The most perfect summer food on the planet

If you're reading this now, you weren't too horrified by the ass cake. My apologies if you were. If you haven't realized this yet, humor is a quality I value enormously.

Well, today is Tuesday, which means that tomorrow is Wednesday. Wednesday morning, bright and early, I am driving myself to do something I have been dreaming of doing for a long time. Many, many moons long. After years of attending others' yoga classes and dreaming of one day instructing classes of my own, I finally have made it happen! I am headed to Oregon to receive my teaching certification. The greatest, most amazing aspect of all of this, is that I have proven to my boss(es) the value of this certification and they are paying for it. Can I hear an AMEN?!

Three full days of yoga. Lord help my lungs not to cough. Please and thank you and amen.

Oh wait, friends, the fun does not conclude with yoga camp. As soon as my conference ends, I will join my family for a week of fun and sun and sand on the coast. THEN, we book it back to Idaho for my friend Ellie's wedding. So much fun crammed into a ten day period that I just peed my pants a little. Unfortunately, this day holds nothing but work, errands, chores and packing. And did I mention in-state residency waiver? Vomit.

So I will be gone for a bit, and I hope you will all return. It's not like I haven't done this in the past. Hell, I left for months and I still came back. I promise, this will be a much shorter recess.

In the meantime, here's perhaps the most perfect summer food on the planet. My mom has been making this recipe since I was a kid, and I never realized it was raw fish. Had I realized I was eating raw fish 'cooked' in citrus I would have run away like my hair was on fire. The citrus does actually cook the fish and gives it this light, airy texture that makes you think you are eating clouds. Clouds that taste like salsa . . . that you eat with tortilla chips. Perfect.

This recipe comes from a cookbook in my mom's collection called the Mexican Cookbook, which was published in 1971. It's a gem.

Ceviche

1 lb fish filets (we usually use a mild white fish)

lemon juice to cover fish (I like to use some limes, too)

1/2 a white onion, diced

4 tbs cilantro, chopped

2 large tomatoes, diced

2 cans diced green chiles

3 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cut fish into small cubes. Place in a glass bowl (metal is reactive with the citrus) and cover with the juice. Let stand in fridge for 8 hours or overnight. (My mom always pours out a bit of the juice before this next step). Add the remaining ingredients and refrigerate for a few more hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

You can see the citrus 'cooking' the fish.

Love the extra flare Julia's nails give the photo.

Peace out, friends.