Sprucing Up

So, things have been really busy with work, finishing a screen play and doing publicity for the show "Hair" with Burning Coal Theatre. It's been tricky keeping the flow of game reviews and their associated recipes flowing consistently. So, starting after a much needed vacation, the site will be seeing more action.

This mystery vacation is setting out for islands unknown full of exploration. Okay, actually, the islands aren't that unknown. The Royal Caribbean cruise will be cruising around the Bahamas, specifically Coco Cay and Nassau. Also, by exploration, I am not only referring to hikes, long beaches. I am also referring to the hunt for a perfect Cuban, a good bottle of liquor, and exotic foods.

Specifically: mofongo.

Mofongo is pure Caribbean, a shining star of Puerto Rico and also known as "fufu" in Cuban and African cuisine. Despite being commonly known as a Carribean dish, mofongo is a culinary son of African cuisine that made its way over to the Caribbean during Spanish colonization (and subsequent slavery, cough). Mofongo features tons of ingredients! Garlic, veggies, pork cracklings, and meats like chicken, beef, crab and even shrimp can be known (and expected) to make appearances. The main star of this dish, however, is the fried plantain. In African and Cuban prep, the plantain is usually boiled and then mashed, while the Puerto Rico prep requires a good fry. Another way it's been made is the Dominican Republics "mofongo relleno".

All of this aside, when the dish is made right there is a burst of flavor, with fantastic texture.