Ever Dream Of Escaping To Paradise?
Who hasn’t had a bit of #wanderlust when seeing pictures of this kind of getaway:
Yes, it is hard to see any downside to a day spent here…the gorgeous beaches of Anguilla in the Caribbean…
Well, if you get the same kind of “wanderlust” I do, then have I found the “great escape” book – filled with recipes – for you!
A Trip to the Beach: Living on Island Time in the Caribbean by Melinda Blanchard and Robert Blanchard – published in 2000.
This is a fascinating book – not only about escaping the rat race, but escaping to a oasis, and then deciding to open a restaurant there!
This is the true story of “a trip to the beach” that never ends. It’s about a husband and wife who escape civilization to build a small restaurant on an island paradise — and discover that even paradise has its pitfalls. Although they are beautiful pitfalls to be sure!
As one review put it: “It’s a story filled with calamities and comedy, culinary disasters and triumphs, and indelible portraits of people who live and work on a sliver of beauty set in the Caribbean Sea.”
The story begins when Bob and Melinda Blanchard sell their successful Vermont food business and decide, perhaps impulsively, to get away from it all. Why not open a beach bar and grill on Anguilla, their favorite Caribbean island?
One thing leads to another and the little grill turns into an enchanting restaurant that quickly draws four-star reviews and a celebrity-studded clientele eager for Melinda’s delectable cooking.
“This absolutely delightful restaurant, a mecca for foodies, is considered to be one of the best in the Caribbean, if not the world.” — FODOR’S CARIBBEAN
And yes, it exists in this paradise of Anguilla…
This book is a terrific adventure, a couple risking everything on a dream – a dream that comes true in one of the world’s most beautiful locations…
And It Tastes As Good As It Looks!
Yes, Anguilla looks like a gorgeous place to escape to, but you have to eat as well. The huge success of Blanchard’s has made their adventure even more fulfilling. Even better, the couple published a cookbook with recipes from their acclaimed restaurant!
Here is a fun, springtime recipe from the book:
Potato Salad with Lime and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Recipe from: At Blanchard’s Table
by Melinda Blanchard, Robert Blanchard
Servings: 8
3 pounds small new potatoes
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and finely chopped
1 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated lime peel
1 medium garlic clove, minced
4 drops Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
In a large pot, cover the potatoes with lightly salted water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Cook just until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size. Drain and rinse under cold water for a minute or two to stop them from cooking further. Drain well again and allow to cool completely. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and set aside.
Put the sun-dried tomatoes into a small bowl. Add the mayonnaise. Lime juice. lime peel, garlic, Tabasco, salt, pepper, and parsley, and whisk to blend.
This salad above added some green olives as well, which sounded perfect for me!
Toss the potatoes with enough dressing to coat. Serve cold or at room temperature.
I love tropical getaways like this:
Welcome To Cabo San Lucas!
My wife and I got away to Cabo San Lucas, where we walked the long sandy beach and ate food like this Queso!
Of course, we ended with fresh fish tacos…so I tried to replicate them at home:
The big win for me on this recipe was the spicy salsa I made – here are the recipes!
If you haven’t been to Cabo San Lucas, you are missing out on spectacular adventures like this – the time we did some whale watching – with whales that were very close to us!
You can see more of the magic of Cabo San Lucas by clicking on my story here:
I am sharing and storing all of these recipes on my food website “Bite! Eat! Repeat!” – it’s your site for all things food – if you like what you see, please click on my link and follow this blog as well!
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Categories: Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Chef memoirs, Cookbooks, Eat This!, Food, Food Travel, Recipes, Restaurants, Travel, Wacky Food
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Ohhh what a dream! Fantastic! Great story, and a great recipe! I’ve never thought to combine potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes with olives and lime juice!