Bienvenidos mis amigos!

Today's tip: to chiffonade (say "shif-on-odd") leafy herbs like cilantro and Italian parsley, remove leaves from the stems and roll up into a tight ball.  Squeeze the herb ball until it protrudes between your fingers and thumb a little at a time, and cut with clean scissors into very thin ribbons.

Did you know that the Key lime and Mexican lime are the same fruit?  They are the "mini" limes you see at the grocery store in the summertime, usually ten for $1, and are great for Mexican beer and of course - my favorite - Key lime pie (recipe coming soon)!

Today's recipe is inspired by many weekend trips to Puerto Penasco, Mexico, also known as Rocky Point, with our best friends Ron and Leanne.  Rocky Point is "Arizona's beach" - a favorite summer destination for us Phoenicians, only four hours away by car.  When we can't get away, we have our own fiesta at home by the pool and this dish is always a favorite!

Down in Mexico, shrimp cocktail is quite different, and it is a special treat!  For even more flavor, I added some veggies that you don't typically get down in Mexico, so this isn't quite authentic, but it is extra tasty!

Sauce:
4 cups (32 oz) Clamato, or large can of tomato juice with a small bottle of clam juice
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped into 3/4 inch chunks
1 white onion, roughly chopped
2 large stalks celery, sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch wedges
1/2 bunch (about 1/4 cup) cilantro, finely chopped or chiffonaded
1/2 cup lime juice, bottled is fine since there are so many strong flavors in this dish
1 tsp Cholula or Bufalo or your favorite hot sauce, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

1-2 pounds cooked, cleaned and deveined shrimp (thawed if frozen), one pound for four servings
Saltine crackers (I recommend Zesta, because they're extra buttery like the ones you get in Mexico)
Lime wedges

Combine sauce ingredients in a large, lidded bowl or container, cover and refrigerate for as little as an hour, or as long as overnight, but it should be three to four hours for the best flavor.  Divide shrimp between four or eight extra-large margarita glasses and ladle the sauce with the veggies over the shrimp just before serving.  Serve with saltines for dipping in sauce and Dos Equis cerveza mas fina with lime wedges in frosty mugs.  Delicioso!