LobsterFest
Hanging out with the Liberace of Lobster on Caye Caulker, among other pursuits

After an especially eventful week on Ambergris Caye, with the San Pedro LobsterFest, the weeklong feast of Saint Peter, a huge downtown fire, and a firetruck getting stuck in sand responding to another fire, what’s a bunch of blokes to do but grab a boat and cruise on over to the Caye Caulker LobsterFest on Sunday morning.
When you’ve got to get away, Caye Caulker is the place.
Yes, that does sound odd, when you live on a tropical island that thousands of people have marked on their calendars as their dream get-away spot. Even Paradise gets to be too much after a while.
So, Caye Caulker. A smaller, quieter, less-dirty version of Paradise. Read the rest of this entry »
The first lobster dish of the season has been consumed; now, on to LobsterFest!

Lobster season. It’s on.
We had our first taste of the new season on Thursday at Estel’s Dine by the Sea, lobster omelettes all around. Man, they were good.
Next up has got to be the original island lobster sliders at Casa Picasso, my all-time island favorite lobster delivery system. Must have something to do with those little buns slathered in butter.
I’m surprised that lobsters have not evolved to include gobs of butter under the exoskeleton. You know, the way the Butterball turkey has evolved to naturally include lots of butter under the skin. Or the way watermelons can be grown to include vodka infused inside the “meat.” Read the rest of this entry »
LobsterFest finale: Grand prize winner is named, and you’ll never guess who!

At around 8 p.m. on Saturday in Central Park, the San Pedro LobsterFest committee pulled the winning ticket for the Grand Prize, consisting of what seems like month’s worth of fun and adventure in Belize.
They read the winning number a few times but nobody stepped forward to claim the spoils.
That’s because my wife, Rose Alcantara, had left the huge block party at 7:45 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »
Time to put the ‘fest’ in LobsterFest!

As you can see, everyone is scrambling to set up their booths for tonight’s festival. Starting around 5 p.m. , the smell of lobster prepared in countless savory ways will be overwhelming.
Virtually every experienced LobsterFester has told us to show up early because the lines will quickly grow to crazy lengths.
So, now I wonder, if EVERYONE shows up early, to beat the lines …. Read the rest of this entry »
In Belize, the crustacean sensation is sweeping the nation

This week in San Pedro, Belize, our culinary gods are arthropods.
There is nothing more satisfying than a heaping plate of tender, buttery meat-laden exoskeleton. It is such a thrill to much on these giant krill.
The crustacean sensation is sweeping the entire Belize nation.
Yes, you rock, lobster.
Heck yes, it is LobsterFest. Read the rest of this entry »