Christmas
Rincón, Puerto Rico

I received a call from Loida a few days before Christmas. She asked if I wouldn't mind taking a rain check for the trip out to San Juan (as she was going to be picking up a sick coworkers shift and would be working 12 hour days). So it turns out that I ended up spending the holiday weekend in Rincón with the folks at the Surf and Board after all.

Christmas Eve

A pair of nice guys that were staying with us went out on an $800 fishing charter and caught more than they could consume and carry home; so before they left, the two graciously donated a bunch of great cuts for us to enjoy. There was plenty of fish (Wahoo) to go around, and several of us decided to hold a nice Christmas Eve dinner.

I stepped up to the task of preparing a good amount of fish for several guys over the propane grill in the back of the guest house (my first time grilling fish I believe). Taking standard sheets of aluminum foil I fashioned little trays to hold the fish and seasoning.

Raiding the communal/abandoned spices, I worked in several bulbs of garlic (minced and smashed), chili paste, teriyaki glaze, hot pickled red peppers, black pepper, and butter. As the fish was almost finished I sprinkled brown sugar over the fillets, which melted and caramelized almost instantly (adding a deliciously sweet texture to the dish). The end result was amazing—one of the best meals I've eaten down here.

Christmas Day

Just another day in paradise, with the exception that I went out surfing! Tom, one of the caretakers here, was nice enough to hand over an 8'4" long board for me to enjoy for the day. I was dropped off at a calm beach without coral or other nasties, and proceeded to have an awesome time. Given the right wave, standing up on the board was no problem at all.

When I returned, one of my roommates smiled and said: "welcome to the tribe."

Explore photos from Puerto Rico

Browse more entries