Diablito from Splash Fruits

I didn't drink him.

Today I went to the outlet mall to check out some hair products for my Fro-ness. I'm always on the search for anything that can tame "the beast" without damaging my hair. Usually when I find something that works, it gets discontinued or becomes uber expensive leaving me to search out other affordable methods.

But I digress.

On the way to the beauty supply store I passed what I thought was a fruit stand... in the mall. Literally. I thought it was just a bunch of dudes selling cut up fruit at the mall to people. I don't mind it. I love fruit. Thought it was fine idea to me. But I went for hair stuff first.

Achievement Unlocked: 

Acquired Paul Mitchell - Curls "Twist Around" and "Full Circle Leave-In Treatment"

Done in the beauty supply store, I headed back for some fruit. I thought I'd at least take a look, maybe get something, and then head to Cold Stone Creamery for a drink (they apparently have Boba Milk Tea there now - at least the one in mall did).

Stopping at what I thought was a fruit stand of sorts, I saw that the name on the little set up was called "Splash Fruits" - and it's mostly fruit. I saw giant trays of watermelon, passionfruit, mango, cantaloupe, honeydew... (I'm sure there are ones that I'm missing a lot more).

There wasn't too long of a line so I walked about the little set up and saw their menu.

Snapshot of menu - complete with my silhouette

In checking out the menu, I wanted to try it all, but I settled for the Diablito. 

I'm still craving spicy in my later years, which is odd since some foods I'm now able to take, but other spicy items still need a little work. I've also had this weird fascination with mango con chile. I LOVE mangos and wanted to have some, but I never pick them up at the store. I've made elote before, but for some reason, I have yet to muster up the gumption to try some mango con chile.

Maybe later... from these guys.

Now anything with "Diablo" in it is sure to kill me because it usually means - in the food world, at

I got the small size.

least - FIRE! FIRE! YOU'RE GOING TO DIE! (Or something like that.)In any case, I paid for my drink, he gave me my ticket, and I walked around to watch the fruit chef in action.

The dude took an entire watermelon and sliced it like a samurai. Damn! And it looked like a lot of things he was making were Coctel de Frutas (fruit cocktail), the second most popular item being the Tostilocos which also looked great.

My drink consisted of crushed ice, tamarind, chamoy, tajin, lemon and salt (though in looking up the recipe on the interwebs, there are many variations to the beverage, some of which are alcoholic making me think of the variations on Bloody Marys - another fave beverage of mine).. I tried watching him make it, but he was on the other side, his back blocking my view. All I really saw was him do was get the ice from the machine.

Then he called out my number, and I saw this delicious thing of shaved iceness, and I thought "Yes, of delicious refreshment of mine. Come to Mama... so mama may suck your innards out through a tamarind coated straw." 

Funny side note about tamarind - I've always been a little phobic of tamarind. Not sure that's the right word, but I would be of the mindset "OH! Something new! I want to try it!" and then this weird part of my mind would say "NOOOO!!! It looks weird. It's going to taste TERRIBLE! DON'T DO IT!

Hellooooo tasty treat!

FOR THE LOVE OF GAWD!" Then Alithea S flew in from Colorado for her grandfather's (mother's father) birthday. While she was here, Kathy W and I managed to sneak in some "basking" time with her. We spent almost all day Sunday with her, and stayed for dinner (BURGERS!!!) and family time. Some of the birthday party leftovers were offered up to me and Kathy, and I was gifted with the big unopened bottle of Tamarind Jarritos. When I asked what it tasted like, all Alithea could say was "it's sweet?" followed by "you'll just have to taste it."

So after drinking this drink, I'm SO going to try the soda (which is made with 100% sugar and NOT caffeinated - so sayeth the bottle).

In any case, I waited until I got back to the car before I took a sip, and I was literally sitting parked in my car in the parking garage saying aloud "Damn! That tastes amazing!"

Would I Ever Try This Again? WTF do you think? I just can't decide if I want to chance the mango or go for the fruit cocktail.