A Taste of Los Cabos: Eat What You Catch

I was provided with the opportunity to travel to Mexico on this press trip at no cost to me. I did not accept monetary compensation for writing about the trip or about my experiences while in Mexico. All opinions expressed are my own.

When I heard of the possibility of snowfall this weekend, I thought I had heard wrong, that my lack of sleep had caused me to imagine false weather reports. I watched as people on Twitter and Facebook began commenting about the inconvenience an early snowstorm would cause. Out of curiosity, I looked up the weather forecast for the Lehigh Valley to see how much snow we could expect... and I laughed.

The weather service has no forecast yet for snow accumulations Saturday. It is predicting less than one-tenth of an inch of precipitation of rain and snow combined.

Although the snowfall will probably amount to nothing, the report got me thinking. I'm not ready for winter. While I love snow, I'm not ready to begin commuting in it, so I'm going to concentrate on warmer days full of sunshine and cool ocean breezes. I'm going back to Los Cabos.

Ahhh... That's better.

On the third day of our press trip to Los Cabos, we rose before the sun and drove down to the Marina Cabo San Lucas. Once I secured a cup of coffee from one of the dockside kiosks, I felt better prepared to face our morning of deep-sea fishing on the Pacific Ocean. It was early, but I was looking forward to our adventure, not only because we'd have a chance to spend some time on the water, but also because the excursion reminded me of the charter fishing trips I went on with my father and grandfather when I was young.

As day broke, our Top Anglers charter boat left the marina and approached the rock formations at the tip of the Baja Peninsula, including the world-famous natural stone Arch, which marks the point where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific Ocean. We were extremely fortunate to be in Los Cabos when it was possible to see land underneath The Arch. Due to the extreme unpredictability of the tides, this phenomenon only occurs every seven years or so. (Some people will tell you it happens every four years.)

As we made our way around The Arch, we got a glimpse of our hotel, the Grand Solmar Land's End Resort & Spa, the location of which seemed even more impressive after being able to view the rocks from either side. But we weren't on the water to go sightseeing... we were there to catch some fish!

Los Cabos is known as the "Marlin Capital of the World", but we weren't going out far enough to try for those prized sport fish. Instead, we stayed relatively close to the coast and went after bonito, a fish similar to skipjack tuna that has a moderate fat content. Bonito is often used as a substitute for tuna and swordfish, especially in Croatian and Greek cuisine.

Throughout the morning, we got very attached to our bonito. Which was probably a bad idea since we knew we'd be eating what we caught for lunch.

On our way back to the marina, I couldn't help but take more pictures of The Arch. I love the close-up I got of the beach underneath it. How fabulous would it be to take pictures there? If Stephen and I wind up going to Los Cabos for our honeymoon... and the tides are working with us... then maybe?

Or, maybe we could just skip the picture-taking and lounge around on Lover's Beach, the stretch of sand located in this secluded cove on the Sea of Cortez. If things don't go so well, we can move over to the beach facing the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean, known to locals as Divorce Beach.

Seriously. These names are too good for me to make up.

Once we docked the boat, we had a chance to examine our haul of bonito. Seventeen fish in all (I couldn't fit them all in one shot) -- not bad for a bunch of amateurs!

We made the short walk from the dock to the Wyndham Cabo San Lucas, where we entrusted our catch to the chef to prepare for our lunch as he sought fit. Thankfully, we did not have to watch the kitchen staff clean the bonito.

While we waited for our food, we snacked on freshly made Tortilla Chip and Salsa and sipped on Frozen Mango Margaritas.

I lead a rough life.

To start, we were treated to two types of ceviche: Shrimp Ceviche, Mojito-Style, and Bonito Ceviche with Watermelon. Both were light and flavorful, and I loved how the sweetness of the watermelon paired with the meatiness of the fish. I couldn't get enough.

Next came a huge bowl of rich and buttery Seafood Chowder. No bonito here.

We didn't mind.

Truth be told, I was getting pretty full by the time our main course came out. But the Bonito with Mushrooms and White Wine Sauce with Risotto and Vegetables looked so tantalizing, that I just had to try a few bites. The fish was beautifully cooked to a gorgeous golden color on the outside and was deliciously moist on the side. And, despite the creamy appearance of the white wine sauce, it was delicately light and didn't overpower the star of the plate.

I wasn't kidding about only having room for a few bites. I ate about a third of the quarter of the fish before pushing my plate away and leaning back in my chair. Sated, I sat listening to the other members of the press group talk about the day and soaked in the warmth of the Mexican sun. I was ready to go back to the hotel for nap... That is, until our server returned to the table and put dessert in front of me.

*whimper*

Dessert? Oh my God... Could I do it?

I'll give you one guess.

*grin*

After dessert, my pants were definitely tighter around my waist and I had to be nudged in the general direction of our shuttle van. But you know what? The early wake-up call and the slight feeling of discomfort after lunch were totally worth it.

Marina Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico 23450

MX: (624) 173-9140

Top Anglers Mexico

Marina Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico 23450

MX: (624) 122-1643

Wyndham Cabo San Lucas

Boulevard Marina SN, Lot 9 and 10

Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico 23450

MX: (624) 173-9300

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One year ago: Featured Friday, Volume 1.10

Two years ago: The VIP Ocean Spray Party with Tyler Florence and Duff Goldman

Three years ago: Cheesy Mashed Potato Cakes

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