5 time zones in 10 days and Carnitas Taquitos
Amsterdam to San Diego to Phoenix to Santa Fe to Michigan. + Carnitas Taquitos and Low Alcohol Margaritas
Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences.
You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot. If this is your first issue - WELCOME!
My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure.
Get every issue and recipe directly on rebeccablackwell.com.
Hello everyone!
After spending most of April in Europe, I flew from Amsterdam to San Diego last Thursday night. On Saturday, we packed up the RV and drove to Phoenix where we met friends for dinner that we hadn’t seen in a decade. On Sunday we drove to Santa Fe and as you’re reading this, we are on our way to Michigan.
So many time zones!
I have much to share with you about Europe, Phoenix, and Santa Fe what it means to manage your work and life when you’re skipping across time zones like jet lag is just a personality trait.
But all of that will have to wait until next week. This week, nearly all my time and energy was devoted to a project I’ve been dreaming about for a while… The Food Writers Business Lab.
I know most of you aren’t food writers. But some of you are! If you’re a food writer, don’t miss the announcement about this exciting resource at the bottom of this email.
For the rest of us, I have some new recipes to share with you!
This week’s menu
Crispy Carnitas Taquitos with Roasted Pineapple Salsa
Before we sold our house and moved into an RV to become full time nomads, my husband and I lived in Colorado. Our two daughters and our extended family still live there, so we make a point to head back to our home state as often as possible.
We generally park ourselves in the small mountain town of Lyons, which is only about 20 minutes from the larger town of Boulder. This location choice is based on several factors, but I’d be lying if I said that one of our favorite Mexican food restaurants doesn’t have something to do with it.
The Rio Grande was founded in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1986. Today, they have 5 locations and one of them is in Boulder. It’s kind of a Colorado icon. 🙂
So, look. I feel that I need to tell you that the primary draw (for us and maybe everyone else) is the Rio’s margaritas. They are delightfully tart, not overly sweet, and potent. We love them. But we also really love the food, I swear!
The last time we were there, I ordered carnitas taquitos with pineapple salsa from their seasonal menu and decided on the spot to go home and figure out how to make them.
This recipe is the result.
Just like the taquitos I ordered in the restaurant, these hit that perfect balance of crispy, creamy, and cheesy. The filling is made from smashed black beans, crispy carnitas, cheese, and green chilies, a combination you honestly can’t go wrong with.
But, friends, the roasted pineapple salsa is the star of this show. I could eat it by the spoonful (and maybe have). It’s gorgeously bright, slightly sweet, a little bit spicy, and transforms these taquitos from really good to something you can’t stop eating.
At least, that’s our experience. I hope you feel the same way!
Low Alcohol Margaritas
As you can tell, we love a good margarita around here but have officially reached the age where too much tequila is NEVER worth it, so when we make margaritas at home, this is often how we make them.
Hummingbird Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Buttercream
Hummingbird Cake was a relatively recent discovery for me when I created this recipe.
According to the internet, the cake originated in Jamaica and is named after the island’s national bird - the hummingbird. (Incidentally, in Jamaica the Hummingbird is also sometimes called the Doctor Bird. Hence, this cake is also sometimes called the Doctor Bird Cake.)
In the late 1960’s, the Jamaica Tourist Board included a recipe for Hummingbird Cake in a slew of media kits sent out to various cities in the USA. The cake caught on, especially in the South, where it won a favorite cake award at the Kentucky State Fair.
In 1990 it was selected as Southern Living’s favorite recipe and noted as the most requested recipe in the magazine’s history.
Hummingbird Cake is typically baked as a three-layer cake that’s flavored with bananas, pineapple, pecans, and cinnamon or allspice, and covered in cream cheese buttercream.
I wanted to recreate the cake in cupcake form, but without the pecans and with a touch of coconut. This recipe is the result.
Recommended reading
Sticking with the low-alcohol theme, my friend Betty Williams published a delicious mocktail recipe this week that is certain to become a regular thing around here. Here’s where you’ll find it:
Hey there butter lovers… I read an interesting piece from Hannah Howard this week about butter and whether the expensive stuff really matters. Here’s where you’ll find that: The Best Butter To Buy At The Grocery Store According To Experts
I love everything Kurt Johnson writes and this piece does not disappoint.
This recipe from Jessie-Sierra; The Last Bite is as delicious as it is GORGEOUS. Elegance meets comfort food, that’s what we’ve got going on here.
Announcing The Food Writers Business Lab!
This idea been percolating in my mind for a while and I am astonished and nervous and excited to see it actually come to life.
The Food Writers Business Lab is an online learning hub created specifically for food writers who want practical, affordable support for growing their businesses and expanding their reach.
This collaboration between Mastermind for Food Writers and Write Up offers classes and workshops for food writers, taught by food writers. Because who understands this expansive, ever-changing industry better than the talented, hard-working professionals who built it?
Through a mix of free introductory classes and in-depth paid workshops, The Food Writers Business Lab provides content-rich, highly actionable education designed to help participants immediately apply what they learn to their own work.
Upcoming classes and workshops include…
SEO: Build a Bridge From Your Work To Your Readers
Creative Recipe Writing: How to Write Recipes with Voice, Humor, and Story
Creating a Values-Led Brand
The Visual Language of Food Photography
Here’s where to find out more
Earlier this week I kicked off the first class in the Food Writers Business Lab with a free Introduction to SEO for Food Writers. The class was recorded and is available for anyone to watch:
And an article I wrote on the same subject…
This newsletter would not exist if not for the members of The Lost Supper Club, who show their support with a paid subscription thus ensuring that the vast majority of readers can keep reading this newsletter for free. As a thank you, I try to provide those paid subscribers with some cool stuff, including three free cookbooks!
A paid subscription is just $35 a year. Find out more about becoming a member of the Lost Supper Club.
❤️ Did you know that if you hit the heart or recycle symbol at the top or bottom of this post, it makes it easier for other people to find this newsletter?
Talk about time zone whiplash! And I LOVE the cute map showing your driving route 😍 Now I’m craving taquitos and a marg…And thank you friend for the mocktail shoutout!
Thanks for the mention!