. You need the correct bait (catching sand fleas above), the right tide, technique and equipment to feel and catch a silvery flash on your line. It helps to have a good teacher–a master in reeling in predator and prey. 

Most important, it is a way to enjoy the great outdoors, seek solitude and share stories–fish against man as if you wrote the script to The Old Man and the Sea.  If you get it right, it is fun.

(Julian Marley, Friday, May 25, 2012)

Bob Marley, reggae’s biggest ambassador who pioneered the music genre and brought reggae to the mainstream tragically died at the age of 35.  However, his legacy lives on in his sons Ziggy, Stephen, Damian, Rohan and Julian. We experienced the Marley magic this weekend when Julian Marley (“Ju Ju”) played at a local venue Guanabanas Friday night. Julian is the youngest son of Bob Marley and a Bajan mother, Lucy Pounder. He was six years old when he lost his father. Julian is a member of the Rastafari movement and his musical style follows the legacy of his father–reggae at its best.

Green Chicken Enchiladas

These deliciously cheesy enchiladas are stuffed with tender chicken and bathed in a spicy, zesty green tomatillo sauce. Tomatillos, related not to tomatoes but to gooseberries, give the sauce its color and tartness; a jalapeño chile provides just the right amount of heat; and Monterey jack cheese delivers a good dose of richness.

Ingredients:
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 lbs. total)
2 cups chopped white onions
6 cloves garlic, crushed
Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
6 sprigs fresh cilantro, plus 1/3 cup coarsely chopped
2 lbs. tomatillos, husked (If unable to locate, use (2) 16 oz  jars Salsa Verde made with tomatillos by Ortega.)
1 jalapeño chile, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil, plus 2 Tbs., plus more as needed
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese (We added pepper jack cheese too!)
12 corn tortillas (We used flour tortillas.)

Chopped white onions, sour cream, chopped cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese for serving
Directions:
Place the chicken breast halves, skin side down, in a saucepan. Add 1/2 cup of the onion, 2 cloves of the garlic, 1 tsp. salt and water to cover. Bring to a simmer over high heat, skimming off any foam. Add the peppercorns and cilantro sprigs, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially and simmer until the chicken is opaque throughout, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, but keep the broth simmering. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and return them to the simmering broth. Dice the chicken meat and set aside. Continue simmering the broth 30 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container.

Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim off any fat from the surface.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the tomatillos, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently (do not boil) until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatillos to a bowl, taking care that they don’t burst. In batches, in a blender, combine the tomatillos, the remaining 1 1/2 cups onions, the chopped cilantro, the remaining 4 garlic cloves and the chile and process until smooth. In a large saucepan, heat the 2 Tbs. oil over medium-high heat. Add the tomatillo purée (it will splatter, so be careful) and 1 cup of the reserved broth and bring to a boil. (Reserve the remaining broth for another use.) Boil, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. To assemble the enchiladas, spread 1/3 cup of the sauce in the dish. Mix 1 1/2 cups of the cheese with the reserved chicken. Pour 2 cups of the sauce into a pie dish, and place near the stove. In a frying pan, heat the 1/2 cup olive oil over medium heat. Using tongs, dip 1 tortilla in the oil for a few seconds to soften, and then into the tomatillo sauce. Place the tortilla on a work surface, add a few tablespoons of the filling down the center and roll up the tortilla. Place it, seam side down, in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. Spread the remaining sauce on top, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve warm with onions, sour cream, cilantro and cotija. Serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2009)

It is our weekend ritual and it is always special when someone else makes them for you. Thank you, Rick!

More then 500 cycling racers competed in Mizner Park on Saturday for top honors in a cycling event that has been described as “NASCAR on two-wheels”.  It was a wonderful community event and included activities such as bicycle decorating, youth bicycle races, face painting and a selection of edibles from the local restaurants. If you don bicycle shorts and clip-ons on the weekends and experience the freedom of the road, it was pure joy to witness the speed.

(Jupiter, FL, April 12, 2012)

Every landscape has its wildlife and, in Florida, you spot animals that are more reptilian in nature. This morning we spotted The Boxer Turtle as it graced our courtyard. It’s identified by its domed shell, which is hinged at the bottom and allows the turtle to close its shell tightly to escape predators.  Its domed shell alone is a fascinating study of design and function in the natural world.

(Sunday, May 6, 2012—Boca Raton, FL)  F5, 1/30, ISO 800

A supermoon is when a full moon or new moon is closest to the Earth on its elliptical orbit or perigee.  The size and brightness of the moon follows an inverse-square law, which means that a full moon at perigee is 12% larger and brighter than an average full moon. There are on average 5 supermoons a year.  Record crowds were at the beach this weekend to capture the beauty at moonrise.

Our local farmer’s market closes today.  It will not reopen until the Fall.  As we perused the bounty of vegetables, artisan bakers, craftsman, farmers, beekeepers, burrito makers and the “olive guy” aka David’s East Side (all kosher), we expressed our gratitude that on Sundays we are blessed with their labors of love and all the tips they provide on everything from how to save tomato plants, cook and prepare beets, kale, Silician white eggplant and techniques to farm and serve tasty food. 

We thank The Honey Man for reassuring us that colony collapse disorder has been addressed.  The honeybees will survive, pollinate and provide us with fresh honey and keep fresh fruit and vegetables on our plates and “their honey will outlive both of us (do not refrigerate)”.  We are grateful for Macy’s smoked fish dip, the garlic spread, Starz Bakery, Two Sister’s Catering and all the homemade dishes and crafts. 

We thank them for “going out on a limb” and bucking the system. Their music, crafts and foodstuffs will keep us coming back.  It tastes better and their business model is stellar–it comes from the heart .  They are part of “the market family” and we worry when we cannot spot their stand.  We are happy to have met the brother of Two Sisters Catering (amazing conch salad), my tomato and pepper plant guy’s grandsons who helped us save our tomato plant from the tobacco hook worm and the many more who brought nutritious food to our plates and a smile to our faces. It is a pleasure to be in their company.    

There is no subsitute to practice. You need to practice winning, practice losing, practice making the effort, practice peacefully accepting disappointment and gracefully accepting success. Every time you practice, you make yourself that much better.
Practice creates masters.

The masters were evident and they arrived from all over the world to compete as The 2012 Cheerleading and Dance Worlds™ returned to ESPN Wide World of Sports.  My eyes were on the The Shooting Stars as they returned another year to blaze through the sky. They are masters in jumping, tumbling and dancing with ease and grace. Bodies suspend in air.  Their stunts and movements are synchronized, coordinated and fluid. It seems as if one body and one mind controls the routine.

 (The Shooting Stars, Orlando, FL,  April 29, 2012)

Congratulations to The Shooting Stars! It was another successful year in bringing home a medal.

It was exhilarating to watch the energy, excitement and talent. One Shooting Star made her Aunt especially proud.  Her smile captures the moment. Caitlin—you are fierce, bold  and oh…so talented.