Uni at the Hollywood Farmers Market

Thanks for this tip! I walked right by them last week because I didn't want crab but I had no idea they had uni-my favorite!

I've heard about the wriggling and I've always been a little afraid. It didn't bother you?

aphrodisiac in Los Angeles Area

Where is the best Red Velvet Cake?

Kiss My Bundt bakery on 3rd is right up there!

Good, old fashioned cake but the light, fluffy cream cheese frosting is the real highlight.

aphrodisiac in Los Angeles Area

Dolce Monachelli's delicious bundt cake

Have not tried them, sound great. However if you like bundt, you should also check out Kiss My Bundt in LA. I live around the corner from the bakery and have developed a serious addiction. They've perfected the balance between fluffy and moist.

aphrodisiac in Los Angeles Area

eating in Aruba 2009

I just returned from a week in Aruba, (my first!) Overall, I was gravely disappointed in the food. First, the discovery that most of the seafood was shipped in from other islands or, worse, from Florida, depressed me to the core. Here I was snorkeling among millions of snapper and not a one to eat!

I tried to find the fish market at the harbor marked on my map. (I was staying in an apartment with a decently equipped kitchen). Turns out, the market is gone. The only remnant is the mark on the map. What did the woman in the boutique where the market once existed suggest? That I go to the Ling and Sons Supermarket, as they have the best fish. (My other choice was to go to the point where the few remaining fishing boats dock and purchase a fish to clean myself. Now, I said the kitchen was stocked, but I was not equipped for that).

So I tried a few fish restaurants. I did not have a single enjoyable meal in a single hotel restaurant. But I did enjoy a lovely evening at the ill-named Gasparito's and enjoyed a respectable piece of freshly caught Grouper at Madame Janette's. (I also fell in love with the wine list at Madame Janette's).

But my best meal was on Eagle Beach. I was sent to find Mrs. Kelly's snack truck upon recommendation of the tourism office. And my adventure was rewarded. Mrs. Kelly is warm and bubbly and is expert at all the traditional creole foods once found in Aruban homes. (The kind of food that has lost out to prepackaged convenience foods.) I sampled creole fish cakes, goat ribs and chicken with peanut sauce, all tender and flavorful and prepared before my eyes in the cramped quarters of Mrs. Kelly's truck.

If you're in Aruba on a Saturday, you must seek out Mrs. Kelly's truck. It is both a culinary and cultural experience and one of Aruba's gastronomic highlights.

aphrodisiac in South & Central America & the Caribbean

Review: Tigeorge's Chicken

Oh happiness! A restaurant that marks aphrodisiacs with a happy face. Is it just the conch, or did they note other dishes. I must go in and try it out!

Thanks for that. I enjoyed your description.

aphrodisiac in Los Angeles Area

Hints on Food Shopping and Markets in Aruba?

I'm going to be renting a house in Aruba next week. I would like to check out local ingredients, markets, etc. Do you have any leads for me on the best shops and markets to explore? Or any resources where I might find more info on buying the best ingredients while I'm in Aruba?

aphrodisiac in South & Central America & the Caribbean