Apply Saffron

Apply saffron directly to your life. You'll see immediate and positive results... and a cadre of new friends!

Garden Snowflake

Another morning of freeze warnings and snowflakes.

For a time now, the gardener within could not resist prepping soil and throwing seed. Recently, I connected with a like minded spirit who wanted to share seeds she had harvested last fall. Because of her I have now planted Mexican Hat and Silver Dollar. We share a connection with the soil and from gardener to gardener, I thank her for the offering. When together I expressed my gratitude but I don't think she realized just what she had gifted me. She gave me an opportunity to go into the garden with purpose, cultivate a sense of renewal, begin with the Spring Season. Later when the seeds sprout plants and then throw flowers, I'll think of her while appreciating the results of her kindness.

This Winter has been long and Spring long in coming. And as a consequence I have held the saying "Hope Springs Eternal" very close to the heart. It has given me a sense of patience. However, cabin fever can only be truly mitigated by hands in the soil and by the planting of tomatoes, chiles, cebollina and herbs. By virtue of that, this wet morning I see snowflakes and dream of tomatillos! Thank you again, Betty, my new gardening friend

"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn."
Hal Borland

Beaner's Breakfast Club

With a Spring morning snowstorm raging at this moment, there can be nothing better then frijoles, topped with a fried egg over-ez, roasted-peeled Poblano Chiles and just a little of the Habanero Salsa we canned last year! A small bitter coffee makes a wonderful companion! Don't forget a few tortillas to complete your morning snow fall! Bien Provecho!

In Search of Saffron!

Thus the season begins. I review my ingredients for Paella and notice that the saffron stores are low. Currently, friend and Paella god "Markito" is visiting family in Barcelona and the arrival of saffron is imminent. He is to return in a matter of days which puts me at ease, somewhat.

Hibernate for the winter - then comes the sun. It's the change of season that spins my way of thinking. Spring weather by nature is inclement; cold days followed by brilliant sunshine. Combine the weekend with clear skies and the back-garden will see much activity. Big salads and fresh breads and chunks of cheese to sate the guests 'til the Paella has cooked and been given ten minutes of repose. In the resting, all flavors blend and the rice mellows while sucking up olive oil, saffron and seafood.

Pictured above is a recent Paella made in the home of my good friend Peter. The indoor variety is good but lacks the savoriness of a Paella exposed to smoke. Yes, I long for a wood-fire in the open air to undertake the next Paella but I shall forever remember the words spoken to me by an old man in the south of Spain; "The best Paella, is the one you have in front of you!" I agree wholeheartedly but cooking out of doors and over fire gives flavor to everything. Most notably, it gives flavor to life.

Highway Ceviche

Imagine, a road that runs from Alaska all the way down to Tierra del Fuego inspiring wanderlust along the way. The Pan-American Highway is just that, it’s approximately 29,800 miles in length and goes through many countries and even more cultures. My knowledge of this incredible motorway extends from the Mexico-U.S. border to the most extreme southerly tip of the South American Continent, where the highway terminates at the beautiful little town of Ushuaia, Argentina.

Many have taken-on the journey from end to end; much like a very blonde German couple dressed in black leather heading south to Patagonia on matching his-and-hers BMW motorcycles with whom I drank much wine. Also on that road, I dined with Adrian from Quebec, who was traveling in a more modest fashion. Laughing he mentioned the entire bicycle trip could be written-off his taxes being he’d met suppliers to his Canada-based organic fertilizer business. Seems the north of Chile is Mecca for buyers and sellers of guano.

As for me, I’ve covered only portions of the highway dictated by desires. More specifically, there are two overwhelming magnetic elements that tug at my compass, wine and seafood. And in the Americas these sensibilities intersect geographically at Chile. On the Pan-America Highway, just North of the Atacama Desert (50 times drier than Death Valley) near the border with Peru, is a small town called Arica. Arica is an eater’s town. It’s an absolute shock to find people living in the driest place on the planet yet this town consistently surprises with locally produced melons, olives, ruby tomatoes, chickens and prawns. Also, ever present is my life long favorite dish, ceviche!

Ceviche is citrus-marinated seafood. The country of origin is unclear and is the core of an on-going culinary tussle between Peru and Ecuador. More importantly, many in Latin America have adopted it and have created their own versions. The citric acid pickles the proteins in the seafood or "cooks" the fish without heat making this a perfect dish for any hot day.

True, many are famous for ceviche yet they offer no wine of note. Or rather no wine I’d want to pair with seafood. So Chile, renown for both seafood and wine, has my vote. I like that Chile’s version of ceviche is simple and doesn’t obscure the flavor of the fish with a barrage of ingredients. And through the alchemy of combining good food with good wine, a heavenly experience can be achieved.

Freshness is essential when speaking of ceviche. So I prefer to enjoy it with a view of the ocean and consider salty sea air an integral part of the recipe. My friend Miguel is one of the fishmongers in kiosks that face the docks. After first light, the fishing fleet arrives to off-load the day’s catch. Miguel and all the cooks of Arica select fish for their clientele. And in those early hours, fish is filleted and cut into ½ inch pieces and put to limejuice, with a mince of onion and tomato, salt and parsley. The ceviche is refrigerated along side bottles of white. And by noon, the ceviche and the wine are ready to come together as the perfect lunch. With fresh bread, the meal is complete. Miguel shares his recipe below:

Miguel’s Ceviche Recipe
· 2 lbs of deboned firm-fleshed fish, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
· 1 cup of fresh squeezed lime juice
· 1/2 red onion, finely diced
· 1 cup of chopped fresh seeded tomatoes
· 2 teaspoons of salt
· Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro or mint

Allow it to sit for several hours in the refrigerator, giving time for the flavors to blend. Serve with favorite hot sauce and allow each guest to adjust his or her own level of piquant. On the side, offer a green salad and popcorn for a gathering that is light and uncomplicated.

Turning our attention to wine, I suggest a dry Chilean white to heighten the enjoyment of the fish, the company and even the popcorn! Much like Italy’s Pinot Grigio (gray pinot), Cabernet Sauvignon Gris is a classic white that has been put onto red grape skins to augment flavor and give color. This gray wine delivers a lemon-lime flavor with just enough fruitiness to complement ceviche and most anything else. It’s really a perfect upscale wine for little money, very clean, very crisp. Through extensive investigation, I’ve found these three examples to be exceptional:

Cousino Macul Sauvignon Gris 2006

Casa Marin Sauvignon Gris Estero 2006

Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris 2008

If you’re inspired by a highway that stretches the length of the Americas or enjoy the beach or merely love to entertain, you can easily take your guests on a seaside holiday by putting together this straightforward meal. And all of it can happen on your patio. No ocean where you live? No problem. Good company and good food are the best memory makers and when you add the perfect wine you’ll easily enhance the occasion and be transported elsewhere. With warm weather coming, I encourage you to get out, cook out and share as much as you can. As the Spanish saying goes; “Life is short but it can be, oh, so very wide!”

Four Pizzas for Two on a Thursday Night

A few days ago, I made pizza dough and divided the large ball into four smaller. I always bag the balls separately, splash them with olive oil and reserve them in the back of the refrigerator. I find that dough given time to slowly rise delivers greater flavor. With a few leftovers and simple deli items the pizzas quickly roll out of the oven even on a work night! Tonight's results were a White Pizza; Red Sauce with Brie, Anchovy and Capers; Pesto and a simple Red Sauce & Four Cheeses. I threw around some Pine Nuts just for good measure! The side salad was a fast and furious tomato, cucumber, sprigs of watercress (just now arriving at the Mexican green grocer's) and mince of red onion dressed with a home-made basic vinaigrette (with salt & pepper). A little prep goes a long way when you want the very best pizza available, and the best always is fresh from your kitchen. And perhaps the greatest satisfaction of all is saying goodbye to the delivery guy!

On the Trail of Pisco Sour

Generally speaking, Latin American Cocktails utilize the same principal ingredients – lime juice, sugar and a hearty portion of locally distilled spirits. Peru’s national cocktail, the Pisco Sour, falls right in line but contains a few delicious surprises!

Touching down in Lima, I looked forward to reacquainting myself with this acclaimed libation. Checking-in and stowing gear, I swooped directly to near-by Bar Cordano. Upon arrival the affable manager, Don Odilon, delivered news that an exhibition on the history of Pisco Sour was in full swing. He made a gift of the event poster and suggested we have Hector, the head-barman, sign it. Hector is a relative newcomer with only 21 years mixing Pisco Sour. But with his putting pen to poster, the idea was born to seek out the signatures of the Greats, the Maestros of Pisco Sour, those who keep tradition alive.

At this point let's flesh out the Pisco Sour story. The creator, Victor Morris, was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. His brother Richard Morris was SLC mayor, 1904-1905. In 1903 before his brother would go on to win the election, Morris went to work in Peru with a railroad company. There he made the first Pisco Sour as a replacement for Whiskey Sour (whiskey not being readily available in Peru at the time). Yet the true innovation was adding egg white and bitters to the mix. The results were so enjoyable that in little time the Pisco Sour became the emblematic national cocktail and continues to be held high as a matter of patriotic pride.

Thrilled! I had four days slated for Lima, a Moleskine notebook and camera. I was also armed with an event poster, a list of iconic bars and the names of old guard bartenders. Next stop, the Bar Maury looking for Eloy Cordova. He has 47 years experience and most were spent at the Maury. I ordered a Pisco Sour and explained my mission. He approved and promptly signed the poster. Pointing to a jovial group, he confided that his friend Jorge Kanashiro with 50 years as a barman was there. Eloy made the introductions and I joined Jorge's table. Yet another signature. I spent the next hour sipping while getting a lesson in history and proper bar technique. Seems Pisco Sour made with granulated sugar is grainy, much better with simple bar syrup to achieve a silky viscosity which never leaves a residue of sugar at the bottom of the glass. In conversation it was mentioned that Maestro Jorge Kanashiro (winner of the 1994 International Bartenders Competition in Italy) was to be the exhibition’s keynote speaker the very next day. He insisted that I attend with him.

Next afternoon after awards bestowed & flowery speeches, we taxied to Bar Queirolo on Quilca Street. The Queirolo has been a fixture on Lima's social scene since 1880. They serve a full traditional menu but emphasis is on the Pisco they produce. Jorge’s friend is the barman there. Another signature. Getting together yet again for lunch the following day, we were off to the Bar Hotel Bolivar, which has open-air seating with a view of the Plaza San Martin. It is rumored that Ernest Hemingway still holds the record there for "most Pisco Sours consumed in one sitting and walking out unassisted." Jorge’s friend is the barman. Another signature. Each barman suggested another stop and lauded the Maestro there. We followed the path and sought out locations throughout the city collecting signatures all along the way. Now the poster is filled with signatures of the "Maestros of Pisco Sour Cocktails" each nominated by colleagues. In four intensely social days, I was beginning to live the real Lima and understand the significance of Pisco Sour in Peruvian life. However, I had a strong feeling that further investigation was best left to the future. My four days spent, I needed to leave... 

Years before, prior to the devastating earthquake on Aug 15th 2007, I had visited the rich valley of Ica (where the bulk of Pisco Brandy is produced) and loved it. Since that catastrophic day just over two years ago, I had longed to return to the epicenter of the quake and see how they had fared. By bus, I traveled south on the Pan-American Highway. I arrived again through rows and rows of grapevines not unlike any roadside vista in wine country. Sitting in the shade, sipping Pisco Sour and speaking with the locals, an elderly man told me that in the quake they’d lost over 500 neighbors and many important historic buildings; “All the loss is very, very sad..." He shook his head resignedly. "However, the grape is forever." I, respectfully, echo his sentiments. And by extension, I believe Pisco Sour is forever. Salud!

Pisco Sour Recipe 

by Maestro Jorge Kanashiro 

 Makes two cocktails:
4oz Pisco Brandy
2oz Lime Juice
1/2oz Bar Syrup
1 Egg White
1 or 2 Dash(es) of Bitters

Shake ingredients vigorously with ice (or use blender). Strain into stemmed glassware; add bitters to taste.

Copyright © Mick Huerta 2012. All Rights Reserved.
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