Tasty, Tropical Turks & Caicos

 Sometimes a girl's got to get away. Who knew the Turks & Caicos is just a 3 hour jaunt from NYC?

 It's hot in the Turks & Caicos. One might consider bottled water, but we eschewed H2O for Rum Punch hydration. You may only have a small fire escape from which to enjoy it, but here's an easy recipe to make at home:

Rum Punch
1 cup Bacardi 151
1/2 cup Myer's dark rum
1/4 cup Malibu coconut rum
2 cups each orange and pineapple juices
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons grenadine syrup

Mix all ingredients together in a (hopefully tropical-looking) punch bowl. Pour over ice cubes in any type of glass. We went for plastic (pictured) since it's safer for drunken dancing on the beach. Serves 1 very thirsty individual but makes quite a few drinks.

Wondering what the local island specialty is in the Turks & Caicos? 

 Really, it's all about conch. You can have it fried, frittered, curried or made into chowder. You can take it as a shot, some say it's an aphrodisiac, but isn't the whole island kind of one? Eat that versatile conch with rice and plantain fries. YUM.

And while every hotel offers conch in some variation, you simply must go to Da Conch Shack. Sure, it's a bit out of the way (near the airport) but you'll be watching your conch get pulled from the turquoise sea with your toes in the sand. Check out all the conch shells below!

 If you've had too much punch, sober up with a locally made Turk's head lager. Cheers!

Marshmallow Day is August 10

There seems to be an official day for almost every food item--including the oft-neglected but beloved marshmallow.

This August 10th, take a moment to think of the chewy childhood favorite, since it's National Marshmallow Day (or so we've heard!).

Hmm..let's ponder this occasion for a moment. Perhaps we love marshmallows enough to give them an official day because they connect us to our collective primordial past, in which we stood around a fire, attempting to burn our food on twigs.

There's no fire necessary to enjoy marshmallows, though. Personally, I think they taste best slightly stale.

And unsurprisingly, a brand of artisanal marshmallows has hit the market, Plush Puffs. These designer marshmallows come in a variety of flavors including vanilla bean, cinnamon, and simply s'mores--ensuring you'll never have to attempt to make the tasty snack over a campfire again (unless you really want to).

Visit http://www.plushpuffs.com/ for more information and ordering.

Bluegrass, banjos, and bourbon

Ah, the 3 B's: Bluegrass, Banjos, and Bourbon: a holy trinity of down-home fun. (You could also potentially subsitute Boys for one of the above, depending on your facebook status).

Here's where you can score all 3: Banjo Jim's.

This alphabet city dive features live music every night of the week, an eclectic crowd, and there's never a cover. The most expensive drink will cost you $10. We haven't heard that for a while!

An added extra: tons of regulars were seen with takeout boxes, meaning that you can get away with bringing your dinner along for a show.

Here's where to get your B's on:

Banjo Jim's

700 E 9th St New York, NY 10009-5309 - (212) 777-0869

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