Vacations look a little different this year, there’s no secret there. And when you travel as much as I like to, you’ll do almost anything to get your fix. Enter, the food-cation!
This month, I’m partnering with Central Market to share how I took a #CMFoodCation on my back porch to a tropical island. This post is sponsored, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
What is a Food-Cation?
A Food-Cation is when you travel to one of your favorite destinations, with your taste buds. Since I can’t really fly to Cancun or Jamaica right now, I brought those places to my home.
I created some tropical dishes to make an island-themed meal. My friend and I both dressed up like we were on vacation (which was one of the few times I’ve dressed up since March). I even decorated the table with my island theme in mind to give it an extra layer of fun.
How did you decide on the food?
I knew I wanted to do an island-themed food-cation, so I just thought of what dishes I’ve loved the most on my trips! When I was in Cancun I had some of the freshest ceviche, so I knew I had to make that. Central Market happened to have some great white fish in stock, so I made a Red Snapper Ceviche. (If you don’t have time to make ceviche, try my Salmon & Artichoke salad! Of course, Mexico is known for it’s tequila so a Pineapple Margarita was a must. Central Market had fresh, pre-peeled pineapples so I used half of them for the juice and the other half to cook and decorate with!
Fruit was really big in Jamaica, so I that inspired my Grilled Pork Chop with Mango Salsa. I would’ve made Jerk Chicken, but honestly I was feeling a little intimidated by the jerk spices haha. I also did a (very large) side of Confetti Rice – which is basically rice with colorful veggies. It went perfectly with the pork chops, but I knew I needed something green.
Making all of those dishes for my little food-cation took a bit of time and planning, so I figured I’d leave the rest of the meal up to Central Market! I purchased one of their fresh salads, a few containers of fruit, and ended with their Tres Leches Cake for dessert. Both were DELISH and fit my theme perfectly.
What are you going to make next time?
You know me so well! I had so much fun putting this dinner together that I already started thinking of where I’d take my tastebuds next. I’m thinking maybe Germany (because hellooooooo schnitzel!) but I’d love to hear some of your suggestions! Let me know in the comments below and be sure to check out the recipes for each of the dishes I made.
If you need some inspiration for your own #CMFoodCation, check out Central Market’s impressively curated food selection. Maybe one of their ingredients will spark creativity for you!
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