Guadalajara is happening………

We have put the Arizona house together using our Mexico resources to make the remodel affordable while maintaining our home as a unique and individual work of art.  Fixtures, “antique mesquite wood” sofa tables, unique metal candelabras, and Talavera sinks along with a few hundred pounds of hand-made Talavera tile for the kitchen and a few art treasures complete the picture of this southwestern home.  The town of Tonala  is actually a close neighbor and suburb of Guadalajara is the center of cottage industry crafts that accomplish these works home art. Tonala  is as well where the El Rincon del Sol is located.  All of which is why we go there — as well as enjoying Mexican dishes that aren’t on the standard menus of tourist oriented Mazatlan.

El Rincon del Sol, owned and operated by the Mayor of Tonala is picturesque in it’s setting, but more important a fantastic place to enjoy some unique Mexican cuisine.  One of my favorites is “Chile en Nogada” [Pasilla chile stuffed with a mixture of meats, fruit, nuts, good spices and an walnut cream sauce.]  Its a WOW!!!   My wife enjoys the giant burrito that is full of wonderful spiced meat… Neither is spicy or hot; just a great dining experience.  In addition, since we ride the bus from Mazatlan taking a sack-lunch with us on the way to Guadalajara, we ask the restaurant to prepare a sack-lunch for our return trip to Mazatlan..

We are, however usually laden with things we have purchased at market for the house in Mexico, or things to bring north for the house in Arizona.  We will have been to the village craftsmen, the artists that do beautiful oil paintings, and been into the San Juan del Dios market [The largest wholesale market under roof in Latin America] to see what we can’t live without.  We always find something.

Along the way its time as well to stop for lunch.  My personal favorite is the “shrimp cocktail” which is a shrimp consume over fresh shrimp, huge pieces of avocado, white onion, a bit of tomato and it is absolutely delicious.  That and Topo Chico [the fizziest soda water I have ever encountered anywhere in the world!] to drink and we are back on the road shopping.

Tonola also has a city wide street market that encompasses the entire main part of the city and some of the side streets.  Fun to walk, see everything from the craftsman’s wears to the latest in China manufactured plastic bags and baskets.  Just walking the market with it’s Video stalls, CD vendors and street foods is an adventure in and of itself.

Its an adventure worth considering.

Coffee & Friends

Mexican coffee has been since we arrived in Mexico as tourists many years ago.  Some good, some not as good and some downright funny.  We were vacationing in the Cancun area many years ago; before some of the modern western world had caught up with transporting stuff into what was then considered a somewhat laid back and backward country.  Cancun however was on the leading at that time with beautiful resorts, very up to date designs in architecture and of course the gourmet side of Mexico’s cuisine.

We had been at the Club Med in Cancun for a couple of weeks and booked an extra week in Cancun proper to see the sites, the archeological digs and learn about the Mayan and Aztec cultures while enjoying the luxury a five-star hotel had to offer at very reasonable rates. [Remember, this was many, many years ago.]  My wife and I had gone to what was one of the best restaurants in town for an elegant dinner, which we capped off with “Coffee Chak Mool”, which of course, is a wonderful coffee drink prepared with much fanfare and acrobatics and not just a dash of liquor.

It goes something like this:  The coffee cart is ceremoniously rolled up to the table.  It is laid with cups, several bottles of liquor, a steaming pot of fresh coffee and clear coffee mugs.  First the mugs are heated over a flame, then the rims rubbed with fresh orange fruit rind and turned rim down on a plate of sugar, coating the complete rim with a dusting of orange flavored sugar.  The cups are then heated over the flame carmelizeing the sugar and imparting the fresh orange flavor to the rim of the cups.

Next a large scoop of vanilla ice cream was ceremoniously placed in the cup; next came the steaming hot coffee poured over the ice cream and finally, while standing on a chair the waiter poured a flaming strand of liquor into the mix.  It was delicious.  At the bottom of the cup  however, we found chewy nodules of something I assumed were pieces of the sugar that had fallen into the cup during the making or drinking.  It was wonderful.

That weekend, since we were traveling with friends, and we had enjoyed the meal, the extraordinary service and the “Coffee Chak Mool” so much we invited the friends we were traveling with to join us in order that they too could enjoy the experience and some of the wonderful culinary faire Cancun had to offer.

The dinner was a delight, the company great and we once again ended the meal with the great “Coffee Chak Mool”.  Only this time I asked about the chewy lumps found in the bottom of each cup…The answer: Oh, that is part of the ice cream, we can’t get vanilla ice cream so we must use tutti-frutti flavor ice cream instead, which has the small bits of chewy candy in it.  It was a great experience.

The coffee industry and coffee in general has come a long way since then.  In Mazatlan there are two predominant coffee houses — both having beautiful and welcoming atmosphere as well as excellent coffee and coffee drinks.  The “Mother Church” [So-to speak] of coffee houses in Mazatlan is “RICO’s coffee.  It is possible to purchase great coffees, coffee drinks, pastries and light meals in a great coffee-house atmosphere.  Tables inside as well as outside to sit, enjoy the coffee and company of friends or partake of business meetings while being served your favorite coffee drinks.  The barrister’s are perfectly trained to the extent some compete in the barrister competitions in Mexico city and do very well against all the other competing barristers from all over Mexico.  There are two locations; the first is in the “Golden Zone” [hotel and shopping area] and the second on a junction near the Mazatlan yacht marina.  The marina is a little different in that the atmosphere is a bit more relaxed, but the drinks and service are the same and consistent as per the attentive administration of the owners; Marianne and Rogelio Fontes

The second is much different in its origins, yet as wonderful an atmosphere to linger and enjoy a cup of great coffee or a cappuccino.  Tom and Heidi Dales provide a place for young people to step out of the fast-lane of life and enjoy the pleasure of beach and surf.  The young people are provided a place to live for a nominal fee and must contribute to the living situation by working at “Looney Bean”, a coffee-house almost on the beach in the Bruja area of Mazatlan Mexico.  The atmosphere is very Mexican and relaxed.

Coffeehouses are becoming very popular in Mexico.  When we first arrived it was hard to find more than a cup or pot of Mexican coffee.  [Mexican coffee is laced with cinnamon] Now coffee houses are popping up all over and growing in popularity.  Imagine sitting in a Mazatlan coffee house, enjoying your favorite coffee beverage and wondering what is next on the vacation agenda; Will it be a para-shoot ride over the Malicon, a stint on a surf board [there is some great surfing just north of Mazatlan] or will it simply be soaking up some of the warm sun south of the border?  Of course you will now ask:  Is it safe?  The answer is a bit complex, but as long as you are here to vacation, enjoy what Mazatlan has to offer in the way of hospitality, culinary delights and cultural activities Mazatlan is perfectly safe.  Yes there is violence in Mexico, but we find it is pretty well specifically directed — and not directed at the tourism industry.

So, come…enjoy the warmth of the Mexican sun and the Mexican people…

Owner / Executive Ego’s — Restaurant’s worst enemy

As we rattle around the world we eat at every kind of food outlet you can imagine.  Food stands along the highway in Mexico that make a fantastic breakfast — Mexican style, American food outlets ranging from the “commissary operations” that strive to create the same dining experience from one to the other across the nation, to the individually owned and operated Mom and Pop restaurant, some of which have become famous.  There are those that are outstanding, there are many more that are OK and serve the purpose as well some are are outstanding in their mediocrity.  We try to point out the places that are excellent and fun…..

Living in the Florence area of Italy provides access to some great gastronomic opportunities.  The great restaurants are usually a little off the beaten path.  In Florence a restaurant listed as one of the top ten restaurants in the city is Giovanni’s [If you are in Florence ask for directions] The family owns two restaurants:  Giovanni’s in town and ‘Latini’s” in the country. [San Gimignano] and a little less formal, yet the food is still the same quality and the service very personalized.

This year we left our car at our daughters’s in Pennsylvania providing us the opportunity to explore some of the food opportunities across the United States on our way back west.  St. Louis:  Pappy”s Bar-B-Que.  Wow!!!  It seems there is always a wait, and when they run out of ribs they are out till the next day.  Spectacular!!!  If you pass through St. Louis its worth while finding Pappy’s

As we passed from Colorado to New Mexico we discovered an interesting lunch and dinner restaurant; Rino’s in Trinidad, a tiny mining town.  The singing waiters [also the owners] are the entertainment.  The music is everything from light opera to popular oldies, the menu is Italian in concept — a fun place. As the story goes, the brothers were born in Trinidad, left to work in Las Vegas and returned to open their dream restaurant.  It was a fun evening as we traveled south.

In southern Arizona there are, of course restaurants we like, and some we find disappointing.  In the big cities there are obviously great chefs and restaurants, but in the small places we find occasional nuggets of culinary excellence.  More on this in the next issue….

THE EPIPHANY – sixty-five pounds

A dear friend who happens, is also one of the best doctors in town, looked at me a year or so ago and said: “If you don’t lose that belly you will be in serious trouble!”.  Thinking that I was slated for a routine check-up anyway as we traveled through the U.S. to Europe I acknowledged the comment, passed it off, as most do and went to my appointed appointment at the Veterans Administration in Phoenix.  I felt good, looked [looking back] OK , but a little chubby <grin> .  I / We were distraught to learn I had diabetes II. The Dr. had added more pills to my mild cardiac regimen.  The good life had caught up to me.  We decided we would fight back!

Well, as the name of the blog suggests we travel a lot.  We were living part of the year in Mexico, and traveling the western world and Europe where we enjoy the culture and the culinary arts of the places we go and see.  Italy is pasta and wine, the Germans eat heaping portions of food that really isn’t good for a diabetic, the Austrians follow the lead of the Germans and Mexicans eat lots of beans, tortillas, and things that really aren’t as healthy as one might assume.  It’s a really good thing tequila gives me heartburn to the point I think death would be a relief which makes it a to be avoided at all costs, drink.

A few years ago we were invited to an Austrian friend’s home for dinner, with the admonition that it would be a little different in that there would be none of the usual starches, [translates to carbohydrates] in the meal.  She further explained; her husband had lost about thirty-five kilo- by using this method of eating.  Our reaction was one of curiosity and interest.  The dinner was excellent — grilled salmon, wine, vegetables [not over cooked] salad and more wine.  Strawberries for desert. Wow! I was satisfied — not stuffed but relaxed and content.  It was an interesting enough meal that we purchased the book in the only language available at the time and she translated it from the German to English to find out more. That said; we returned to our old eating habits…the method seemed too complicated…that was five years ago. Fast forward to last year this time.  The diagnosis shocked us, frightened us.  However rather than leap head first into another batch of pills my wife remembered our friend telling her about the “Montignac Method”.[ http://www.montignacmethod.com]

Latini’s Restaurant / San Gimignano, Italy:  Owned by the Latini family. One daughter runs this restaurant — She an accredited chef, sommelier and runs a great restaurant and is sympathetic to “The Method” as a way of eating, although the menu does have the typical, and fantastic faire of Italian cuisine…Its a NOT TO BE MISSED experience when you are in central Italia.

We spend our summers in beautiful Italia.  Italy is food.  Italy is wine.  Italy is art.  Italy is beautiful loving people who love to eat.  Here I was with diabetes II, how could I possibly eat in Italy?  Italy is pasta with every meal.  [the photo is the country restaurant & hotel that is the sister restaurant to one of the ten best restaurants in Florence / Firenze] I will say the friends [Italian] did tease me when I would abstain from gelato, but would eat pizza [another Italian staple] and pasta as well as drink the luscious Chianti wines.  How did I do that and loose sixty-five pounds?  Simple: We adopted “The Method”  [www.glycemicmethod.wordpress.com]

We are about to venture out once again across the U.S. and “The Pond” eating as we go along the way and using, as I have for the past year plus, “The Method” that has allowed my body to regain its proper proportions for my bone structure, surprised me when I found a belt that had been custom carved for me when I was sixteen that once again, not only fits but is actually a bit too big, and to look at a rack of pants in the general size range instead of the ones with baggy legs that are specifically for fat men.

We have been involved in the food business for many years and in many venues.  I was raised in the hospitality industry by a Father that was a leader in the industry; consequently I was exposed to food at every level.  We have owned our own restaurants and I have consulted and operated restaurants in the U.S. and other countries.  Nuff said about background;  In short we are highly qualified to comment on the places we eat, the food we see and the food we choose to consume.

Ride with us; Learn with us; Experience with us our journey our enjoyments as well as our disappointments along the way.

More as we travel…Oh yes, one year later:  The amount  diabetes pills have been reduced in number, I have lost 65 pounds, the bad cholesterol numbers are down, the good are up dramatically, blood pressure is down, and the doctors are very pleased with the lab results.  I can’t say enough good about “The Method”.  I must add however it isn’t the end all diet.  It isn’t a quick fix for weight loss, It is, however a much healthier way of eating and living.  I still enjoy my pizza, my pasta and my wine and coffee, but I do them much differently now.  I can eat off [almost] any menu and not worry about the usual diet concerns and guilt that come with binging..

I don’t normally do this — BUT

I am not, nor will I be in the habit of causes other than fine and interesting foods here, except for those causes that are of world shaking consequence — And living in Mexico, as I do, for at least part of the year, we sometimes find an absolute diamond worth posting for….This is such a diamond…  Read on.

Topos to Japan  14 March 2011 The mole-men, those extraordinary ordinary Mexican men and women whose only requirement is tremendous balls (that goes for the women too), better known as la Brigada de rescate Topos Tlaltelolco,  are on their way to Japan today. [Topos Tlaltelolco = Mole-Men of Tlaltelolco] Dig they must, as they have since their spontaneous appearance following the 1985 Mexico City quake, and dig they do… anywhere, any time earthquakes, fires, floods, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions (or even nuclear plant melt-downs) require digging though unstable and dangerous debris — preferably with construction equipment, but with pick and shovel, or by hand if need be. They are not paid by their government nor their employers for their services. Nor do they charge for them, but these men and women are volunteers — ordinary Mexicans (well, ordinary Mexicans with extraordinary balls), with ordinary jobs and ordinary family responsibilities and expenses, as well as providing for their own food, lodging and supplies when at a disaster site. PAY PAL (this means YOU, gringos…and Germans, Canadians, Peruvians, et. al.) todonativos@brigada-rescate-topos.org Direct Deposits within Mexico to: Cuenta Banco Santander: 92-00070929-4 Sucursal: 0479 San Fernando. Referencia: Brigada de Rescate Topos Tlaltelolco, A.C. CLABE: 014180920007092942 (for electronic transfers from other Mexican Banks) This is probably the MOST good any of us can do to help those in Japan in these terrible, post-earthquake/tsunami days AND help our amazing Mexican rescue workers (probably the most famous group of rescue workers in the world) too. This is a bad one, friends and neighbors…let your hearts (and pocketbooks!!!) respond! David Bodwell Editorial Mazatlán Mazatlán Book & Coffee Company For more on the Mole-Men, see this post on Joanna van der Gracht de Rosado’s blog. SHE WAS HERE and knows whereof she writes! http://joannavandergrachtderosado.wordpress.com/ And when writing his history of México, here is a little known fact Rich uncovered: They were so successful [in their efforts during the massive 1981 Mexico City earthquake] that the group, los Topos de Tlaltelolco – the Mole Men of Tlaltelolco, officially Brigada de Rescate Topos Tlaltelolco – has since become a world-renowned search and rescue volunteer service. When a tsunami devastated Indonesia and south Asia in 2004, the German airline, Lufthansa, immediately sent the Mole Men and their equipment to Indonesia where Australian Air Force crews and planes were put at their disposal.“ Please give generously to these brave Mexican men and women!

A very special lunch destination in Mazatlan, Mexico

Its always a pleasure to share the little known places we frequent for great eats with friends that visit us . Places we ourselves visit and enjoy.  Yesterday we took friends  visiting us  from Germany to one of our very special places for lunch… “El Bigotes”.  The menu is simple.  They roast one pig a day in each location — when it’s gone, its gone; tomorrow is another day and another pig..

Roast pig ( your choice of pure white meat, or mixed meat )  served with flour or corn tortillas, marinated white onions with a little pepper heat,  a dish of jalapeño peppers, cilantro/white onion mix, and their own (salsa criminal) very tasty, spicy (secret) sauce, the carnitas are a tasty treat in a very locals atmosphere.

Located on one of the main streets, yet far off the main Malecon this is the place to relax, and immerse yourself in a wonderful culinary experience that most visitors to Mazatlan don’t know.

Your “Pulmonia” driver or taxi driver will know exactly how to get you there.

Its been a while – Guadalajara again

Its been a while since I last posted:  Now it’s time to resume with more observations, reactions, places and wonderful opportunities for the traveler to enjoy experiences off the beaten track of travel.  We have just returned from a jaunt to Guadalajara, Mexico.  Our purpose was to design and have made a few pieces for our home.  The town of Tonala is adjacent to Guadalajara as is Tlaquepaque and Zapopan, but the art manufacturing center of the area is Tonala, where as the antiques and beautiful grand old furniture of the Mexican aristocracy is found in the shops of Tlaquepaque.

Our first stop; Tonala.  The street market is every week on Sunday and Thursday and the main streets of the town become the market place in addition to the shops that line both sides of the streets.  It’s a real walkathon, especially when the weather is warm, but it’s a real hoot to walk the market looking at everything, enjoying the market atmosphere and the culture.  There is everything from small food booths to art objects for the home, artificial floral shops and more.

We stay at Hotel “Casa de Las Palomas” which is sparkling clean, bright,  accommodating and relatively inexpensive.  The restaurant is a worthwhile easy five block walk from the hotel.  ”El Rincon del Sol“, very Mexican in its ambience, a typical menu with a wonderful array of choice.  My favorite is “Chile en Nogada”  =  Stuffed Chile in walnut cream sauce and pomegranate seeds. , which as it turns out can be a real heart stopper.  The dish has a 200 year old history; the presentation the colors of the Mexican flag and a taste sensation — if you enjoy the flavor of walnuts — delicious. ( you can find all kinds of recipes for them Online – some simple some very complicated – your choice) ; Evelyne’s is the “Super Burrito” and the “Molcajete”  which is basically in an unrefined translation a kind of meat and vegetable  stew.  It gets its name from the dish in which it is served — “The Molcajete” which is really a mortar & pestle, and comes to the table so hot you can’t touch it — is anything from seafood, to beef or chicken as a base, vegetables and cheese.  It too is delicious.  The Super Burrito is just that;  huge, full of meat or chicken, rice, spices, beans, lettuce, cheese, and sometimes avacado — what ever the kitchen will allow.  { try this link for the “Aztec restaurant” recipe as published on the “net” —  http://www.food.com/recipe/mexican-style-meat-and-vegetable-stew-aztecas-molcajete-114910 }

The food is excellent and because we ride the bus to Tonala, walk till we drop the market and its such a short and inexpensive distance to Guadalajara centro, [its fun to shop the largest wholesale market under roof in Latin America, which happens to be right next door to the "jewelry market as well...] and Tlaquepaque we use taxi’s rather than trying to figure out the tangle of streets, thus on the bus ride home we have El Rincon make wonderful sandwiches made with some of the best bollilos in the whole world…at least we think so..

If you travel Mexico and are within a stones throw of Guadalajara its worthwhile stopping to smell the roses here.  The craftsmanship is wonderful, the people are outstanding in their hospitality and friendly smiles.  Try the recipes — enjoy the tastes and flavors of Mexican cuisine..

Next stop: Restaurants in Tlaquepaque

Summer in Italy

Summer has been interesting, informational, and inspirational as well.  We spend our summers in Italy basking in the warmth of the Italian culture, cuisine and wines, which is a nice respite from the beach of Mexico in the winter months.  There was a question on “Linked-In” about the best restaurant you have eaten in — In Italy it is impossible to give a specific answer.  We were invited to a n Italian birthday party last evening.

An Italian birthday  “festa” (party) can be for a large group of friends, or as was the case last night just family.  It was held in one of the local restaurants that is purported to have great seafood dishes cooked in the style of Sardinia.  Let me state for the record, it was fantastic.

What you do not get in a typical celebratory meal at an Italian restaurant is a menu.  The meal for the most part is “negotiated” with the wait staff [who may just be part of the family that owns and operates the restaurant] what dishes go with what dishes, what flavors work together with the wine choice and how many dishes will be adequate for the meal by the host, although the dinners are almost always “ala Romana”  or dutch-treat as it is known in the U.S.

Italians eat their meal one item at a time.  Starting “schiacciata” (plain white pizze glazed with olive oil and salt and served warm as a bread) followed by “antipasti”, “Popolo” (cut octopus in a marinara sauce) Next; Vongle and Cozze in a light wine and butter sauce (mussels and clams) then, calimari on arugula (squid on arugula) complimented by crustini on the edge to soak up the sauce. It doesn’t stop there, the next dish “gnocchi vongle in a white wine cream sauce” (tiny potato dumplings that melt in your mouth and clams in a white wine cream sauce), and not to be out done, Grilled “Totani” (grilled giant prawns and stuffed Longostino).  Finally, in celebration of the hostess’s birthday a cake from the best Pasticceria in town (a liquor soaked fruit covered fruit cake that was spectacular — as all of his cakes and pastries always are.)

Its no wonder Italian meals last for hours.  The plates and wine just keep coming and we just keep eating.. Should you have the opportunity to visit Italy, and are invited to an Italian party — don’t refuse, enjoy true Italian hospitality…This is but one restaurant in a small Tuscan town.  There are many towns and many restaurants that are spectacular in their own right.  So to pick one is impossible, you just have to stay and try them all…

A world of art, history, and culinary arts

Florence is:  Beautiful!  Full of art and history; And, Florence is Culinary Tuscany.  Giovanni’s, slightly off the tourist path but just a short walk on Moro street from the Arno river, is one such restaurant.  Actually an “Osteria” [usually considered a higher level or gourmet cuisine] serving lunch and dinner.  The ambience is warmth and fine Italian antique quality.  The wines are Giovanni’s and his daughter’s personal selection — in a word, spectacular choices.  The food, however is the defining detail in a fine lunch or dinner.  Traveling to Europe?  Traveling to Florence?  Giovanni’s is a must!

Giovanni does what other Osteria owner’s don’t.  He goes out to the country and arranges for all the produce to be absolutely fresh.  He incorporates the traditional old Italian cuisine with the new [Both daughters are graduate chef's in their own right] He finds things that make the his menu items unique in the world of Italian cuisine..

There is too, a second restaurant belonging to the family.  In what “they” call the country, located in a hotel among the vineyards between San Gimignano, Certaldo, Latini’s is a restaurant rather than an Osteria which means it’s a bit less formal, but the food is the same gourmet quality faire.  Obviously were you visiting Florence a must is a trip to San Gimignano and quite possibly a meal at Latini’s..

The family owns and operates both restaurants, and has been in “Bon Appetite” magazine, as well as many other publications…Giovanni restaurants are NOT TO BE MISSED.

Food, wine and renewed friendships

Closing a seasonal home and opening the next seasons home is a stress filled endeavor.  There are mountains of details to be considered, people to contact to watch the one when you are gone, and not but least,  arrangement of  driving route, airline, rental car  transportation from the winter home to the summer home.  In our case from one continent to another.  Mexico to Italy.

We pick up our car in a German-speaking country because the costs are the most reasonable there for long-term leases, and drive from there [Frankfurt, Germany or Zürich, Switzerland] to our home in Italy.  We try to take different routes and see different countryside each time we transit.  This time we choose a route that took us along the Adriatic Sea.

We have been to Venice many, many times, so we thought we would return to an area we had been to and enjoyed twelve years ago.  The area is south of Venice, and on the Adriatic coast in the resort area of “Lido di Classe”…Its on the beach and is a crowded with sunbathers, usually a warm sunny area of Italy.  Twelve years ago we met a gentleman that had just bought a hotel [Hotel Mirage]  and was hoping it would be a success for him….We learned it has been very successful…

Franco is first a chef.  His experience, at the time of purchase, was the kitchen.  His crew was young, energetic and willing.  Twelve years later his crew is trained, devoted and make the guests feel completely at home.  He has become the consummate host.

Believe it or not, he actually remembered us from twelve years ago.  Amazing!  We were invited to share a glass of wine, and then he insisted we have dinner in the hotel.  Oh my God! What a dinner.  Can Franco cook?  Yes, Franko is a spectacular chef.

Dinner began with a tuna carpaccio, dressed with nuts, greens and drizzled with olive oil.  Pasta was a dual concept: Meat on fettuccine and eggplant ravioli.  The main courses, of course seafood, since we were on the Adriatic.. and of course finished with a scoop of gelato and dulce (sweet).  A spectacular meal — and all in the traditional [wonderful] Italian style.

Were you inclined to visit Italy, all the tour books say you shouldn’t miss Venice.  I absolutely agree, with the caveat;  See the Adriatic coast as well.  There is as much to see, and as much history that actually leads up to the history of Venice, and it’s a very different and interesting approach to seeing Italy.