Smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly. – Van Morrison
I just returned home from another great beach vacation. We celebrated my mom’s 70th birthday at her favorite place – the beach on 30-A in Florida on the Gulf of Mexico. If you haven’t been let me tell you it’s one of the most beautiful beaches I have been to and I’ve been to many coast to coast. Pristine natural beauty and the color of the water is truly gorgeous. The Watercolor community in Santa Rosa on 30-A is so aptly named for the aqua and turquoise crystal clear sea water. The gorgeous water color combined with sugar white sand is breathtaking. We stayed a few miles from Watercolor in the charming Blue Mountain Beach area and loved it.
Typically, we pack in activities such as snorkeling, boating, shopping and enjoying as many restaurants as possible. This time, my kids let me know they wanted to relax vs. being dragged everywhere. Dragged everywhere? Poor children. That was music to my ears. I read two books and lounged on the beach everyday all day. Heaven on earth. I read Educated by Tara Westover and Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Read them! Even if you don’t like to read. Read them! They will change you for good.
When I did pull myself out of my chair it was to figure out dinner. There was a fantastic fresh seafood market next door and I bought tons of fresh shrimp. Old Bay, lemons, boiling water and in minutes I announced that dinner was served. Fresh watermelon, a salad, and crusty French bread accompanied. Lunch the next day was shrimp tossed in a little mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, avocado, salt and pepper. So fresh and healthy! I call it Beach Shrimp. Yes, it’s on a paper plate. I barely washed my hair much less styled dinner.
I’m back home and it’s hot. I’m craving this perfect meal as it is cold, light and healthy. The best part – it just takes a little time to prepare!
Here’s the recipe if you can call it that:
Shrimp – only fresh. Please. I bought a little over 2 lbs.
Old Bay – ¼ of a cup or 2 heaping tablespoons per pound I’d say
Lemon – a big one – cut into quarters
Add water to a large pot – a little over half way to the top. Squeeze juice from a lemon into the water and toss it in – I quarter it and add it to the water. Add Old Bay and stir. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp and boil 3 minutes for medium and 4 minutes for large shrimp.
Beach Shrimp:
1 lb of cooked, chilled shrimp – peeled and deveined
Tablespoon of mayonnaise
Tablespoon of sour cream
Juice of half of a lemon
One avocado, coarsely chopped
Coarsely ground salt and pepper. I like Himelayan pink salt.
Toss it all together. I like it alone or over a spring mix salad. It’s also good in French bread served po-boy style.
This will definitely be a recipe made at the beach each summer and enjoyed at home when the mood strikes. I hope you like it! Comment if you feel like it if you have any beach recipes you enjoy.
Lemon Luster 