Mexico Mañana

I'm off to Mexico tomorrow! So excited for this little getaway, and a little nervous about the food situation down there. We're taking a sunset dinner cruise one evening, to celebrate my son's 30th birthday. Looking at the cruise line's website, I noticed there's a lot of meat and cheese on the buffet menu, so I sent them an email asking about how the rice and beans are prepared. The response was pretty funny actually...

Kim,
Yes, the beans are fried with lard, the rice is not cooked with broth, we
use chicken  stock in powder.
Fruit, nachos, guacamole, salsa.
Mario.

This was a good reminder to me, that they use a whole lotta lard in Mexico, and that people who eat animals often have no idea that broth - or chicken stock in powder - haha! - actually count as "meat" products. Fortunately, there's fruit on the menu... and an open bar! With fruit and booze, I'll be a happy cruiser!

I also learned from a friend that the Spanish word for butter, mantequilla, also means lard, and any other fat used in foods. That simplifies things for me a little bit. I can point to a dish, cock my head quizzically, and politely ask, Mantequilla? 

I have a feeling this could be sort of a spa vacation for me, with lots of fruit and little else. I'm okay with that. And besides, I'll bet a week of fruit and margaritas will be something like a cleansing fast. Well, sort of.

I promise a full food update when I get back. 

Till then, eat your greens!

xo Kim