Through the Haze of the Lens
This title has more to do with the video than this first impression reveals. A friend lent me his point and shoot for the trip with a bonus … an underwater housing. I was excited to take it with me, albeit a bit nervous about using someone else’s equipment. Once I set foot on the beach and realized that this was not calm, serene turquoise blue water with a docile surf, I knew there’d be no snorkeling.
free video player & video platform - interactive video, online video solution: video player, video editor - kaltura
wordpress video - wordpress plugin for integrated video on video blogs, and video tools
Nothing to see under there other than swirling sand. And there was a rope line that appeared to be more than rope, it looked like there was netting set up to keep invaders out. Or was it predators? No one knows for sure, but while it gave a sense of safety, it also kept out anything you’d use an underwater camera to take photos of. This was not a bad thing, just a little unusual. The strong surf made for a lot of laughs and excitement. Getting out past the breakers was the easy part, it was getting back to shore that was difficult. I decided that since I had a camera in my hand that didn’t belong to me and that didn’t have a wrist strap that it was a smart idea not to tempt fate and I stayed on the beach side of the break. I did get knocked down once, but had a white knuckle grip on the camera and as you can see, it came back unscathed.
But something I didn’t expect was that the fluctuations in temperature from the heat of the sun to the cool water would cause fog to build up inside the housing. I deleted most of those photos (notably the ones of my thigh and my sandy feet while lying in the hammock), but left a few for their surreal feel. While not great shots technically, the perception that there are clouds at ground level is intriguing.
And that’s it. The end of the photos I shot at Club Med Food Blogger Camp. We all met on the beach the last evening as the sun was getting ready to set for a group photo which Diane and Todd (WhiteOnWhiteRiceCouple) shot. Like that photo, I think the smiles show just how happy and relaxed everyone was — well, until the bubonic plague ran through the group, but that’s not a happy memory, so we’ll leave it in Mexico.
And now … we’re back to food!
So, where to start? I came home to a big box of the first crop of Florida HoneyBells and a major trip to the grocery store today has left me reeling with thoughts of what to cook this week, although I couldn’t find a skirt steak or even a reasonably priced rib eye or strip steak to put in my cart and for the 2nd time there wasn’t a salt bagel in sight at my favorite supermarket, but I didn’t come home empty handed and added something to my cart that I’ve been interested in trying for some time now — duck fat. The container is small, so I can’t see frying potatoes with it, but maybe that’s the answer to my diet woes — it will force appropriate portion control. Or will it? This was the first time duck fat has ever made it into my cart, but there’s been so much talk about it, I just have to try French Fries in Duck Fat.
The other addition to my normal shopping was golden beets.
I didn’t grow up eating them. It was just one of those things we didn’t eat and while almost every salad in Argentina — Ensalada Completa — included beets, I ate around them after trying a couple of small bites and being met with no real taste … just a texture I didn’t love and a lack of taste for my palate, but when I saw them this afternoon they were calling out to me. I’ll be roasting them later in the week.
I ate a late lunch at the market and by 8pm I decided I needed some dinner, but a hot meal wasn’t what I was looking for. This was it. Weaping gorgonzola, Italian salami, olives, a marinated baby artichoke, dried Calimyrna figs and a baguette. Perfect!
In 2007 my career with a large, but shrinking high tech Fortune 50 \"left me,\" leaving a void in my life. While lamenting the loss and flying around the world looking for a new career to get married to, I discovered a way to use a familiar outlet during tough times -- writing. My blog-writing morphed into writing about my favorite past time -- Food! I purchase food, sell food, make food, watch food being made, broadcast meal preparation, photograph and blog about food. Like I said; Food! To change this standard text, you have to enter some information about your self in the Dashboard -> Users -> Your Profile box. 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
You could make miniature fried potato coins with your miniscule container of duck fat – just thinly slice some fingerlings. Duck fat fries really are wonderful, but expensive for the home cook. I’ve never felt compelled to buy enough fat to make them myself – but duck rillettes are perfectly doable if you’re ready to take that on!
Love your Blog!
@Casey GREAT idea! I picked up multi color fingerlings yesterday. Perfecto! Thanks for the idea.
Thanks @Kathleen! I’m happy you come to visit!