Good food is all the sweeter when shared with good friends

 The day arrived for our hosting party!  We did a lot of preparing, cleaning, pre planning, planning, deciding lay outs and talking through timelines, to make it run smooth, and we are delighted because in the end it went great!

First things first, covid. I feel very lucky to live somewhere that the climate lends itself to being outside a lot, if not all of the time.  Also, it was really, really breezy (windy) yesterday which meant that even when we were indoors there was a huge amount of air blowing through the house.  We had all the doors open, and this movement of fresh clean air helped make things feel safe also.

Preparing: We cleaned all morning on Sunday.  Also included in that time was a run to the grocery store to get key lime pie (dessert), mayonnaise (for the key lime mustard) and cupcakes for a colleague leaving The Saint. Patrick kindly drove me down to the hotel so I could run in quickly with those and that was during the morning time also. Patrick figures it was 4 hours cleaning between the two of us.  I think it was more like five.  How can a small house need so much cleaning?  But I must say it feels nice now, the morning after, having everything spick and span.

And of course it was worth it, for all of THIS:

Fruits of our Labour! 5.5lbs or 32 crab claws (4 each)

After everyone arrived and were outside, set up with drinks etc., Patrick and I moved swiftly (all that communication and preplanning work paid off!) and set the table and laid out the claws on ice.  When everyone arrived in to eat there was a lot of oohing and ahhing, and lovely convivial conversation all about what a treat stone crab was.  It was really lovely and gratifying to hear how much everyone was enjoying the food. After all that was always the objective - to provide something lovely that people would enjoy.  Oh and prosecco, everyone had a glass of chilled crisp prosecco which is always a good accompaniment to crab claws.

Smorgasbord

I know I keep mentioning the preparation, but actually, a crab claw party is probably one of the easiest gatherings I've hosted from a cooking/preparing perspective. They are boiled fresh once we catch them and then immediately frozen.  So all you really need to do on the day is have defrosted them prior (18 hours in the fridge starting the night before!) and then lay them out on the ice displayed nice.  I made the devilled eggs earlier that morning in between the cleaning - but they are easy to make, in fact I enjoy it/find it therapeutic. And I popped the (Publix) garlic bread in the oven 30 minutes before everyone was due to arrive. Oh! I made a key lime mustard dipping sauce too - which is sooooo easy and delicious, and got lots of compliments!

Happy Birthday Emily! Celebrated with a Key West "birthday cake", lol

Even with it being breezy, it was just perfect outdoors

Good people! Love this gang!

The cooler behind us doubles up as place for ice and a bench seat. I like this photo of us!

Monday's are certainly easier after a wonderful weekend like this. 

I wish you all a fantastic Monday and week ahead everyone! 

Letter from Key West, June 4 2020

109,284 deaths in USA due to  Coronavirus

Funeral of George Floyd, RIP

Peaceful protests in multiple cities around the US

Key West is now OPEN.  An influx (but not a huge one) of tourists have arrived on the island.  The crowds are expected this weekend.

Today, the county (Munroe) took a vote and have decided that masks are not mandatory.  This is county only.  They are still mandatory in Key West.  I am pleased about the Key West decision.

I went over to our new dock in Key West Yacht Club this afternoon  and set up payment for the year.  We docked for the first month in the city dinghy docks down near Turtle Kraals.  It was "ok".  We are much happier with the new spot.

Also today:

I installed new windscreen wipers on the jeep

Replaced the rear brake light

Applied for refund of flights we won't be taking in July :(

Diy spot treatment of suspected termite activity (positive vibes it is not please!).

Phew! That is quite the list.  Time for a cocktail now.  We are going to go to Shanna Key for dinner - and Guinness for Patrick and Stoli for me.

Stay well friends. And positive.

Letter from Key West, May 11 2020

Key West continues to open up.  For residents only! The road blocks are still in place and no tourists can come...yet.

There is talk of non residents from June 1.  I am conflicted.  I get it has to happen. Life on the island as is, is not sustainable, but on the other hand is life itself sustainable by bringing the virus into our midst?

Am I being dramatic?  All I can say, is that after an initial few weeks of anxiety, based on the current numbers of cases in Key West and up the keys (Monroe County) I feel safe.  Looking at the numbers up North (Miami eek) scares me.

Anyway, on a nicer note, as noted, Key West continues to open up.  Today Shanna Key reopened.  So guess where we went for dinner!

I had the chilli as I ALWAYS do

Patrick got chicken wings which is unusual for him.  He also had two pints of Guinness which is not unusual.

It was a really lovely evening actually.  We must have told our server eleventy seventy times that it was great they were back open.

Letter from Key West, April 29 2020

I bought myself a new mask yesterday.  It is from Sister Season and they are $10 per mask which goes into the fund to help people who work in the hospitality industry and who need financial assistance.

It is a lovely vintagesque flowery material and it is nice (firm?) material (double lined) and cut in a good shape which covers my whole face.

I also bought Patrick one too.  It is a soft t-shirt material.  It is double lined too - in fact reversible - and is made from a donation of  old stock of (unworn) Conch Republic Celebration 2019 t-shirts.

This one works great for him because it doesn't matter if he squishes it into his pocket (which he does!) as compared to the medical mask he was previously using, which really did not respond well to the squishing.

Both masks are also much more comfortable/more breathable than the medical masks.

Letter from Key West, April 24 2020

A little bit of a catch up since I last blogged...

Today in Key West news the county (Monroe) have said the Keys will not be opening to tourists in May - it will likely be June 1.  I appreciate this decision has a huge economic impact. 

I am still nervous about when we do eventually totally re-open, and for going forward.  With key West being a tourist destination it will be very hard to identify and control people movement.  I see myself just being ultra careful with hand washing, wearing my mask and social distancing until the vaccine arrives....

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I cooked a dish for dinner the other night which was an absolute disaster.  Chicken, garlic, rice  and broccoli bake.  I used chicken soup in it and I simply did not add enough water/milk/liquid so the rice used it all up during the cooking and it was dry and awful.  I also used Panko breadcrumbs on the top.  I am only familiar with Panko from books and American recipes.  We do not have it at home in Ireland.  I can report it is awwwwwwful.  Weird processed, sweet (almost coconut flavor and texture???), NOT breadcrumbs, processed something or other made out of flour yock.

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I successfully cut a dress to a shorter length and hemmed.  It is a stretch jersey type of material so it was a pain to hem but I did it!

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Enid texted me yesterday evening and said quick go on InstaLive on Reece's Witherspoon's page.  I clicked in and joined a lovely conversation between Reece and Jenna Bush Hager talking about books.  It was a really enjoyable thing to watch and I liked the thought that my twin was watching it too at home in Ireland. 

That's it I think!  It's Friday evening and we are heading into the weekend woohoo!!!!

Stay well and healthy friends! Stay at home!

Letter from Key West, April 17 2020

One Human Family.
There are a number of charities and outreach programs here on the island who support people in need - rough sleepers/people who are homeless/unemployed/people who are laid off - now, and before, the Covid19 pandemic.

In addition to this there are restaurants around town who are giving out free food to people in need.Yesterday it was Margaritaville who stepped forward and I saw this in action as I out went to CVS for some essential items.

As I pulled up on my bike I noticed little pockets of people standing around eating.  Then a man across the street sitting on a step eating from a take out box, shouted across to me "hey, they are giving out free food at Margaritaville, make sure you go get some".  I thanked him for telling me and shouted back to enjoy his lunch "oh I am, I am".

His unbridled joy brought me happiness.  I am not too proud to admit that I was a little nervous when I pulled up initially.  But you know,  his happiness and his willingness to engage with me gave me perspective, we are all just humans, and all just trying to get by in this old world of ours as best we can.

Fair play to the following for what they are doing to help:
- Better than Sex Restaurant
- Off the Hook Grill
- Margaritaville
- The Florida Keys Outreach Coalition
- Sister Season
And many others no doubt, as I hear of any more I will add them here.

Hey, if any of you out there wants some of these stickers just let me know and I will post to you

Letter from Key West April 12, 2020

I am sure the situation is the same in Key West as where you are right now.  It's life, but not as we know it, and boy is it BORING!
Masks are de rigeuer.  Even Marilyn Monroe is wearing hers.

Hard to say when things will start opening up here in Key West.  Most people accept that April is totally over now.  And it is my belief that May is a bust too.  Maybe all the bars, restaurants and hotels open up again on June 1st?  Hey guess what, that is our off peak season (it gets HOT on the island) and then we are in to August/September which is hurricane season.  I reckon it will be October i.e. Fantasy Fest before the island sees any real action...

Hmmm... Moving swiftly on. On a nicer note; it's Easter Sunday today!

Woke up and the Easter bunny had come and made a delivery which was nice. 

And this evening we are having lamb for dinner.  We wanted to have salmon but none of the supermarkets had any that looked decent.  Lamb and wine will be MORE than fine!

Edit.
Here is a picture of our lovely Easter dinner!

Simple. But jazzed up dinner

Yesterday we ate Indian food.  We made it from a jar of Sharwoods, which really doesn't feel like cooking at all (spoiler, it's not).  Because of this we hit on the brainwave idea of jazzing it up with some onions and cherry tomatoes.  Chicken, done on the barbeque, and job DONE!

Well! That was it done until I went all faaaaancy with the rice!  Ha! Check it out.Lol

Have a great Easter weekend!
Stay well and healthy wherever you are, friends.