Host Family, Chef Lalo!
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Chef Lalo's abode, La Casita, Ciudadela Caudel, Merida is an unassuming portal A La Vida Yucateco!
Eduardo is my Host Family while here on the outskirts of the periferico of Merida and an oasis of culinary celebration and hospitality.
After a lengthy initial travel day from Irving, Texas to Miami via futuristically modern DFW International Airport and then a four hour layover in the time worn Miami Airport before landing in Merida Chef Lalo's brother Rodrigo, Rodri, provided my auto transportation swerving through the motorbikes and misplaced pot holes to my new home for a month.
Rodrigo's calm and assuring demeanor soon revealed a hearty, zestful empathy like laying down in a Mayan hammock. No, The Spaniards did not extract all of the gold from the Yucatan Peninsula because the hearts of the people, as exhibited by Lalo and Rodri, are oro pura!
Vamos a Comer! Let's Eat! Chef Lalo received this sweaty, exhausted traveler with Merida's famous Tacos Cochinita Pibil (all you eat). The purple onions sparkled as harbingers of the juicy delight awaiting inside the glistening tortillas de maiz. La Salsa Habanero, smoked with a rich basalt coloring and texture, charged the famous pork product with mouth watering gastronomical memories.
The role of the Host Family is a foundation from which the CIEE study and travel program is based and Chef Lalo's genial nature, representative of the Yucatecan spirit, combined with the hunger healing 5 Star meals have generated a desire to put on a guayabera forever.
Monday Evening-Seared Sirloin Steak with accompanying Meridian Potatoes, crispy fresh arugula salad with a light dijon dressing dancing on the colorful leafs, and gold flakes on top. The meal became complete with an icey Coca Cola and for dessert, postre, Apple Cheesecake Tart which disappeared too quickly.
Tuesday Breakfast-Tall Stack of butter laced pancakes with a hefty slosh of Mayan bee honey, two scrambled eggs, and Pan de Montejo, crispy sugar coated Orejas, oops I ate two.
As the week continued Tacos de Picadillo, Cheese Omelettes, Huevos Motuleños, Bocadillo de Jamón, Bistec, Yogurt, fruta y mas.
Viva Mexico! ¡Viva Merida! México en mi alma! Compliments to Chef Lalo! I'm getting hungry just writing this. "Chef...
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