Escape to a sunny place with this themed buffet

Deep in the heart of winter, the idea of escape — to sun, sand and sea — is an enticing thought. The charm of that first or second or third snowfall is long gone.

Now, these thoughts of the tropics can send a person to one of two places: the tropics, or the cookbooks.

I sought the latter for a number of reasons. For one, I didn’t have to pack, and I could do something about this need for escape right away. Let’s hear it for instant gratification!

And so I came up with an Escape to Sunny Lands gathering. To set the mood, break out the dishes and linens that you might reserve for summer — or look for items snagged on winter getaways.

Out came my “Greetings from Jamaica” dish towel, along with my set of pink flamingo salt and pepper shakers with matching toothpick holder from Florida. I envisioned Margaritas here, too, so a big bowl of limes and lemons seemed only right.

This dinner, served as a buffet, suggests island breezes and bright flavors: pineapple, lime, curry, cumin and more.

The main dish couldn’t be easier: Caribbean Crockpot Pork. Not only can it be started early in the day, but it also

can be kept warm and ready for serving. It has echoes of Jamaican jerk meats, seasoned with a brown sugar and currycumin spice rub and simmered on a bed of onion and garlic.

The pork goes well with the Sweet Potato Wedges with Lime Mayo, another easy dish that puts a spin on the usual oven-baked fries. The mayo can be used as a dip with assorted raw vegetables, too. Any leftovers would be great on a wrap or club sandwich.

Roasted Pineapple and Avocado Salad is savory and sweet, with the buttery softness of avocados mixed with sweet pineapple, roasted until it’s just browned.

For beverages, there are bottles of Red Stripe Beer, a favorite in Jamaica, and Corona from Mexico. For a non-alcoholic option, there’s ginger beer. Serve both in frosty mugs.

And of course, Margaritas make perfect sense. Get the party started by shaking up a batch of Ultimate Margaritas, with fresh lime juice.

So — snow? What snow…?

ANGELA PETERSON, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL Caribbean crock pot pork, sweet potato wedges with lime mayo and roasted pineapple avocado salad bring tropical flavors to the table.