Plant of the Month: Delicious Local Avocados

The West Indian Avocado is the local avocado you will find growing on trees down here in Cayman. There are several different kinds of avocado through out the globe, with differences in the shape and size of the fruit, to the textures of the skin. What do they all have in common? Avocados are all delicious! and we are so lucky to have one growing right here on the Silver Sands grounds.

Mostly everyone likes guacamole and knows how to make their favorite version of the delicious dip. But have you ever thought of making avocado chocolate mousse?? I know crazy idea right, but I can speak from recent experience that it is awesome! And so simple to create. Here is a simple recipe:

1-2 large avocados
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup soy or almond milk
1/4 honey, maple sugar or sweetener of your choice
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together until creamy and well blended, chill and enjoy!

And now the maze to find the avocado tree, this photo pretty clearly shows where it is on the grounds, now if your are lucky to pass by when there is a ripe avocado on the tree ready for picking!

Parasailing in Paradise

On your average day here in Cayman, if you look out onto those turquoise Caribbean waters you are sure to see one of the many multi-colored parachutes flying high over Grand Cayman. 

Parasailing is a fantastic activity for Silver Sand's guests of all ages. Life jackets and safety gear are provided and once you are strapped in you lift off and sail up to 500 feet above the earth with a bird-eye view like no other! You can see the entirety of 7-Mile Beach, count the cruise ships docked  in Georgetown, you can even see all the way over the island to the North Sound and you might even catch a glimpse of the occasional turtle surfacing for a breath of air.

If you are interested in participating in parasailing it is a few hour excursion and very easily accessible from Silver Sands. Here are a few local companies:

Salty Rays Parasailing Adventures: 938-3603
Parasailing Professionals: 916-2953

Photos by: Heather Holt Photography and Parasailing Professionals.

Plant of the Month: In the LIME light, that's the KEY!

Key Limes are an island favorite and they grow right here on the Silver Sand's grounds. We have one beautiful, fruitful tree, the KEY is finding it on the property! The tree is in the gardens right outside of #35, with your back to the sliding door, walk straight ahead until you hit the main patch of garden and keep your eyes out for those little sweet treats.

Key Limes start out green when they are on the tree, and ripen to a nice lime green/yellow color. They can be harvested right off the tree or the ripe yellow ones can be picked up off the ground.




Here are some vacation friendly key lime recipe suggestions:

Limeade:

• 10 key limes, plus a few for garnish
• 1/2 cup sugar or honey, add more to taste

Instructions

1. Roll the limes back and forth over the counter with the palm of your hand. Cut limes in half, and juice them by hand or with a juicer; reserve rinds. (You should have about 1/2 cup juice.) Transfer juice and rinds to a large pitcher.
2. Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add sugar or honey, and stir until dissolved. Pour syrup into the pitcher, and add 4 cups water. Stir until well blended. Add more sugar or honey, if desired. Refrigerate 1 hour. Discard rinds. Serve limeade garnished with lime slices.

Mojito (for adults only):

2 oz. Havana Club 3 Year Old Rum1 oz.
Simple Syrup¾ oz. Lime Juice (1-2 key limes)2 Mint Sprigs4 oz. of Sparkling Waterdash of bitters

Instructions: In a tall glass, add 2 teaspoons of sugar, the juice of half a lime, 2 mint sprigs and 4 oz. of sparkling water. Muddle gently. Add 2 oz. of Havana Club 3 Year Old Rum and the ice cubes. Stir well. Finish with a dash of bitters.

Key Lime Pie:

5 egg yoks, beaten
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Combine the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. Mix well. Pour into unbaked graham cracker shell.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Top with whipped topping and garnish with lime slices if desired.

Photos by, Heather Holt Photography

Summer Splash!

Summer days in Cayman are calm, relaxing and cheap! Check out the Silver Sands website for our Special Summer Splash prices and pull up a chair and join us!

Silver Sand's Tennis Court: Playing in Style

The tennis courts here at Silver Sands just got revamped not too long ago and are smooth playing for the whole family! The courts are artificial turf with sand, there are new nets and even seats for spectators. Come and enjoy yet another fun feature on our grounds.

For those that are more serious tennis players there is the Cayman Islands Tennis Club in South Sound. There you can always see who might be up for a match!

Photos by Heather Holt Photography

Red, White and Blue!

Happy 4th of July to all our visitors, owners and neighbors to the north! We hope to see you at Silver Sands soon so you can enjoy all of the Cayman reds, whites and blues!

Plants of the Month: The Desert Rose, Bougainvillea & Oleander

This month we are featuring the Pink Trio! These three pink plants are some of the most colorful plants on the grounds, and they are all quite different. See if you can identify them in the Silver Sand's lush gardens.

If you are interested in doing a day trip to see more of Cayman's natural flora and fauna and get informed on Cayman's natural vegetation, check out the Queen Elizabeth Botanical Gardens. It is located about half way up Frank Sound road, about a 40 minute drive from Silver Sands, and is a great day trip for the whole family!

Desert Rose: This beautiful plant can be found at the pool in 2 different pots. It is a gorgeous and hearty succulent plant that thrives in direct sunlight, and adds a bright splash of color to our Caribbean blues and garden greens.

Bougainvillea: This traditional tropical bush is very common all around the islands and is a garden favorite for its brightly colored petals. It is also easy to manage and care for and can be grown into a tall bush, small shrub, trained to climb up a trellis and even put into a small pot. The plant is not only pink but yellow, orange, white and more! See if you can pick it out of the Silver Sands grounds.

Oleander: This stunning plant can grow from 6-12 feet tall and wide and is a great garden filler due to its love for warm weather and sunlight. Be careful tho! These enticing blooms might be beautiful but the plant is poisonous to humans and animals if ingested.

Photography by Heather Holt Photography