Banana Fries

SS has been a long time fan of platanitos fritos. At least that is what I remember them called from my childhood. Although when we ordered them in restaurants in Puerto Rico, they were listed as amarillitos (little yellows). We have two Mexican markets within walking distance of our home. Their produce is good and a heck of a bargain, so we are in there often. They also know how an amarillito is meant to be. Whenever I bought platanos before, I had to let them sit around until they were just right for frying. It's not aesthetically pleasing, since to most it would look like the plantain is not safe to eat, practically black on the outside. When we were in the market this afternoon SS totally went crazy when she saw ready to fry platanos maduros. She immediately asked me to make her banana fries for dinner.

That's the funky thing about SS, that I do not recall JJ doing as often. I get it that kids make up their own words, much to the amusement of adults. SS modified the first sign she learned, more. Instead of placing the tips of her opposing fingers together, SS would bump her little fists against each other. The next sign she learned was drink, and instead of making the drink motion by her mouth as intended, our improv girl would place her hand in a drinking motion, but my her temple, then she would shout DUCK! It was quite hilarious.

She has kept up her butchering of the English language with such gems as anothergain ( short for another again). What the heck, banana fries it is. SS is a fried food girl, even though we don't fry things here often. I can't recall when I made her amarillitos last time. It's certainly the first time in our new house and we have been here two months. So I do not worry much about indulging SS's Puerto Rican side. She had a blast in Puerto Rico, especially at La Guancha, when we allowed her to eat as much fried food as her little toddler belly could stand.

It must be the water time we are getting, but we have been talking a lot about Puerto Rico and Maui. P is 100% positive that we are returning to Maui, all four of us. That obviously is going to take a heck of a lot of organizing, given our schedules. But we did it once and we can swing it again. Except that next time it's going to be more difficult. Last time we flew in, then JJ joined us. P and I are planning to spend a few days in the big island, and that means JJ and SS will fly to Maui without us. We'll see what happens.

But Puerto Rico is next on our rotation, and if SS ends up in the Spanish immersion program it's going to be a hoot. Everytime she says something in Spanish around Spanish speakers, people do a double take. Since her pronunciation is so good, they assume she speaks the language. Yeah, we love to screw with people's minds.

Abuela, don't get too excited, because if we visit next year it will take a heck of a lot of coordination. P is adamant that JJ is coming to PR and Maui, it's not a family vacation unless we are all there. Next year we will have four schedules to get around. But P is right, JJ and SS need to be familiar with the islands where their grandparents reside.

BTW, SS ate one platano, then asked for another one, she ate about four slices, heavily topped with avocado. SS LOVES her aguacates, she eats them like other kids eat fruit. That 50% Puerto Rican side is really coming through.