Oh, my avocado tree...

...you exist only in my head, for I live in the cold North, but were I further south and avocado treed, I would snack on your fruit (salted, peppered, and hot-sauced) as often as possible. And I promise I would never climb your fragile limbs or tire of your delicious ripe offerings.

Oh, my imaginary avocado tree. I dream on.

Knock knock. Who's there? Tap Tap. Tap Tap who?

I had dinner at Tap Tap near South Beach and it was good.

Best: citronad (limeaid), natif (Haitian lime and rum alcoholic beverage), unnamed spicy slaw-type condiment, watercress sauce, fried malanga, rice and peas, the company, a taste of R's whole fish, friendly service, large group accomodation.

Fair: yucca fries (the best ones are creamy on the inside, and these were not), live music (Latin band playing Hava Nagila?), fried grouper with avocado and lime sauce (dry; couldn't taste any lime sauce), slow service and bill processing, after-dinner Chiclets.

Did not try: Pork chunks, Goat bits, tostones (mine were missing, plus I like them sweet).

South Beach Diet

Refreshing; a bit mild for my taste. Overripe?




Delicious! I'll buy these for myself. Also good with hummus.

I didn't get a photo, but I have to mention the new beverage ground I covered - despite not really being a coffee drinker. I enjoyed a cafe Cubano the other evening (it's tiny, but comes with tinier plastic shot glasses so that you can space out your doses if you wish) and a Cuban cafe con leche post-beach. They're hot, sweet, and available all over town. I hear Farm Stores (drive-through convenience centers) make the best Cubanos in Miami.

I eat you, Miami...

to the tune of Johanna by Stephen Sondheim.



I eat you, Miami,
I eat you,
I was half convinced I'd waken,
satisfied enough to dream you
Happily i was mistaken
Miami...
I'll eat you, Miami
I'll eat you...


I'll eat you, Miami
I'll eat you...
Are there chickens in that kitchen?
'Cause they call it Chicken Kitchen.
I am finding all your rice boss
Buried sweetly in your curry sauce...


I eat you, Miami
your Cuban, I'll eat, too,
all your snapper and your stone crab claws
sweet, sweet plantains in my happy jaws...

The key is lime.

I've been to Miami. Twice. Why didn't I run into these down there? Thanks for bringing them back with you, Paul!



Despite (or because of) the four types of sugar (sugar, corn syrup, invert sugar, invertase), these are pretty tasty.



Sure, they could use more lime on the inside and more chocolate on the outside (why not enrobe?), but they're moist and dense and sweetly charming. Just like you.