Our friend Barbara used to live in a fourth floor walk-up flat in a small mill town in Massachusetts. Those old buildings had quite the heating system with loud, clanking, cast iron radiators. The elderly folks who lived below her kept their apartments so warm that Barb never really needed to turn on her heat. The heat radiating from their units kept her apartment snug, even in the winter with her thermostat turned off and windows opened a few inches.
If you have ever lived in a place where winters are seemingly endless and harsh, you know that, by now — February heading into March — you are done with winter. I mean done. You spend most of your day dreaming about sunny skies, wondering if you can to make it until that warm weather arrives, all the while imagining life in a milder climate.
One year — which turned out to be the first of many years — Barb decided to do something about it. She invited all her friends to Club Tropico!, closed the windows, and turned on her heat. The invitation said to bring a change of clothes: shorts, flip flops, or any other beach-appropriate attire you could find. Everyone showed up with summery picnic foods to share, and she put on summer-themed music like In the Summertime by Mango Terry, Ella Fitzgerald’s rendition of It’s Too Darned Hot, and The Beach Boys (just about any of their songs!). The temperature — with the windows shut and the heat turned on— soared close to 100°F!
Now that Barb lives here in Tucson, she has no real need for Club Tropico! — but maybe you do? Is winter getting you down? Tired of snow and sleet and rain? Ready to be warm again? Well, crank the heat for an evening, peel off a few layers of woolens, put on some fun music, and whip up a batch of my shrimp and bell pepper fajitas — they are really easy, quick, and so good. Even if it’s only in your mind, these fajitas will transport you to a nice warm locale, perhaps under a palm tree… If you have the time, make some fresh flour tortillas, too. You can find that recipe on my Taco Tuesday, Taco Anyday post from last fall.
¡Buen provecho!
Developed and maintained by Inspiratech LLC.
Design by Themeshift.
John / Kitchen Riffs
February 20, 2021 at 8:11 amWe’ve had an unusually cold and snowy February, so this dish looks SO attractive to me! I love loads of bell peppers in fajitas, but don’t often include shrimp. It looks great, though — so much flavor. This is the perfect antidote to winter. With a Margarita to drink, of course — such a lovely summer drink, and its flavor would be wonderful with this. Good stuff — thanks.
Marylou Davis
February 21, 2021 at 5:03 amClub Tropico gave us some of the most fun evenings we’d ever had! One year we performed a Tennessee Williams play dressed in ladies slips we bought at the Salvation Army. No, it wasn’t cat on a hot tin roof . . another one. (The men were cuter than the women.) Barb was always the most decked out as she wore her two halves of a coconut bikini top with total elan.
And the food! Topped only by the Mai Tai’s.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:40 amI wish I had been there, Marylou… what a hoot. Thought I was probably a bit too prudish for the crowd back then…
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:36 amA Margarita would be absolutely perfect with this, John! Why didn’t I think of that. I hope spring starts coming soon for you all!
Gerlinde
February 20, 2021 at 9:23 amWe are waiting for the rain that doesn’t want to come. I remember the winters in Germany and on the east coast . I am thinking of making your Fajitas for my book club luncheon.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:37 amWe are awaiting the rains, too, Gerlinde… sadly, none on the horizon. I hope your book club enjoys the fajitas!
Christina | Christina's Cucina
February 20, 2021 at 9:39 amWhat a fun thing to do to have a Club Tropico party! I love this shrimp fajita recipes (all except the cilantro, tee hee!) and although I often order shrimp fajitas when I’m out, I have never made them at home! What a silly goose I am! Keeping this in mind; thanks, David!
Christina Conte
February 24, 2021 at 5:42 pmI had to come back to tell you that my daughter and her roommates did this on Saturday night, the same day you posted it! They named it Margaritaville, wore summer clothes, but obviously it wasn’t a party.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:49 amI am so glad Denisa made the fajitas – is she in the “no cilantro club”, too? You know, I had so little cilantro in the garden that it was not even necessary (but pretty for the photos).
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:37 amAs you can see from all the other comments, you are not alone in the cilantro club, Christina! Lots of other options to use instead – right?
Frank
February 20, 2021 at 2:04 pmBarb sounds like a hoot! I love people who make lemons out of lemonade. And I remember those old buildings with radiators and apartments that were so hot in the winter you needed to crack open the windows. (Heck, I lived in one for a while.) Good memories..
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:39 amBarb IS a hoot, Frank. We are so glad she is here in town with us. The radiators. No one who was raised out here in Arizona has ANY idea of the sound, the fell… it was special in both good and bad ways!
Eha Carr
February 20, 2021 at 4:23 pm*smile* What can I say reading and writing this Sunday morning practically on the eastern seaboard of Australia ? We are in the last week of a cool damp summer !!! There is not a cloud in the sky nor a breath of wind around my home and the Met bureau is warning us of a cool day of 29 C ! Yes well !!! It ‘should’ be 33 C ! Have not seen snow or had the sun go down earlier than about 5.15 pm even on the longest coldest day in winter . . . so may I still like this recipe ? Love prawns and capsicums and Mexican chillies both dried and tinned are easily available. Love having wrapped food . . . so guess what ? And thanks !
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:40 amWe, in Arizona, cherish those “cool” 29°C days, Eha… in the summer! Glad you like the recipe.
Kate
February 21, 2021 at 7:42 amWhat? No photos of the Club Tropico party?
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:41 amNo photos, Kate – to protect the innocent. (Not that anyone involved is or was innocent…)
Jeff the Chef
February 21, 2021 at 8:11 amIs Barb’s old apartment available? When you live in a cold climate, you have to either find something to love about being outdoors in winter – skating, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing at midnight by the light of torchieres – or else you need to plan a warm, mid-winter vacation. But I hadn’t considered cranking up the heat and having taco night! That would make a nice respit.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:42 amI am for the warm winter vacations, Jeff – though cranking the heat worked pretty well. (Although the price of heating oil… yikes!)
Mark
February 21, 2021 at 8:59 amIn the depths of winter, it is really fun to have friends over for an indoor picnic. When we were young enough to sit cross-legged on the floor (ahem), sometimes we’d push the furniture back from the fireplace, spread a blanket, and have a fireside midwinter picnic, complete with potato-chips and marshmallows (and no ants!).
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:43 amLet it be said that Markipedia and I look forward to indoor picnics again… a year without them has been… empty.
Melissa
February 21, 2021 at 10:00 amI lived in one of those houses in Massachusetts for a couple of years right after college. It was never as hot in our house as in your friend Barb’s but I have vivid memories of the clanking radiators (and the puddles they left on the floor). That climate is one reason I live in California now.
The fajita recipe sounds great (except for the cilantro–I’m with Christina).
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:44 amOh, there were plenty of homes like this in New England, weren’t there Missy? It has been sooo long since I have had to drain the radiators – I had almost forgotten till you mentioned puddles. I didn’t realize you were in the cilantro club… ah, well. It is a large and good group.
Cathy
February 21, 2021 at 3:16 pmJust looking at that gorgeous dish makes me want to have a party.
YUM!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:45 amParties (small) are on the horizon, soon, Cathy!!
Jill Becker
February 21, 2021 at 5:02 pmThanks for sharing Barb’s fun. This recipe looks delicious but as you know I would also leave of the cilantro as I see others will do as well. Glad to know I am not the only one in your circle that doesn’t like cilantro xoxo
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:46 amThere should be a Cilantro Haters Society, don’t you think Jill? You would like these – I know. And (as you can see) the cilantro was minimal. Defintiely not needed.
Raymund
February 23, 2021 at 4:01 pmFor me im still enjoying summer as much as I can because winters here may not be as cold but they do sometimes pull your mood down. When I used to live in the Philippines I did not understand why people who live in colder climates have the urge to burn themselves under the sun when it goes out, now I understand them and I am one of those ones now basting under the heat and enjoying it while it lasts.
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:47 amIt is amazing what a move to a climate that is cold and gray will do to your perspective on the sun, Raymund. We moved to Arizona because we needed some of the vitamin D we weren’t getting in Maine! Now we have something like 350 days of sun each year. Love it.
2pots2cook
February 24, 2021 at 4:31 amSo love your post ! You have inspired me to organize such a party for Carnival days so we could pretend we’re somewhere else…. Thank you so much !
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:48 amI think that sounds like a great idea, Davorka – hope you are all staying safe and cozy!
Chef Mimi
February 25, 2021 at 6:41 amwhat a great idea! And such a memorable occasion. Now I want to play Mungo Jerry! Love your fajitas. I love all fajitas, mostly because I love all of the goodies you get to throw on top – guacamole, sour cream, fresh salsa, cooked salsa, fresh cilantro…..
Cocoa & Lavender
February 25, 2021 at 9:50 amI sometimes wonder if I eat Mexican food just for the toppings, Mimi! Hope you have the music cranking now… are you still cold there?
sippitysup
February 25, 2021 at 12:32 pmClub Tropico! It’s 75 and sunny in LA but Club Tropico still sounds like fun. Especially since I can see here what you’ll be bringing. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
February 26, 2021 at 1:48 amDon’t ever repeat this, but every once in a while, I miss the cold weather. Like once every three decades. But being warm doesn’t stop me from making fun comfort food for theme parties!
Susan Manfull
February 25, 2021 at 3:13 pmWhat a fun post! Such days of innocence! These fajitas look easy and yummy, too!
Cocoa & Lavender
February 26, 2021 at 1:49 amHah! Not sure anyone was innocent back then, Susan. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall!
sherry
February 27, 2021 at 12:49 ameven tho autumn is only a day away, it is still hot and humid here. bring on winter i say. not that most people would call it winter. average temp in the daytime is about 21C here! i love the sound of this dish tho i would call it – prawn and capsicum fajitas with coriander 🙂 a shrimp is a very wee creature here.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 6, 2021 at 8:43 amI love your name for it Sherry – makes it sounds much nicer!
Ron
March 1, 2021 at 5:27 amDavid, I had to smile reading this as until we moved this past year, All of our Swedish apartments are as described. The higher you go the hotter it is in both winter because of the steam heating or heat raising in the hot summer month. The clanging heater noises, they’re indeed a true sign that winter has arrived in these parts.
I love shrimp fajitas, but I never think to make them during the winter, so Club Tropico here we come…
Cocoa & Lavender
March 6, 2021 at 8:44 amThat’s funny, Ron – I never think of those clanking noises in Europe but why not? Hope you and Eva were able to pull of a club tropico party!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
March 1, 2021 at 9:33 amI’m good through the end of February but March does get me down (all that mud). This is perfect–thanks David!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 6, 2021 at 8:44 amAnd then April… and sometimes May. Yes, for us (in New England) it could be monthly from October to May,
Valentina
March 3, 2021 at 11:00 amHi David. Such a festive and delicious looking meal! It’s making me hungry! Starving, in fact.
Guess I shouldn’t complain about how it’s about to drizzle (yep, just a drizzle) for the first time in forever here in LA. In fact we’re excited about it! Here we dream of rainy days. 😉 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
March 6, 2021 at 8:45 amOoh, so jealous – wish that rain were coming our way! Thanks for your comment — it does look rather festive, doesn’t it?
Aarthi
March 7, 2021 at 11:21 pmSo tempting , and lovely range of colors! I can eat this anytime, especially with fajitas veggies and some rice is so yum! thanks for the recipe!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 11, 2021 at 2:11 pmA veggie fajita is one of our favorite things! But adding shrimp really makes it fun.
John
March 19, 2021 at 2:05 pmReading this post and seeing your photos as the incessant rain pelts down outside is like a mini warm trip to the tropics. Our early autumn has been nothing but wet and we’re all a little tired of it! I guess it’s better than the fires we had over a year ago, although the flooding can be almost as damaging.
Time to light the fireplace, put on a t-shirt and shorts and make some fajitas?