Still Not Just Meat and Potatoes!

My love for Providence New American Kitchen has made me do something very rare, unprecedented in fact. Outside of my food truck family, I have never written twice about the same place. That is all about to change, and you have a revised menu (and new lead bartender) at PNAK to thank for it. If you want to know more about PNAK, click on the link above, this post is going to get straight into the food and drink.

The new food (at least what we tried of it):

For starters, the P&P Tots and Clam Chowder Dumplings are both great!

Porcini & Pecorino Tots

The P&P Tots are not your run of the mill tots that Napoleon Dynamite would stick in his pocket. They are porcini crusted and crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy (from the pecorino cheese) on the inside. The tots are garnished with pumpkin ketchup (which isn't as pumpkin-y or as ketchup-y as you might expect, but nicely compliments the delicate fried starch nuggets) and laid atop pumpernickel crumble (which I could honestly eat by itself, and did after the tots were gone).

Clam Chowder Dumplings

The CC Dumplings are exactly what they sound like: creamy chowder in a crunchy fried shell, topped with crispy bacon and served on a vinegar slaw (with chunks of clam in it). It is not often that I talk about garnishes, but both of these starters have garnishes that I would eat by themselves. How do they get liquid soup in that crunchy shell, you ask? I imagine that they freeze the chowder, bread it, then fry it (which melts the chowder and crisps the shell, all at once).

Kobe Burger

You can find the Kobe Burger on the lunch and dinner menus, probably because it is hard to think of a time of day when Kobe beef, Beemster cheese, pickled mustard seed, pickled onions, and shallot jam is not out of this world good!

Beer Braised Short Rib

A Boulevard beer braised short rib that is so tender that you can shred it with a spoon, served on top of house-made cavatelli pasta, smoked mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes, a jam made with more Boulevard beer, and topped with sprouts. You can really tell the difference that the house-made cavatelli pasta makes in this incredibly savory dish!

Spiced Doughnuts

These spiced doughnuts have replaced the ricotta doughnuts that I wrote about in my last post about PNAK and are just as amazing as they sound. These doughnuts taste like fall incarnated (or whatever the word would be for fall to take object form, but not necessarily human form). These doughnuts kick the highly coveted apple cider doughnuts (from Louisburg Cider Mill) in the crotch, hard. Add on to that the pumpkin glaze and pepita caramel brittle that come with the donuts and you have everything that you could hope for, from fall, on a plate.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

I can honestly not say enough about this dessert! This is probably the best dessert (and best ice cream) that I have ever had in my life (even better than the S'More's Flavors dessert from PNAK that I got put into the Ink Summer Dining Guide)! The hot date cake, covered in campfire whiskey glaze, and paired with Boulevard 6th Glass ice cream is unlike anything that you have ever tasted in your life; sweet, but not overly rich. This dessert is beyond words, do not plan to eat anything else for a few hours after this for risk of it tasting like hot feet comparatively. 

The Cocktails: 

Not only is PNAK shaking things up on the food menu, but also the cocktail menu. Some of the new cocktails that have been added are The Quiet Man, Bootlegger's Punch, and TIPple de Jalisco. We gave The Quiet Man and Bootlegger's Punch a try. 

Bootlegger's Punch (left) & The Quiet Man (right)

The Quiet Man is a whiskey cocktail, featuring Jameson, that is named after the 1952 John Wayne film about an American Boxer who retires to Ireland (so awesome, on so many levels). This cocktail runnith over with fall flavours: spiced apple cider, cinnamon & cardamom syrup, topped with ginger ale, and garnished with a piece of house-made candied ginger. Bootlegger's Punch is an equally awesome citrus-y rum cocktail: Goslings' Rum, Cherry Heering Liquer, Falernum, Fresh Lemon, and Orange Bitters.

Finally, the TIPple de Jalisco, that I did not get a chance to try, but supports a cause that is close to my heart. We all know that I love Mexico! The "TIP" in "TIPple" stands for Tequila Interchange Project, a non-profit that supports the preservation of regional tequila (aka the anti-Cuervo). This cocktail contains: Tequila Ocho "Plata", Mexican Coca Cola syrup (real sugar, not HFCS), and Regan's Orange Bitters.

Some of the new cocktails were formulated by the famous Brock Schulte (Drum Room Bar Manager). Some were created by the new lead bartender, who was brought over when Hickok's closed (sad face, I loved that place), Travis. After you have a couple cocktails with dinner, at PNAK, walk up the stairs to the Drum Room for a nightcap. If the Drum Room is not that busy, do the following: ask Travis about the time he got kicked out of the Robert Mondavi Vineyard in Napa (it is such an amazing story!), show him the below photo, tell him that you heard that it was the best New York themed cocktail out there, and ask him very nicely to make it for you.

Happy 1st Anniversary to PNAK, the new Drum Room, Rick Brook, Chef Eric Carter, Brock Schulte, Travis (who I am a jerk and forgot his last name), and crew! Cheers!

Yucatan Peninsula

When I sat out to research this post, I intended to write it only about the food of the Yucatan, but it turned into much more. I have been writing this post for a long time, in my head, and will try to transcribe it as eloquently as possible. This may be a post that is a little hard to read for some people, and quite frankly, that is sort of the point. If you don't want what you have always believed to be questioned, you should probably stop reading right now. Also, please forgive some of my elitist and negative undertones that are not typically part of my writing style, this topic just brings it out of me.

Mexico, what can I say about Mexico that has not already been said? What is Mexico? It is perceived to be something different to everyone: a home, a place to get drunk on spring break, a cultural & culinary paradise, or even a cartel battleground that some would never visit. That being said: I love Mexico! I love almost everything about Mexico! This post is a lot of good, and some of the sad, of the wonderland known as the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Food (Do yourself a solid and try something adventurous): 

Mexico is home to some of the freshest fruits that I have ever tasted. Much of America's fruit supply comes from Mexico, however, it is picked early in order to be able to make the trip before spoiling. If you have the mangoes, pineapples, papayas, bananas, passion fruit, and coconuts fresh from the source, it will almost ruin fruit that has been picked before it was ripe for you.

Speaking of freshness: The Yucatan Peninsula (aka Riviera Maya) is also home to countless little fishing towns, like Puerto Morelos, where fishermen bring in the daily catch and sell it directly to the restaurants adjacent to the docks. In most of these towns, you can charter a trip for the pros to take you sport fishing for something to mount or bottom fishing for something of your own to cook up. The locals fish in boats called Pangas, but larger boats with bathrooms on board are available for those that require such things. But whatever you do, do not take a banana on your boat, or you won't catch a fish big enough to fit on a Ritz cracker (If you don't believe me, as a fisherman. And no, I do not know if trail mix with dehydrated bananas in it counts, but do you really want to chance it?).

To this point, I have just scratched the surface of Yucatan cuisine. Each state in Mexico has The mainstay in the Yucatan is the marinated pork. This style of pork is probably most popular (in the US, at least) in Cochinita Pibil tacos. Cochinita Pibil, literally translated, is "suckling piglet" "enearthed". As far back as the Mayans, residents of this region have buried pigs in pits with hot coals to slow cook them.

You can get tender spicy pork for breakfast. lunch, and dinner. Yes, breakfast, I would almost venture to say that is when it is most delicious (having had even more time for all of the flavours to harmonize). A large helping of spicy marinated pork or spicy marinated beef, a side of fresh pina (pineapple), and a black coffee were my breakfast choices almost every day that I was in the Yucatan. Sure, you can still get your huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, Mexican pastries, and other favorite Mexican breakfast items too, but my favorite has to be the pork.

Other things that are good for breakfast (or any other time of the day, really): Soups! "Really?" you ask. Yes, soup in the tropics sounds a little counter intuitive (as you are already very hot and need nothing to warm you up, at all), but the soups were some of my favorite dishes that I had while in Mexico. Quite frankly, it surprised me too! But if you are not keen on any of my above breakfast recommendations... Menudo (a traditional beef tripe soup), or a variation of Menudo that contains chunks of beef rather than cow stomach (for those faint of heart) are delicious options! Grab a bowl of soup, sprinkle some cilantro and onions on that bad boy, and go to town!

Another great soup, and possibly the single best dish that I had on my most recent trip to Mexico, was a black bean cappuccino (pictured above). It was served at dinner time. It was an almost frothy black bean soup where the black beans had been blended into a homogeneous mixture with the froth, leaving only one delicious consistency. My only regret is that I only got one cup of this soup.

The Drinks:

So we all know about Corona (but incase you forgot, almost every billboard between the airport and your hotel will remind you). Don't get me wrong, I love a Corona with a lime if I am relaxing on the beach as much as the next guy, but Mexico has much more to offer than Corona!

You also know about Tequila. Some of you may think that Tequila is best suited for shots on Spring Break, and you would be wrong. Some of that same group (and some others) may think that you do not like Tequila, you are also wrong. It is very normal to not like cheap & crappy Tequilas, as that is probably what most of you drink. Tequilas should all be made of 100% blue agave. Anything that does not say 100% blue agave on the bottle, or does not dry to a non-sticky consistency, is trash and should be thrown away immediately. </Tequila rant> (%<--Nerd alert) (Yes, I realize that adding the "%" just made it worse. I am also aware that most of you will not get that joke.)

So I said all of that to say this: Blanco (Silver or Platinum) or Reposado (Rested) Tequilas are great for cocktails (if you need a good Tequila cocktail recommendation, that does not start with an "M" and end in an "argarita", then just hang out for a minute and I will hook you up). Anejo (Aged) Tequilas are great for just sitting and sipping on after dinner. Rested and Aged Tequila is mellowed in oak barrels, like many whiskeys, to get a more smooth flavour. There are countless familial Tequila companies in Mexico, there are also way too many big box outfits that push sub-standard Tequila at prices above their value, but the big brand that is probably the best Tequila (that is widely available in the USA) is Don Julio. I would advise anyone who is sipping Tequila straight to buy the good stuff, but if you are mixing, go mid-grade.

As promised: My Tequila cocktail recommendation from my most recent trip is called a Paloma. A Paloma is Tequila (I prefer Reposado) and Fresca soda, on the rocks, with a lime squeezed in it. This is one of the most refreshing, and tasteful, beverages I have ever had! Try this on a hot day and admit to yourself that everything that you thought you knew about Tequila was a fraud. Also do me a favour and do not salt your rim!

Mezcal is similar to Tequila, but is made with a different variety of the agave plant. This is the liquor that is famous for having the worm at the bottom. The "worm" that you see at the bottom is typically a cured larva of an agave eating weevil that is known to decimate entire agave harvests (sort of a cruel joke on the weevil I guess).

One fermented drink that had origins that predate both Tequila and Mezcal is Xtabentun. Xtabentun is specific to the Yucatan and is a Spanish twist on an old Mayan ceremonial liqueur. Xtabentun is a fermented drink made of anise seeds, honey, and xtabentun flowers. As with most liqueurs, it is very sweet, and you get a strong taste of honey. This makes it a popular coffee additive. There is also a cocktail built around this liqueur, called a Mayan Coffee, in which the liqueur is set of fire and added to coffee with coconut ice cream (much better than Bailey's, I might add). 

Mexico is also a hot bed for Rums that are not available in the USA. Most notable on this list is Havana Club, as this Rum is produced in Cuba, it is not allowed past customs in the USA. I had wanted to try Havana Club for a while, as I had heard nothing but good things about it, but as I sat there sipping on this amazing 7 year aged rum I could not help but think about the lives that it had affected. Havana Club is made in the factory that was seized by the Cuban government from the Bacardi family. The Cuban government did not allow free enterprise, so they took the distillery, but then brought in a private investor (that just so happened to be a friend of the Communist Party, shocker, I know) to help run this thing. Legend has it that they are serving up the original Bacardi recipe rum.This is what forced Bacardi to move to Puerto Rico. That  being said, I understand the US stance that we do not want to send money to Cuba to support that government; but when you cut off the head of the snake, the rest of it dies too (the rest of the snake is the Cuban people in this scenario). It just makes you think, but more on this in a minute.

After having had Havana Club, and it living up to the billing, I also had a little known Nicaraguan Rum (called Flor de Cana). This rum was heads and shoulders better than Havana Club (which is saying a lot), and was even cheaper too! Check it out if you can get it!

Also, not to be forgotten is Coke, made from real sugar (not that high fructose corn syrup crap).

The Culture (Yes, I swear I am not just an obese alcoholic): 

The Mayan Riviera is full of awesome things to see, most of them revolving around Mayan culture (as the name of the region suggests). From Mayan ruins, to cenotes, to mangroves, to shopping for Mexican goods, there is something for everyone.

For Mayan Ruins, one of the most popular sites for exploration is Tulum. Tulum literally translated means "stinky earth" because the Spanish could not stand the smell of the mangroves that surround the ancient city of Tulum. Tulum is one of the smaller Mayan cities, but is very popular (probably due to its proximity to the Cancun Hotel Zone), and will still show you a lot of the wonders of the Mayan calendar and architecture. Tulum is located on the cliffs, atop a breathtaking beach, and acted as a port city for the Mayan Empire. A much larger site, Chichen Itza, is located a little further inland.

Cenotes are caves that are filled with fresh ground water. These were the source of Mayan drinking water, as such you will see a cenote situated somewhere around every Mayan city. Although every Mayan city had at least one cenote, not every cenote is around a Mayan city. There are literally hundreds or thousands of these things across the Yucatan Peninsula. These are popular places for snorkelers and cave divers and are really quite cool! I would post a picture here showing you how cool they are, but my disposable underwater camera did not have a flash, so none of my pictures turned out. You will just have to trust me telling you that the light reflecting off of all of the submerged stalactites and stalagmites looks really freaking cool!

Mexican goods: Mexico is currently the source for almost 1/3 of the world's silver. Silvermaking has long been a Mexican artform, but during the War for Mexican Independence, the Spanish destroyed all of the silver mines (to keep the revolutionaries from getting them). This led to a nearly century long decline in the silvermaking trade. Today, the trade (and silver production) is booming. This gives those visiting Mexico access to some of the world's best silver, at a price that hasn't been marked up by a dozen middle men.

Another popular Mexican good is hand-painted ceramics. They are made by hand, painted by hand, and have a personal touch to them. You will see plates, bowls, platters, mugs, and other decorative pieces or all shapes and sizes. They are great to store your crappy green avocados that you get in the US in, trying to get them in the right mood while you wait for them to ripen.

Mexican culture (and almost all Latin cultures, for that matter) is a much more relaxed culture than what most Americans are used to, which makes it a great place to vacation. Things may not always be licketty split, like you want them to be, but good things come to those who wait. You will have travel snafus, get over it ahead of time, and enjoy the awesomeness that surrounds you! Do not let this laid back attitude make you think that these people do not work their butts off! Most of these people work 14+ hour days just to make enough to barely get by. Which brings me to my next point.

The Politics (If you don't want a lecture, turn away now):

First of all, lets start this off by getting something out there. If you are reading this, you are probably an ignorant American, unless you are like me (then you are probably still an ignorant American masquerading as an informed American). If it felt good to get that admission off of your chest, then feel free to keep reading. If that stung a little bit, you can click the "X" in the upper right hand corner of your browser.

To continue what I was saying previously, by American standards, most Mexican workers are severely overworked and severely underpaid! (<--This is partially the reason why vacationing here is much cheaper than doing so in Florida) These people work their hands to the bone just to feed their children and try to get them into schools where they can grow up to have a brighter future. Every Mexican worker you will talk to is extremely happy to have their job (a lot of people even move to the resort areas for better jobs), but they will also all tell you that they want their children to be more than what they are. That is pretty universal, right? We can all identify with that! I know I can, and I don't even have kids! This will not change until the government puts more money into the public school system, but that would require raising taxes and taking food off the table right now, so you can see where I am going with this. Next time you complain about your kids' school at the soccer mom carpool group, stop it! Be thankful and tip your service workers well (at home and in Mexico)!

Some people are so desperate that they end up doing terrible things, like trafficking narcotics, to enable their children to have better lives. Yes, there is a group involved in the narcotics because they believe that it is glamourous, but that is not everyone. Yes, this is a more dangerous life path for them. Yes, this wave of smuggling drugs has lead to increased violence in border towns. Which has only increased with every drug kingpin capture because it leads to fighting over turf, but that is another conspiracy all together that can be saved for another day.

All of that being said, anyone who thinks that Mexico is a dangerous place, you are dumb! Yes, there are dangerous places in Mexico, but there are dangerous places everywhere! There are dangerous places in everyone's home city, you just stay away from them. Does that keep you from inviting friends or family to visit you in your home city? No. Mexico as a country is not inherently dangerous! You have to be smart. Do not go roaming the desert looking for strippers and cocaine! Do not flash your money around and act like a loud, obnoxious, dumb American (that makes people in every other country mad)! Think about how you would feel if your neighbor built a fence that looked like the one pictured above and told you not to come over to his yard but took every opportunity he got to come over and act like a fool in your yard, you would not like that either.

Fphew! That feels good to get that off of my chest! Now back to the lighter side of things. And P.S. Mexico is not "dirty" either. P.P.S. Try to speak the language, they know English, but give Spanish the old college try. If nothing else it will make you feel more engulfed in the culture.

Where Do I Stay While In Mexico?:

When my wife and I travel to Mexico, we (like most Americans) stay at an All-Inclusive Resort. We like the nicer hotels because it gives us the option to venture out and explore the local culture when we want. Or we can relax by the water, feeling the ocean breeze, sipping on a Paloma (which is pretty awesome too). We like a good mix while we are on vacation. Plus I like a nice warm shower to wash the days' adventures off of me (which I realize is sort of in conflict with what I was just preaching above, and that is part of my internal struggle when it comes to this topic). You could probably save some money if you stayed at a local hotel, off of the beach, but it will be a lot more work on your part too. Keep this one thing in mind: As I always say "It is okay to do touristy things, but not to act like a tourist". If you do not understand the difference, you are who I am talking to.

The best thing that we have found about All-Inclusives is that even if it is raining, you can belly up to the beach bar (beneath the thatched roof), enjoy some beverages, and wait for the rain to pass. If you are going to be getting rained on, this is as good of place as any. The worst day in Mexico is still better than your best day in the office!

We have always had good luck with AM Resorts properties. We have stayed at Dreams Puerto Aventuras and Now Jade and loved both of them. Both have been beautiful with very good food. Both of these resorts do have international cuisines, something for everyone's taste, but I challenge you to focus on the authentic Mexican items. See a couple photos below.

I am Ironman!

For those of you that know me, it probably doesn't come as a surprise to you that my brother-in-law calls me "Captain Intensity". I am notorious for getting wild hairs to do something crazy, and then following through and actually doing them. That is kind of how it went when I put Barney Stinson's (from How I Met Your Mother) marathon training program to the test "You don't train for marathons, you just run them. Step 1: Start running. Step 2: There is no Step 2." - says NPH. I thought to myself, "That sounds reasonable." Boom, first marathon: 4:13, next to no training! Similarly, after my first sprint triathlon in 2011, I was hooked immediately and set my sights on Ironman 70.3 San Juan for 2013. This is now my victory post, proving that I can do whatever I set my mind to (and so can anyone else).

"Victory!" (in my Johnny Drama voice)

For those of you who are not familiar with Ironman 70.3, it is a triathlon (named for the number of miles that you swim, bike, and run) in which participants swim 1.2 miles (in open water), then bike 56 miles, and finally run 13.1 miles. I chose San Juan for my first IM70.3 because of its clear water and the bike/run routes along the coast. Plus, lets not pretend that I don't have an affinity for Hispanic cultures. The Ironman course was everything that I had it built it up to be in my mind, and more! When my legs or body would get tired, I would just look at the ocean and imagine that I was having a relaxing day on the beach. But that is enough about triathlons for now, here is a bit more of our Puerto Rican experience (and of course the food too).

'Cudas (top and center)

The race hotel for this event was the Caribe Hilton, it was an amazing hotel and resort. They have ocean and lagoon views, a great beach and pool, and one of the coolest things that a hotel could have. There is a pier at the hotel that jaunts out over a shallow water rock cave. During the day, you can go watch colourful tropical fish swim back and forth in the waves. At night, those beautiful tropical fish go into hiding as the barracudas that live in the cave come out to eat, you can see them in the water thanks to a spotlight that is attached to the pier. These barracudas were a lot fatter than the barracudas that we saw in Mexico, they must be eating really well! Don't let this scare you away from swimming at the hotel beach though, they are seldom seen during the day and you are not what they are looking for.

View from our room

Right to Left: Soursop, Mango, Acerola

There are conflicting stories out there as to the origin of the Pina Colada; one version of the story has the Pina Colada originating at the Hilton Caribe, another has it originating at Barrachina (in Old San Juan). Although we did not make it to Barrachina, we did try the Pina Colada at the Caribe Hilton. Two words: "Be careful!", these things are dangerously delicious! We had some other great drinks at the hotel too, however they were the healthy kind of drinks (juices). The Soursop and Acerola juices intrigued me, because I had never had them, but they had fresh pineapple, mango, and passion fruit juices as well. I was excited for the Acerola juice because it is basically an exotic cherry. It was delicious, but a tad tart for my taste. Conversely, I was a little worried that the Soursop would be sour (because of the name), but this funky looking little green fruit produces some of the best juice I have ever had in my life!

Medalla on the balcony

Other great Puerto Rican drinks that we enjoyed throughout the week were: coconut water, Medalla Light (Puerto Rican beer), and Yaucono (Puerto Rican coffee). Puerto Rican coffee is some of, if not the, best coffee in the world! It is so smooth! It is very sad, but millions of pounds of Puerto Rican coffee goes unpicked annually because the wages paid to coffee pickers are so low that its hard to find anyone to pick coffee for that wage, as workers can make much more money at jobs that are much less labor intensive. This has led to many Puerto Rican coffee producers importing beans from other countries to cut the Puerto Rican grown beans. Now before any coffee snobs interject; Yaucono is Puerto Rico's top selling coffee, but has probably also fallen victim to the above predicament. You can probably find much better and much more pure PR coffee, but Yaucono is still pretty awesome if you ask me.

Seafood mofongo (in garlic sauce)

Before my race I pretty much stuck to Subway (as to not test my IBS before such a big day), but afterward we adventured out and tried to get into as much local food as possible. We started off by getting into some mofongo! Mofongo is a PR staple that is made from mashed plantains and often served with a mild garlic sauce. The first mofongo that we had was a seafood mofongo and was a bit more fancy than the mofongo we had later in the week. The plantains weren't mashed as finely, the sauce was a bit more garlic-y, and it was served with just about every type of seafood that you could imagine.

Coconut Water

The day after the race we went hiking in El Yunque, a national rainforest. From the top of the mountains, you can see all the way to the ocean. We hiked. We spoke to Coqui (a tree frog and unofficial mascot of the island of PR). We saw waterfalls. We even did a little 'Squatchin' (which was my wife and I taking pictures of my larger, younger brother walking through the jungle). If you are ever in PR, this is a must-stop destination. We had planned to also visit the bio-luminescent bay that night, but rain made us cancel our trip.

Panoramic view from the top of Yokahu Tower, in El Yunque

Boardriders

After a long day of hiking, we had worked up quite the appetite. We stopped by a beach-front restaurant and bar in Luquillo that seemed to cater to American surfing tourists. Boardriders has a huge patio where you can enjoy a Medalla, watch the waves roll in, and even play a little bag toss. This place has great fish tacos and fish wraps, although those are not traditional PR cuisines, it does not make them any less awesome. Boardriders also makes an incredible pineapple and mango salsa. The salsa has medium heat and go perfectly with white fish.

Frituras

On our way back to San Juan, we also stopped by the kiosks in Luquillo. These kiosks are known for serving Puerto Rican treats known as frituras (fritters). Frituras come in every different shape, size, and flavour. There are sweet, savory, and everything in between. Each kiosk has their own recipe. You will find frituras made of beef, chicken, pork, seafood, etc. wrapped in some form of carbohydrate and deep fried. These carbohydrates can be: a flour tortilla (with the contents rolled inside cigar style), corn meal, or plantains. The most interesting fritura that I tried was made with ground beef, sandwiched between two pieces of fry bread, and then the void between the two pieces of fry bread was wrapped with a sweet plantain. Pour a little bit of hot sauce on that and you have a mighty fine fritura.

Coco y Parcha

Other street food items that we enjoyed in PR were pinchos and sebert. Pinchos are the PR version of a kabob. They are barbecued meat or seafood on a stick, topped with a piece of bread. Honestly, the pinchos that I had at the Condado Lagoon, by the Conrad Condado hotel, has to be the best meat on a stick that I have ever had. Once you have had your fill of pinchos, you wont have to look too far for an older gentleman pushing a sherbet cart around. There is nothing better on a hot day in PR than a combo of coco (coconut) and parcha (passion fruit) sherbet, although my wife prefers coco y pina (pineapple).

We also indulged in another local favorite, Puerto Rican rum. We visited Casa Bacardi (the Bacardi distillary), Casa Don Q, and Fernando Fernandez at Ron de Barrilito.

Bacardi Windmills

When Facundo Bacardi moved to Cuba from Spain and opened up a specialty store, he refused to sell Caribbean rum (at the time called Kill Devil, or Pirate's Moonshine) because of it's harshness. Facundo decided that rum had a good base, in  sugar cane (or molasses), and that he could distill a rum that was smooth enough to drink. His little experiment became the best selling rum in the world. In true empire fashion, Casa Bacardi was gigantic, sophisticated, and corporate. Puerto Ricans appreciate what Bacardi brings to the island in revenue and jobs, but they prefer a rum that originated on the island. Don't get me wrong, they make a mighty fine product (it's not #1 in the world for nothing), the tour is just a tad corporate for my taste.

Don Q is the best selling rum in PR, and has local origins. Casa Don Q can be found in Old San Juan, directly across the street from where the ships port, and is not a distillery, but more of a shrine to Don Q (with a bar) than it is a museum or a history lesson. CDQ does have good information about the distilling process, and some awesome specialty drinks that cool you down on a hot day, but at the end of the day they are catering to the touristas that walk across the street from the ships (and I do understand that is what pays the bills, I just prefer not to be grouped in with tourists, I am an independent traveler, not a tourist).

Ron de Barrilito offices
(inside a decommissioned wind mill)

My taste in rum led me to Ron de Barrilito. Fernando Fernandez runs the company that his great-grandfather started after immigrating from Spain. Ron de Barrilito started, similarly to Bacardi, to elevate the level of Caribbean rum being produced. However, Ron de Barrilito was modeled after the Cognacs of France and intended to be the best rum that you have ever tasted, rather than to build an empire. Little has changed about Ron de Barrilito since 1827 (when it was founded), they even change the barrels as infrequently as possible, I would not be shocked if there were multiple barrels in the aging room over 100 years old (stupidly, I did not ask). One of the secrets to RdB is that it is aged at proof, rather than being aged at over-proof and then cut down to proof (like most other rums, *cough* Bacardi *cough*). Everything around here is done the old fashion way; the machines on the bottling line were only configured to attach one label, so when the government started requiring back labels on liquor, RdB began gluing them on by hand (rather than buy new machines). The only tough thing about RdB is that it is ridiculously hard to find! You will need to do a thorough internet search, stop and ask for directions, and you still may not find it unless you have someone who has been there before with you. Sure, I could tell you exactly how to get there, but then you would miss the adventure. The only thing that can make the 3-packs of "3-star" that you can buy for $45 (SMOKING DEAL!) is when it comes with a little adventure.

Red Snapper

Last but not least, we stopped by a little restaurant in Old San Juan that was recommended to me by a Puerto Rican co-worker, called El Jibarito. The inside of the restaurant is modeled just like the outsides of the buildings around Old San Juan. The food in this place was so amazing that we broke our rule about not dining the same place twice while traveling. Between all of the members of our party, and two meals, we tried just about everything on the menu. The first day, my favorite dish was the "Island Steak" that is a cheap cut of round steak that has been marinated and grilled the Puerto Rican way. It was especially delicious when I slopped a little bit of the house made garlic sauce on it. I felt pretty confident that this would be the best dish to order on our second visit, until my wife orders the whole red snapper. Oh man did she out order me! The red snapper was probably the best that I have ever had! Luckily for me, my wife couldn't finish all of the fish, so I got to pick the bones clean. I even got the salty, gooey eye balls (Bourdain would have been proud). No matter what you get, I recommend the mixed mofongo (plantain and yuca) as your side, its pretty incredible. If you find yourself anywhere near Old San Juan, you will be doing yourself a dis-service if you do not stop into El Jibarito, ask for Angel and tell him that the Ironman and the Strongman sent you (then show him the picture of my brother and I below).

The Ironman and the Strongman

Make sure you tour El Morro, fly your kites on the fort's lawn, and do your walking tour of Old San Juan before checking in on the amazing gastronomy of Old San Juan. I say this because if you love to eat as much as I do, you may not be able to afterwards.

El Morro

As the saying goes, "to whom much is given, much is required". I have dropped all of this PR knowledge on you, although admittedly only scratching the surface myself. But before you go planning your trip, there is a few things you need to know. PR is America! You CAN drink the water there! (I clarify because these are common questions that I have gotten about PR). Although it is America, and they have 99% of the same conveniences that we have in the lower 48, they still have two official languages (English and Spanish). Remember, as with anywhere that you travel, you are the guest in someone else's territory. Be respectful of their culture. If you do not know elementary Spanish, carry a Spanish phrase book with you. You will be hard pressed to find someone in Old San Juan that does not speak English, but you will go to areas of the island that you will be hard pressed to find someone that does (then you will have to know how to order your 6-pack of Medalla en Espanol).

We loved PR and will definitely be back, possibly even for next year's IM70.3.