Eating: A Memoir

A cooking adventure at home: Beef Empanadas

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I was heartsick from lack of travel during this seemingly endless pandemic until I realized that all the culinary adventure I need is right at home in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur. Join me as I share in the Ruiz family tradition of empanada night, where the family recipe includes teamwork, lots of muscle, and patience. The end result is something you simply cannot find any where else.

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Discovering the Twin City Taco Trove

Every major city in the US is harboring a taco-trove. Some are brightly adorned, mariachi-infused tourist destinations but others are low-key neighborhood collectives sharing century-old family recipes from every corner of Mexico. In either case, a day of exploration is a day well spent. Minneapolis/St. Paul did not disappoint!
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Touchdown at My Mariscos Mecca

Mariscos El Toro Güero has worn a deep groove in my culinary routine over the years. It is my homecoming parade each time I land on Paceño soil. Let me tell you why.
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Gastro Bar by Martin Berasategui – Baja Basque?

Tucked within the Paradisus Hotel, with a view spanning from the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Cortez, Gastro Bar by Martin Berasategui is raising the bar for Baja California dining.
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Rookie Recipe of The Year 2018 – VeSVcCdC

Verdolagas en salsa verde con carne de cerdo (purslane in green salsa with pork) was the single most delicious new dish I made in 2018 - and one of the easiest! A perfect harmony of herbaceous, tangy, and spicy notes with the savory sweetness of golden brown pork.
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On the other side of the tracks at Restaurant Rita

Rita is nestled off the beaten path within Atotxa Plaza, a tunnel crossing away from the train station. Clearly popular with the neighbors, Chef Ismael Iglesias' firstborn establishment offers elevated cuisine featuring equal parts tradition and creativity.
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In the Kitchen in Amelia

A relative newbie in San Sebastian, the menu at Chef Paulo Airaudo's Amelia featured the local ingredients of the season but with unusual touches like a Criolla that hinted at his Argentinian roots.
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Chef Chats

Chef Carlo Meléndez

Chef, Limosneros, Mexico City, Mexico
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Chef Alfredo Reyeros

Executive Chef, Beefbar, Mexico City, Mexico
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Recipes

Essentials • Small Bites • Soups/Stews • Salads • Entrees • Sauces • Desserts • Beverages • All Recipes

Potaje de Garbanzos

It is doing this dish a injustice to call it the "chili" of Spain but, in many ways, it is similar. Hearty and savory, with as much spice as you like, Potaje (bean stew) is made with an assortment of meats and seasoned with a refrito of parsley and pimentón. Although more work than grabbing a bowl at the pintxo bar, potaje is a cinch to make at home.
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Fish Stock (or Fumet)

The process to make fish stock is simple. Learned this recipe from a Basque, Chef Jose Luis Uribe, so it is, like all Basque recipes, dedicated to developing complex flavor from simple ingredients. It will take time but you will be rewarded for the extra effort.
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Pasta with Clams or Fish in Salsa Verde

In Mexico, "salsa verde" stars tomatillos, green chiles, garlic and cilantro. But in the Basque region, fish stock, garlic, white wine and parsley create the decadent wading pool for clams, fish, and even pasta.
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Marmitako

Marmitako is a rustic, late summer fish stew from the Basque Country that fortifies a fish stock with a vegetable base, Choricero peppers, potatoes and large chunks of Bonito. The result is an unforgettable combination.
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Esquites (Mexican street corn)

On streets throughout Mexico, vendors serve steaming hot corn kernels in a cup topped with mayo, chile powder, and hot sauce – simple, satisfying, delicious and so easy!
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Simple Vinaigrette

Making a simple vinaigrette is one of the first techniques taught in culinary school. Once you know the basic formula, the possibilities are endless with added herbs and spices.
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3 Keys to Success

Workplan

Eliminate facepalm moments that discourage even seasoned cooks by learning to make a fail-proof workplan.

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Tips

Learn professional tricks of the trade that are game changing to the success and happiness of a home cook.

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Lingo

Stumped by kitchen speak, technical jargon and foreign cuisine? Master the lingo and mystify your dinner guests.

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