Feast on this my friends, cuz I sure won’t. I used to. Until, I was on the set of “Beauty Shop” (Vivica A. Fox, Darren  Henson) and the director (a friend of mine) chastised me for eating the shrimp étouffée for lunch. We’re both Adventists and shellfish is just something we don’t do. Same reason why I don’t eat pork.

So, after the director got on me about eating what he had craft services offer, I felt remorseful and decided that for me, I knew better. That was 7 years ago. And the last time I had shrimp.

Being Cuban is such a wonderful thing to me. It really does enhance my life. If you don’t know much about our culture, it’s really rich in spirit, resilient and knowledgeable (more like efficient with) about natural resources. We’re they’re genius in practicing sustainability; CNN even did a special on that. Anyway, In his novel “The Old Man and the Sea”, Ernest Hemingway mentions a restaurant in a Havana neighborhood, called “La Terraza” (The Terrace). It’s an incredible seafood restaurant that overlooks the ocean where many risk-takers have swam to freedom in the States.  Well, that resto is 2 blocks from mi abuelita’s house! I ate there during my visit in ’99. And, for more information and detail on that connection, you’ll have to buy my cookbook when it comes out!

Anyway, don’t be so concerned with the fact that I don’t eat shrimp! I do make it and can hook it up like no one’s business (much like pork skewers here and scallops here). See the picture above? I made that on a whim for a friend and her two kids on a lax Sunday evening. They were silent for like 3 minutes; just what I like! Not knowing what it tasted like, but smelling the aroma of parsley and loads of garlic (wink, wink), I knew it was delicioso. I wasn’t jealous they were licking their fingers, just glad to eat the left over aguacate!

This awesome shrimp and avocado salad is so refreshing and light you’ll want to commission it as your “go-to” salad this Spring and Summer! It really is that amazing. My mom ordered one similar in Mexico when we were there last August, but even that one was lackluster. Wait, sorry, not similar at all. Just a different type of shrimp & avocado salad. This wonderful creation that I want you to love is featured in the working cookbook so I can’t share the recipe, but just take a close look at the ingredients and surely you’ll come close to figuring it out! Or, you can just play around and make your own! If you do, share with me and the closest one to my recipe will get a sneak peak at the cookbook picture WITH the recipe!! I promise!

(this is the one my mom ordered in Mexico)

**WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WAY OF EATING SHRIMP?**

Contest Reminder:  forgot to remind you that today is the last day to enter into the Que Rica Vida contest here, for a chance to win a fabulous FREE get-away to Miami and lunch with the lovely host of Despierta America, Karla Martinez! Just click and submit your info! No purchase necessary!

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