Bonaire is a hidden gem in the southern part of the Caribbean. It is known for its scuba diving, I mean really known for its scuba diving. When we went there in 2016 there were more people underwater than were on the beach. It was quite amazing.
I have a few stories from our week in Bonaire. Check out the beaches, the food, and my adventures.
Bonaire had just enough to do to keep a boy like me entertained for a week and according to Pa, just enough good rum too! We fed some donkeys, saw some flamingos, visited a rum distillery (for Pa), and enjoyed the beaches almost all to ourselves, but not the water.
We enjoyed staying at a little cottage right on the water. Pa did most of the cooking, but one morning he wanted to go out. We stumbled upon El Mundo which was just a few blocks from our place. Pa ordered the now infamous, Dutch Apple Pancake with bacon. Pa and I were supposed to share. But Pa just couldn’t stop. He ate and ate and ate. I glared and glared and glared. Finally, there were a few bites left and Pa was stuffed. He hadn’t even noticed my look or Ma taking a picture of me giving him the evil eye.
When I eventually got my first bite, I understood why. The sweet and salty. The crunch of the apple. The warm maple syrup. It just puts you in a trance. We knew we could never recreate this moment exactly, without another trip to Bonaire….hint, hint, wink, wink.
After hours of scouring the internet, we found a pretty good version to recreate. Not quite the same, but in the end, I got my revenge… and it was super sweet!
Ingredients – Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Enjoyment Time: 1 tennis match on Sunday morning
- Parent accompaniments: Mimosa with fresh squeezed OJ
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/3 cups thinly sliced red cooking apple
- 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl combine eggs and milk. Stir in next five ingredients (through cinnamon) until smooth.
Step 2
In a 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet melt the 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the butter over medium heat. Pour batter into skillet. Bake 15 minutes or until brown and puffed.
Step 3
While pancake bakes, in a medium saucepan melt remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add apple; cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender and browning on edges, stirring occasionally. Stir in brown sugar and maple syrup. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more or until apple is tender. Serve Dutch pancake topped with apple mixture.
