About

Christmas Cactus and Blue Fish Restaurant

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My Christmas Cactus

Christmas Cactus

Christmas Cactus

As promised, this is a photo of my beautiful Christmas Cactus decorated for the holidays in all its glory.  My friend, Vic, stopped by yesterday and he had not seen it since he cut me a small piece many years ago.  He was astounded by the size but did not like that I had trussed it up.  Vic is 92 years young so he gets to say whatever he pleases – I took his comments to heart but I think deep down, my cactus likes getting dressed up for Christmas.

Blue Fish – Small and Unassuming al Fresco Dining

Despite its location and casual ambiance, the quality of the food at Blue Fish may surprise you.  It’s all about fresh local seafood prepared by Chef Poncho il de Fonzo at his small outdoor restaurant elusively situated in the back corner of the Plaza Peninsula in San Jose’. The no-frills ambiance of this little gem lets the fresh, extremely reasonably-priced food speak for itself.

Chef Poncho has over 30 years experience, he is a third generation resident from the old fishing community of Playita just east of the estuary in San José del Cabo and he has always had an excellent relationship with the local fisherman. Coming from a family with a long history of fishing, he instinctively understands what to look for in fresh seafood and how to prepare it.

At Blue Fish, you can have a quick bite or a leisurely lunch in a laid back atmosphere.  It serves grown up drinks like margaritas, mojitos, beer, wine and a special drink of the day. The food is reasonably priced, beautifully presented and most importantly fresh. Don’t be surprised to bump into some of our local celebrity chefs and restaurant owners throwing down ceviche, tacos and a few beers on their days off.  The menu consists of catch of the day, tostadas, tacos, quesadillas, ceviche, sashimi and seafood salads – all accompanied by spicy salsas.

If all goes according to plan, Poncho tells me Blue Fish will also be opening in the Palmilla Tiendas even as soon as this week serving the same freshly prepared seafood.  He has promised that he will do his best to bring in fresh lobster from Magdalena Bay and La Paz.  He can accommodate special orders, take away orders and delivery to boats if ordered one day in advance.

Mixed Sashimi

Mixed Sashimi

Shrimp Salad

Shrimp Salad

Buen Provecho

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

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I have been decorating my Christmas cactus for 5 years.  I bring it inside every year with the help of our gardeners who deserve a Christmas bonus for their herculean effort. It miraculously survived Hurricane Odile even though it was outside on my patio when the doors and windows exploded.  It has grown enormously every year and is almost touching my 9 foot high ceiling.  It was given to me by my neighbors, Vic and Elizabeth, when it was just a little nubby thing.  This is a photo before I decorate – next week I will post a photo of it decorated in all its glory.

Cactus 5

Christmas Cactus

Rosemary Wreath

Say hello to the rosemary wreath!  This is so simple and yet a beautiful way to serve olives with tomato and mozzarella (with a few pickles thrown in).  This idea comes from Julia Usher, a food writer and stylist. See more on her blog Dreaming of a Green Christmas.

Rosemary Wreath

CHOCOLATE CAKE  – ONE BOWL – Click to see step by step photos

If you are a chocolate lover, you will be in heaven when you taste this cake by an Australian chef, Donna Hay. This recipe serves 10 people easily because it is so rich.  Put something green like a sprig of rosemary on the plate to give it that Christmas feeling.

Ingredients

  • 125g butter, chopped  (or 4.4 oz)
  • 375g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (or 13.25 oz) – In Cabo, the Turin Dark Chocolate works best
  • 1 cup (175g) brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (35g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 cup (120g) almond meal (ground almonds)
  • 5 eggs

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 170°C (325°F).
  2. Place the butter and chocolate in a bowl and either microwave in short bursts until melted or melt in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
  3. Add the sugar, flour, milk and almond meal and mix to combine.
  4. Add the eggs and mix well.
  5. Pour mixture into a greased 22cm round spring form tin lined with non-stick baking paper.
  6. Cover the tin with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 40 minutes.
  7. Uncover and cool in the tin.
  8. Serve with cream and berries.
  9. Best served cold – refrigerated.

One Bowl Chocolate Cake

 

Buen Provecho and Feliz Navidad

It Has Been a Long Hiatus But I am Finally Home

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It has been a long hiatus but I am finally home.  I had quite an adventure that I may share one day but for now, I would like to get back to writing my blog, Baja Beat.

My husband and I drove from San Diego to Los Cabos and it was breathtaking.  This is my second time driving through the Baja and we were coming from the opposite different direction – north to south this time.  We literally had no traffic – it was almost eerie that there were no  trucks or cars on the road – but it made for a very relaxing drive enabling us enjoy the natural beauty of the Baja even more.

I want to thank Ramon and Isaiah from the Jardines Restaurant in San Quintin for taking such good care of us.  The swordfish was outstanding and their kindness to us was even more impressive.  Hotel Jardines is a little oasis in the desert with palm trees and lovely gardens filled with plants natural to the Baja.  It was the perfect stop after crossing the border in Tecate and driving through the Guadalupe Valley where we stopped for lunch and wine tasting at the Guadalupe Hacienda restaurant.  The room at Jardines was clean and comfortable and everyone from the night manager to the chef went out of their way to accommodate us.

Hotel Jardines in San Quintin

Hotel Jardines in San Quintin

 

Hacienda Guadalupe View of Vineyards from Restaurant

Hacienda Guadalupe View of Vineyards from Restaurant

 

Quail Salad at Hacienda Guadalupe

Quail Salad at Hacienda Guadalupe

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HOLIDAY RECIPE

I am grateful to be home and look forward to sharing the holidays with my friends and family. I grew up in Iowa and corn has always played an important role in my cooking.  I have been preparing this silky corn custard set on a bed of rich shiitake mushroom sauce for almost 25 years and it still has that “wow” factor.  I generally do not prepare the shiitake mushroom sauce for Thanksgiving as the custard is lovely on its own and the sauce can be heavy with all of the other dishes being consumed.

CORN CUSTARD

Courtesy of Bix Restaurant San Francisco

The Custard

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

1  ½ cups corn kernels (2 ears)

¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 green onion finely sliced

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a bowl combine the eggs, cream and mustard.  When smooth, fold in the remaining ingredients except the butter.  Pour into 6 buttered ramekins.  Place the ramekins in a shallow baking dish filled with 1 inch of water.  Cover with tin foil.  Bake for 30 minutes – serve immediately.

The Sauce 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ teaspoon finely minced garlic

1 teaspoon chopped shallots

¼ cup chopped fresh fennel

¼ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

¼ cup champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon white wine

¼ cup chicken stock

3 tablespoons minced fennel leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet.  Saute’ the garlic and shallots until soft.  Do not brown.  Add the fennel and mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes.  Deglaze the pan with vinegar and wine.

Add the chicken stock, reduce by half, and add the rest of the butter.  When sauce has thickened, add the fennel leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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POEM

I made up this little poem a few months ago and it seems appropriate for Thanksgiving since we will be cooking, sharing recipes and creating new memories.

Cooking is Love

Love of ideas, history, family and friends

Love of the bounty of our planet

Love of quality and integrity

Love of artistry

Love of taking the first step

Love of sharing the last bite

 

Buen Provecho, Akiba