| W H A T ' S N E W | |||
On The Road... With Connie Ellig & David Hopps From September 20-27, we traveled from our home in Ensenada to Bay of L.A. Our assignment was to shoot photos and compile information for the Baja California State Secretary of Tourism for a new brochure that would promote Bahia de los Angeles, one of the most beautiful bays in the state, where desert and mountains meet the Sea of Cortez. We were accompanied by our two dogs, boxes of Ensenada brochures for the L.A. Bay Tourist Information Office at Guillermo's Restaurant, and lots of camera equipment. We met new friends, rediscovered old ones, explored new places and shot a lot of film. This is the story of our photographic, eco-touristic and culinary odyssey. Mon., Sept. 20
9:45pm - After topping the tank, checking tire pressure, etc., we finally reached El Zorrillocheckpoint several miles south of Maneadero at Km. 31.5. Although we were prepared with proper documentation to travel further south, there were no Immigration officials present that night. We received a cursory inspection for drugs and guns from the federal police (PGR) who waved us on our merry way. Without further ado, we continued to San Quintin and camped at Rancho Cielito Lindo. Tues., Sept. 21
10am - On the highway about 7 miles south, we encountered a half mile of road work with only one lane open. Since there was little traffic, there was only a short delay. 11am - After topping off in El Rosario, we stopped at Espinoza's Restaurant. Manager Roly Espinoza assured us that "Mama" (Dona Anita) was in good health and wished us "Vaya con Dios." Taking that literally, we visited Mision de Nuestra Senora del Rosario in "upper" El Rosario, about 1/4 mile south of the Delegacion Office. The side road east is marked with a small sign; the mission is about 100 yards from the highway. 1:15pm - No gasoline in Catavina and no idea when it is expected. We purchased wild honey at the cafe/mini market across the highway. Just south of the Rancho Santa Ines turnoff, we encountered a military checkpoint. After a courteous "Where are you from?" and "Where are you going?" we were waved on.
Wed., Sept. 22
Thurs., Sept. 23
2:30pm - We followed the winding road to Punta
La Gringa, usually full of campers, but on this day, deserted.
We decided to return to town to shoot the designated "room photo" at Costa
del Sol, the town's second-newest hotel.
Fri., Sept. 24
6pm - We stopped for ice at Isla Market, the
newest and most modern grocery store in town. Similar to an AM-PM, Isla
is well-stocked with a bit of everything: liquor, beer, toiletries, non-prescription
medicines, paper goods, Mexican and U.S. dairy products, cold meats, snacks
and canned goods, and a limited supply of fresh vegetables. We met owner
Rodolfo Espejo, who recently opened Isla
Construction Materials which offers cement blocks, paint, waterproofing
and other building supplies. His friend, Octavio Lopez, offered to take
David halfway up a mountain to shoot panoramic photos on the following
afternoon. After chitchat in the parking lot, we headed across the street
to Restaurant Las Hamacas.
Sat., Sept. 25
6pm - We spent the evening chatting with Guillermo who was in the process of renovating his mini market/gift shop after last summer's fire. We talked about his annual Memorial Day Yellowtail Fishing Tournament and his plans to expand his sportfishing fleet with a new and larger boat. We sipped Chilean white wine, sampled Richard L.'s freshly smoked yellowtail, and feasted on delicious cheese enchiladas and an outstanding seafood combination platter of lobster, scallops, fish filet and shrimp in a tangy Veracruz sauce. It was the perfect ending for our last night in Bay of L.A. Sun., Sept. 26
6pm - We arrived at Rancho Santa Ines and camped for the night. Mon., Sept. 27
3pm - In San Quintin we took a welcome
lunch break at Gaston's Cannery at the Old Mill.
We
busily devoured spicy beef enchiladas, a tasty filet mignon & shrimp
combo, homemade rolls and cheesecake. The food, service and ambiance were
as excellent as we remembered it to be the last time we dined there several
years ago.
7pm - After a brief drug and gun inspection in El
Zorrillo, we arrived home in Ensenada
with 10 rolls of prints, 13 rolls of slides, 5 jars of honey, an L.A. Bay
t-shirt, 2 happy dogs, a bag of dirty laundry and plenty of wonderful memories
to sustain us till our next trip!
F O O D & E N T E R T A I N M E N T El Rey Sol Wins Seafood Fair  By
David Hopps
On September 12, the Ensenada Chamber of Restaurants hosted its 21st Seafood Fair on the spacious grounds of Hotel Paraiso Las Palmas. More than 1500 visitors enjoyed the entertainment, ambiance and, of course, the fantastic seafood!
Baja Chili Cookoff a Success! By Connie Ellig On October 2, Ensenada's Quintas Papagayo Resort was the hottest spot in Baja as more than 700 aficionados gathered for Juan Hussong’s 23rd Annual Baja International Chili Cookoff & 7th Annual Salsa Contest. While the aroma of simmering chili floated on the ocean breezes, the crowd enjoyed line dancing and Mexican folkloric ballet exhibitions plus live music by Master of Ceremonies Brent BeSaw and Raul Granados with Grupo Fandango. Other special attractions included the Senor Hot Sauce Contest won by Tony Corley; the Ms. Chili Pepper Contest won by Judith Elizabeth Burgoin; and the Chile Eating Championships won by Jean-Paul Mercado, who devoured 25 serranos in three minutes.
In addition to competing in the Chili Cookoff, Ensenada restaurants provided plenty of local color and an abundance of Mexican and international foods. Well rewarded for their efforts were the Chili Bowl, which won Best Booth/Showmanship, and Bronco's Steakhouse, which captured Best Baja Chili (prepared by a local Mexican or American resident) and Overall Salsa Contest Award. Proceeds from the Cookoff benefit the Ensenada Center for Abused Women (Centro de Apoyo a la Mujer Ensenadense), a nonprofit organization staffed by volunteers. Start making plans now to join the Year 2000 Baja Chili Cookoff & Fiesta! For info in the U.S. contact Pancho McNiff at tel. (626) 795-4818, fax (562) 926-6266; in Mexico contact Quintas Papagayo Resort, tel. (6) 174-4575, fax 174-4155 or e-mail: [email protected].
Recipe Of The Month By Ann Hazard Sue and Jim are former urban professionals who have ducked out of the rat race and expatriated themselves to Baja. There they act as co-presidents of the La Bufadora Adventurers Club -- a very loosely knit group of us who love to kayak, snorkel, hike or just hang around on the beach. We have a lot of fun together. In fact, my kids and I always look forward to honking our horn at them whenever we glide into town on Friday afternoons at sunset, so we can plan some major adventures for the weekend. Sometimes, however, when we come down, they're gone. Where'd they go? you ask. Why -- gallivanting around Baja -- of course -- the rascals. (Can you tell how envious I am?! I am. I am. I am.) This is Sue's incredible chiles rellenos recipe. She insisted I use it because it is far better than the one I invented back in college. I had a phobia about blistering and skinning chiles, so I used canned chiles instead of fresh in my recipe. "Naughty, naughty," said Sue, shaking her head in disbelief. She proceeded to teach me how to blister and skin those chiles, and now I will teach you! Serves six. CHILES RELLENOS
To blister chiles, cook over a
gas burner, turning constantly until they are evenly charred and stop making
popping sounds. Wrap each chile in a paper towel and moisten with water
to steam. After a few minutes, peel skin off chile and cut a slit almost
the full length of each chile. Make a small "t" across the top, by the
stem. Pull out fibers and seeds (the seeds are where
Whip egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks have formed. (Sue does this by hand with a wire whisk.) At the same time, heat the oil in a skillet until a drop of water sizzles when put into pan. Beat egg yolks with one tablespoon flour and salt. Mix into egg whites and stir until you have a thick paste. Roll chiles in 1/4 cup flour and dip in egg batter, seam side down. Fry on both sides, then drain on paper towels. Meanwhile, heat salsa (either one or some of each) and pour over chiles rellenos. Serve immediately with carne asada, enchiladas or carnitas as a split entree. Or serve alone and savor the flavor. I can't even begin to tell you how good these are! Ann Hazard is a third generation Baja aficionada who resides in Solana Beach, CA and a weekend getaway at La Bufadora, a few miles south of Ensenada. She has followed her grandfather's and father's footsteps up and down the peninsula since she was a small child. Her family's adventures are woven into the 175 recipes contained in COOKING WITH BAJA MAGIC: Mouth-Watering Meals from the Enchanted Kitchens & Campfires of Baja. The 240-page book features an outstanding array of easy-to-prepare recipes including salsas, appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, desserts and beverages, along with the colorful, festive artwork of Laguna Beach artist Bob Bonn. To order at discount prices, click COOKING WITH BAJA MAGIC or Ann's second book, CARTWHEELS IN THE SAND, a novel about Baja California, four women and a motor home. Oct. 30: Great News Cooking Store in Pacific Beach, CA Nov. 14: Poinsettia Street Festival in Encinitas, CA Dec. 1: "A Baja Holiday Dinner Party" Cooking Class at Great News Cooking Store in Pacific Beach, CA Dec. 16 - Jan. 3: Book-Signing Fiestas in Mulege, Bahia Concepcion, Loreto, La Paz and Todos Santos For times and details click www.BajaMagic.com or e-mail: [email protected] to hook up with her during her travels in Baja Sur. |
News-Gazette affiliate of Ensenada Today & Baja-Web 
Cruz International  
|
||
4pm
- We arrived in Bahia de los Angeles,
a process that took longer than usual because of patches of potholes along
the L.A. Bay highway. Our advice is to stay alert and take it easy. It's
better to let the fishing wait than to risk a flat tire or broken trailer
axle.
11:30am
- David returned from the fishing trip with tales of yellowtail, cabrilla
and triggerfish, and sightings of a finback whale and schools of leaping
dolphin. After a brief siesta, we relocated to Guillermo's
Hotel. Our beachfront room was very huge and very clean, with
a large dressing room and separate bath (dbl. occ. approx. $60dlls., each
add'l person $11dlls.). Once again, our favorite spot was the porch. (Guillermo's
Hotel reservations: (66)50-3209)
10:30am
- Our first stop was at Brisa Marina RV Park,an
abandoned looking camp that houses CRIP Sea Turtle Conservation & Research
Center, also known as "Tony's Turtle Farm"
because it is run by government biologist Antonio Resendiz. We didn't meet
Tony, but we did meet about two dozen tagged Loggerhead Sea Turtles. The
Loggerhead, which can grow up to 400 lbs., is one of seven species of marine
turtle found in temperate and subtropical ocean waters across the globe.
After admiring and photographing these interesting creatures, we continued
north to Daggett's Campground.
7am
- The day was clear so we loaded up cameras, a cooler, dogs and ourselves
aboard Guillermo's panga with Island Cruise Tour guide Pepe
Smith. We saw schools of leaping dolphin in the bay, large colonies
of sea lions at Isla Calaveras, and the natural "window" at Isla La Ventana.
Upon Pepe's recommendation we waded ashore at La Unica Wilderness Retreat
to take a few shots.
Noon
- Back at Guillermo's, we thanked Pepe for the fantastic sightseeing cruise
and promised to try the local fishing next time! We had no sooner spoken
than Richard L., of Lake Havasu City, Az., pulled up with his trailered
C-Dory, eight 15-20 lb. yellowtail and a few cabrilla hooked with mackerel
near Smith Island. He and his fishing guide, Joel Prieta, posed for a few
shots until, dog-tired from the fresh sea breeze, the four of us retired
for a siesta.
2pm
- Time to shoot our designated "dining photo" on Guillermo's beachfront
palapa patio. We enlisted the aid of Amber W. and Chuck S., first-time
visitors from San Francisco, Ca., who were happy to assume the difficult
pose of sipping pina coladas and margaritas laced with Damiana liqueur.
Afterward, I checked out Richard's L.'s catch of three 25-30 lb. yellowtail
while David took off to pick up our vehicle, visit the museum, and shoot
panoramic photos with Octavio.
After
traveling about 14.5 miles on the L.A. Bay highway, we turned left on the
graded sand road to Mision San Borja. After
2 miles, we turned left at the "Y" intersection. The narrow sand road wound
through a cactus forest with cirio, elephant trees and giant cardon before
making a slight drop, after 6 miles, into a canyon. On the right, interspersed
along the rock walls, were the white, yellow, ochre and black pictographs
drawn by ancient inhabitants of the area. We spent some time climbing rocks
and admiring this remarkable abstract and geometric art before continuing
our journey home.
8am
- We sipped coffee at the tiny Santa Ines Restaurantwhile
waiting for the fog to clear. Back on the highway, we noticed gasoline
in drums being sold across the road from the Catavina
Pemex station. About 37 miles north, we took a side trip to the adobe ruins
of
Mision San Fernando de Velicata, the
only Franciscan mission in Baja California, established by Padre Junipero
Serra in 1769.
The Ensenada Seafood
Fair promotes the art of seafood preparation and presentation, and features
a culinary contest among restaurants that is judged by Chefs de Cuisine
Assoc. of San Diego. For the eighth time, Ensenada's
El
Rey Sol
captured
the Grand Mexican Trophy and also took first place honors in the Ensenada
Soup Category. Other first place winners included Ensenada's Las
Palmas Grill
(Artistic
Creation, Cold Shellfish, Hot Shellfish and Most Popular Sample), La
Mansion (Cold Fin Fish), La Bufadora's Costa
Azul (Baja Creation) and Rosarito Beach's La
Casa de la Langosta (Hot Fin Fish and Most Original Sample).
Nearly
three dozen chili teams from both sides of the border competed for the
honor of representing Baja California at the World’s Championship on Oct.
8-10 in Las Vegas, but Red Brecke (Horny Toad
Chili) of San Diego, Ca. emerged victorious. He received a trophy,
cash prize and various awards including a Weekend for Two at Rancho Cielito
Lindo in San Quintín, and Weekend for Two at Quintas Papagayo with
dinner at Restaurant El Rey Sol. Nibs Waters
of Anaheim, Ca. garnered Second Place Chili, and Larry
Thomas (LT's Suicide Chili) of
Chino, Ca. was awarded Third Place. 
"People's
Choice" went to Michele Ritchee (Hot Lipz Chili)of
San Diego, Ca./Punta Banda, B.C.
