Taco del Mar Fish Tacos and Homemade Fish Tacos: The Perfect Surfer's Diet

Aloha Tribe,

Well, in another month, it'll be a year since I've started this blog, though, not a year since I began surfing, which actually started in about January or so with my new Christmas present Robert August Wingnut longboard. In any event, I have been living, more or less, for the last year and a half on my Surfer's Diet, aka: Fish Taco Diet.

Basically, I try to eat one or two fish tacos a day, and, some fruit, namely, papayas, pineapple, and mangoes. Sure, I can't stick to that exclusively in that friends come over, we go out to dinner, or whatevers, but, for the most part, that's it.

I totally ove the fish tacos from Taco del Mar, I think they do a truly awesome job making them, in fact, it would be so cool to be the Taco del Mar fish taco surfer girl, if such an awesome position was available, for I'd love to represent them as a Surfer and Watergirl in a heartbeat. I always get my fish tacos from there with everything, plus, extra extra jalepenos, yes, that's double extra. I love the heat of chilies, especially jalepenos and habaneros. I typically try to eat about 8 to 12 jalepenos and about 5 habaneros a day.

If I don't have a Taco del Mar fish taco, I simply make my own. Here's how.

I almost always use Mahi Mahi.

I'll get a half pound or so, and, marinate it in a combination of tequilla and citrus juice, along with cilantro, chipolte, and Mexican oregano.

1/2  pound Mahi Mahi
1 shot tequilla - I personally love Jose  Cuervo Gold Tequilla
Juice of 2 fresh lemons
handful cilantro
several shakes of ground chipolte - enough to cover the fish
several shakes of Mexican oregano - enough to cover the fish
organic corn tortillas

I then take that, and, put it in a plastic bag and marinate it overnight in the fridge.

The next day, I braise the fish in the oven in a covered Le Creuset Mini Oval Coquette - my favorite is the Caribbean blue color - totally Watergirl, I must say.

While that is braising, I'll grill outdoors on a cast iron hibachi, the jalepenos and habaneros, which, when done, I"ll finely chop the hananeros and cover the fish with them, then, add the whole jalepenos. I'll next grill this all, along with my corn tortillas, and that's my typical daily meal. Twice a day, for the last year and a half. Along with fresh fruit, plenty of water every day, we are surfers after all and water is our element. And, sometimes, margaritas or Corona Extra.

If I don't make my Fish Taco at home, I'll always grill my Taco del Mar fish tacos on my hibachi. You see, what I do is I go to Taco del Mar, or have a friend do it for me, and I pick up around 30 to 40 fish tacos at a time. I always down one right away, after all, it's a moral imperative because they are so yummy. And then the rest, I bring home, wrap in parchment paper, and place 6 to a gallon sized plastic bag into my freezer. Then, I simply take out two a day, which, I always grill to warm them up, I guess, because for me, the act of doing that is my Baja Moment, I mean, you see, as a surfer, my dream of dreams is to surf Baja and as such I always have with me my Spanish Dictionary as well as numerous Baja maps and travel books, just in case today happens to be the day I make a Vagabond Feral Surfers run below the border. One of these days, I WILL!!! And I know, to some of you such romanticism of food and a surfing destination may seem silly, but I suspect that at least some of the Tribe know what I mean. You know.

One of my favorite things to do is to grill my fish tacos while sitting outdoors in my yard, down by the creek,  and, as my food grills, I always read one of my two favorite coffee table surfing books for the umpteenth time, either Stoked by Drew Kampion or The Surfboard: Art, Style, Stoke by Ben Marcus. These are two of my favorite books and I always read one or the other while cooking, as a sort of surfer's ritual and tradition, my tradition, my Baja Moment as I like to think of it. I love traditions and as a surfer, we have so many truly beautiful ones. That's one of the things about the Tribe, I love our surfing traditions, history, legends, heroes, and lore. Such tales stir my heart and soul and I truly loving sitting around with other surfers Talking Story, and, to do it over Fish Tacos, well, that's even better!!!

Oh, hey, here's a cool way to meet a bunch of surfers at your break. Get the fixin's for home made fish tacos or, go to whatever Fish Taco restaurant you have by you or that you prefer, and gather up as much as you can, along with plenty of beer and limes of course. Tote along a grill or hibachi or some such thing, and, after you session, toss it all on the grill. The smell will bring surfers running, and, it's a great way to meet new friends.

Bodaciously Stoked,

Lily of the Valley