The gleaming silver motor coach pulled into the guitar-shaped lane and rolled to a stop in front of a side entrance just for VIPs. Luggage was attended to by a group of attentive bellmen. As Latham® dealers and special guests walked through the doors of the Hard Rock Cancun on January 30, they were greeted with a smile and a cold drink.
A one-man band played popular cover tunes. A buffet of chips with guacamole and pico de gallo, beef skewers and a variety of Mexican appetizers was provided. Fender guitars were available for anyone wishing to get into the rock ‘n roll spirit. (Did you know guests at the Hard Rock can check out a guitar and then turn to a TV channel to learn how to play? This is just one of the cool amenities offered at this all-inclusive resort.)
What more does a rock star need… How about unlimited food and drinks? Complimentary room service? Multiple swimming pools, white sand beaches and turquoise waters? Some of our guests enjoyed the Rock Spa for a massage on the beach. Others treated themselves to facials, pedicure and manicures. The more adventurous went ziplining, snorkeling, four-wheeling or horseback riding.
One especially notable excursion provided by Latham Hi‑Tech Seeds was a day trip to Chichén Itza (pronounced chee-chehn eet-sah), located on the Yucatan Peninsula. While visiting this wonder of the modern world, we learned many fascinating facts:
- The sun and the moon were significant in the daily lives of Mayans, so there is symbolism throughout their architecture. El Castillo pyramid has four sides containing: 365 steps, or one for each day of the solar year; 52 panels, or one for each year in the Mayan century as well as for each week in the solar year; and 18 terraces, one for each month in the religious year. During the fall and spring equinoxes, the sun’s shadow forms an enormous snake’s body, which aligns with the carved stone snake head at the bottom of this pyramid.
- Ball games, featuring a soccer-sized ball with a set of intricate rules, drew huge crowds of spectators. Carvings around the courtyard display rules of this sacred game. One carving even shows the captain of the losing game being beheaded, which was thought to be a way of dying with honor as a sacrifice to the gods.
- Corn (teosinte) was developed at least 7,000 years ago in Central Mexico. Early cultures literally depended on this staple for life, so corn greatly influenced religion and mythology. The Maya believed that gods mixed their own blood with corn flour to create humankind, and the elite members of society shaped their babies’ heads to resemble a tamale to honor the corn god.
While my family enjoyed visiting Chichén Itza and experiencing the Mexican countryside, we also loved every minute we spent at the Hard Rock Hotel. Honestly, our favorite restaurant at the Hard Rock Cancun was wherever we were dining that night! We tried them all: Zen hibachi grill, Ciao Italian, Ipanema Brazilian grill, Frida Mexican restaurant, The Market for International cuisine and Pizetto.
In honor of our fabulous sales incentive trip to Cancun, today on TheFieldPosition we’re featuring a Tex-Mex recipe courtesy of the Iowa Beef Industry Council. Click on the posts below for a recap of some of our past company trips, including recipes from those regions. NOTE: If you’re interested in learning how you can earn your own trip to another tropical destination next February, call 1-877-GO-LATHAM (1.877.465.2842).
Related Posts:
CUMIN-SEASONED STEAKS WITH SPICY GRILLED CORN SALSA
Ingredients
1 pound beef Top Sirloin Steak Boneless, cut 3/4-inch thick
Avocado Cream (recipe follows)
8 small corn tortillas (6 to 7-inch diameter), warmed
Lime wedges (optional)
2 medium ears fresh sweet corn, in husks
1/2 cup seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 medium jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Rub:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Directions
- Pull back husks from corn, leaving husks attached. Remove and discard corn silk. Bring husks back up around corn; tie in place with kitchen string or strips of corn husk. Soak corn in cold water 30 minutes or up to several hours.
- Meanwhile prepare Avocado Cream; set aside.
- Combine rub ingredients; press evenly onto beef steaks; set aside.
- Remove corn from water. Place on grid over medium, ash-covered coals; grill, covered, 20 to 30 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 15 to 25 minutes) or until tender, turning occasionally. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 7 to 11 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 8 to 13 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.
- To prepare Spicy Grilled Corn Salsa, remove and discard husks when cool enough to handle. Cut corn kernels from cobs; place in medium bowl. Add tomatoes and jalapeño. Stir in cilantro, lime juice and salt; set aside.
- Prepare Avocado Cream: Combine 1/3 cup coarsely mashed avocado, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon reduced fat sour cream, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice and 1/8 teaspoon salt in small bowl.
- Carve steaks into thin slices. Season with salt, as desired. Serve beef in tortillas; top with Spicy Grilled Corn Salsa and Avocado Cream. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.