Tortilla Español---New World with Old World Heritage

                                            Classic tortilla Español with Spain's Piquillo peppers

Tomorrow I’m conducting a Spanish cooking class in Florida.  For the appetizer I’m demonstrating Spain’s tortilla Español (a quasi-omelette filled with potatoes and onions).  The tortilla, which appears on every restaurant’s menu, is also a mainstay of every tapas bar in the country.  The best rendition of this traditional starter that I have ever had (after more than a dozen trips to Spain) was in the Ribera del Duero wine country.  I was so impressed with this version that I talked the chef into sharing his recipe during a cooking class the following year when I returned with a group.

How Spaniards named their most popular dish the tortilla has always puzzled me.  Spain’s cuisine does not use traditional tortillas.  In fact, Spaniards had never even seen corn until the Conquistadors arrived in Mexico.  I recently heard a story that makes a lot of sense to me and it goes something like this… 

The Aztec Empire made flat rounds of yellowish bread from ground corn.  Spanish explorers were taken with this new flavored bread, but had no such word in their vocabulary to describe it.  As it reminded the Conquistadors of the omelette in their native homeland (round in shape and yellow in color), the Spaniards gave this unknown bread the name “tortilla” as it looked similar to the tortilla back home Spain. According to this theory, the Mexican tortilla was actually named after the potato omelette in Spain, based on its association of shape and color.

Here’s the actual recipe I cooked today which I learned during the professional cooking class in Spain some years ago from chef Pedro.  The only thing I changed was the addition of my beloved Piquillo peppers from Spain (very mild, smoky, flavor-chocked red peppers, now thankfully available in the US).

• 2 lbs potatoes, sliced thinly
• 2 cups extra virgin olive oil (can be used later for sauteeing other items)
• 6-7 eggs (depending on size)
• 1 lb onions, sliced thinly  (white or brown)
• 1-2 cloves minced garlic (depending on size)
• 8 oz jar of Piquillo peppers, drained & cut into strips
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Place olive oil in a skillet and heat to a moderate temperature (do not get it anywhere ner smoking level or it will oxidize).  Add the potatoes and cook for 30 minutes on moderate heat, allowing potatoes to slightly brown on all sides.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Next, sautee the onions in olive oil over moderate heat, cooking about 5 minutes.  Lower the heat, add the garlic and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Remove and add to the drained potatoes.  Strain the olive oil and refrigerate for later use.

Beat the eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper.

Return back 2-3 tablespoons of the strained oil to a non-stick skillet.  Heat the oil to a moderately high heat (but again avoid that smoking point.)  Add the egg mixture and turn down the heat immediately.  Next, add the potatoes, onions and strips of Piquillos...making sure all of these items are submerged in the egg mixture.  Cook over moderately low heat until the top of the tortilla is almost set.  Put a large plate over the skillet and then turn the skillet over quickly so that the tortilla slips on to the plate.  Turn up the heat, add a few more tablespoons of oil to the skillet, immediately lowering the heat once again.  Cook an additional 5 or so minutes until the tortilla is totally cooked through.

Typically a tortilla Español  is served at room temperature in a wedge shape.  While it is often served as a tapa, it can also be served as an entree---a simple mixed salad is a perfect accompaniment.

Viva España!

Unusual Dining Spots of a Lifetime

I’m preparing to take a group of Wine-Knows to Savannah and Charleston.  I typically ask trip participants to write in advance of the tour an introduction about themselves for others.  In this “dossier” I ask them to answer a cluster of questions such as their favorite travel spot or what food would be in their last meal.   One question I’ve never asked (but shall for the next group) is what is the most unusual place they have dined.  Here are mine…

Submarine in San Francisco Bay

Looking for a unique dinner experience in the Bay Area?  If so, you should consider this one.  You’ll be picked up at one of the piers along the waterfront in a small boat and then wisked off to a venue not far from shore.  Technically a “floating island,” this amazing nautical experience allows you to choose a submerged dining room with port holes, or dine alfresco upstairs on its dec overlooking incredible views of the city of San Francisco, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay.   http://www.forbesisland.com/home.html

                                         Dining below the surface of the water...

Bedouin Tent in the Sahara Dessert

I love my creature comforts but I couldn’t resist the romance of an overnight excursion to the Sahara to stay in a Bedouin tent.  Just getting there was priceless…we rode several hours on the back of camels across miles of dessert.  Arriving just in time for a glorious sunset over a vast sea of sand dunes, we first refreshed in our own private tent, then had a Moroccan dinner in a large community tent right out of a Hollywood movie set.   Glorious.

                                        A fantasy spot in the middle of the Sahara

Grotto on Italy’s Adriatic Sea

I first dined in this special spot >25 years ago but I can still recall my amazement when the elevator door opened into the restaurant.  Twenty years later I returned and the thrill was just as compelling.  The enchanting candle-lit grotto has tables placed to take advantage of the sea rushing in meters away.  On this last visit I was surprised to learn that the restaurant had become very famous and now has a world-class chef, with world-class prices.  Personally, I would be happy eating just a panini here, but I have to admit that my latest upscale dinner and a bottle of exquisite Barolo could not have been more magnifico.   http://www.grottapalazzese.it/it/i-ristoranti/

                                              Super romantic dining in a grotto                                           

Costa Rican Rain Forest

Twenty-something years ago one of the globe’s first eco-tourism inns was featured on the cover of Travel & Leisure.  It so took my breath away that I vowed without even opening the magazine to journey to this piece of paradise---regardless of where it was located.  The following year I packed my bags for Costa Rica.  As the inn’s remote area was not served by commercial flights, it necessitated a private plane from the capital city…but I was on a mission.   The individual bungalows were as gorgeous as the magazine’s cover.  The dining room was surrounded by a verdant forest, including a canopy of wild orchids in every color of the rainbow.  One dined to the melodies of parrots and cockatoos as wild monkeys skirted from tree to tree.  The menu was all uber fresh items grown at the lodge, hunted locally, or fished from the nearby streams.  Pure magic.  http://www.laparios.com/

Let it rain, let it rain!

The Low-Down on Lodi

The Lodi wine district (<1 hour's drive south of Sacramento) has pleasantly surprised me on three occasions.  The first was 15 years ago at a national wine conference in Sacramento when I tasted Spenker Zinfandel.  The second time was a few years ago at a Society of Wine Educator's blind tasting seminar of eight Tempranillos from around the globe---Lodi’s Bokisch Winery stole the show.  The third time was just days ago when I was actually was in Lodi wine tasting.  I was amazed at the quality/price ratio of these sleeper wines.  Below are my standouts.

Oak Farm Vineyards is surrounded by several majestic oaks that are hundreds of years old

Oak Farm Vineyards blew me away.  The drop-dead gorgeous property and visitor center could have easily been located among Napa Valley’s priciest wineries.  (It’s easy to understand why this setting is one the most coveted for weddings in the area.)  But, considering their price point, it was Oak Farm’s wines that truly rocked my world. Their Portuguese  white varietal Verdelho (2013) was a gorgeous aromatic mouthful of honeysuckle and lemon curd---with a nice little finish.  If I lived locally, I would buy oodles of cases to use as our summer wine.  A real steal at $17 per bottle. 

                            Tievoli's label captures the winery's prized 450 year old oak

But, Oak Farm is not a one trick pony.  Their Tievoli (Italian slang for “you gotta have this”) is a blend of several grapes including Zinfandel, Barbera, Petite Syrah and few percent of some whites.  It offers up a soft, elegant wine full of plums and cherries.  While this one had me at hello, its lingering velvet finish sealed the deal.  Another block-buster value for $24. (www.oakfarmvineyards.com)

Bokisch Vineyards stood out again during my recent visit, however, this time it was their 2012 Graciano varietal that earned top honors.  The first US producer to plant this Spanish red grape, Bokisch’s rendition was an enticing play of chocolate and fig mixed with blackberry and gentle spice.  All of  it wrapped up in a bow with silky smooth tannins, this one was ready to drink now.  $23 bucks and worth every cent.  (www.bokischvineyards.com)

For Rosé lovers, Lange Twins Winery stepped up to the plate with a lovely 2014 Sangiovese version.  Think strawberries, raspberries and roses.  Beautiful color and a pretty wine with a price tag of $15.  (www.langetwins.com)

BTW...if you’re in the area, don’t miss Cheese Central in downtown historic Lodi (www.cheesecentrallodi.com).  It’s a gem of a place, with a small but exquisite selection of top rate cheeses.  If you’re staying overnight, consider attending one of the shop's cheese classes that are held in a handsome, professional classroom in the back of the store.  Moreover, if you're passing through Lodi and only have time for one stop, make it the Lodi Visitor's Center wine tasting room (www.Lodiwine.com) which has an excellent collection of wines to taste and a very knowledgeable staff.

Lodi to many wine lovers is an unknown district.   If you know of Lodi wines, you may erroneously think of them as just Zinfandel.  Things are changing.  If you're looking for a terrific price quality ratio, the above producers in Lodi should be strongly considered.  

Southwestern Cooking Class: September 19 or 20

Twenty-five years ago I visited my favorite cousin who had just relocated to Tucson for a new job.  A real bon vivant, he was always up on the latest foodie meccas.  It was my cousin who introduced me to Café Terra Cotta in Tucson.   I instantly became a raving fan and returned every chance I could for this inspiring, unique cuisine.  Terra Cotta was such a success that the chef opened a second restaurant in a swanky Scottsdale location…now I had an option in the Phoenix area, a quick non-stop flight from the Bay Area.

The owner of Café Terra Cotta, also the chef, was a woman named Donna Nordin.  A classically trained French chef (both the Cordon Bleu and Lenotre in Paris), Donna was one of the pioneers of the Southwest cuisine movement.  Her new interpretation of Southwest cooking soon catapulted her to rock-star status.  She was nominated for the James Beard Award and appeared on PBS’ television series the Great Chefs of the West.   Adoring fans demanded a cookbook and she complied with the esteemed Contemporary Southwest:  The Café Terra Cotta Cookbook.

The New York Times and Condé Nast Traveler magazine named Café Terra Cotta “one of America’s 50 best restaurants.”  However, it was another magazine in which Donna scored some major kudos.  Bon Appetit asked Donna to appear in their Christmas issue---she was told that Julia Child would also be featured in the same edition.  In the end, it was Donna’s ethereal chocolate torte that was chosen for the magazine’s coveted yuletide cover.

Now that you have been properly introduced to Donna Nordin, I have great pleasure in announcing that I have persuaded her to come to our home for cooking classes on September 19 and 20 (Saturday and Sunday evening).  The menu is still being finalized, however, it will definitely include Café Terra Cotta’s revered signature dish, tortilla soup.  Possible contenders for the entrée will be lamb with a cherry-chipotle sauce, or sea bass with pumpkin seed salsa, or perhaps a grilled duck breast with mole sauce a mango salsa.  Dessert may be her famous cover-recipe chocolate torte, however, since she is a classically trained Parisian pastry chef, it could be an interesting fusion of France meets the Southwest.

The cost of the cooking class, dinner and wines is $110 per person.  Reservations will be taken on a first-come-first-served basis.  The final menu will be posted on our website in March, but for more information in the meanwhile contact me at dunn@wineknowstravel.com, or 760.842.8812.

Jack Fruit---the Yummiest Fruit I've Had

                                      Exotic jack fruits are seen in every Vietnamese market

Five years ago two of my clients of Vietnamese heritage visited us for a weekend at our home near San Diego.  They came baring gifts of strange looking fruit with wonderfully exotic aromas.  One of them was jack fruit…and it was love at first bite.  The two women friends intermingled stories of their families’ escape during the Vietnam War with heart-warming accounts of eating jack fruit back in Vietnam as small children.  While not yet available in traditional supermarkets in California, this fruit is sold in many Vietnamese food stores in California’s urban centers with large Asian populations.

So what is jack fruit?  The flavor is an addictively delicious symphony of pineapple, banana, mango and apple.  While the fruit is used in Vietnamese desserts such as puddings and cakes, I prefer the raw version where I can taste every one of its special notes.  Perfectly ripe jack fruit is like no other fruit you will ever taste.  The texture is also unusual---somewhat fibrous, it is an excellent source of dietary fiber ( as well as high in protein, potassium and vitamin B). Jack fruit is also the largest tree-borne fruit in the world growing up to a ginormous 80 lbs, and as much as a yard in length. 

Although Vietnam is one of the largest producers of jack fruit, this delectable edible is widely cultivated throughout Southeast Asia.  Archaeological findings indicate that it was cultivated in India as long as 3,000 to 6,000 years ago.  Jack fruit is also grown in Brazil.

The inside of the jack fruit is very unusual.  It looks to me like something from another planet...somewhat alien.  The first time I saw it sliced open I was shocked.  There's no way to actually describe it.

                         Hard to imagine that something this strange could be so yummy

Those of you who are coming with us on next February’s culinary tour of Vietnam will see jack fruit throughout the country---I even saw a tree growing in the downtown of Hanoi.  Every outdoor market we visited on the 2014 tour had them.  In Saigon there was a woman selling bite-size morsels of jack fruit in a handy take-out container…luckily her small stand was stationed just outside my uber-modern spa hotel located in the heart of the city.  I was a BIG customer of her products for the several days I spent in this fascinating French-inspired metropolis. 

                                           Jack fruit morsels ready for plucking                                             

For more information about the 2016 foodie’s tour of Vietnam check out the upcoming trip:   http://www.wineknowstravel.com/Vietnam_itinerary.htm

For a slideshow of the much-loved 2014 Vietnamese tour with Wine-Knows, don’t miss this slideshow of how we ate and drank our way across this mesmerizing country:

http://play.smilebox.com/SpreadMoreHappy/4e4441334d5441774f44453d0d0a

Founding Father of American Wine

President's Day is approaching.  While most of think of Thomas Jefferson as one of the Founding Fathers of our country, author of the Declaration of Independence, or for his two terms as the third President of the United States, many are unaware that he was also the forefather of the American wine industry.  According to the intriguing book,  Passion:  The Wines and Travel of Thomas Jefferson, author James Gabler indicates that Jefferson was first introduced to wine when he was a law student at Williams and Mary College by the admired Chairman of the prestigious law school.  Records indicate that shortly after Jefferson graduated he started his own wine collection. 

Jefferson’s real love affair with wine, however, began after he succeeded Benjamin Franklin as the United State’s Minister to France.   From 1784 – 1789 the newly widowed Jefferson lived in Paris where he immersed himself in French culture, became fluent in French, and developed a keen appreciation for wine.  

A fanatical keeper of notes, Jefferson’s records indicate that he traveled to Bordeaux where he visited Haut Brion and Lafite Rothschild (the two most important growers at the time---their wine was also the most expensive). But, Jefferson also admired Burgundy’s wines.  In addition to sending home wine for himself, he ordered Burgundian wine for his colleagues John Adams and George Washington. Jefferson also traveled to Champagne and the Rhone where he visited their top estates.  His touring of great wine districts, though, was not just limited to France---he visited Italy’s Piedmont and Germany’s Rhine and Mosel.

Thomas Jefferson returned to the US where he partnered with an Italian viticulturalist from Tuscany.  Land adjacent to Jefferson’s Monticello was purchased and planted with vineyards.  Today this land is a winery known as Jefferson Vineyards.

John F. Kennedy assembled a huge group of the nation’s brightest and his welcome remarks included, “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House – with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”  Jefferson was not only America’s first wine connoisseur but the founding father of an American wine industry that is now a significant player on the global wine stage.

President’s Day is around the corner.  Here’s an early toast to Thomas Jefferson!

Best of Cabo

I’m just returning from January in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.   I rented an apartment and did something I have never done---I did not cook one lunch or dinner for the month.  I grew up on Mexican food and think of myself as somewhat of an expert, so I made it my personal mission to seek out Cabo’s best.  Here’s what floated to the top of my list:

Best Overall Restaurant

                                                               Tortilla soup like no other you have ever had

Hands-down the winner was Misiones di Kino.  This place rocked on food quality, atmosphere and service.  If you want authentic cooking, Mexican charm and a lovely garden setting, this is your place.  Do not miss their complex tortilla soup (the best I have ever had),  and the sublime flan (a yummy mixture that tasted somewhere between a typical light flan and a cheesecake. According to the owner, this special recipe has been in his chef's family for generations).  Their chile relleno was also a standout, and margaritas were one of the best in town.  Can’t praise this place enough.  A real gem.  http://www.misionesdekino.com/

Best Atmosphere:

 Tropicana was a real fave

A foodie-in-the-know friend of mine recommended Tropicana to meet for dinner.  Knowing her, I knew the place would have good food, but what awaited me was one of the best surprises I've had in a long while.  Located just off of San Jose del Cabo's historic main square, Tropicana was the most atmospheric spot I've dined in Baja California.  I felt like I had stepped back to elegant 1920's supper club in Manhattan, but in the style of an old hacienda. It's swanky, it's sexy and it's electric...all in an understated way.  All 6 persons who I dined with loved their classical Mexican cuisine, and I particularly enjoyed the table-side service on their delicious caesar salad.  A definite do not miss.   http://www.tropicanainn.com.mx/

Best Setting:

                                                            Hacienda y Cocina offers the best overall venue

This one was a no-brainer:  Hacienda y Cocina.  There’s no better place in town to watch the sunset than in this quietly elegant and super sexy beachside spot.  Be sure to reserve for a table on the outside terrace.  My favorites were their shrimp (Camarones Baja) and their marinated grilled skirt steak (Arrachera) served with the world’s most scrumptious avocado salad.  The drop-dead gorgeous setting, refined atmosphere and excellent service more than justify the slightly higher prices.  Actually, all considered, it’s a bargain.

http://haciendacocina.com/

Best Local Color

                                                                                          Don't miss Maria's

And the Oscar goes to…Maria Jiminez!  Maria’s former tiny restaurant was so successful that she recently expanded into the corner building next door.  I love this place.  It oozes character…from the colorfully dressed woman making handmade tortillas right in front of you,  the attractive local art on the walls, and the beautiful handmade ceramic plates that food is served on, it’s all a good-vibe.  The food is very good with the chile rellenos being the star of the show.  My only complaint is the margaritas…strongly recommend you opt for the sangria or one of their beers.

https://www.facebook.com/mariajimenezcabo

Best Hole in the Wall

                                                                                   High quality, low cost

Los Claros has 3 spots in Cabo, an attestation to its immense popularity.  There’s one in the Wyndham Hotel complex, however, my beloved spot is its simplest place located across the street from the Paradiso shopping center atthe end of the Marina, on the town’s main drag.  The shrimp tacos were the best in town, and the salad bar for the taco toppings was an added bonus.  Best value in town.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tacos-Los-Claros/178134578877626