Everyone has their own perception of paradise – I’m particularly partial to most all areas of Italy (no surprise there if you’ve read any of my travel blogs). Some prefer Hawaii or France, or home, or even just a quiet moment in the day. And yes, we should consider our homes our favorite paradise. But sometimes we just want to experience something different, have a change.
Travelers know that experiencing the food and drinks of a region are all part of the journey. The history and background of some of those foods add a depth and richness to the adventure, along with a better understanding of the culture.
We recently spent some time in Mexico and brought back great memories of our time in Paradise. The highlight of the trip this year and every year is meeting up with friends from many parts of the US (New York to California, and states in between). We relaxed more by the pools and ocean because we’d snorkeled, ziplined, boated, canoed the cenotes, visited historic sites like Tulum, and inner tubed lazy rivers in the past.
Every day started with a spectacular sunrise. We could breathe in the sweet/acrid ocean air. Some days the morning mist cooled the humidity, some days it added to it.
Cadillac margaritas for 8 served with a heads-up! Not only did this waiter bring them out on his head, he danced around with them. All arrived safely at our table as evidenced by the next picture.
Eating at the Palace Resorts is an adventure and there are many restaurants to choose from. A night at the MoMo (similar to Benihana’s). It’s a nice touch how they imprint their name in the wasabi.
I don’t understand why they bring such a big plate with a few food items on it. Could save table space if the plate was one-quarter of this size. Oh, that’s practical me coming out instead of creative plating me. 😉
Desserts – always a culinary delight and a mystery. Outcomes of taste and texture were interesting.
A night at the French restaurant started with French onion soup. Common, I know, but quite tasty!
Lamb chops with a French sauce. Nice presentation.
Scallops atop squares of black risotto. It was served on a plate that looked like a cloud. I know, those French think out of the box sometimes.
Sweetbread dessert. Interesting flavor – not one I’m anxious to try at home.
Can you guess what this dessert is called? We’re still in the French restaurant… give up? Okay, I’ll tell you, it’s their version of cheesecake. It looked like a tube of cream cheese was dragged across the plate and someone got happy squirting dots of flavors on top. Yeah, a little too far-fetched for me. The French can keep these desserts.
Wind and rain squall set in one day. Watching the sway of the palm trees and having a bit of fun by the docks.
Dinner for 8 in the Presidential Suite this night. 
Dessert – Mayan coffee. A short video on one the steps to making this delicious coffee. VIDEO
Yes, we did eat a few healthy items along the way.
Check out this salad served on a platter that looked like a slice out of a tree trunk. A bit of a challenge to eat it without salad bits falling off the platter.
Berry salad. Points for taste and presentation.
Dessert montage follows. I would love to see how the kitchen creates and assembles these tasty treats.
Tiramisu.
Chocolate swirl with caramel. Oh so good!
Another rendition of cheesecake. The light pastry was delicious.
I forgot the name of this dessert – it was lemon-lime meringue on top of something similar to a sponge cake.
This dessert was prepared at the table – frying the bread/cake-like base (similar to French toast), sauteed apples, topped with vanilla ice cream and a light caramel sauce.
Not all these desserts were ordered by me, however, I did manage to taste test quite a few. After enjoying these guilty pleasures, the first day back at the gym is going to be H..E..L..L.
Sunset on the horizon. Another day in paradise coming to a close.
Now that we are home, we can reflect on very fond memories of good times with friends and re-create some of our favorite dishes and drinks. We’ll enjoy them in our own little paradise, in the gazebo, watching the foliage and garden come to life now that spring is here.
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