2016 | Searching4Zen

Beauty Can Be Bland But Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream Always Saves The Day

March 27, 2016 No Comments

Yesterday we set out to make this wonderful looking open faced lasagna with melted cheese and sliced asparagus, all topped with an asparagus salad. The finished plate is shown below.

The assembled meal, looks beautiful but tasted bland

First we made pasta for the lasagna sheets by hand, which is something I find so peaceful to make. The nice thing is that we only needed six sheets so we were able to make enough other pasta that it will last us a week or two.

Then we moved on to slicing the parmesan and the asparagus.

Shaved Asparagus and Parmesan

While I was doing the above, Jo Ann was making the asparagus salad that will top the lasagna as well as buttering the cookie sheet we will bake them on.

Asparagus Salad

We then preheated the BBQ for almost 20 minutes to get it up to 500° so we could cook the lasagna sheets and asparagus as well as melt the cheese.

Open Faced Lasagne with melted cheese and asparagus

The end result was a beautiful looking meal, but one that I will never make again. Very bland although we can see a number of alternative toppings to use on the grilled lasagna sheets.

The assembled meal, looks beautiful but tasted bland

Of course after so much work, we were feeling fairly down. However earlier in the day we had made both home made Vanilla Ice Cream (thank you David Lebovitz for the wonderful cook book “The Perfect Scoop”) and Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte from Food 52. Thankfully, chocolate and vanilla ice cream can save just about any down day!

Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte with Home Made Vanilla Ice Cream

Cavas del Mogor

March 23, 2016 No Comments

After visiting the organic farmers market we walked over to the tasting room for Cavas del Mogor. The facility is beautiful and the commitment to quality is very good.

Down in the cava of el Mogor.

Inside the storage area of El Mogor

Barrels of el Mogor

Bottle Storage

Barrels of el Mogor

We sampled the three wines of the winery. The first was the 2014 Perinea Blanco which is a light wine wine. We then followed this with the 2013 Perinea, which is a mix of French and Mexican grapes.

Pirineo 2013

We then finished our tasting with the wine of the house, the 2012 Mogor-Badan. The wine maker of this vintage was Natalia’s brother who has since passed on.

Here is a photo of him.

The former vitner of el Mogor

Mogor-Badan 2012

website: None
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CavasDelMogor
Telephone: +52 (646) 146 0728
email: natalia_badan@hotmail.com
Wine maker: Hugo D’Acosta
Address: Carretera Tecate – Ensenada km 85.5, Valle de Guadalupe, Ensenada, Baja California

Perinea Blanco 2014

Retail price:MX$200
Grapes: 50% Macabeo and 50% Carignana Blanc
Comments: Light with some citrus taste
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.

Perinea 2013

Retail price: MX$300
Grapes: Mezcla franco mexican. Around 40 to 50% of the grapes come from France.
Comments: Light but can pair with most foods.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Mogor-Badan 2012

Retail price: MX$450
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot
Comments: This is the wine of the house as the wine maker was Natalia’s brother before he died. One year in French Oak and two years in the bottle.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Alximia Vino Elemental

March 23, 2016 No Comments

After our great visit at Rancho Cortés, we stopped in to Alximia, which uses the concept of Alchemy in the name of the winery and various elements in the naming of their wines.

Alximia Vino Elemental

Jo Ann have always had a special place in our hearts for Paris and seeing the winery made us both remember the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

Alximia Vino Elemental Tasting Room and Production Facility

The Tasting Room of Alximia and Some Old Farm Equipment

I enjoyed some of the artistic placement of the old farm equipment and the machines for crushing and de-stemming of the grapes.

Waiting to be used again.

We never asked what la Terrace was, but we believe it is the restaurant that is on site. We never visited it so we can not comment on the quality or the offerings.

La Terrasse San Roman

Alximia has a very extensive wine list. The prices at the winery are less than what you can buy them for on the web site so I have included the retail price below from the web site, but you can see there is a slight discount if you go to the winery.

The Wines of Alximia

Talisman 2014

Retail price: MX$220
Grape: 100% Viognier
Comments: Spicy, long legs, straw like aroma.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Senda 2013

Retail price: MX$349
Grapes: Petit Verdot (Valle de Santo Tomas), Zinfandel (Valle de Guadalupe), Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo (Valle de Guadalupe)
Comments: Alcohol 13.9% Pairs with meat, earthy with long legs. Aged 12 months in French oak barrels. Intense violet red color.
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.

Magma 2012

Retail price: MX$625
Grapes: ⅔ Carignana, ⅓ Grenache
Comments: 13 months in French oak barrels. Balanced, sassy but classy. Deep red, long legs, less tannins, won a double gold metal.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Pira 2012

Retail price: MX$625
Grapes: 100% Barbera
Comments: Long legs, but a short finish. 15 months in French oak barrels. Deep ruby red color.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.0

website: www.alximia.com
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alximia
Telephone: +52 (646) 151 9363
email: info@alximia.com
Wine maker: Álvaro Alvarez Parrilla
Address: Tercería al Tigre km. 3, San Antonio de las Minas, Ensenada, Baja California

Organic Farmers Market at El Mogor

March 23, 2016 No Comments

On Saturdays and Wednesdays there is an organic farmers market head at El Mogor which starts around 11a. The farm is beautiful and well maintained and the selection of produce and other prepared foods is very nice. We stopped in on both Saturday and Wednesday and did not see any real difference in the availability of the products.

Especially if you are staying in a home where you will be able to prepare your meals, this is an excellent farmer’s market to stop at and pick up your produce, breads, cheese, etc.

The Organic Farm at El Mogor

Cremeria Los Globos

March 22, 2016 No Comments

We were also told to visit a second cremeria that is actually located in Ojos Negros but which has a tienda on the main road at the entrance of the Valle de Guadalupe in the pueblo of San Antonio. The cremeria is called Cremeria Los Globos and the Tienda is this nondescript building with a sign above it “Tienda de Vinos y Quesos”. Actually it looks like a tourist trap but it is a must stop and sample place.

Cremeria Los Globos Tienda de Quesos y Vinos

Since this was a Saturday around 1p, it was too busy to take good notes about each cheese, so I will just let me images speak for themselves.

Queso de Parmesan

Queso Añejo

Unknown flavor

We can’t recall what this one was

Queso Fresco

Queso Adobe

Queso de Romero

Queso de Aceitunas

Queso de Chipotle

Matriz Cremeria Los Globos:
Mercado de Abastos Los Globos, Ensenada B.C.
+52 646 120 5092

Tienda de Quesos y Vinos:
La Ruta del Vino, Cnsenada B.C.
+52 646 155 3158

Rancho Cortés

March 22, 2016 No Comments

We had been told by many people that we needed to visit Rancho Cortés to sample their cheese and olive oils. However there is no one person who seems to know exactly where this rancho is located. Driving around Mex4 we finally talked to someone who knew where it was and gave us good directions.

This is a family owned farm dating back 40 years ago. The father who started this farm, actually went over to France to learn the art of cheese making as well as to buy French cows to be used in the cheese making process.

The Cavas of Rancho Cortez

We started with some of their Queso Fresca, which is aged in the cava for one month. It is a soft cheese but very good.

We then moved on to trying their Gouda cheese. These use cultures from Europe and are a much firmer cheese.

The Queso de Gouda at Rancho Cortéz

The third cheese we based was Queso de Guadalupe which uses a mold aging process, is more flavorful and also uses cultures from Europe.

Queso de Guadalupe at Rancho Cortés

We then moved on to the Queso Añejo which is the gouda but aged much longer. Excellent.

Queso Añejo at Rancho Cortés

The final cheese we tasted was the Queso de Parmesan which is aged 8 months, although in most years it is aged one year. The reason that this was less than the normal aging time is just because the cheese has been in such demand that they sold out of the last production batch and they felt that the cheese had aged sufficiently. It was excellent.

Queso de Parmesan

So after buying a number of these pieces, we then tried their olive oil, which we found to be very good and very reasonably priced.

Misiones de Baja California, the olive oil of Rancho Cortez

Rancho Cortés

Phone: +52 (646) 113-4425

Clos de Tres Cantos

March 22, 2016 No Comments

Clos de Tres Cantos is a relatively new vineyard in the Valle de Guadalupe. From the main road you are greeted by their sign.

The entrance to Clos de Tres Cantos

As you drive up to the winery, you see some very unique architecture. We were later told that the owners a big supporters of the local artists and that every two years or so a different local artist can use the facility for presenting their art. You see that in the building below on the left side were there is a large mural on the roof of the building.

The winery supports local artists by having them paint part of the winery or install their art inside the winery.

Here is some more art from the local artists that is hung inside the winery.

Art Hung by Local Artisians

As you walk up to the winery, you first enter the tasting room.

The entrance to the tasting room at Clos de Tres Cantos

The views of the Valle are beautiful from up in the winery.

View of the Valle from Clos de Tres Cantos

We have a special placer both dogs and wine, so what is not to love about this winery when you see the “guard” dog at attention.

Wine and dogs, what is not to enjoy.

We first took a tour of the winery and as the images below show, it has been designed with some very interesting touches.

Some very interesting and unique architecture.

They even installed alters in both the bottling area and the room where the wines are stored in barrels.

Another alter this time in the bottling area

Some very interesting and unique architecture.

Plus there is some nice art pieces dedicated to the Virgin de Guadalupe.

Pray Alter in the Cava

The storage area is well maintained and very cool. They do have to run air conditioners at times during the year but when we were there in March it was very cool inside the caves.

Petite Syrah and Tempranillo in barrels

The room where they store the wine in barrels usually for 12 months.

They also have recycled used wine bottles as “window treatments” to let in natural light based on the position of the window.

A different view of how the old wine bottles defuse the light.

Holding Vats

View of the vats in the cave and how the old wine bottle glass lets in some natural light.

They use the old wine bottles to create a unique obscure window treatment

After the tour we visited the tasting room and sampled all of their wines. In general we found them all to be very nice and we of course left with a number of them.

The Mezcla de Tintos is aged 12 months in barrels and 12 months the bottle. 13.5% alcohol. Smokey bouquet with long legs. Good finish, fruit taste. Earthly, ruby red color. Our rating: 3.5 out of 5. Please note that this wine is only available at the winery.

The Clos de Tres Cantos “Mezcla de Tintos”.

The 2013 Noesis is 100% Tempranillo. It is aged 12 months french oak, 12 months bottle. The wine has good legs, is a lighter red color, with a musty or yeasty aroma. The wine is smooth but not as bold. Our rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Clos de Tres Cantos “Noesis” which is a pure Tempranillo.

The 2013 Resilencia is 100% Petite Sarah. It is aged 12 months in French oak and 23 months in the bottle. 14.5% alcohol. Dry, fruity, good finish with a red fruit aroma. Our rating: 3.5 out of 5

The Resilencia is a 100% Petite Syrah.

I forgot to shoot an image of the wine Nada which is a 2013 vintage. It is 100% Tempranillo. It is aged 12 months french oak, 12 months bottle. The wine has good legs, is a lighter red color, with a musty or yeasty aroma. The wine is smooth but not as bold. Our rating: 3.5 out of 5

Address: Carretera Tecate – Eseada, km. 89m Rancho Santa Lucía, San Antonio de las Minas, Baja California.

website:www.closdetrescantos.com
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Clos-de-Tres-Cantos-1498521527058077
Telephone: +52 (55) 8568 9240
Wine maker: Maria J. Benitez Cantarero y Joaquín Moya Cussi

Vena Cava Vinícola

March 21, 2016 No Comments

On Friday we visited Vena Cava and winery owned by Phil and Eileen Gregory, where Phil is also the Enólogo. The winery is made up of a number of upside down boats which welcomes you to a slightly funky decor.

The entrance to the Vena Cava vinicola.

Vena Cava

The architecture of the Vena Cava winicola is based upon upside down boats.

There also is a water pond just past the parking lot. It gives a beach front feeling that you will not receive at any of the other wineries.

Beach Front at Vena Cava?

When we entered the winery, the crew were in the middle of bottling some of the wine. Very organized and productive process.

Bottling Rose at Vena Cava

Inside the barrel storage area, the a numerous barrels of various blends, some of which have the same grapes but have slightly different mixes of the grapes.

La Cava en la Vena Cava

Prior to our tasting Jo Ann was having a conversation about the history of the wines.

Jo Ann in the Vena Cava Tasting Room

Vena Cava has an extensive portfolio of wines, but alas we did not get to taste all of them.

Seleccion de vino en Vena Cava

We did not get to try this bottle yet, so I can not comment on the taste or aroma.

We did not get to try this bottle yet, maybe we will return, but the blend looks very interesting to me.

I enjoyed the Vena Cava Zinfandel. I found the wine had a great deep red color, good clarity. It had a fruity but was not spicy. I rated it 3.5 out of 5.

The Vena Cava Rosado 2014 was a very unique blend for a Rosado. It has long legs, but was a little thin on taste. My rating was 2.5 out of 5.

The white was a mix of varietals and was very good. It has a sweet taste but is very complex for a white wine. I rated this 4.0 out of 5.

View across the Valle

We did come back the following Tuesday in order to meet up with Phil and talk about his wines. Here is Jo Ann and Phil sharing a great glass of the Big Blend.

Phil Gregory and Jo Ann

Address: Rancho San Marcos, Toros Pintos S7N, Ejido Francisco Zarco, Ensenada, B.C.

Phone: +52 (646) 156-8053

www.venacavawine.com

email: venacavawines@gmail.com

Left Over Pizza

March 21, 2016 No Comments

Last night we thinking about what to make for dinner and we came up with a home run pizza. We used the left over fig and onion sauce from the Fig and Onion Caramelle we made on Friday as the topping for a pizza using some pizza dough sitting in the refrigerator.

Here is what the pizza looked like after having rolled out the dough, covering it with the fig and onion sauce and adding some bacon and mozzarella cheese.

Fig and Onion Pizza Dressed and Ready For the BBQ

With the BBQ heated to a little over 500°, it cooked for six minutes.

While the pizza was cooking Jo Ann whipped up some haricot vert and shallots that were also in the refrigerator.

Haricot Vert with Shallots

We paired this with a 2013 Calixa Syrah from Monte Xanic, which was an excellent wine for the sweet and salty taste of the pizza. The final result came out great, all from using left overs that we kind of threw together.

Fig and Onion Pizza Fresh Off The BBQ

Restaurante Laja

March 20, 2016 No Comments

Our first night’s dinner was at Restaurante Laja, one that comes highly recommended. It’s location is very difficult to find and there are no lights and the signage is very hard to see at night. Luckily we had driven by the restaurant during the daylight hours so we knew where we were going.

The evening was getting cooler so it was nice to be able to sit near the fireplace where there was a nice fire burning.

When we walked into Laja last night for dinner we knew were going to enjoy the meal as there was a fire in the fireplace.

The ambiance of the restaurant is nice and not overly opulent.

The bar at Laja

Any good restaurant must have a good capaccinno machine and Laja did not disappoint.

Before we ordered we were given a basket of warm home made bread that seemed to be fresh from the oven. The olive oil was from Rancho Cortez, a small family run farm that we were planning to visit in the next two days or so.

Outstanding French Intergral bread and local olive oil from Rancho Cortez.

The menu consisted of a four course tasting menu (you can go with the longer version but that was beyond our appetites).

Jo Ann started with the Oven Beet Salad, which was beautiful, colorful and very tasty.

Not only was the presentation beautiful but the flavors outstanding.

We also also had the Warm Carrot Salad. The carrots were almost burnt but were outstanding.

The next course was the Salmon Tartar, which was actually bland but very well presented and colorful.

Very beautiful presentation but the dish was not very bold or tasteful.

My second plate was the Burdock Ravioli, which is served in a consume with spinach, parsley and chives. The consume was excellent as was the Burdoc Ravoli. My only disappointment was the presentation was not very exiting. Overall it was outstanding.

Sorry that this image is not very sharp, I must have been excited to taste it.

The third plate was the Pan Roasted White fish, which was very tender, very flavorful. It was nicely cooked as the vegetables were crisp but tender.

My pan roasted white fish was excellent and very flavorful.

The other third plate that we had was the oven roasted local quail was also excellent and very well presented. The quail was moist, flavorful with a nice rub.

The oven roasted local quail was also excellent and very well presented.

We ended our meal with the Chocolate Cream with Cardamon ice cream and tulip pastry. It was absolutely wonderful.

Absolutely delightful

For our wine selections we also went with the paired wines. Many of these were nice but not many we would have searched out. The only one that was truly good was the late harvest Chenin Blanc from Monte Xanic. We are already planning to visit this winery so I know that there will be some of these bottles coming home with us.

Serve seemed stiff and somewhat pretentious especially as the evening unfolded. Some times the wines would not be served with the meals and some plates came early or late.

Overall my rating for Laja was a 3.0 out of 5 with a price ranking of $$$. I don’t know if I would return to Laja.

Year: 2016

Beauty Can Be Bland But Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream Always Saves The Day

Cavas del Mogor

Perinea Blanco 2014

Perinea 2013

Mogor-Badan 2012

Alximia Vino Elemental

Organic Farmers Market at El Mogor

Cremeria Los Globos

Rancho Cortés

Clos de Tres Cantos

Vena Cava Vinícola

Left Over Pizza

Restaurante Laja

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