A Month in Naples: Fishing, Farmer's Market, and Sunshine

I am spending February in Naples, FL while my wife is on her Pharmacy rotation at a local hospital. For all you northerns digging out of winter, I'll be fishing and cooking. Today was fishing in a canal on Isle of Capri near Marco Island where I failed to catch the Spanish Mackerel feeding on the incoming tide. The red and white top water crankbait I found in the garage was to big for them to hold on to, but I'll get them soon enough. Ceviche, here we come.

At lunch, I went to the Macro Island Farmers Market which is open on Wednesday's until 2:00 all winter long. Important note, it is NOT at Mackle Park as listed on Google Maps. It is where the website claims it to be at Veterans Community Park at Park Ave. & Elkcam Circle. This is confusing because this place does not exist on Google Maps. Turn on Bald Eagle Drive (south) then right at Elkcam, the first light. Can't miss it.

I got a bunch of fresh herds, most of them in planters which are now resting in the Lania, which is Floridian for porch (I'm calling it porch from now on). It's 80 F for all of you suffering from Snopacalypse 2011. Looks like a Class 3 Killstorm to me.

Also, got some fresh Bucatini, shrimp, fresh tomatoes, along with some other veggies. I'm surprised nobody had live shrimp or at least ones with the heads on. But I appeared to be buying them from the guy who caught them the night before, so its a minor complaint.

Plan is to do the shrimp and pasta tonight. I'll make use of the sweet basil and peppers for this. I also have a nice looking lamb bone-in lamb shank. Not sure what I'll do with that yet. Could be a two course meal tonight but most likely i'll be braising it tomorrow.

My plan for the herbs centers around catching fish. I really like to roast my fish whole with a rub of seasonings. I'm looking at the lemongrass, thai basil, and cilantro for this one. Coconut milk and lime should finish it off. Now I just to need to catch some snapper or pompano.