Date: July 29, 2010

The origin of ceviche is disputed between Peru and Ecuador, the ancient civilizations of both which had abundant varieties of fish and shellfish along their western coasts to prepare this unique dish of marinated raw seafood. The "New World" arrival of the Spanish in the 15th century introduced lemons and limes that soon replaced the native-fruit marinade and contributed to the spread of many variations of ceviche throughout the Americas. Ceviche is one of those great centuries-old dishes that only recently gained popularity worldwide.

The essential aspect of the citrus juice marinade is not only to add flavor, but also to allow the citric acid to pickle, or "cook" the raw seafood without heat. The Fish Market uses flavorful, medium size and firm-textured white tiger shrimp as the basis for our ceviche appetizer. We combine the chopped shrimp with diced red and yellow bell peppers, Serrano chiles, and onion - all marinated in fresh-squeezed lime juice for two hours - then garnish with cilantro and diced avocado and serve with stone ground tortilla chips.

On a late summer afternoon, try this refreshing appetizer, perhaps with a cold bottle of Cerveza Pacifico, and transport yourself to another time and place for just a moment.