Fish Tacos okay by Cosmo

So Cosmo was definitely happy I went back to Serg's Mexican Kitchen in Manoa after the last meeting of my Andean class.  This time I chose the Fish Tacos, opting for two of them without beans and rice, and taking the grilled rather than breaded option.  I waited on a bench made from two surfboards advertising a brand of beer and people watched.  A woman who was eating with her small son (he had quesadillas) said to me, "You're a long way from Windward," and I realized that she was a former student.  I had forgotten how long it takes a small child to consume a small quantity of food.  It's a wonder we have a childhood obesity epidemic.  I listened to the northern mexican style music until my tacos arrived, opting for a mild avocado salsa for myself (Cosmo is not too fond of salsa)
When I got home, Cosmo was immediately energized by the smell of grilled fish, and eagerly consumed all I offered, prompting me with an impatient paw when I did not deliver fish fast enough.  I enjoyed the soft corn tortilla and the spicy cabbage salad and as much of the fish as Cosmo allowed me.  Though I won't be going into Manoa much in future and I'm dealing with reduced income during the summer, if I get a windfall I can go to the Waimanalo stand.  Or make my own fish tacos!

Plate Lunch Cosmo

In Kailua author Chip Hughes' novel Kula he mentions Ken's In and Out Plate Lunch place.  Being a suggestible sort, I headed out to Waimanalo and got a Grilled Mahi Mini Plate.  Cosmo was quite interested in the fish, and had several bite sized pieces.  No interest in the mac salad or rice, however.    Kula is the tale of The Surfing Detective's search for a missing Golden Retriever.  There are also three feline characters to somewhat relieve the overwhelming dogginess of the narrative.  It was nice to revisit Waimanalo.  I had not been there since Veronica had a community service gig shovelling horse poop for a stable that ran a horseback riding program for disabled and mentally challenged children.  I enjoyed looking at the horses, the Hawaiian separatist encampment, the people selling cold coconuts and Jackson Chamelons.  Cosmo enjoyed the mahimahi, so everyone was happy.

cat food diary: meatloaf/cat

cat food diary: meatloaf/cat: "So many catfoods look like meatloaf that I thought I'd try Cosmo on some real meatloaf. Since I'm in a busy period of my work year, I didn'..."

cat food diary: Cosmo en Vera Cruz (Mahimahi en Cosmo)

cat food diary: Cosmo en Vera Cruz (Mahimahi en Cosmo): "So Cosmo and I took a culinary trip to Veracruz, when we shared an order of Mahimahi Veracruzano, from Serg's Mexican food stand in Manoa n..."

Cosmo en Vera Cruz (Mahimahi en Cosmo)

So Cosmo and I took a culinary trip to Veracruz, when we shared an order of Mahimahi Veracruzano, from Serg's Mexican food stand in Manoa near the university.  I was celebrating the last meeting of my Andean class.  A more logical choice for this would have been the peruvian favorite, Ceviche, which was on the menu, or Fish Tacos, which made me think of "Pishtakos" or Peruvian Fat Vampires, who steal people's fat, but then I thought of that and I didn't want to eat anything reminding me of it.  So Mahi Veracruzano it was, with a tie both to Mexico and to Hawaii.
When I gave the fish to Cosmo, I removed the rather spicy tomato and chile based sauce, which also contained green olives.  He enjoyed the small white morsels, which were easy to eat, with that wonderful fish taste but without oilyness (neither of us likes oily).  He did reach a saturation point and went back to whiskas filet mignon.  He says that the next time I go to Vera Cruz  (Cortez's first Mexican beach head) I should stash him in my carry-on.

meatloaf/cat

So many catfoods look like meatloaf that I thought I'd try Cosmo on some real meatloaf.  Since I'm in a busy period of my work year, I didn't feel up to making one (and having all those meatloaf leftovers).  I went to my local Food Land and bought a single serving of "Chef Made" meatloaf from the deli.  The chef had opted for something between the gravy based loaf and the tomato sauce loaf.  It had a reddish, brownish sauce with a few caramelized onions and a stray mushroom.  At first Cosmo was quite enthusiastic about it.  It had a firm texture, a messy sauce and an indeterminate meat smell.  Then he abruptly stopped liking it, though he sat by an offered morsel for awhile as if waiting for something better to fall from the sky.  Then he went off to eat some low-grade Friskies Turkey and Giblets that I'd picked up at the liquor store for fifty cents (lower grade than Fancy Feast at least).  It looked almost identical to the meatloaf minus sauce, onions and token mushroom.  A qualified success.  Some of you may recognize the Kliban cartoon from the distant past.  Now LOL cats talk about meatloaf cats as well.

Yorkies, Lamb and liver stew

So though Cosmo still appreciates fancy lamb cat food, with its grayish paté texture, he is not enthusiastic about "Nature's variety" Homestyle Lamb and Liver Stew, a new flavor and brand which has appeared at the local pet food store.  Perhaps it's the alarming variety of ingredients:  Nature's Variety canned cat food contains fresh quality meats, fruits, vegetables, and chelated minerals for better nutirent absorption. This hearty stew contains all natural lamb, chicken, spinach and red peppers enhanced with added vitamins and minerals More details...

Protein Source: Lamb

Carb Source: Potatoes

Life Stage: All Life Stages

Special Needs: Gluten-free

I don't think he really cares whether it's gluten free.  Spinach and red peppers seem a bit  excessive.

As I waited to purchase the cat food, I watched a woman with a tiny Yorkie on her shoulder buy giant bags of foods that vastly outweighed the diminutive canine.  The store owner said that the owner of the bicycle store next door had a Yorkie that seemed even smaller than the shoulder-riding one.  The lady seemed disappointed that the bicycle store was closed, either because she wanted to prove that the dog was not in fact smaller than hers, or wanted to be relieved that there was in the world a hamster-sized dog when hers was only guinea-pig- sized small.