Mexico

San Blas is a small fishing town located on the Nayarit Coast of Mexico.  It's about a three hour drive north of Puerto Vallarta.  My father has been coming here on and off for the last 15 years to chill, play some music with his friends, and watch the sun disappear into the Pacific.  He drives down every January or February and lives in the camper with Robin, my stepmother.  Last year (2009) he had to cut the trip early because of some pain and a few new lumps in his neck.  The cancer was spreading and it looked like the last time he would be able to enjoy this wonderful place.  

Thanks to the generosity of some of his good friends, Robin's patience, and his own will, he made it down again this year.  I caught a flight from Denver and met up with him and the crew (dad, Robin, my brother Abe, and about 10 friends).  

It is bittersweet as he cannot walk on his own anymore.  The sea kayaking is a thing of the past.  Just walking down the sand and getting into the water is now a memory for him.  But the oxygen rich air and the sunsets are still here here for him.  His friends all show up, play music and tell stories.  We take a few sightseeing trips:  crocodiles, birds, turtles, boat rides, markets, music...  We all eat local shrimp, down a few pacifico beers, and share stories.  I'm thankful that there are so many people who care enough to show up and share this time.  It's a simple place with a universal beauty.  It's a testament to us all that life is short. Live your life and love those around you.

Dinner Party

I don't have much of a story here.  I cooked a dinner for some good friends with a fantastic wine collection.  We decided on a Spanish theme with tapas and cocktails to start, followed by a five course seated dinner.
The food was great, the diners were beautiful and good natured, and the chef didn't burn the house down.  I call that success.

TAPAS:

bacon wrapped dates stuffed with marcona almonds

serrano ham, spanish cheeses, quince paste, cranberry jam

kumamoto oysters with cucumber pearls and chile vinegar reduction

fresh bread with trio of dipping sauces

MENU:

wild steelhead tartare, avocado-wasabi mousse, sturgeon caviar

seared maine scallops, cauliflower, salsify, curry

colossal shrimp and lobster gnocchi, wild mushrooms, lobster cream

pomegranate glazed pork tenderloin, brussels sprouts, kabocha squash

spice cake, persimmon, star anise roasted pears, brown butter ice cream

Conscious Alliance

Throughout the year my great friend Peter Olivo along with founder Justin Baker and a number of organizers throw fundraisers for The Conscious Alliance.  In a nutshell, it's a group of people who collect and distribute food to some of our country's most impoverished people.  Generally, it's food collected and brought to Indian Reservations in the West, as well as a mission to educate everyone about how bad these people have it.  They also make a point to help and donate whenever there is crisis and people in need of food (Katrina, Haiti, etc.)  They are a fantastic, caring and generous group.  If you have never heard of TCA, please check out the site (here) and consider helping in any way you can.
Their mission is simple:
Distribute food and resources to communities most in need.
Educate people about hunger, sustainability, and the issues facing American Indian Communities.
Create service-learning opportunities for youth on American Indian Reservations.
Facilitate the sustainable development of American Indian communities.
Mobilize resources for first response disaster relief.

For the past couple of years, I've cooked a dinner at Peter's house to help raise money.  We invite a large group to the house and ask for donations.  I donate my time, Jax donates the food, someone donates wine, someone else donates decor, etc....  We throw a great dinner party that is so big I serve it family style.

This year I decided to show everyone where I come from:  Taos, New Mexico.  The food of Northern New Mexico is simple but very flavorful and rooted in tradition.  The dishes found in most homes are recipes passed down from generations.  It is a sign of respect and honor to be invited in someone's home and to be fed.  To me, this means community.
So I dug deep and tried to remember all of the dishes we would eat during the holidays or during special events.

The first (and my personal favorite) is posole, a stew made from hominy corn ("posole"),  pork, green chile, onion, and lots of spices.  Posole is often served with shredded cabbage, radishes and sopapillas - a deep fried dough that can be a savory accompaniment as well as served as a dessert (with honey and butter).

The menu also included:

Homemade chips with three salsas (guacamole, pico, and cactus)

Homemade tortillas
Melted cheese (queso) dip with chorizo and lots of chilies
Achiote rice
Smokey black beans
Green Chile (from Hatch, New Mexico - the best in the world)
Red Chile (from New Mexico - just dried instead of fresh)
Chicken, cheese and green chile enchiladas
Goat cheese and vegetable chile rellenos (Hatch of course) with piñon (pine nuts)
Marinated and slow roasted ribeye with sauteed chayote
And last but not least - Bizcochitos, little anise and cinnamon cookies ALWAYS served during the holidays.  In fact, in 1989 New Mexico became the first state in the union to adopt a "state cookie".  Enough said...

The Biggest Little City in the World

Reno, Nevada....

How do I love you?  Let me count the ways:

1.  My sister lives there, so I've always got a place to stay.

2.  I can play No Limit Texas Hold'em all night in at least one casino (El Dorado)!!

3.  Lake Tahoe is extremely close - skiing in the winter and boating in the summer.

4.  Truckee River has GREAT fly fishing.

5.  Plane tickets are as cheap as dinner at my restaurant.

6.  Dancing, guitar-strumming, half-naked, 350 pound baby elvis in a Christmas play...

San Fran - Day 6

Last day in SF!
In order to shed a few of the pounds I most certainly have gained on this last voyage, I attempt a run.  I strap on my running shoes (yes, the first time they've been on in the last three weeks), put on a t-shirt, some shorts, and the ipod.   My route takes me down 3rd to Giants Stadium.  I take a left and cruise along the waterline.  I try to soak in the views as I make my way down the Embarcadero.  I pass the Ferry Building, the Piers, the Wharf, the tourist traps, the parks and finally to the curved pier that connects to Van Ness.  I say hi to the gulls and crabs and then head straight through the city.  My route takes me through downtown, the financial district, and finally back to the Ritz.  I'm thoroughly tired, but feeling good.  Now it's time to eat again!

After a rest, some gatorade, a few emails and a long bath, I call up my buddies.  We have reservations at Nopa restaurant.  The place is simple and basic in it's design, but you can instantly tell it's a foodie heaven. The restaurant is packed and on a serious wait.  The bar is two deep and the kitchen crew is rocking.  We get a nice table and start to order.  All of the food comes out perfect.  It's all very simple and un-adorned but some of the tastiest food I've had all year.  The pork and chicken are both brined and roasted.  The chicken gets the love in the rotisserie and the pork is treated to the wood burning grill.  From the crispy little fish to the dessert, I am blown away.  It gets the mark for my best meal of the trip - and after six days, that's no joke.   I highly recommend this spot if you want simple, utterly delicious food.

We are looking for Bourbon and Branch.  It's somewhere down the street from where we are.  Ok, let's just stop into this other bar for a quick drink.  Maybe a dive bar, but the painting above the register makes it worth the stop...
Next stop is Bourbon and Branch.  It's a speak-easy and that's all I'm going to say.  Oh, that and the fact that the cocktails also happen to be the best I've consumed in the city.  I don't take pictures, as it's against the rules (along with fighting, swearing and being loud).   All I know is that these bartenders are serious about their craft.  There are many surprises and everything we order is extraordinary.

Instead of going home, as we're all pretty tipsy at this point, we make it to CoCo's (I hope that's the spelling...).  It's a Korean restaurant filled with like-minded (read: drunk) patrons.  The proprietor recognizes us and starts bringing out the grub.  And keeps bringing it.  I think we sampled everything on the menu and then some.  It was a fantastic time.  We laughed, ate, drank, and ate some more.  The dishes were so fun to eat - Korean omelets, kimchi soup, spicy beef,... It was hard to leave.
Thank you San Francisco for a wonderful time...

San Fran - Day 5

I start the day off with a walk.  After all the wine and food yesterday, I'm in need of a little exercise.  I meander up the hill towards Japantown.  I call my great friend Jennifer and we make a lunch date.  I have an hour to kill, so I crisscross my way through Japantown and Pac Heights.

Our destination is Pizzeria Delfina.  The restaurant is small but crowded (a common theme in this city).  Once our table is set, we sit down to a fabulous lunch.  The insalata tricolore is perfection - tender fresh leaves of arugula and red endive with abundant curls of grana in a simple lemon vinaigrette.  Next is a bubbling cauldron of piping hot meatballs.  They are soooooo yummy - just cooked through and bathed in a spicy tomato sauce.  Finally the pizza arrives.  Prosciutto pie is the call.  Again, just perfect.  Lovely.
I talk Jen into being a tourist with me and we take a trolly ride all the way down California.  It's something I've never done the trolley ride in the city before.  It's actually really fun.  You scrape your way up and down the steep hills in the open air.  It's a great way to sightsee.

Once we hit the end of the road, we decide to step into One Market for some cocktails.  Our delightful bartender talks us through the offerings and is one of the nicest people I've met.  As Jen heads to work, the manager asks me if I'd like a tour of the kitchen.  This place has one Michelin star and it's very well deserved.  I had no idea how big their kitchen was.  They have a butcher room, a full bakery, and enough room and staff to do some huge numbers.  He informed me that they've done over 500 at once - on top of their normal dinner business.  That's very impressive considering the place doesn't look too big.
After the tour, I walk around a bit more, head back to the hotel, and nap.  I go visit Jen for dinner at Town Hall, have a great dinner, and call it a night...

San Fran - Day 4

Today it's time for a road trip.
Judy and Maciek pick me up at 9am and we go across town to get our buddy Jennifer (who is at the OTHER Ritz in town - silly girl.  We then drive over the bridge (yes, the big red one) and head North.

The drive is beautiful - fog covering the ground, leaves of every color on the vine, and a sleepy feeling to the entire scene.  Our first stop is Domaine Carneros.  What says breakfast more than a champagne flight?  Yum...

Next we zig-zag our way through what very well may be the entire county of Napa.  We proceeded to stop at Stags Leap, St. Supery, Hall, and at least three other wineries during the next five hours.  I won't go too deep into every wine and tasting room.  If you've never experienced wine country, then words will do it no justice.  And if you're a seasoned traveler here, then nothing I can say about a one-day tour will say anything more than this:  the best way to experience Napa is to drink it while standing in it.  The wines are arguably among the best in the world.  The winemakers here are world class and are as serious about their jobs as hear surgeons.  The landscape is breathtaking.  Go... now!

We slowly and reluctantly get back in the car once the last of the tasting rooms have gone dark.  The drive is more quiet and reflective.  Everyone is deciding which wine of the day was their favorite.  Hard to say.

We are also reflecting on the people, the lifestyle and the culture of this place. Who wouldn't want to quit their job, move to wine country, and live among the vines and the fog for the rest of their days?  Once I make my first 10 million, I'm headed here to start a winery/farm/restaurant/inn.  Count on it...
Back in the city, we decide to get some grub.  Bar Crudo is the spot.  The place is small, simple and packed.  We wait our turn for a table along the wall and order.  First is a cup of chowder for each of us.  It's perfect:  chunky, creamy, full of fish, and salty enough to let you know what you're eating.  The beer list is extensive and we decide to pair our meal with a selection of Belgian Trappist Ales and American small batch micro brews.  We sample a large selection of the menu.  The highlight is definitely the raw fish dishes.  Simple in presentation, but bold in freshness and flavor.  I'm not sure what the decorations are on the wall, but the food makes me feel OK with most of the decisions of the proprietors.
Not content to end the day yet, we make our way to Spruce for dessert.  This place looks the opposite of Bar Crudo.  It's dark - dark wood, dark lighting, and a cavernous feel.  The patrons are more quite and serious and the service is very very serious.  I want to sample some of the menu, but just have enough room for dessert.  And a drink.  The Madeira menu is wonderful.  I've searched many drink lists for more than one or two selection.  Spruce has an entire page.  I finally decide on a 1968 Blandy's.  I savor it like it's the last thing I'll ever consume.  The glass is all I need, but the doughnuts are a very nice accompaniment to the nectar in my glass.
Now it's time to go to bed.  Goodnight.