18. February 2020 · Comments Off on Cash Exchange Rates in Puerto Morelos for February 18, 2020 · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog, exchange rates



Here are the cash exchange rates for February 18, 2020 at CI Banco on the highway in Puerto Morelos.

I post these rates on occasion so that you can compare them with what your bank or the ATM may offer. To see where the rates have been in the last couple of years, search “exchange rates” on our page at InPuertoMorelos.com

Cash Exchange RatesBuySell
US Dollar $17.6018.80
Canadian Dollar $13.0514.35
Euro €19.2020.55
Pound Sterling £23.2524.65

Don’t be left in the cold! Book a Spring Fling in Puerto Morelos. We have some good dates still available at Casa de los Viajeros, and we’ve put some March dates on sale!



17. February 2020 · Comments Off on 2020 Best In Puerto Morelos Survey · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog · Tags: ,

Back by popular demand! Here on our Beach Reads Blog, we wanted to continue on with an old tradition, the annual Best InPuertoMorelos.com Survey. Tell us what you think! What is your favourite place to eat, drink or be merry In Puerto Morelos!

We first started the survey back in 2005 when it used to be the “Alma Libre Bookstore Beach Reads Survey”. Above is an example of some of the past winners for the best restaurant, starting with #1 at the top.

We encourage you to take part. We want to hear from you! If you are cannot remember the name of your favourite restaurant or bar visit our handy-dandy InPuertoMorelos Restaurant Guide or Happy Hour List.

COME STAY WITH US!
WE HAVE 1 OR 2 BEDROOM VACATION RENTALS

You have only one week to complete the survey. Polling will close at midnight on Monday, February 24, 2019, EST. Then watch for results to be published on InPuertoMorelos.com.

Don’t miss the Best InPuertoMorelos.com Survey Results
SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Please note: One survey per person, please. No stuffing the ballot box!

If you have problems viewing the Best InPuertoMorelos.com Survey please click here. It is best viewed in Chrome.

10. February 2020 · Comments Off on New Cooking Classes · Categories: Beach Reads The Blog · Tags:

We were fortunate enough last week to take in a new cooking class with Chef Marco & Doña Sonia at Casa Caribe. The class is a real hands-on experience where you get to learn about Mexican cuisine.

The day we were there (the menu changes weekly) we made a variety of both traditional and modern Mexican salsas, some we had never seen before, but they were all excellent.

The class started with Sonia giving us some background on the different fresh and dried chilli’s we would be working with. If you are a spice wimp, there is no need to fear this class, the peppers were all flavourful with very little heat.


COME STAY WITH US IN PUERTO MORELOS

We first made a salsa diablo, which sounds and looks like it would be very hot, but instead, it was bursting with flavour. Chef Marco, who has been cooking all his life, had some excellent tips for working with peppers and I even got a lesson in knife skills. Here is an example of this recipe.


Recipe for Salsa al Diablo

2 Chiles de Árbol6 Cloves Garlic, peeled
2 Chiles Guajillo1 Large ripe tomato
2 Chiles Cascabel2 Stems fresh Epazote (or 1 t dried)
2 Chiles Moritas8 Stems Cilantro
2 Chiles Chipotle½ C Canola Oil
1 Chile AnchoSalt to taste
1 Chile Pasilla

Serves 4-6
1) Toast all the chiles lightly in a dry skillet, just until they become fragrant.
2) Oil fingers and hands to create a barrier between your skin and the chile oil, and when chiles are cool enough to handle, remove stems and devein. Discard seeds. Cut chiles with scissors into thin strips.
3) Peel and chop raw tomato, reserving juice and seeds.
4) Pull leaves off epazote (if using fresh) and discard stems. Repeat this process with the cilantro, but save stems for another use, if desired. Slice garlic cloves thinly.
5) In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over a medium flame until hot but not sputtering. Add garlic and toast lightly. Add chopped tomato, salt and dried chile strips. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. 6) Add cilantro and epazote and cook for 3 minutes longer, continuing to stir. 7) Empty salsa into a glass bowl, adjust salt if necessary, and cover to keep warm. Refrigerate any leftover salsa and consume within 3 days, adding oil as needed; chiles will soak up oil.


After making a variety of other salsa, we moved onto the main course; Sopes Mexicanas from scratch! We even made our own tortillas!

We ended the class by eating everything that we cooked. Although we were almost too full after having snacked on all the different wonderful salsas throughout the class.

Our meal was accompanied but a very good, if not quite a strong margarita. The food was delicious.

All of the recipes we learned would be ones that you could replicate at home. Marco and Sonia even include a souvenir pdf cookbook with every class so that you can make your own Mexican fiesta later.

Chef Marco and Doña Sonia offer their cooking classes two days a week, every Tuesday and Thursday from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. Classes require a minimum of 2 students, but there are no more than 6 people/class. Classes are $100 USD/student includes all food, beverages, taxes and a souvenir pdf recipe book. You must pre-book. To do so you can contact Sonia at either +52-998-109-0312 or cateringpuertomorelos@gmail.com.

We were also lucky enough to enjoy one of Chef Marco y Doña Sonia catered dinners at Casa Caribe. They offer catering, provisioning and in-house chef services in Puerto Morelos.

Marco and Sonia are active members of our Puerto Morelos community helping with animal fundraising, animal rescue and Marco even coaches an American football team in La Colonia called Los Mapaches. So if you are looking for someone to come to your house and cook, cater or plan a special event, you can find out more by clicking here to visit their website or their FaceBook page.