Trouville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France

Trouville is a very lively seaside resort in Normandy, with a gorgeous beach and a wooden boardwalk. Beautiful villas line the beach and there's even a casino. It also has a famous fish market which is open every day of the year. How wonderful it would be to stroll down every afternoon to buy fresh fish for supper!

Agave, Hartford, CT

There's not much to say about Agave, except there are lots more fabulous and authentic Mexican restaurants in the world. The whole experience was quite disappointing except the pseudo theatricals of table side guacamole preparation, which was somewhat entertaining! The fish tacos were unbearably dry and lacking fish. Perhaps it was my mistake anticipating more Baja style fish tacos that come dripping in a delicious white sauce with oodles of salsa, chopped cilantro and lime! It makes me long for the wonderful food we used to have in Baja California at road side venues. There's nothing like the real thing.

Let me know if you have a more satisfying visit!

100 Allyn Street  Hartford, CT 06103

(860) 882-1557

Tequila Lime Swordfish

• This recipe is based on Ina Garten's recipe for Tequila Lime Chicken. The flavors are wonderfully fresh and zingy. This recipe can definitely be halved for smaller amounts of fish.
• 1/2 cup tequila
• 1 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp minced jalapeño pepper
• 1 Tbsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lbs swordfish steaks
• 1 cup of chopped cilantro (half for the marinade, and half for serving)

Mix together the tequila, lime and orange juice, chili, jalapeno, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, and then add the swordfish. Cover and chill overnight in the fridge. I have also put the marinade and the fish in a plastic bag, which allows you to easily rearrange and massage the marinade into the fish.
You can either cook the sword fish on a barbecue grill, or a George Forman grill if you prefer. Remove the fish from the marinade, and season well with salt and pepper. Grill for about 10 minutes, until nicely seared. Serve with a slice of lime and sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro. This is a really clean tasting and fresh combination of flavors for a summer supper.

Ashfield Lake House, Ashfield, MA

Ashfield Lake House is quite the little gem, tucked away down a side street overlooking a gorgeous lake. It's a magical place especially as the sun begins to set and the light shimmers on the water.

We tried the fiddlehead quiche which was very tasty, and of course it's wonderful to eat local produce. I wonder what the next special is going to be?

Ashfield Lakehouse
141 Buckland Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
(413) 628-0158

Easter on the New England coast!

We had an invigorating day visiting southern Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire this Easter Sunday. It was quite blustery and we needed all our hats and mittens that's for sure! I love going on a beach or cliff walk before lunch, the sea air gives me a wonderful appetite! And of course, there's nothing quite like the sound of waves crashing to wash away any worries.

York Harbor, Maine

York Harbor, Maine

We had the whiskey garlic mussels at the Irish pub in Portsmouth called Ri Ra. It's a converted bank and has a wonderful interior with sky lights, stained glass and a converted safe. The mussels were super, and went perfectly with a portion of the hand cut chips. Next time I'll try the Bloody Mary special!

Definitely stop by Ri Ra next time you visit Portsmouth and check out their menu. There are so many choices in town you're bound to find something you fancy!

Ri Ra

22 Market Square 

Portsmouth, NH 03801

(603) 319 1680