Edible San Diego E Edition Issue #53 Special Issue May 2019
Edible San Diego E Edition Issue #53 Special Issue May 2019
Edible San Diego E Edition Issue #53 Special Issue May 2019
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Explore the flavors of <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> County<br />
NO. 53 • SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong><br />
EDIBLESANDIEGO.COM<br />
MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES<br />
ROOTED<br />
IN<br />
FLAVOR
2 ediblesandiego.com
Rooted in Flavor • <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Issue</strong><br />
CONTENTS<br />
<strong>Issue</strong> 53<br />
IN THIS ISSUE<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
4 Publisher’s Note<br />
LIVING LOCAL<br />
6 Hot Dish, Liquid Assets, Let’s Grow<br />
EATING WELL<br />
9 Five Ways to Eat a Cactus<br />
GROWING GOOD<br />
12 Finfish Farming: Envisioning<br />
Aquaculture in <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong><br />
STAYCATION<br />
26 Finding Bliss in Tecate<br />
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS<br />
28 Check This Out, Events, In Season<br />
31 Farmers’ Markets<br />
PREP<br />
32 Cóctel de Frutas: How to Make a<br />
Mexican Fruit Cocktail<br />
DIGITAL LINEUP<br />
Find more regional recipes<br />
and cross-border content on<br />
ediblesandiego.com this <strong>May</strong><br />
and June.<br />
Vegan-Friendly Mexican<br />
Street Food<br />
Dining Out in Barrio Logan<br />
The History of the Michelada<br />
A Guide to Eating and Drinking<br />
in Valle de Guadalupe<br />
Craft Breweries to Try Now<br />
in Tijuana<br />
The Ultimate Guide to Ordering<br />
Street Tacos<br />
Eating Chiles for Health<br />
All About Heirloom Corn<br />
Weekend Escape to Tecate<br />
The Story of Kahlúa<br />
FEATURES<br />
Tres Generaciones<br />
Three Generations<br />
PAGE 15<br />
Somos Diversos<br />
We Are Diverse<br />
PAGE 16<br />
A Modern Infusion of<br />
Indigenous Ingredients<br />
PAGE 18<br />
Cena con Mi Familia<br />
Dinner with My Family<br />
PAGE 21<br />
ON THE COVER: The marlin tlacoyos at Los<br />
Compas are a twist on a pre-Hispanic<br />
specialty made with heritage corn and<br />
topped with marlin, avocado, and pickled<br />
white peppers. Read more on page 18.<br />
Modern Rituals and Traditional<br />
Mexican Wellness Practices<br />
Ten Essential Mexican<br />
Cooking Tools<br />
The Bonita Museum Displays<br />
Cali-Mex Agricultural Heritage<br />
How to Make Flour and Corn<br />
Tortillas at Home<br />
Destination Dining: A Master<br />
Gardener in the Kitchen at<br />
Corazón de Tierra<br />
Fausto Polanco Furniture in<br />
Rosarito, Mexico merges rich<br />
traditions of the past with<br />
modern influences of today.<br />
faustopolanco.com.mx<br />
OLIVIA HAYO<br />
2 ediblesandiego.com
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 3
PUBLISHER’S NOTE |<br />
Nava family<br />
summer in<br />
Weldon, CA,<br />
circa 1972.<br />
Table Talk<br />
I<br />
f we are what we eat, then we are so many things. For just<br />
a moment, think back to when you were young: What did<br />
you eat, and who prepared it for you? Go back one or two<br />
generations more and consider what culinary traditions shaped<br />
your life today.<br />
My ancestors made their way from England, Scotland,<br />
France, and Spain to the US and Mexico generations ago, and<br />
fast-forward, I am a mid-century Girl Scout who learned my<br />
way around the kitchen by helping my mom from an early age.<br />
She passed on the essential life skills, like showing me how many<br />
different things you can put in a tortilla for an after-school snack.<br />
Growing up as part of a very large extended family, I looked<br />
forward to every holiday because something fun was always in<br />
the works—sleepovers, camping, and big Christmas potlucks.<br />
Nowadays, plant-strong or low-carb options may sit alongside the<br />
holiday tamales, but we make sure one cousin brings the Jell-O<br />
salad. One bite brings back memories of beloved aunties and<br />
uncles since passed and the countless adventures, sunsets, milestones,<br />
and hugs we shared.<br />
Year by year, my childhood saw a formerly rural area become<br />
suburbanized. Our little orchard and garden became like an<br />
island as dairy farms and citrus orchards gave way all around us.<br />
As the summer heat rose each year, my friends, siblings, and I<br />
would climb apricot and plum trees, eating our fill, while my<br />
mom would stay up late to make jam when the house was cool<br />
and quiet. Those jars glimmered like jewels all year long in our<br />
hall closet—special gifts to be given with uncomparable flavor on<br />
breakfast toast.<br />
We invite you to reminisce about your own food memories,<br />
and to make some new ones. Since we celebrate authenticity,<br />
<strong>Edible</strong> <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> dedicates this special issue, Rooted in Flavor, to<br />
the culinary traditions unique to our part of the world. Because a<br />
plate of food can reveal so much about our shared past, present,<br />
and future.<br />
To add more spice, convenience, and aha moments to your<br />
days and nights, make sure to visit ediblesandiego.com and subscribe<br />
to our monthly newsletter and social media platforms. If<br />
you enjoy our work, please patronize our advertisers’ businesses,<br />
subscribe, and invite your friends to join our rapidly growing<br />
<strong>Edible</strong> <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> community—all of which enables us to keep<br />
these essential conversations happening. Thank you.<br />
Katie Stokes<br />
Publisher, <strong>Edible</strong> <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong><br />
4 ediblesandiego.com
edible Communities<br />
2011 James Beard Foundation<br />
Publication of the Year<br />
MEMBER OF EDIBLE COMMUNITIES<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
Katie Stokes<br />
Editor in Chief<br />
Maria Hesse<br />
Managing Editor<br />
Felicia Campbell<br />
Executive Digital Editor<br />
Olivia Hayo<br />
Associate Editor<br />
Dawn Mobley<br />
Copy Editor<br />
Dee Gomez<br />
Editorial Intern<br />
DESIGN TEAM<br />
Allie Wist<br />
Designer<br />
Olivia Hayo<br />
Lead Photographer<br />
PUBLISHER<br />
Katie Stokes<br />
SALES & MARKETING<br />
Cass Husted<br />
Marketing<br />
John Vawter<br />
Advertising Sales<br />
Scott White<br />
Advertising Sales<br />
@ediblesd<br />
@ediblesandiego<br />
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AND ARTISANAL FARM PRODUCTS RIGHT TO YOUR DOORSTEP<br />
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For more information about rates and deadlines, contact<br />
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from the publisher. © <strong>2019</strong> All rights reserved.<br />
Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions. If<br />
an error comes to your attention, please let us know and accept our<br />
sincere apologies. Thank you.<br />
COVER PHOTO BY OLIVIA HAYO<br />
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SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 5
LIVING LOCAL |<br />
Fresh, exciting,<br />
and vibrant are<br />
the themes<br />
of the Creta<br />
signature pita<br />
(far left), violeta<br />
latte (left), and<br />
the Chicanostyle<br />
mimosa<br />
(bottom).<br />
Hot Dish<br />
Telefónica Gastro Park<br />
BY KELLY BONE<br />
“Food Has No Border” proclaims the billboard rising over the<br />
sun-dappled dining patio of Tijuana’s Telefónica Gastro Park.<br />
Wood-slat stairs rise to seats overlooking the plenitude of dining<br />
options, including many vegetable-heavy dishes and a 100% vegan<br />
taqueria. Here, local and global flavors hug an onsite brewery<br />
decorated in fluttering piñatas, and murals scratch at the surface of<br />
issues like immigration, community, and humanity at large.<br />
La Taqueria Vegiee<br />
Chef Antonio Quintero’s La Taqueria Vegiee is beloved on both<br />
sides of the border (they also have a food truck rooted in South<br />
Park). The adobada taco highlights the classic flavors of Tijuana<br />
with the craft of a vegan kitchen. Stuffed with trigo—a chewy<br />
seitan made with wheat, barley, and rye—marinated in achiote<br />
paste and thyme, the protein comes folded in a corn tortilla<br />
with cilantro, chopped onions, and guacamole.<br />
» facebook.com/lataqueriavegiee<br />
Creta<br />
The spirit of the Mediterranean rises in the vegetable-loaded<br />
Creta. This portobello pita (above) rolls flame-grilled mushrooms<br />
with cherry tomatoes, paper-thin red onions, fat cuts<br />
of avocados, and baby greens (hold the basil aioli for a vegan<br />
option) in a pillowy flatbread. More greens are tossed with<br />
chopped tomatoes and cucumbers dressed in a briny Kalamata<br />
olive tapenade and served on the side.<br />
» facebook.com/cretaft<br />
Satabu<br />
Colorful vegetables laze across a flour tortilla in the hongos<br />
mixtos tacos at Satabu. Roasted mushrooms and juicy poblano<br />
peppers come threaded with fideos de arroz (rice noodles), pinto<br />
beans, and bits of corn under pickled purple cabbage, cilantro,<br />
and guacamole. A self-administered splash of salsa will blend<br />
the flavors together perfectly. Cash only.<br />
» facebook.com/satabutj<br />
Telefónica Gastro Park<br />
Boulevard Aguacaliente #8924<br />
Tijuana, Baja California 22000<br />
» facebook.com/TelefonicaGastroPark<br />
KELLY BONE; ERIN JACKSON (2)<br />
6 ediblesandiego.com
Liquid Assets<br />
BY ERIN JACKSON<br />
Three ways to satiate your thirst with modern<br />
Mexican beverages in Barrio Logan<br />
Where the chefs shop.<br />
Open to the public everyday 8-5 pm.<br />
Border X Brewing<br />
Any of the brewery’s beers can be michelada-fied with a splash of La<br />
Diabla mix, but the Pepino Sour, a Berliner Weisse with lime and<br />
cucumber, serves as the ultimate pelo del perro (hair of the dog).<br />
» borderxbrewing.com<br />
Por Vida<br />
Unique drinks like violeta latte, spicy mango lemonade, and<br />
horchata cold brew are offered at this neighborhood coffee shop<br />
and art gallery. But the mazapan latte, served hot or cold with<br />
De La Rosa mazapan crumbles, is a standout.<br />
» porvidacollective.com<br />
Barrio Dogg<br />
The Chicano-style mimosa features a mini bottle of Mexican bubbly<br />
upended in tropical punch with key lime juice and chamoy. A<br />
Tajín rim adds a salty, spicy bite that boosts the fruity flavors.<br />
» barriodogg.com<br />
Let’s Grow<br />
El Chayote<br />
Poderoso<br />
BY JESSICA GONZALEZ<br />
Native to Latin America, specifically Mexico and Guatemala,<br />
chayote was a staple in the Aztec diet for centuries. <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>’s<br />
proximity often affords us a similar climate, providing a spectacular<br />
opportunity to grow one of Mexico’s prized culinary gifts.<br />
This tropical squash is a perennial favorite and gardener’s dream<br />
as it produces year after year. Likened to dense cucumbers, chayotes<br />
can be consumed raw or cooked. Thinly sliced in fresh ceviche,<br />
added to soups, or pickled atop carnitas tacos, chayotes deliver an<br />
exceptionally versatile harvest.<br />
Chayotes are opportunists: The hearty vines are enthusiastic<br />
climbers, so placement is key. Select an organic chayote from your<br />
local farmers’ market and rest it, stem end up, on organic garden<br />
soil in full sun. Within a few weeks your chayote will sprout<br />
(think sprouting potatoes) and begin unfurling small vines. Once<br />
the vines are five to six inches long, pop the chayote directly in the<br />
ground, ensuring the vines are exposed. This rapid grower wants<br />
organic compost, nitrogen, and a layer of mulch. Water your plant<br />
when the soil is dry to the touch, adding diluted fish emulsion<br />
every two to three weeks. Harvest chayote when they are four to<br />
six inches long. They keep well refrigerated for up to a month.<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 7
Fabulous<br />
HILLCREST<br />
FARMERS<br />
MARKET<br />
Sundays<br />
9AM-2PM<br />
HILLCRESTFARMERSMARKET.COM<br />
8 ediblesandiego.com
| EATING WELL<br />
Low in fat, high in fiber<br />
and antioxidants, tart<br />
and crisp nopales grow<br />
abundantly throughout<br />
our region.<br />
Five Ways to Eat a Cactus<br />
BY FELICIA CAMPBELL<br />
T<br />
he most commonly eaten cactus is the prickly pear or Opuntia.<br />
In Mexico, the pads or nopales are called lengua de vaca—<br />
“cow's tongue”—and in Sicily, the fruit or tuna is referred to as fico<br />
d'India, or “Indian fig.” Both the fruit and the pads can be eaten<br />
cooked or raw and are a great source of fiber and antioxidants, but<br />
they do require a little prep before getting started.<br />
Nopales have a bright, vegetal flavor, like an amped-up stalk<br />
of asparagus. Select paddles that are green and plump. Smaller,<br />
thinner young paddles are more tender. While most store-bought<br />
pads will already have their sharp spines removed, you’ll still want<br />
to wash the pad. Hold it at an angle to slice off any remaining<br />
spines and cut out the eyes where the spines were attached. Trim<br />
off the outer quarter-inch of the pad and the thick base and the<br />
nopales are ready to cook.<br />
The tuna fruits are a great addition to any fruit-based dish or<br />
salad, with a taste that’s somewhere between watermelon and<br />
bubble gum. To prepare them, slice off both ends and make one<br />
vertical cut down the body of the pear. Slip your fingers into the<br />
slit and grab the skin. Peel off the thick outer skin and discard. The<br />
flesh is filled with tiny seeds, which are completely edible. Chop<br />
and toss with orange slices and mint for a simple fruit salad.<br />
Now that your nopales and tuna are ready to go, here are five<br />
ways to cook with them.<br />
Grilled Nopales<br />
Preheat a grill to medium and brush the pads with olive oil<br />
and a hearty sprinkle of salt and pepper. Grill them over medium<br />
to medium-high heat until golden, about 3 minutes on each side.<br />
Grilled nopales can be cut into strips and added to tacos<br />
or left whole and used as a base for tostada toppings like salty<br />
cheese, refried beans, or stewed meat.<br />
Blanched Nopales<br />
Add cleaned nopal paddles, whole or sliced, to cold water in<br />
a pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. As the cactus<br />
cooks, it turns a darker green and releases a sticky liquid similar<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 9
EATING WELL |<br />
to your muffin or cupcake batter, or use the juice to add a complex<br />
layer of flavor to your lemon bars.<br />
Nopal Tortillas<br />
Soften 4–5 cactus pads in boiling water with a pinch of salt and<br />
½ teaspoon baking soda for 5 to 10 minutes. Process the pads<br />
with a few sprigs of cilantro in a blender or food processor until<br />
smooth. Add about 4 ½ cups masa harina to a large mixing bowl<br />
and slowly add pureed nopales and warm water in batches, mixing<br />
as you go, until the dough is the consistency of soft cookie dough.<br />
Mix in 1 teaspoon of salt. Separate the dough into 16 small balls<br />
and refrigerate for 10 minutes to an hour. When ready to cook,<br />
flatten each ball between two sheets of wax paper with a rolling pin<br />
until they are about ⅛ inch thick. Cook on a skillet or comal over<br />
medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until they puff.<br />
Enjoy in place of traditional corn or flour tortillas.<br />
to okra; skim this juice and discard while the nopales simmer.<br />
Continue cooking until the cactus is al dente, about 10 minutes.<br />
Rinse to remove any remaining liquid and pat dry.<br />
To make a simple salad, toss blanched nopales with tomato,<br />
onion, cilantro, and ranchero cheese with lime and salt to<br />
taste. You can also add the blanched nopales to casseroles or<br />
scrambles along with diced chiles to add a hearty texture to a<br />
meatless dish.<br />
Juiced Prickly Pear<br />
To extract the juice of the prickly pear fruit, place peeled<br />
fruit into a blender or food processor and pulse until liquefied.<br />
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher or bowl and discard<br />
remaining pulp and seeds. Six to 12 tunas will yield about<br />
one cup of juice.<br />
Add the juice to fresh lemonade, add an ounce to your margarita,<br />
or simply combine equal parts seltzer water and juice for<br />
a refreshing spritz.<br />
Baked Prickly Pear<br />
Swap peaches for prickly pear in a simple cobbler, dice and add<br />
HUNGRY FOR MORE?<br />
We publish new seasonal<br />
recipes every week. Get inspired<br />
at ediblesandiego.com.<br />
Prickly Pear Soda with Tajín<br />
and Mint<br />
By Olivia Hayo<br />
Chili-Lime Avocado Salad<br />
By Olivia Hayo<br />
Grilled Elote: Mexican-Style<br />
Corn<br />
By Felicia Campbell<br />
Vegan Cajun-Spiced<br />
Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos<br />
By Alexa Soto<br />
From the left: Vegan<br />
Cajun-Spiced Cauliflower<br />
Chickpea Tacos and<br />
Charred Corn and Grilled<br />
Stone Fruit Salad.<br />
Charred Corn and Grilled<br />
Stone Fruit Salad<br />
By Olivia Hayo<br />
Grilled Green Tomato<br />
Panzanella Salad<br />
By Olivia Hayo<br />
Watermelon, Feta, and<br />
Tomato Salad<br />
By Olivia Hayo<br />
Agua Frescas: Tasty Mocktails<br />
By Miguel Valdez<br />
Three-Step <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>-Style<br />
Campechana<br />
By Mitch Conniff<br />
OLIVIA HAYO, ALEXA SOTO<br />
10 ediblesandiego.com
LEARN ABOUT<br />
LOCALLY MADE COFFEE,<br />
CIDER, WINE, TEA,<br />
AND MORE<br />
SDBEVTIMES.COM<br />
@SDBEVTIMES<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 11
GROWING GOOD |<br />
Finfish Farming<br />
Envisioning Aquaculture<br />
in <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong><br />
BY ELAINE MASTERS<br />
A<br />
bout three miles offshore, a fishing boat tethers to a large<br />
circular ring bobbing on the surface—a fish pen swaying in<br />
a current and moored to the ocean floor nearly 300 feet below.<br />
Inside the carefully structured net, thousands of yellowtail flash as<br />
they move up and down the water column. The pen casts a shadow<br />
where wild fish cluster and claim shelter, while others shuttle<br />
beneath looking for food.<br />
This is the vision Don Kent, CEO of Hubbs-SeaWorld Research<br />
Institute (HSWRI), shares with other scientists, the Port of <strong>San</strong><br />
<strong>Diego</strong>, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration<br />
(NOAA). While local shellfish farms have been successfully<br />
established for years, open ocean finfish pens in federal waters along<br />
<strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>’s coast would be a first for the nation.<br />
Eating fish is generally considered a healthy, environmentally<br />
positive option and aquaculture could make the benefits more accessible<br />
and affordable. The scientists at Sustainable Fisheries point<br />
out that “the more seafood that is eaten in place of cow, the better,<br />
since [industrial] bovine farming is the largest driver of rainforest and<br />
biodiversity loss on the planet.”<br />
Aquaculture, the practice of growing water based species, has been<br />
going on for millennia. The Chinese farmed freshwater fish a thousand<br />
years ago and people in the Mediterranean raised carp as far<br />
back as the Middle Ages. Much later, in 1851, the state of California<br />
began regulating fisheries. By 1970 the Aquaculture Development<br />
Act declared that “it’s in the interest of the people that the practice<br />
of aquaculture be encouraged in order to augment food supplies,<br />
expand employment, promote economic activity, increase native fish<br />
stocks…and better use the land and water resources of the state.”<br />
California aquaculture has been in process ever since, along with<br />
growing pains and well-documented aquaculture fails outside of<br />
California that have left deep impressions, concerns, and mistrust.<br />
In 2018, a marine salmon farm in the Pacific Northwest failed,<br />
allowing over 300,000 Atlantic salmon to escape into Puget Sound.<br />
There’s little evidence that many survived, and whether they’ll<br />
compete with wild salmon has yet to be determined.<br />
The yellowtail that HSWRI is proposing for pens are a local<br />
species that is mostly caught in Mexico. <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> waters, on the<br />
northern end of their habitat, are just warm enough to potentially<br />
make farming them sustainable.<br />
<strong>Issue</strong>s and opportunities<br />
Pen density is one environmental issue that local aquaculture<br />
must manage. Elsewhere around the world, packed cages have<br />
increased the risk and transmission of disease. Kent and fellow<br />
HSWRI scientist Mark Drawbridge have been refining aquaculture<br />
best practices to keep pen populations low and yield<br />
healthier fish. Since 1982, HSWRI has worked with the state’s<br />
Ocean Resources Enhancement and Hatchery Program to grow<br />
and release white sea bass spawned and raised at their Carlsbad<br />
hatchery for both sport and commercial fishermen to harvest.<br />
Meanwhile, HSWRI has been exporting technical knowledge<br />
as well as hatchlings across borders to operations like Pacifico<br />
Aquaculture, a striped bass farm in northern Baja California.<br />
“Our investment in research is used across the border and then<br />
we buy the product back,” notes Kent.<br />
Striped sea bass came to Northern California by train for the<br />
World Expo in the 1920s and were later released into the <strong>San</strong><br />
Francisco Bay. In Southern California, the fast growing striped<br />
bass flourish in the Pacifico pens but can’t spawn successfully<br />
outside of their freshwater hatchery.<br />
Pacifico founder Omar Alfi and partner Daniel Farag both<br />
graduated from USC with degrees in business and private<br />
equity. Alfi felt that they “weren’t making anything tangible<br />
or impacting the world” before looking at food spaces and the<br />
growing global need for more protein. When they took over an<br />
existing northern Baja aquaculture facility that was in bankruptcy,<br />
they quickly realized that success was dependent on a<br />
closed system. Today, their fish pens float above an offshore<br />
submarine canyon. The health of the fishery is validated by the<br />
nearly 200 diverse employees and weekly water and ocean floor<br />
tests conducted by Mexican regulatory agencies.<br />
Some environmental concerns with aquaculture are more<br />
verifiable than others. A Coastkeeper report warns of “elevated<br />
levels of antibiotic residues, antibiotic resistant bacteria… and<br />
viruses in aquaculture raised finfish and shellfish.” Kent asserts<br />
such reports are unreliable since regulations require that chemical<br />
treatments can only be made with the consent of a veterinarian,<br />
and only chemicals that are not retained in the fish flesh are used.<br />
Problems with fish deformities, genetic integrity, and<br />
ERIC WOLFINGER PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
12 ediblesandiego.com
| GROWING GOOD<br />
euthanasia have also been reported. Although, aside from<br />
euthanasia, these harsh realities occur in the natural world<br />
and inform the practices of raising healthy farmed fish.<br />
Much has been learned and remedied in US waters and<br />
local operations could continue to make improvements with<br />
easier oversight, while reducing the carbon footprint by<br />
harvesting closer to market.<br />
Feed accounts for 50% of operation costs, and its<br />
ingredients are another sensitive topic for consideration.<br />
HSWRI is interested in a fish-based diet made from byproducts,<br />
or fish cuttings that are currently considered waste.<br />
This feed would reduce impacts on wild-caught fish and<br />
keep protein out of landfills. Overfeeding or feed waste is<br />
not a problem for aquaculture companies like Pacifico where<br />
employees watch a video monitor as fish pellets drop into<br />
the pens. When the fish stop feeding, they turn off the food,<br />
which minimizes waste on the ocean floor.<br />
Most wild fish harvests are reaching maximum<br />
sustainable yield<br />
In US waters, fish stocks are managed carefully on many<br />
levels. However, imported seafood, whether wild or farmed,<br />
is not subject to the same verifications, restrictions, size and<br />
capture limits, humane labor conditions, and water monitoring<br />
regulations. Kent says, “If we farm it ourselves, we’ll set<br />
our own standards.” We’ll know what we’re getting.<br />
Fish farming could help address the confusion over labeling<br />
or fish fraud: For example, LoveTheWild, a packaged farmedfish<br />
product endorsed by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation<br />
uses labeling that reveals where the fish was harvested. Kent<br />
envisions a QR code system at fish counters that would disclose<br />
when, where, and by whom the fish was harvested.<br />
Fishing jobs and the independent fisherman<br />
Commercial and sport fishermen aren’t convinced that US<br />
aquaculture development is in their best interest and demand<br />
a place in the discussions at national and state levels. What<br />
impact fish farming will have remains to be seen but there is evidence<br />
that aquaculture pens can be fishery enhancement tools.<br />
Pablo <strong>San</strong>chez-Jerez from the University of Alicante reported<br />
at the Offshore Mariculture Conference in 2010 that<br />
“the effect of attraction seems to be higher around farms than<br />
around traditional FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices)…with<br />
up to 2,800 times more wild fish in their immediate vicinity<br />
compared to areas without farms.”<br />
Drawbridge agrees, citing a study at their Catalina fish farm<br />
that found “pens are aggregating devices where fish seek shelter<br />
and create a thriving ecosystem, one that fishermen could use.”<br />
Aquaculture creates fishing jobs, as Pacifico has shown, but<br />
some fishermen prefer independence —though aquaculture<br />
might also provide stability for those in the ever-shifting<br />
industry. Kent says, “I know guys that leave from <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong><br />
and go all the way up to Oregon to fish for tuna, and they’re<br />
tired of it. They’d like to make a living for their families here.<br />
We need the boats. We need the labor. The 75 jobs on the<br />
farms themselves aren’t guys in white lab coats. It’s going<br />
to be guys that know how to work in rough water handling<br />
product. We’ll create another 200 jobs upstream and down,<br />
directly and indirectly. That’s 300 jobs from less than onethird<br />
of a square kilometer of surface area in the open sea.”<br />
The farmed species could also supplement wild landings, and<br />
it’s possible that wild-caught seafood would continue its trend<br />
towards greater value.<br />
Aquaculture: Net gain or net loss?<br />
Could aquaculture devastate the US fishing industry? Noah<br />
Oppenheim, executive director of the Pacific Coast Fisherman,<br />
claims that “this emerging industrial practice is incompatible<br />
with sustainable commercial fish practices embraced by our<br />
nation for generations.” The sentiment was supported by over a<br />
hundred organizations in reaction to proposals easing aquaculture<br />
permitting in Congress. Others are looking for one agency<br />
to provide oversight of projects.<br />
Hallie Templeton of Friends of the Earth, a non-governmental<br />
agency (NGO) has attended NOAA public comment panels<br />
around the country and also worries that pushing for corporate<br />
profits will come at the expense of the environment and<br />
fishermen’s livelihoods. Currently, less than 10% of the seafood<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 13
GROWING GOOD |<br />
consumed in our country is landed by US fishermen, so fishing<br />
jobs have already been lost to other countries.<br />
With increasing protein sources as a goal, other NGOs recommend<br />
land-based fish pens, but to date operation costs make the<br />
fish too expensive to compete in the marketplace. The abundance<br />
of water necessary to operate is an issue and more than one<br />
land-based seafood operation went under when oxygen levels,<br />
overheating, or water quality issues decimated their stock.<br />
Much has been made of the fact that only big players are<br />
involved in the game. The pro-aquaculture lobby Stronger<br />
America Through Seafood (SATS) has members in every part<br />
of the industry. Their mission is to increase the “US production<br />
of healthful, sustainable, and affordable seafood.” In truth, only<br />
large, well-funded endeavors have a chance to build and operate<br />
fish farms big enough to be commercially viable.<br />
<strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> finfish aquaculture remains a possibility<br />
The United Nations notes that about 8.6 billion people will<br />
call earth home by 2030, indicating a great need for future<br />
sources of protein—and aquaculture could be part of the<br />
solution. The US has the opportunity to create new sources<br />
for seafood or cheap imports will continue to dominate and<br />
further decimate wild fish stocks. Our domestic fishing industry<br />
struggles to compete.<br />
The Port of <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> is developing Blue Tech incubators to<br />
promote aquaculture that is environmentally and economically<br />
sound. They offer planning tools, look at spatial concerns, and<br />
help to identify opportunities. Port program manager Paula<br />
Sylvia helps locate finfish sites around <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>, juggling<br />
regulations that exist in federal and state waters with multiple<br />
agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the<br />
Coastal Zone Management Act and interfacing with NOAA and<br />
the National Ocean Service Centers of Coastal Sciences.<br />
HSWRI and its partners have invested significant resources<br />
and time searching for viable aquaculture sites near <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>.<br />
The pens need to be in water shallow enough with acceptable<br />
currents to tether to the ocean floor. Balancing the interests of<br />
commercial and sport fishermen, the Navy, NGOs, and recreational<br />
and environmental groups has been difficult. Once a<br />
site is agreed upon, the long process of permitting will begin.<br />
Local finfish aquaculture may be years away, but the vision<br />
moves towards reality.<br />
14 ediblesandiego.com
| FEATURE<br />
Tres Generaciones<br />
Three Generations<br />
BY BETH DEMMON<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY JENNIFER PESQUEIRA, EL INDIO<br />
El Indio<br />
3695 India St.<br />
» elindiosandiego.net<br />
M<br />
any generations ago, the Pesqueira family paid<br />
a flat fee of 50 cents to enter Arizona from<br />
Sonora, Mexico.<br />
“Not like it is today,” laughs El Indio president<br />
Jennifer Pesqueira as she shares the story of how<br />
her great-grandparents came to the United States.<br />
The pair moved to Los Angeles, where their family<br />
continued to grow. One of their children, Ralph<br />
Pesqueira, eventually became Ralph Pesqueira Sr.—<br />
and Jennifer’s grandfather and the founder of El<br />
Indio.<br />
“My grandfather started El Indio in August of<br />
1940,” explains Jennifer. “He ran the business up<br />
until he passed away in 1981, and then my dad<br />
[Ralph Pesqueira Jr.] took over.”<br />
Although El Indio has always been in the family,<br />
Jennifer admits she didn’t expect to end up working<br />
there. She’s the only one of her generation at the restaurant,<br />
and even she didn’t officially join the staff<br />
until after college at <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> State University.<br />
Still, some of her earliest memories come straight<br />
from the kitchen.<br />
“About the only thing I learned to do was ask the<br />
people in the kitchen for my little burrito. My dad<br />
would make me say ‘gracias’ to the whole room, and<br />
they’d always giggle at me,” she recalls.<br />
Over the years, El Indio grew to four locations,<br />
but consolidated back to the original space around<br />
1994. Even with these shifts, much remained the<br />
same—especially the recipes brought from Sonora<br />
by the first Pesqueiras.<br />
While El Indio is famous for their taquitos and<br />
their bagged corn tortilla chips at local food retailers,<br />
they’ve added non-fried items to their menu<br />
to meet the demands of health-conscious diners.<br />
Jennifer also mentions recent laws aimed at reducing<br />
plastic and styrofoam waste as bigger financial<br />
hurdles for the small business to absorb, but both<br />
she and her father are confident in their ability to<br />
roll with the necessary changes.<br />
After nearly 40 years at the helm, today Ralph Jr.<br />
enjoys a more relaxed grip on the restaurant. “My<br />
dad’s kind of retired. He just sort of sits back and<br />
makes sure I don’t mess up,” chuckles Jennifer.<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 15
FEATURE |<br />
Somos Diversos<br />
We Are Diverse<br />
Sacred Expedition with Captain Gaspar de<br />
Portolá and his party of soldiers going through<br />
Goat Canyon in what is the US-Mexico<br />
border today. Painting by Benjamin Meza<br />
<strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>-Baja Cuisine Has Been<br />
Multiethnic for Two Centuries<br />
BY BARBARA ZARAGOZA<br />
I<br />
n 1821, Mexico declared independence from Spain and Alta<br />
(Upper) California came under the Mexican flag. By then,<br />
a large community of men and women had come from Baja<br />
California and Central Mexico during the late 1700s onwards<br />
and settled in what today constitutes the state of California.<br />
They forged a fiercely autonomous identity, and not wanting<br />
to be known as Españoles or Mexicanos, they began calling<br />
themselves Californios.<br />
The Californios held prominent political offices in towns<br />
throughout Alta California. They also raised cattle, as selling<br />
hides became a lucrative business. Many of the Californios<br />
traced their ancestors back to 1769, when Gaspar de Portolá<br />
trekked from Baja California into <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> with a large party<br />
of soldiers who were of blended ethnicities precisely because<br />
Mexico under Spanish colonialism had been such a vast melting<br />
pot for centuries. The Californios, like those who came<br />
before them, were of mixed backgrounds, including mestizo,<br />
Afro-Latino, Spanish, Portuguese, Amerindian, and even Jewish<br />
heritages.<br />
The Californios had a distinct way of cooking. William<br />
Smythe, the first to write a definitive history of <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>, described<br />
their food as such: "The Californios naturally survived on<br />
a diet of mostly meat. Alongside beef, they enjoyed veal, but did<br />
not eat venison, mutton, or pork. Added to their staple protein<br />
diet, they made tortillas, tamales, and chili con carne. They ate<br />
fish on Fridays and their sugared pastries were highly prized."<br />
PAINTING: BENJAMIN MEZA; PHOTOS: OLIVIA HAYO<br />
16 ediblesandiego.com
| FEATURE<br />
After California became part of the United States in<br />
1850, the Californios began to lose both their political<br />
influence and their land. Many prominent families from<br />
Old Town <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> migrated to the border region<br />
and their descendants continued living in towns on the<br />
American side, such as <strong>San</strong> Ysidro, and owned small<br />
cattle ranches outside Tijuana. While their prominence<br />
waned, their cuisine experienced a renaissance thanks to<br />
a native-born Virginian named Bertha Haffner-Ginger<br />
who came to Southern California and published the first<br />
known book of Californios cuisine, appropriately titled<br />
California Mexican-Spanish Cookbook.<br />
Her cookbook included recipes for salads, soups,<br />
tamales, omelets, and beans, among others, and she<br />
explained the early distinction of Mexican cuisine in her<br />
introduction: "It is not generally known that Spanish<br />
dishes as they are known in California are really Mexican<br />
Indian dishes. Bread made of corn, sauces of chile peppers,<br />
jerked beef, tortillas, enchiladas, etc., are unknown<br />
in Spain as native foods; though the majority of Spanish<br />
people in California are as devoted to peppery dishes<br />
as the Mexicans themselves, and as the Mexicans speak<br />
Spanish, the foods are commonly called Spanish dishes."<br />
Today, the influence of the Californios persists in the<br />
<strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>-Baja region. Their blend of Mexican, Indian,<br />
and Spanish foods became part of the border culture,<br />
with tamales eaten during Christmas and enchiladas<br />
eaten all year round. In keeping with the multiethnic<br />
heritage of the Californios, the continued growth of<br />
diversity in this area also enriches the culinary terrain.<br />
The Chinese began to settle in Baja California during<br />
the 1800s and to this day tout their signature shark fin<br />
soup at many restaurants. Jewish communities in Chula<br />
Vista, Bonita, and Tijuana remain kosher, refraining<br />
from pork as has been their tradition for thousands of<br />
years and mirroring the diet of early pioneers to Alta<br />
California. The Filipino community has made its mark<br />
in National City where a bust of Filipino nationalist<br />
icon Jose Rizal stands in front of Seafood City, a market<br />
that offers traditional Filipino delights including<br />
lumpia and pancit. Individuals from these communities<br />
have sometimes intermarried, their children tracing<br />
their descendants to ever more diverse heritages. The<br />
children of Filipino and Mexican parents, for example,<br />
identify as Mexipino and continue to shape <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>-<br />
Baja cuisine through new culinary traditions such as<br />
adding longaniza sausage to Mexican scrambled eggs<br />
with chile.<br />
As everywhere, so too in the border region the adage<br />
remains true: We eat our culture. Old and new at once,<br />
these food traditions represent 200 years of the ever-changing<br />
multiethnic heritage of the <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>-Baja region.<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 17
FEATURE |<br />
A Modern<br />
Infusion<br />
of Indigenous<br />
Ingredients<br />
BY FELICIA CAMPBELL<br />
Chefs Mario Peralta and Juan Cabrera come from two different<br />
worlds but were united by a mission to preserve the indigenous ingredients<br />
of Mexico’s past through seasonal, modern dishes that point to<br />
an exciting and sustainable future.<br />
J<br />
uan Cabrera was born in Mexico City and earned his<br />
cooking chops at the world-renowned Pujol restaurant in<br />
the capital, while Mario Peralta, a native of Tijuana, worked up<br />
north under award-winning chef Javier Plascencia at Misión 19<br />
and at Fuego Cocina del Valle in Valle de Guadalupe. The pair<br />
met in 2017 on the second season of Top Chef Mexico. A year<br />
later, in July 2018, they opened Los Compas in Tijuana. The<br />
restaurant’s name loosely translates to “buddies” or “compadres,”<br />
but as they explained, it implies a mission-oriented connection<br />
closer than friendship. Their bond was forged over a shared passion<br />
for celebrating traditional Mexican cuisine and elevating<br />
indigenous ingredients.<br />
At their small, stylish restaurant, heirloom corn varieties are<br />
nixtamalized each day and ground for use in everything from<br />
tortillas to dessert tamales, which retain the corn’s vibrant pink<br />
and blue hues even after being cooked. Though corn has been<br />
cultivated in Mexico for over 10,000 years —with an amazing<br />
diversity of regional variations—this essential ingredient is<br />
in danger of being lost to a monocrop of industrialized yellow<br />
corn. According to Rafael Mier, the founder of the Fundación de<br />
Tortilla Maíz Mexicana, at least 59 varieties of native corn are on<br />
OLIVIA HAYO<br />
18 ediblesandiego.com
| FEATURE<br />
FELICIA CAMPBELL; OLIVIA HAYO; COURTESY LOS COMPAS<br />
The restaurant has a full bar<br />
menu of cocktails, wine, and beer<br />
with plans to offer a selection of<br />
craft beers made in collaboration<br />
with local brewers.<br />
the verge of extinction. The reintroduction of heritage corn varieties<br />
by innovative restaurateurs and chefs, like Peralta and Cabrera, is a<br />
vital part of efforts to raise awareness and promote farming of this<br />
indigenous crop.<br />
At Los Compas, marlin tlacoyos (pre-Hispanic masa ovals, thicker<br />
than a tortilla) are made using pink heirloom corn and come topped<br />
with locally caught marlin, house-pickled güeros chiles, and wedges<br />
of avocado. Tostadas de ceviche verde (green ceviche tostadas) feature<br />
a citrus marinated local catch served on crisp tostadas alongside<br />
smoked cauliflower and draped in a cilantro pesto.<br />
I<br />
n addition to their focus on corn, many of the menu items are<br />
built around seasonal ingredients that reflect the pair’s close<br />
relationship with local farmers. The romanesco asado dish stars<br />
grilled romanesco and mustard greens from Wulf Ruiz’s Cengrow<br />
Organic Farm near Ensenada. The tender, smoky vegetable is<br />
served over what they describe as a <strong>May</strong>an romesco sauce made<br />
with roasted onions, chiles, garlic, and toasted sunflower seeds.<br />
This, and pretty much everything on the menu, benefits from a<br />
drizzle of earthy housemade hot sauce made from chile de arbol,<br />
peanuts, garlic, and dried shrimp heads still bobbing in the spiced<br />
oil and emparting their salty complexity.<br />
Other dishes take inspiration from international influences<br />
that have informed the borderland cuisine of Baja Norte. There<br />
is a prevalence of Chinese food in Mexico thanks to several waves<br />
of Chinese immigration that began in the late 19th century, and<br />
Peralta explained that when he was growing up, Chinese was his<br />
family’s special occasion treat. At Los Compas, such flavors are<br />
incorporated into the taco Chino (Chinese taco), which features a<br />
slightly sweet, Chinese-style sausage, a smear of hoisin sauce and<br />
fresh pickled vegetables served in a silky corn tortilla. Carnitas de<br />
papada de cerdo (pork jowl with kimchi Mexa) features a luscious<br />
fried pork jowl served over a bed of finely shaved, house-pickled<br />
vegetables inspired by the increasingly popular Korean kimchi<br />
variations served at gastro parks around Tijuana.<br />
The playful surprises and pitch-perfect execution continue through<br />
the dessert menu, which features the likes of creamy-as-cheesecake<br />
guava flan and an inventive pan caramelo cornbread bread pudding<br />
topped with white chocolate, cornflake praline, and vanilla ice cream.<br />
Far from a traditional menu, the dishes at Los Compas are a vibrant<br />
celebration of sophisticated, modern Mexican cuisine that is informed<br />
by deep heritage and history, without being limited by it. This<br />
approach makes it one of the most exciting places to taste the terroir<br />
of the region’s past while experiencing a glimpse of its future.<br />
Boulevard Agua Caliente 10594, Aviacion, 22014 Tijuana, BC<br />
» loscompastj.com<br />
NOTES ON GETTING THERE: You’ll need your passport. The restaurant is<br />
a 30-minute drive from downtown <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> and crossing into Mexico is<br />
simple. Getting back to the city can take longer‚ over an hour during peak<br />
traffic. Alternatively, park behind H&M at Las Americas Premium Outlets and<br />
take a 10-minute well-lit walk to the border crossing pedestrian bridge. Use a<br />
ridesharing app like Uber or Lyft for a 10 to 15 minute drive to the restaurant.<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 19
• Best Italian<br />
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20 ediblesandiego.com
| FEATURE<br />
CENA CON<br />
BY MARIA HESSE<br />
I<br />
f you’ve lived in <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> long enough, you may have learned that there’s more than tacos at the<br />
heart of regional Mexican cuisine. Ask around and you’ll hear warm childhood stories depicting a<br />
mother’s various renditions of sopa de fideo and quesadillas, sometimes served twice a day. Others will say<br />
it was the first bite of a California burrito that led to a secret guacamole recipe reserved for special occassions.<br />
In this age of modern conveniences, it’s also about knowing which friends keep a fresh tub of La<br />
Salsa Chilena and a bag of El Indio tortilla chips regularly stocked. These are the foods and experiences<br />
we share with our loved ones, embedded deep within our core, a single bite transporting us back, flavors<br />
manifest memories rich with emotion. Cena con mi familia is Spanish for “dinner with my family.” Here<br />
we share the memories and recipes of cherished dishes from three <strong>Edible</strong> <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> readers, their stories<br />
represent a broader picture—that love for delicious foods connects us all.<br />
Edgar Chong (page 24)<br />
sits in grandmother Irma’s<br />
lap, along with greatgrandmother<br />
Antonia,<br />
great-great-grandmother<br />
Maria, and other family<br />
members in Guadalajara<br />
enjoying tacos.<br />
PHOTO COURTESY EDGAR CHONG<br />
MI FAMILIA<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 21
FEATURE |<br />
or a paper towel. Set aside.<br />
Peel and roughly dice potatoes<br />
to 1-inch cubes and boil<br />
in lightly salted water until<br />
tender, about 15 to 20 minutes;<br />
drain potatoes and place<br />
in a large bowl.<br />
(Tip: Save the potato water<br />
for wild yeast sourdough<br />
bread.)<br />
Add goat cheese, salt, pepper,<br />
and cumin to the potatoes<br />
and mash with a potato<br />
masher.<br />
In a separate bowl, whip egg<br />
whites and cream of tartar<br />
with an electric hand mixer<br />
until stiff peaks form, about 4<br />
to 5 minutes.<br />
Preheat oven to 350°.<br />
To prepare peppers, first slice<br />
one side of the pepper to<br />
open, making sure to keep the<br />
stem intact.<br />
MY FAMILY HAS A HOME IN<br />
Baja California Sur. When I<br />
visit, we adventure around<br />
the area and try different<br />
restaurants, then I try to<br />
recreate the dishes I liked<br />
at home. While dining at<br />
Cielito Lindo in Cardinal, the<br />
restaurant owner invited me<br />
into the kitchen to learn to<br />
cook my favorite version of<br />
Chiles Rellenos de Cardinal.<br />
Chiles Rellenos<br />
de Cardinal<br />
SERVES 6<br />
BASIC RED SAUCE<br />
3–4 tablespoons olive oil<br />
1 small onion, diced<br />
2 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
¼ cup beer or dry white wine<br />
SUZE MCCLELLAN<br />
Ojai and Baja<br />
1 15.4-ounce can tomato sauce<br />
1 cup water<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
1–2 tablespoons butter<br />
(optional)<br />
CHILES RELLENOS<br />
6 poblano peppers<br />
3 large potatoes<br />
10½ ounces goat cheese<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon pepper<br />
1 teaspoon cumin seeds,<br />
crushed<br />
5–6 large egg whites<br />
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar<br />
1 cup all-purpose flour<br />
Peanut oil<br />
¾ cup–1 cup grated cheese<br />
In a medium frying pan, over<br />
medium heat, sauté olive oil,<br />
onion and garlic for 3 to 5 minutes,<br />
stirring occasionally until<br />
onions are translucent. Add<br />
beer or dry white wine and<br />
bring to a simmer for 30 seconds<br />
to burn off the alcohol.<br />
Stir in tomato sauce and water,<br />
return to a boil; lower heat and<br />
simmer for about 30 minutes.<br />
Season to taste and I like to<br />
add butter to finish the sauce.<br />
Char peppers by placing them<br />
over an open flame, dry roasting,<br />
or broiling them. Turn<br />
often to blacken skin evenly,<br />
about 10 minutes. Allow the<br />
peppers to rest until they are<br />
cool enough to handle, 3 to 5<br />
minutes. Place peppers in a<br />
large plastic bag and seal it to<br />
sweat off skins, about 10 minutes.<br />
Most of the charred skin<br />
should fall off easily, but rub<br />
off any excess with your hands<br />
Stuff the pepper with a small<br />
handful of the potato mixture,<br />
just enough to fill the inside<br />
of the pepper.<br />
Lightly dredge the pepper in<br />
flour, shaking off excess. With<br />
your hands, cover the pepper<br />
with the egg white mixture.<br />
Repeat with remaining peppers.<br />
Heat 1” oil in a medium frying<br />
pan over medium-high heat.<br />
Carefully place 1 or 2 peppers<br />
in the oil and fry until you see<br />
a beautiful golden brown color<br />
around the edges, about 1 minute;<br />
gently turn peppers with<br />
tongs and brown the other side.<br />
Place on a paper towel-lined<br />
plate and fry remaining peppers.<br />
Cover the bottom of an ovenproof<br />
casserole dish with a bit<br />
of red sauce. Place peppers<br />
in casserole dish, cover with<br />
more red sauce, and top with<br />
grated cheese.<br />
Bake in the oven until sauce is<br />
sizzling and cheese is melted,<br />
about 25 minutes.<br />
22 ediblesandiego.com
| FEATURE<br />
SANDRA BELCHER<br />
Valley Center<br />
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY SANDRA BELCHER (2); THE MARMOT ON FLICKR<br />
AS A CHILD I LOVED THE<br />
warm comfort of the Mexican<br />
bread pudding called<br />
capirotada. This love came<br />
before I knew what salty and<br />
savory meant and before I<br />
knew cheese and dried fruits<br />
paired so well. It was sweet and<br />
a little salty and I loved it.<br />
As a teen, I finally watched<br />
my grandma make it and was<br />
taken aback by everything that<br />
went into it (and, quite frankly,<br />
maybe even a little grossed<br />
out?). She started with a layer<br />
of tortillas, then added queso,<br />
nuts, and pieces of crusty<br />
bolillo soaked in butter or lard<br />
mixed with brown sugar and<br />
cinnamon. She threw in some<br />
raisins and topped everything<br />
with another layer of tortillas<br />
to keep it moist —all this and I<br />
never saw measuring spoons!<br />
Now, as an adult, it’s comfort<br />
food—yet it’s also something<br />
else. Slightly salty from the<br />
nuts, with sweet cinnamon<br />
syrup and rich, creamy cheese,<br />
it’s everything sophisticated.<br />
Capirotada<br />
SERVES 8<br />
3 cups water<br />
3 cinnamon sticks<br />
6 whole cloves<br />
2 cups dark brown sugar<br />
6 corn tortillas<br />
4 stale bolillo rolls or French<br />
bread, sliced into about 20<br />
slices (for layering)<br />
6 tablespoons lard or butter,<br />
divided by tablespoon<br />
1 cup raisins<br />
1 cup chopped nuts (almonds<br />
or your choice)<br />
1 cup queso Oaxaca or<br />
Monterey Jack cheese cut<br />
into small cubes<br />
½ cup sweetened shredded<br />
coconut<br />
(Tip: I buy bolillo bread already<br />
bagged, sliced, and toasted<br />
in Mexican markets. But you<br />
can toast bread if it’s not stale<br />
enough. You want the bread to<br />
be hard. Capirotada is typically<br />
a Lenten food so the bread is<br />
easily available around Easter.)<br />
Preheat oven to 350°.<br />
Make a syrup by bringing<br />
water, cinnamon sticks,<br />
cloves, and sugar to a boil in<br />
a small saucepan over high<br />
heat. Reduce heat to medium<br />
and simmer for 10 minutes.<br />
Remove cinnamon sticks and<br />
cloves and set syrup aside to<br />
cool slightly.<br />
In an 8-inch round pan, rub 2<br />
tablespoons lard or butter to<br />
coat the bottom and sides of<br />
the pan and line with 4 of the<br />
corn tortillas.<br />
Dip sliced bread in syrup mixture<br />
and begin to layer in the<br />
pan over tortillas, sprinkling<br />
¹/ ³ each of the lard or butter,<br />
raisins, nuts, cheese, and<br />
coconut over the bread.<br />
Repeat for 2 more layers<br />
and drizzle with any remaining<br />
syrup. Top with 2 tortillas<br />
rubbed with butter to keep<br />
moist while baking. Bake until<br />
tortillas on top are crisp and<br />
capirotada is moist in the<br />
center, about 30 minutes.<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 23
FEATURE |<br />
EDGAR CHONG<br />
Little Italy<br />
I GREW UP WITH MY<br />
grandmother in Torreón,<br />
Coahuila, Mexico, where I had<br />
the most humble and delicious<br />
meals of my life. One particular<br />
taco that my grandmother<br />
made for me is called Tacos a<br />
La Malinche. I’d help get all the<br />
ingredients ready for her to cook,<br />
like getting the hen from our<br />
backyard, going to the tortilleria<br />
for a kilo of freshly made tortillas<br />
for 5 pesos, and asking Doña<br />
Chachina for permission to pick<br />
avocados for guacamole from<br />
her backyard tree.<br />
The tortillas are heated directly<br />
on the fire for a unique smoky<br />
burnt tortilla flavor. The chicken is<br />
slowly braised with fresh herbs<br />
and hoja santa, then served<br />
on a bed of guacamole, and<br />
garnished with crispy chicken<br />
skin chicharrones and homemade<br />
crema de rancho (sour cream).<br />
My grandma still makes this<br />
meal for me on my birthday<br />
every year, and I think it’s an<br />
example of family traditions and<br />
embodies how Mexican cuisines<br />
are represented. It’s all about the<br />
remembrance of childhood and<br />
the love of family that was put<br />
into making a simple taco. This<br />
will be a memory that’s in my<br />
head every day of my life.<br />
Tacos a La Malinche<br />
SERVES 4<br />
CHICKEN FILLING<br />
4 quarts water<br />
3 tablespoons salt<br />
1 teaspoon fresh oregano<br />
1 teaspoon fresh thyme<br />
1 leaf hoja santa<br />
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary<br />
1 pound boneless, skinless<br />
chicken breast<br />
CRISPY CHICKEN SKIN<br />
CHICHARRONES<br />
2 sides of chicken breast skin<br />
2 cups kosher salt<br />
4 quarts canola oil<br />
GUACAMOLE<br />
2 avocados<br />
½ serrano chile, minced<br />
½ lime<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
CREMA DE RANCHO<br />
1 pint heavy cream<br />
½ cup buttermilk<br />
4 teaspoons lime juice<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
FOR SERVING<br />
White corn tortillas<br />
Microgreens<br />
Make the chicken: Bring water<br />
and salt to a boil in a large pot;<br />
lower the heat to medium and<br />
add the herbs. Simmer for 3<br />
minutes, then add the chicken.<br />
Cook chicken on low until it<br />
will shred easily, about 30<br />
minutes. Remove chicken from<br />
the pot and finely shred.<br />
Make the chicharrones: Place<br />
chicken skin on a sheet pan<br />
and cover completely with<br />
salt; remove excess. Air dry<br />
for 2 days. In a large cast iron<br />
Dutch oven, heat oil to 350°<br />
and deep fry chicken skin for<br />
45 seconds. Drain on a paper<br />
towel lined plate.<br />
Make the guacamole: Smash<br />
pitted avocados with serrano, a<br />
squeeze of lime juice, and salt<br />
until well incorporated.<br />
Make the crema de rancho: In<br />
a mixing bowl, bring heavy<br />
cream to room temperature<br />
and stir in buttermilk. Cover<br />
the bowl with cheesecloth and<br />
let it sit overnight. Mix in lime<br />
and salt to serve.<br />
Assemble tacos by reheating<br />
tortillas on an open flame. Add<br />
guacamole, top with shredded<br />
chicken and drizzle with<br />
crema de rancho. Garnish with<br />
microgreens and chicken skin<br />
chicharrones.<br />
Now the executive chef at<br />
Puesto at the Headquarters,<br />
Chong plans to offer<br />
this taco on the menu. Below:<br />
Edgar with his grandfather at the<br />
mango fields in Jalisco.<br />
PHOTO COURTESY EDGAR CHONG<br />
24 ediblesandiego.com
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 25
STAYCATION |<br />
A Luxurious<br />
Day Trip to<br />
Tecate Beckons<br />
BY DEBRA BASS<br />
I<br />
f you’ve ever had any trepidation about crossing the border,<br />
this might be the perfect local excursion for those who want<br />
to be spoiled. Rancho La Puerta is located in Tecate about<br />
an hour east of the Otay border. The spa and health-centered<br />
resort renowned for its luxurious weeklong accommodations<br />
offers single-day excursions on select Saturdays of every month.<br />
The day trip includes a 50-minute classic massage, fitness<br />
classes, free time to get in touch with nature or relax by the<br />
pool, healthy morning snacks, Mediterranean lunch, a tour of<br />
the organic garden, and a cooking demonstration and buffet at<br />
La Cocina Que Canta. Round trip transportation to and from<br />
<strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> is included for $345.<br />
My day started with a 7:30am bus ride from the Mission Bay<br />
Visitors Center, and within two hours I found myself seated on<br />
the second floor of a rustic dining hall nibbling on a breakfast<br />
snack buffet of breads and muffins (with and without gluten or<br />
dairy), seasonal fruits, and freshly squeezed juices.<br />
I indicated my food preferences as non-dairy and pescatarian,<br />
and servers and supervisors attentively directed me to the most<br />
suitable choices on the buffet line before I even had to ask. Ingredients<br />
and preparations were readily communicated at every<br />
meal, making it clear that dietary restrictions are addressed with<br />
genuine concern.<br />
We split into groups for a tour of the grounds after breakfast.<br />
It seemed a bit overwhelming and sprawling at first, but once I<br />
learned to make the loop I realized the property is a series of circuitous<br />
paths that make getting lost nearly impossible. Rancho La<br />
Puerta is designed with accidental exercise in mind and the amenities<br />
are purposely sprinkled throughout to incentivize wandering.<br />
Following the morning tour, the itinerary in my welcome<br />
packet described a schedule of fitness classes ranging from<br />
intense core workouts to gentle meditation. I selected the abs<br />
class, followed by yoga—and then it was already time for the<br />
Mediterranean lunch buffet. The maître d' recognized me from<br />
breakfast and guided me to accommodating dishes. I ended up<br />
with a plateful of salads and vegetables that included a blend<br />
of roasted eggplant, bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, snap peas,<br />
tomatoes, and sweet potato, plus a side salad topped with spicy<br />
garbanzo beans.<br />
There was just enough time after lunch for a massage and nap<br />
under a blanket in a quiet lounge area, so I decided to skip the<br />
two-mile hike up Alex’s Oak Trail.<br />
At 3pm we were whisked off to the resort’s culinary center,<br />
La Cocina Que Canta, which translates to “The Kitchen That<br />
Sings.” It was named after the delightful bird songs from the<br />
property’s morning visitors.<br />
We toured the six-acre organic farm attached to the culinary<br />
center and cooking school and got a lesson in devotion.<br />
The farm uses no commercial or animal fertilizers, and we<br />
were introduced to an abundance of happy worms working<br />
through compost. Chef Denise Roa, who has been with the<br />
ranch for eight years, said that the worms are just one of the<br />
many things that make the soil so fertile and the produce so<br />
unparalleled.<br />
26 ediblesandiego.com
| STAYCATION<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY RANCHO LA PUERTA<br />
As we sauntered through the farm rows, she encouraged us<br />
to bend down and snap off tiny stalks of broccoli and leaves of<br />
different varieties of arugula, spinach, and mustard greens. We<br />
stopped often to sample and almost everyone smiled in surprise<br />
at the pleasant flavors of the raw leafy bits. The arugula was<br />
spicy and the broccoli sweet. The real selling point was when<br />
Roa tugged up a bulb of celery and passed around pieces of it.<br />
It was vaguely peppery, earthy, and faintly sweet; certainly not<br />
your typically bland, crunchy stick used as a delivery system for<br />
something with actual flavor. This was celery you could snack<br />
on cheerfully, even if you weren’t on some torturous diet.<br />
The evening meal was made largely from the garden and included<br />
Moroccan sweet potato lentil stew, citrus-marinated kale<br />
with apple and pepitas, arugula salad with quinoa and avocado,<br />
and roasted shrimp and turnips served on cedar planks with<br />
lemon-cilantro chimichurri.<br />
Dessert was a chocolate coconut ginger mousse. We all agreed<br />
that the cups for this heavenly concoction were much too<br />
small—and like the day—ran out too quickly.<br />
»rancholapuerta.com<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 27
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS |<br />
BY ERIN JACKSON<br />
Check This Out<br />
TASTE VENTURE TOURS<br />
As founder of Taste Venture Tours, Dominique<br />
Cancio guides curious explorers to<br />
Barrio Logan to experience the neighborhood’s<br />
unique culinary offerings and learn about its history<br />
and culture.<br />
“I want people to have real conversations—<br />
and the best way I know how to do that is over<br />
food,” says Cancio.<br />
Tours typically depart from Iron Fist Brewing<br />
Co. and include a guided stroll to view the<br />
Chicano Park murals, a behind-the-scenes look<br />
at Thorn Brewery with tacos from Chicano Soul<br />
Food, and a taste of something sweet before a<br />
final stop at Border X for loteria or Latin jazz<br />
night. From start to finish, the experience typically<br />
lasts three to four hours.<br />
Cancio is expanding the company’s offerings<br />
to include daytime Barrio Logan tours and crossborder<br />
excursions to Tijuana and Ensenada.<br />
» tasteventuretours.com<br />
Events<br />
MAY<br />
Gator By The Bay returns with classic<br />
New Orleans cuisine, live music, and<br />
bon temps from <strong>May</strong> 9–12.<br />
» gatorbythebay.com<br />
Join executive chef Jeff Jackson and<br />
Matt Gordon (of Urban Solace) for Playing<br />
With Fire, a wood-fired dinner at<br />
The Grill at Torrey Pines on <strong>May</strong> 6.<br />
» lodgetorreypines.com<br />
AVANT’s culinary team will teach you how<br />
to make a delicious dinner that’s light on<br />
calories and rich in flavor at the AVANT<br />
School of Cooking on <strong>May</strong> 8.<br />
» ranchobernardoinn.com<br />
Journey to Wild Willow Farm for a<br />
South Bay Culinary Tour featuring a<br />
coffee demo, farm-to-table lunch, and<br />
wine tasting on <strong>May</strong> 25.<br />
» epicureansandiego.com<br />
JUNE<br />
The Seedling Soirée is the Olivewood<br />
Gardens & Learning Center’s<br />
annual fundraiser that showcases the<br />
season’s bounty with garden-inspired<br />
cocktails and a chef’s culinary feast on<br />
June 1.<br />
» olivewoodgarden.org<br />
Taste of Little Italy returns with<br />
tasty bites and beverages on a<br />
self-guided tour through one of <strong>San</strong><br />
<strong>Diego</strong>’s most vibrant dining neighborhoods<br />
on June 19.<br />
» littleitalysd.com<br />
Go behind the scenes on a Beer<br />
Geek Tour that starts at White Labs,<br />
followed by lunch at Brothers Provisions<br />
and a tour at Societe Brewing<br />
Company. The info-packed beer experience<br />
takes place on June 29.<br />
» epicureansandiego.com<br />
Find more events online at ediblesandiego.com/event-list.<br />
a comfortable, affordable healthy home awaits you<br />
EcoArtisan Builders<br />
Healthy Homes, Consciously Crafted<br />
Mark Letizia<br />
ecoartisan@mac.com<br />
license 882970<br />
www.ecoartisan.builders<br />
858.569.0415 phone<br />
Gelato, Coffee & Panini<br />
Housemade<br />
Small Batch Gelato<br />
escogelato.com<br />
Downtown Escondido<br />
Featuring local produce from our community.<br />
28 ediblesandiego.com
| LOCAL ATTRACTIONS<br />
BY THEODORE R. NIEKRAS<br />
In Season<br />
FORAGING IN MAY AND JUNE<br />
Although our spring showers have already<br />
come and gone, that old adage about <strong>May</strong> flowers<br />
still stands, especially this year. Hike any<br />
ditch or crevasse and find greens like dandelion,<br />
sow thistle, purslane, wood sorrel, wild fennel,<br />
mallow, wild mustard, and watercress.<br />
Sow thistle, dandelion’s close cousin, is one<br />
of my favorites. Everything from root to shoot<br />
can be eaten on this plant and similar ones, but<br />
watch out for the central stalk that tends to have<br />
small thorns. Kumquat stands out as a citrus<br />
that’ll be plentifully available. Burdock should be<br />
prime for its artichoke-flavored stalk and root.<br />
Last but not least, forage for the common garden<br />
snail in the evening. This snail was reportedly<br />
introduced to California during the Gold Rush<br />
by a Frenchman who dearly missed his escargot.<br />
Disclaimer: When foraging for food, anything<br />
collected should be properly identified and prepared<br />
before consuming.<br />
Step intowonder...<br />
... and explore an endless array of fitness classes and the<br />
beauty of a sacred mountain. Fill up with fresh air and<br />
sun-kissed fare grown on our organic farm. Rancho La<br />
Puerta marries simplicity with splendor. We don’t just<br />
renew minds and bodies. We tend carefully to your soul.<br />
Destination Wellness Resort & Spa<br />
877-440-7778 • RANCHOLAPUERTA.COM<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 29
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION<br />
Neighborhood Dining Guide<br />
These restaurants are either locally owned, passionate about local sourcing, or both. Enjoy a delicious meal<br />
and make sure to tell them that <strong>Edible</strong> <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> sent you!<br />
NORTH COUNTY<br />
MISSION BEACH<br />
POINT LOMA<br />
A.R. VALENTIEN<br />
11480 North Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla<br />
858-453-4420 • lodgetorreypines.com/ar-valentien<br />
The Torrey Pines Lodge’s signature restaurant,<br />
A.R. Valentien, highlights regional <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong><br />
cuisine served in an elegant, timbered indooroutdoor<br />
dining room overlooking the 18th hole<br />
of Torrey Pines Golf Course. Executive chef Jeff<br />
Jackson sources only the best local provisions,<br />
and the menu changes frequently based on<br />
seasonal fare available. The restaurant takes<br />
its name from a talented early-20th-century<br />
California artist whose works are exhibited<br />
throughout the restaurant.<br />
ESCOGELATO<br />
122 South Kalmia St., Escondido<br />
760-745-6500 • escogelato.com<br />
Located in the heart of Escondido, EscoGelato is<br />
made fresh daily using the highest quality ingredients<br />
and fresh fruit sourced from local farmers.<br />
The result is a luscious, super-creamy gelato that’s<br />
full of flavor. You will taste the difference. In addition<br />
to the main event, enjoy a nice selection of<br />
paninis, soups, salads, coffee, and tea.<br />
JUICE WAVE<br />
3733 Mission Blvd., Mission Beach<br />
858-488-0800 • juicewavesd.com<br />
What began as <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong>’s first organic juice truck now has<br />
two happy homes in Miramar and Mission Beach. Still, their<br />
commitment rings true: “Refresh and nourish the soul by<br />
using the best quality farm-fresh ingredients from local farms<br />
that reflect the radiant growing season in Southern California.”<br />
Check out their creatively named cleanses, like Lettuce<br />
Love, Turnip The Beet, and Kalefornia.<br />
OCEANA COASTAL KITCHEN<br />
3999 Mission Blvd., <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong><br />
858-539-8635 • catamaranresort.com/dining-entertainment/<br />
oceana-san-diego-restaurant<br />
Oceana Coastal Kitchen features chef-driven California cuisine<br />
and a modern, ocean-inspired design. Oceana offers bayfront<br />
dining at an iconic Pacific Beach hideaway. Executive<br />
chef Steven Riemer’s playful interpretations of classic dishes<br />
highlight the purity and flavors of California local produce<br />
and a commitment to sustainable ingredients. A cold bar with<br />
sushi options, small bites, and main dishes includes the freshest<br />
seafood available from the coast of Baja and the Pacific.<br />
SOLARE<br />
2820 Roosevelt Rd., <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong><br />
619-270-9670 • solarelounge.com<br />
Solare is an authentic Italian restaurant with a special<br />
focus on southern Italy and Sicily featuring a menu made<br />
with fresh ingredients selected daily. Blending modern<br />
and traditional tastes, the results are light and healthy<br />
dishes brimming with natural flavors. Complement your<br />
meal with one of 2,000 bottles of wine from the cellar or<br />
30 wines by the glass. Solare is committed to serving the<br />
cuisine of today, created with all the love and attention to<br />
detail from generations past.<br />
DOWNTOWN / LITTLE ITALY<br />
BIVOUAC CIDERWORKS<br />
3986 30th St., <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong><br />
619-725-0844 • bivouaccider.com<br />
As a center for experimentation and<br />
camaraderie, Bivouac Ciderworks<br />
is a welcome home for active, creative,<br />
and outdoorsy cider and food<br />
enthusiasts alike. Their goal is to inspire curiosity and<br />
foster a passion for what craft cider brings to the table.<br />
The outdoor-inspired tasting room, right in the heart of<br />
North Park, features a full menu of food options. Don’t<br />
miss the Impossible Burger, award-winning tuna poke,<br />
and vegan jackfruit sliders.<br />
PHOTO COURTESY SUZANNE SCHAFFNER ESCOGELATO<br />
30 ediblesandiego.com
Farmers’ Markets<br />
Monday<br />
Escondido—Welk Resort †<br />
8860 Lawrence Welk Dr.<br />
3–7pm, year-round<br />
760-651-3630<br />
Tuesday<br />
Coronado<br />
1st St. & B Ave., Ferry Landing<br />
2:30–6pm<br />
760-741-3763<br />
Escondido *<br />
262 East Grand Ave.<br />
2:30–7pm (2:30–6pm Oct to <strong>May</strong>)<br />
760-480-4101<br />
Mira Mesa *<br />
10510 Reagan Rd.<br />
2:30–7pm (3–6pm fall-winter)<br />
858-272-7054<br />
Otay Ranch—Chula Vista<br />
2015 Birch Rd. and Eastlake Blvd.<br />
4–8pm (3–7pm winter)<br />
619-279-0032<br />
Pacific Beach Tuesday †<br />
Bayard & Garnet<br />
2–7:30pm (2–7pm fall-winter)<br />
619-233-3901<br />
People’s Produce Night Market<br />
5010 Market St.<br />
5–8pm<br />
619-813-9148<br />
<strong>San</strong> Marcos NEW!<br />
1035 La Bonita Dr.<br />
3–7pm<br />
858-272-7054<br />
UCSD Town Square<br />
UCSD Campus, Town Square<br />
10am–2pm, Sept to June<br />
858-534-4248<br />
Vail Headquarters *<br />
32115 Temecula Pkwy.<br />
9am–1pm<br />
760-728-7343<br />
Wednesday<br />
Little Italy Wednesday *†<br />
501 W. Date St.<br />
9am–1pm<br />
619-233-5009<br />
Ocean Beach<br />
4900 block of Newport Ave.<br />
4–8pm (4–7pm winter)<br />
619-279-0032<br />
State Street in Carlsbad Village<br />
State St. & Carlsbad Village Dr.<br />
3–7pm (3–6pm fall-winter)<br />
858-272-7054<br />
Temecula—Promenade *<br />
40820 Winchester Rd. by Macy’s<br />
9am–1pm<br />
760-728-7343<br />
Thursday<br />
Lemon Grove<br />
2885 Lemon Grove Ave.<br />
3–7pm<br />
619-813-9148<br />
Linda Vista *†<br />
6939 Linda Vista Rd.<br />
3–7pm (2–6pm winter)<br />
760-504-4363<br />
North Park Thursday *†<br />
2900 North Park Way<br />
3–7:30pm<br />
619-550-7180<br />
Oceanside Morning *<br />
Pier View Way & Coast Hwy. 101<br />
9am–1pm<br />
760-791-3241<br />
Rancho Bernardo<br />
16535 Via Esprillo<br />
11am–2pm<br />
619-279-0032<br />
SDSU<br />
Campanile Walkway btwn Hepner Hall<br />
& Love Library<br />
10am–3pm, Sept to June<br />
www.clube3.org<br />
Horton Plaza Lunch Market<br />
199 Horton Plaza<br />
11am–2pm<br />
619-481-4959<br />
Valley Center<br />
28246 Lilac Rd.<br />
3–7pm (2–6pm, Nov to Mar)<br />
vccountryfarmersmarket@gmail.com<br />
Friday<br />
Borrego Springs<br />
700 Palm Canyon Dr.<br />
7am–noon, Oct to <strong>May</strong><br />
760-767-5555<br />
Horton Plaza Lunch Market<br />
225 Broadway Circle<br />
11am–2pm<br />
619-795-3363<br />
Imperial Beach *†<br />
10 Evergreen Ave.<br />
2–7pm, (2–6pm winter)<br />
info@imperialbeachfarmersmarket.org<br />
La Mesa Village *<br />
La Mesa Blvd. btwn Palm & Allison<br />
3–7pm, year-round<br />
619-795-3363<br />
Mission Valley *†<br />
Civita Park<br />
7960 Civita Blvd.<br />
3–7pm, Apr to Jan<br />
760-504-4363<br />
Bernardo Winery<br />
13330 Paseo del Verano Norte<br />
9am–1pm<br />
760-500-1709<br />
Saturday<br />
City Heights *†!<br />
Wightman St. btwn Fairmount & 43rd<br />
St.<br />
9am–1pm<br />
760-504-4363<br />
Del Mar<br />
1050 Camino Del Mar<br />
1–4pm<br />
858-465-0013<br />
Kearny Mesa<br />
8725 Ariva Ct.<br />
9:30am–1:30pm<br />
858-272-7054<br />
Little Italy Mercato †<br />
600 W. Date St.<br />
8am–2pm<br />
619-233-3901<br />
Pacific Beach<br />
4150 Mission Blvd.<br />
8am–noon<br />
760-741-3763<br />
Poway *<br />
14134 Midland Rd.<br />
8am–1pm<br />
619-249-9395<br />
Rancho Penasquitos YMCA<br />
9400 Fairgrove Ln.<br />
9am–1pm<br />
858-484-8788<br />
Scripps Ranch<br />
10380 Spring Canyon Rd.<br />
9am–1pm<br />
858-586-7933<br />
Temecula—Old Town *<br />
Sixth & Front St., Old Town<br />
8am–12:30pm<br />
760-728-7343<br />
Vista *†<br />
325 Melrose Dr.<br />
8am–1pm<br />
760-945-7425<br />
Sunday<br />
Allied Gardens Sunday<br />
5170 GreenBrier Ave.<br />
10am–2pm<br />
858-568-6291, 619-865-6574<br />
Hillcrest *<br />
3960 Normal & Lincoln Sts.<br />
9am–2pm<br />
619-237-1632<br />
La Jolla Open Aire<br />
Girard Ave. & Genter<br />
9am–1:30pm<br />
858-454-1699<br />
Leucadia *<br />
185 Union St. & Vulcan St.<br />
10am–2pm<br />
858-272-7054<br />
Murrieta *<br />
Village Walk Plaza<br />
I-15, exit west on Calif. Oaks & Kalmia<br />
9am–1pm<br />
760-728-7343<br />
North <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> / Sikes Adobe †<br />
12655 Sunset Dr., Escondido<br />
10:30am–3:30pm<br />
858-735-5311<br />
Rancho <strong>San</strong>ta Fe Del Rayo Village<br />
16079 <strong>San</strong> Dieguito Rd.<br />
9:30am–2pm<br />
619-743-4263<br />
<strong>San</strong>ta Ysabel<br />
21887 Washington St.<br />
10am–4pm<br />
760-782-9202<br />
Solana Beach<br />
410 South Cedros Ave.<br />
Noon–4pm<br />
858-755-0444<br />
* Market vendors accept WIC (Women, Infants, Children Farmers’ Market checks)<br />
† Market vendors accept EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer)<br />
! Currently only City Heights accepts WIC Farmers’ Market checks and the WIC<br />
Fruit and Vegetable checks.<br />
All <strong>San</strong> <strong>Diego</strong> County markets listed except SDSU and Seeds @ City are<br />
certified by the County Agricultural Commissioner.<br />
Visit ediblesandiego.com and click on “Resources” for more complete<br />
information and links to farmers’ market websites.<br />
SPECIAL ISSUE • MAY <strong>2019</strong> | edible SAN DIEGO 31
PREP |<br />
BY OLIVIA HAYO<br />
How to Make<br />
Cóctel de Frutas<br />
Mexican Fruit Cocktail<br />
T<br />
he pucker of lime and heat of chiles are addicting<br />
sensations, but couple them with cooling fruits<br />
and vegetables and you’ve got a recipe for the ultimate<br />
refreshment: cóctel de frutas. You’ve undoubtedly seen<br />
fruterías, Mexican juice bars or kiosks lined with cups of<br />
fresh-cut fruit doused in lime, chile powder, and dripping<br />
in a deep red sauce, and you either bought a cup<br />
and found yourself hooked, or wandered by curiously<br />
vowing to try it another time.<br />
Here’s a quick guide to create one of your own at<br />
home with natural ingredients that will make you a<br />
devoted fan in no time.<br />
1. Chile Powder<br />
Popular under the brand name Tajín, this seasoning<br />
blend is made from chiles, salt, lime, and an anticaking<br />
agent. While we’d grab Tajín from our pantry in a pinch,<br />
there’s nothing like making your own that’s completely customized<br />
to your palate and free of any preservatives. Here’s<br />
a recipe to get you started: Remove seeds and stems of 1<br />
cup dried chiles de árbol and 1 whole ancho chile. Toast<br />
in a skillet until fragrant and set aside to cool. Break chiles<br />
into smaller pieces and finely grind using a spice grinder;<br />
mix with 2 ½ tablespoons ground dried lime (available at<br />
international markets) and smoked salt to taste.<br />
2. Chamoy<br />
Sweet, sour, spicy, and salty: This condiment is a secret<br />
weapon you’ll want to find any excuse to use. Aside from<br />
its use as a sauce on cóctel de frutas or swirled through a<br />
fruit smoothie, it’s also great in savory dishes (just imagine<br />
it as a glaze brushed over grilled chicken). There are many<br />
brands available at the grocery store but making your own<br />
with a few ingredients means you always know what’s in<br />
it. Soak 5 dried apricots in warm water for 30 minutes<br />
or up to overnight. Discard liquid and add the fruit to a<br />
blender with 1 cup apricot jam, ¼ cup fresh lime juice,<br />
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon ground ancho<br />
chile, and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth. Store in<br />
the fridge for up to a week.<br />
3. Fruit<br />
Spices and condiments can only do so much, so be<br />
sure to select seasonal fruits and vegetables with varying<br />
textures, colors, and sweetness for the best result.<br />
Favorites include mango, watermelon, jicama, cantelope,<br />
cucumber, pineapple, and young coconut. Cut into<br />
spears, wedges, cubes, or slices, and arrange on a serving<br />
platter, or divide into cups.<br />
Dust everything with chile powder, drizzle with<br />
chamoy, and top with dried coconut, chile mango,<br />
crushed peanuts, or pieces of tamarind candy.<br />
OLIVIA HAYO<br />
32 ediblesandiego.com
E X C L U S I V E E V E N T S E R I E S<br />
B A J A
4 ediblesandiego.com