Artisan Cuisine of Baja California
by Carlos Travesi Bosch and Steve Dryden

La Cofradia Hosts Gourmet Food and Wine Event

One of the most exciting events for the annual Fiestas de la Vendimia wine harvest celebration is the “Noche de Cofradia en Ensenada” held on Tuesday, August 12th at 6:00 p.m. The event takes place at the Cruise Ship terminal in the waterside plaza and is sponsored and hosted by La Cofradia, a dedicated group of food and wine lovers who formed an association 21 years ago to further enhance their knowledge of high quality wine and gourmet food. “Noche de Cofradia en Ensenada” event pairs up wine from 29 wineries with gourmet samples of culinary delights from 29 restaurants in the region from Tijuana to Ensenada. Chefs and winemakers carefully select gourmet food and Mexican premium wine and match their favorites for the event competition. This event allows you to sample Baja California’s premier wine and the best gourmet entrees from the top culinary wizards in our region. During this event international judges pick the three best matches (food and wine) and allows the public (People’s Choice) to pick their three favorite matches. Tickets for this event are $50 usd. each from: www.fiestasdelavendimia.com

Several weeks ago, members of La Cofradia met with regional chefs, restaurant owners, winemakers and winery owners to pick which wineries would be matched with which restaurants. This event took place at Cavas Valmar winery in Ensenada and turned into an incredible gourmet cuisine extravaganza itself! This preview brought together some fantastic culinary delights paired with the artisan wines of Fernando Martain of Cavas Valmar winery. In addition, La Cofradia served their own unique blends of wine and matched them to roasted pork, prime beef, traditional Mexican side dishes, and a delicious assortment of American gourmet desserts to include fresh apple pie and cheese cake. During this evening celebration a drawing took place with the selection of restaurants to be matched with regional wineries. According to Carlos Travesi, chef and owner of Capricho’s Restaurant and Wine Bar, “these types of events have given this region a serious advantage when it comes to pairing wine and gourmet cuisine in Mexico. For example we have daily contact with members of the wine industry, an abundance of fresh seafood, Mexico’s most advanced cheese aging caves, and many of the countries best chefs all here, interacting, exchanging ideas, and working together to make this area “the food and wine capital of Mexico.” Come to the event on August 12th and you’ll discover exactly what Carlos is talking about as you sample wine and gourmet food from the regions best winemakers and chefs.

We received a letter from one of our readers who has enjoyed the recipes and information about Baja California artisan cuisine. “My name is John Crie and I’ve been fishing this region from San Diego to San Felipe for over fifty years. During that period of time my wife and I have developed and discovered some wonderful recipes for the fresh fish caught in the waters of Baja California. Please share these two recipes with your readers. Thanks, Mr. John Crie of San Felipe.”

Barbecue Yellowtail
Ingredients:

• 4 fillets of yellowtail
• 1/4 cube of butter
• 1 cup of soy sauce
• 1 large lime
• 1 jigger of white wine
• 1/2 small onion
• 2 cloves of garlic

Chop onions and garlic finely, and simmer in butter until soft. Add all ingredients (except lime) and simmer on low heat while basting continuously. Don’t marinate or boil. Makes four servings and is great for bonita as well! Serve with Colombard/Chenin Blanc from Monte Xanic or Bibayoff.

Baked Red Snapper, Halibut or Rock Cod
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of fresh bottom fish
• 2 tablespoons of corn starch
• 1/4 cube of butter
• 1 tablespoon of catsup
• 1/2 tablespoon of mustard
• 2 tablespoons of chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
• 1 bouillon cube in 1/2 cup of hot water

Place fillets in a foil lined baking pan. In a sauce pan, melt butter and blend with corn starch, add bouillon and slowly stir. Add all the remaining ingredients (except bread crumbs) pour over fillets and top with bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Serve with non-oak Chardonnay from Roganto or L.A. Cetto.

Chabert’s Restaurant to Feature New Roganto Wine

The culinary wizards in Rosarito Beach, Ensenada and Tijuana continue with their “gastronomical revolution” in creating gourmet culinary delights paired up with the premium wines of Baja California. Chabert’s Restaurant in the Rosarito Beach Hotel is a hidden jewel that is “shining brightly” in Mexico’s surging food and wine renascence. The date of the August wine dinner has been moved to Friday August 15th and will mark their 19th wine dinner event with a new release of an elegant Sauvignon Blanc from Roganto winery of Ensenada. This newest premium 2007 Sauvignon Blanc is not a traditional herbal and grassy tasting wine typical of this varietal, but an elegant wine with tropical fruit, guava, pineapple and pear on the nose, refreshing, crisp, well balanced and delicious. The production was limited to 550 cases, fermentation in stainless steel tanks with no oak barrel aging and retailing for about $25.

Roganto Wine or Vides y Vinos Californianos S.P.R. de R.L is considered by experts to be one of the top wineries in Mexico. In fact, last year a special wine tasting event organized by Mexico’s top independent wine experts and specialists was held at 13,200 feet in elevation (creating superior tasting conditions) where they chose 2005 Roganto Tempranillo as the second best wine in the country. The point spread between their Tempranillo and the first place wine (L.A. Cetto Platino) was less that one point. Currently only about 100 cases of the Tempranillo ($65 US) are available for purchase from this Ensenada winery located near Walmart. This 2005 Tempranillo was aged in a combination of various new oak barrels for ten months and is a prime example of a top quality Mexican wine. In 2005 the winery also released a superb blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon and 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. About 80 cases of the Temp/Cab blend (aged in new oak for twenty-two months) remain at $32 and 300 cases of the Cabernet (twenty-two months in new French oak) are available at $65 bottle.

Even though Roganto winery is technically a boutique winery in size and production, it could classify as an artisan winery due to the high quality and individual attention focused on each vintage of wine. Their state-of-the-art winery facility is a real hidden treasure of Ensenada located behind a well drilling and commercial pump business - just a few miles south of downtown on Reforma Ave. Two wine enthusiasts, Rogelio Sanchez and Antonio Luis Escalante have teamed up to create the remarkable Roganto wines. It’s almost a “top secret” and access to the tasting room is limited to serious wine lovers and those with “inquiring palates.” These two dedicated local winemakers also create two distinct Chardonnay wines, one with stainless steel fermentation and no oak barrel aging ($22) and another excellent Chardonnay aged in new French oak for twenty-two months at $28 bottle. To arrange a private tasting, get directions or purchase wine you can contact: (646) 176-6185.

Chabert’s wine dinner will also include an “organic” reserve Merlot from Doña Lupe winery and a Rosa de Peru from Tanama winery in Tecate. The dinner includes three glasses of wine matched with three gourmet entrees. Cost is $40 person. Reservations can be made at: (661) 612-1111 or www.rosaritobeachhotel.com

Carlos Travesi Bosch is chef and owner of Capricho’s Wine Bar and Gourmet Cafe, located directly across from the original Hussong’s Cantina. Steve Dryden is the wine writer for the Baja Times.

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Article Originally Posted on Baja Times