The Mexico You Should Know

Click below for a great read:

The Mexico You Don't Know But Should

Huffington Post gets it right. Mexico is full of interesting, little-known villages and cities that keep tourists coming back for more.

For instance, some years ago, a buddy of mine and I enjoyed a memorable trip to Copper Canyon via first-class train. We stopped in El Divisidero where there is the most beautiful view of the canyon and a restful place to enjoy hummingbirds and spend the night. Local Tarahumara Indian women sell crafts to tourists. The train ends in Los Mochis, one of the highest points in north of the state of Sinaloa.

Houston Celebrates a Mexico Original... The Caesar's Salad 28th Annual Competition

Caesar's Restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico...

Birthplace of the Caesar's Salad

It's time for the annual competition to create the "Best Caesar Salad" in Houston. Creating a prize-winning Caesar Salad in Houston would be a significant feat, I would think. It's a salad invented in and originally served in Tijuana, Mexico and Houston is a city with fully one-third if its population being Hispanic... and most of those being Mexican-American. This annual competition is co-sponsored by the Four Seasons Hotel, My Table magazine and The Food & Beverage Managers Association of Houston.

With all of the excitement and buzz that accompanies this fun and popular 28-year-old competition originally envisioned by Guy Stout, I thought I would remind readers about just what a Caesar’s Salad is, (as I did last year) and talk about its history (and provide you with the recipe to make the original Classic Caesar’s salad as it is still prepared today at Caesar’s Restaurant in Tijuana). The Caesar's Salad IS, after all, possibly the most popular Mexican dish in the world. It is notable in the competition in Houston, that with all of the entries last year in the 2011 event, there were only three entries in the "classic" division, which should adhere to the recipe and the spirit of the original... and the winner in the division (as tasty as it was) used the restaurateur's "old family recipe". What's wrong with using the Cardini family's "old family recipe"?

Caesar Cardini from a photo on the

wall at Caesar's Restaurant

The authentic Mexican dish served in the most non-Mexican restaurants in the U.S. is also the authentic Mexican dish served in the fewest Mexican Restaurants in the U.S.!

Here are some facts about what is commonly called the “Caesar Salad” today:

·The salad was created in the kitchen of Caesar’s Restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, ca. 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who actually lived in the San Diego, California area. The salad was originally named the Aviator’s Salad. It has nothing to do with Julius Caesar!

·The salad was/is properly called “Caesar’s Salad”... not the “Caesar Salad”.

·There were no anchovies in the original Caesar’s Salad, but they are used in the salads currently served in Caesar's!

·The Caesar’s Salad was originally served as “finger food” and is/should be served with whole Romaine lettuce leaves, to be eaten with the fingers. Many restaurants today serve the salad with the leaves torn into bite-sized pieces to be more eater-friendly.

While I noted with interest the fact that as I traveled all over Mexico the past four decades writing about regional cuisines of Mexico, that of the many more-upscale restaurants there served Caesar’s Salads, I didn’t really know why. I have always enjoyed them, but just moved past them in Mexico in favor of “Mexican food”. When I studied the history of the salad, years ago, I promised myself that I would, at some point, enjoy the salad in the restaurant where it was created.

Armando Villegas makes the Caesar's Salad

at Caesar's Restaurant.

As part of a culinary tour of Baja California Norte, I was investigating a “trend” in Baja Mexico called “BajaMed Cuisine” (I’m not convinced the "trend actually exists, as such, but that’s another story) and was fortunate enough to visit Caesar’s Restaurant in Tijuana.Under the watchful eye of long-time manager, Jorge Chavez, I was taught to make the original authentic “real deal” Caesar’s Salad as it has evolved ever-so-slightly since the 1920’s. I use the original recipe and technique when I make my own salads and I use the classic salad as a benchmark to judge “Caesar Salads” in restaurants I visit.

Small Caesar Salad prepared by Armando at Caesar's

Before I share the recipe and technique, here’s the quick history of the salad. This "history" varies from telling to telling, by three or four years... but is pretty close. During prohibition, restaurateurs in southern California were hurting from lack of liquor sales in their restaurants... and, frankly, those restaurants near the Mexican border were hurting for customers, also. It was more fun to cross the border into Mexico, where alcohol was legal, and drink, dance and dine there. Caesar Cardini, a restaurateur from Italy in San Diego, decided to open a restaurant in Tijuana to take advantage of the laws there.The restaurant was very successful and had a large American clientele. One night in 1924, some WWI aviators crossed the border to party in Mexico. Nearing closing time, the kitchen was out of many of the items that they would normally use to make light snacks and they threw together a “finger food” salad from ingredients that they DID have in the kitchen. It was a big success and was requested on subsequent visits by pilots and aircrews, who dubbed it the Aviator’s Salad. While details vary, there are a few givens acknowledged by the family of Caesar Cardini. There was no raw egg used in the earlier versions of the salad, but the ingredient became part of the salad in the early history of the salad. Eggs are now used in Caesar’s Salads, but they are coddled (boiled for one minute for safety). There were no anchovies in the early salads and the slight flavor of anchovy came from the addition of Lea & Perrins, which has anchovies in it. There are stories that Caesar’s brother, Alex, was first to add anchovies, but no one knows for sure. When I was taught to make it in Caesar’s, we used anchovies. It is said that Alex first added egg to it. Here’s how it is made today:

MY Caesar’s Salad made from

the recipe (below).

For the Croutons:

·1 baguette French bread slices (1/2 inch thick).

·Fresh grated parmesan cheese.

·Infuse 1 cup olive oil with 6 cloves garlic. This will be used to drizzle or brush on French bread slices for croutons. Set it aside.It CAN be done the day before, but olive oil with garlic in it MUST be refrigerated overnight.

For the Greens:

·3 medium heads of Romaine lettuce – washed, DRY and chilled.

·2 to 3 tablespoons wine vinegar

·The juice of one lemon or Mexican lime

·1 or 2 one-minute coddled eggs

·Course freshly ground pepper

·Salt

·Dash of Worcestershire sauce

·6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

·Whole anchovies for garnish, although I was taught to crush a couple of anchovies in the dressing.

DIRECTIONS

To Make Croutons:

Preheat oven to 225 F. Slice bread and spread it out on a cookie sheet. Pour small amount of garlic-flavored oil over cubes. Dry in oven for 2 hours. Sprinkle croutons with grated Parmesan cheese. Store in jar or a tightly sealed zip-lock baggie and refrigerate to keep crisp.

Prepare the Romaine:

Wash 24 hours ahead if possible. Dry and refrigerate. The classic/original salad is served with whole smaller leaves, but sometimes, larger outer leaves are torn into 2-3 inch pieces, if meant to be eaten with a fork (I serve very small heart leaves, whole). Set the leaves aside.

To Prepare the Salad:

In a large salad bowl, chilled if possible, drizzle about 1/3 cup garlic infused oil over vinegar, lemon juice and eggs. Sprinkle with fresh pepper. Season with salt and dash of Worcestershire. Add the cheese. Add the leaves last and toss to coat with dressing.

www.CaesarSaladCompetitionHouston.com

Jack Tyler's Mexico is a Finalist for Favorite Mexico Blog in About.com’s Readers’ Choice Awards!

 

Jack Tyler's Mexico is a FINALIST  in the About.com Readers’ Choice Awards for Favorite Mexico Blog!

You may vote once a day until March 22nd (That's nearly 30 votes if you have nothing else to do)!

Click Here To Vote!

Here's a little about me and the philosophy that guides me in writing Jack Tyler's Mexico:

As a young boy in the 1950's I first visited towns along the Texas/Mexico border with my parents. That started a love affair with a country that I have visited all of my life; writing and photographing my first article about Mexico in Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo in 1976. I have traveled and written about Mexico, her people, her cultures and her cuisines for over 35 years.

As a magazine publisher I used my experiences in Mexico to launch Mexico Travel & Life magazine and spent increasingly more time there to build my knowledge of the country and her varied cuisines while writing about them for English-speaking North American audiences. I am an avid explorer of her archaeological and UNESCO World Heritage sites and am an enthusiastic explorer of her cuisines; learned region by region and town by town.

I have published many magazines over the years of my 35 year career as a writer/publisher, such as Performing Arts Houston; Theatre and the Performing Arts; Co-founder of Performing Arts; Houston Restaurant Business; Post Oak Boulevard; Mexico Travel and Life; Philanthropy In Texas (now Philanthropy World). All of these have given me great pleasure and have brought me to this point in my life.

Hopefully, these little vignettes of Mexican life and history, mixed with her unique and exciting foods, wines and spirits will interest you as much as they interest me and that you will all respond with your trip comments and recipe requests.

Click here to vote for Jack Tyler's Mexico!

We are also honored to have won the Golden Deer Award from the Mazatlan Hotel Association!

Mazatlan’s Estrella del Mar Is a Shining Star in the Efforts to Save and Protect Sea Turtles.

A Mazatlan Beach Resort Community is Making a Big Difference

Mazatlan, a historic town of approximately one-half million people is at a point in its maturity as a beach resort in the Mexico tourism world reminiscent of where Puerto Vallarta was in her glory days in the late 60’s and 70’s.  It is, however, historically and culturally unique in Mexico and draws her personality from strong and rich immigration from countries, in addition to Spain, such as Germany, in this case.  Today, Mazatlan’s economy is anchored by many industries... in addition to tourism.  It is a major fishery and accounts for a huge portion of Mexico’s shrimp industry. Mazatlan’s strong economy includes income from world-renowned Pacifico Beer, Marino coffee, and Latin America’s largest tuna processing plant. Key to merging a manufacturing/industrial economy with the tourism industry is that the major industries that boost Mazatlan’s economy and raise the percentage of locals employed outside of the tourism industry is the fact that the major industries are mostly well-known consumer products... such as Pacifico Beer, rather than car parts.  Best of all, for those of us in southeast Texas, Mazatlan is a short 2 1/2 hour flight from Houston on Continental/United Airlines.

A mere forty-five minutes south of Mazatlan’s romantic historic district and her vibrant Zona Dorado (Golden Zone) hotel district is what could be the epicenter and most successful of all efforts along Mexico’s Pacific coast to protect the sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea species).  Established in 1998, the Estrella del Mar Turtle Sanctuary was created with the single goal of protecting and conserving the sea turtle.  Just as significantly, the sanctuary is part of the 3.5 miles of beach habitat at the luxurious golf and beach resort, Estrella del Mar, a development built to live in concert with its natural environment. 

Hotel guests and property owners enjoy world-class dining

The Wyndham Las Villas Resort offers the level of luxury expected on a Mexico beach resort (and a Wyndham resort) vacation, in addition to a convenient spa and world-class dining.  More than merely living in concert with the environment, the developers have made a substantial commitment to proactively lead in the preservation of the sea turtle.

Every summer the Olive (Ridley) sea turtles return to their native beaches to lay their eggs. Turtles venture from hundreds of miles away to return to the place of their birth to lay their eggs, a ritual that has occurred for thousands of years.  Watching this phenomenon occur on my trips to Mazatlan for years has been an amazing experience, as the turtles literally come up on the beach at night and lay their eggs within feet of the nest they were born in! By safe guarding the nests and hatchlings each year, Estrella del Mar’s protection program has dramatically increased the number of mother turtles and their resulting off-spring. Turtles are the last living representatives of the "Jurassic Period" and scientists can trace these creatures to the days of the dinosaurs. Unfortunately, many of the world's beaches are now full of developments as man continues to encroach on the turtle's habitat. This has significantly reduced the reproductive success of turtles to such an extent that sea turtles are in danger of becoming extinct.

Robert Trent Jones Jr. 18-hole championship golf course

This 816-acre gated community with lush tropical landscaping is one of Mexico's best kept secrets. With a Robert Trent Jones Jr. 18-hole championship golf course and boasting 3.5 miles of pristine beach, this resort hotel and spa offers opportunities for vacation visitors, as well as home or condo ownership not seen elsewhere in the Mazatlan area. 

Estrella del Mar's resident marine biologist, Erndira Gonzalez Diego,

prepares for her first nest search of the night.

We all like to visit resorts that are environmentally conscious... but the Wyndham Las Villas Resort at Estrella del Mar has taken eco-consciousness to a new level for a luxury resort/spa/hotel.  In concert with local city, state, and federal agencies, local media, local school children and even the resort’s owners, guests and staff, a remarkable track record of results has been established.  When the program began in 1998 fewer than 10,000 turtles were hatched and released.  Last season this number reached 189,000. You see, Estrella del Mar’s resident marine biologist works tirelessly to locate turtle nests as soon as the female lays her eggs (usually 100 to 125 eggs in each nest) in the sand on the beach.

 The love, care and delicate treatment of the eggs in the 

harvesting process virtually every night is inspiring.

This means multiple trips daily along the 3 ½ mile stretch of beach designated as a sanctuary.  The only clue to the location of the nests is usually the tracks in the sand made by the female as she makes her way from the surf to the location of her own birthplace on the beach. Nests are carefully located and measured and the eggs are removed to be placed in the facility’s incubator room for the 45 days needed for hatching.  After hatching, the young turtles are released at the beach locations and times most advantageous for their protection from predators as well as scavenging humans.  Human activities including hunting and killing, collection of eggs for consumption, and encroachment and destruction of sea turtle habitat have drastically reduced the numbers of sea turtles.  Fortunately, the developers of Estrella del Mar have set an example of how man can coexist with nature.

 Local school children frequently participate in the egg releases

to learn about the program to save sea turtles.

For guests who would like to participate in this program, there is a release every afternoon that guests and local school children frequently participate in. The feeling that you get when you release the turtles carefully on the beach and watch them with pride as they make their way toward the setting sun (and an unsure future) is one you will never forget.  I was also lucky enough to take a four-wheeler trip up and down the beach to harvest eggs from 9:00 p.m. until long after midnight with Erndira Gonzalez Diego, Estrella del Mar's resident marine biologist.  The love, care and delicate treatment of the eggs by the two-person crew that harvests the eggs virtually every night is inspiring and guests are assured that this is far more than a show for tourists... it’s a passion and something that goes on with a life of its own regardless of the hotel guests and the home and condo owners enjoying the luxurious surroundings and the lush Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed golf course.

 It's a wonderful experience to golf along the beautiful

Pacific Ocean at Estrella del Mar.

Seven holes on the course, by the way, stretch along the beautiful white sands of the Pacific beach... and golfers are sometimes unaware that humans and sea turtles share this pristine beach in a symbiotic relationship that has saved hundreds of thousands of these beautiful sea creatures.

Wyndham Las Villas Resort at Estrella del Mar offers packages which also allow visitors to participate in the turtle release/protection program for as little as $61.00 per day.  Many Americans, including Houstonians, have chosen the condos and home sites at Estrella del Mar to spend the rest of their lives living “the good life” while leaving this world a better place.

Direct Line to Resort (US): 888-587-0609

Direct Line to Resort (Canada): 866-703-7161

Direct Line to Resort (Mexico): 01-800-PAR-GOLF (727-4653)

Fax: 669-982-3420 or 011-52-669-915-8300 (from US)

Email: info@estrelladelmar.com Web: www.estrelladelmar.com

KM. 10 Camino Isla de la Peidra, Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico CP. 82267

The REAL Caesar's Salad... Its History and Recipe

Caesar's Restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico

Over in Houston, Texas (una colonia de Mexico), there is an annual competition to create the "Best Caesar Salad" in the city. That would be a significant feat, I would think, in a city boasts that nearly one-third if its population is Hispanic... and most of those are Mexican-American. With all of the excitement and buzz that accompanies this fun and popular 27-year-old competition, I thought I would remind readers about just what a Caesar’s Salad is, as well as talk about its history (and provide you with the recipe to make the original Classic Caesar’s salad as it is still prepared today at Caesar’s Restaurant in Tijuana (where it was invented). The Caesar's Salad IS, after all, possibly the most popular Mexican dish in the world. It is notable in the competition in Houston, that with all of the entries in the 2011 event, there were only three entries in the "classic" division, which should adhere to the recipe and the spirit of the original... and the winner in the division (as tasty as it was) used the restaurateur's "old family recipe". What's wrong with using the Cardini family's "old family recipe"?

Caesar Cardini from a photo on the

wall at Caesar's Restaurant

The authentic Mexican dish served in the most non-Mexican restaurants in the U.S. is also the authentic Mexican dish served in the fewest Mexican Restaurants in the U.S.!

Here are some facts about what is commonly called the “Caesar Salad” today:

·The salad was created in the kitchen of Caesar’s Restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, ca. 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant who actually lived in the San Diego, California area.

he salad was originally named the Aviator’s Salad.

·The salad was/is properly called “Caesar’s Salad”... not the “Caesar Salad”.

·There were no anchovies in the original Caesar’s Salad!

·The Caesar’s Salad was originally served as “finger food” and is/(should be) served with whole Romaine lettuce leaves, to be eaten with the fingers. Many restaurants today serve the salad with the leaves torn into bite-sized pieces to be more eater-friendly.

While I noted with interest the fact that as I traveled all over Mexico the past four decades writing about regional cuisines of Mexico, that of the many more-upscale restaurants there served Caesar’s Salads, I didn’t really know why. I have always enjoyed them, but just moved past them in Mexico in favor of “Mexican food”. When I studied the history of the salad, years ago, I promised myself that I would, at some point, enjoy the salad in the restaurant where it was created.

Armando Villegas makes the Caesar's Salad

at Caesar's Restaurant.

As part of a culinary tour of Baja California Norte, I was investigating a “trend” in Baja Mexico called “BajaMed Cuisine” (I’m not convinced the "trend actually exists, as such), but that’s another story) and was fortunate enough to visit Caesar’s Restaurant in Tijuana.Under the watchful eye of long-time manager, Jorge Chavez, I was taught to make the original authentic “real deal” Caesar’s Salad as it has evolved ever-so-slightly since the 1920’s. I use the original recipe and technique when I make my own salads and I use the classic salad as a benchmark to judge “Caesar Salads” in restaurants I visit.

Small Caesar Salad prepared by Armando at Caesar's

Before I share the recipe and technique, here’s the quick history of the salad. This "history" varies from telling to telling, by three or four years... but is pretty close. During prohibition, restaurateurs in southern California were hurting from lack of liquor sales in their restaurants... and, frankly, those restaurants near the Mexican border were hurting for customers, also. It was more fun to cross the border into Mexico, where alcohol was legal, and drink, dance and dine there. Caesar Cardini, a restaurateur from Italy in San Diego, decided to open a restaurant in Tijuana to take advantage of the laws there.The restaurant was very successful and had a large American clientele. One night in 1924, some WWI aviators crossed the border to party in Mexico. Nearing closing time, the kitchen was out of many of the items that they would normally use to make light snacks and they threw together a “finger food” salad from ingredients that they DID have in the kitchen. It was a big success and was requested on subsequent visits by pilots and aircrews, who dubbed it the Aviator’s Salad. While details vary, there are a few givens acknowledged by the family of Caesar Cardini. There was no raw egg used in the earlier versions of the salad, but the ingredient became part of the salad in the early history of the salad. Eggs are now used in Caesar’s Salads, but they are coddled (boiled for one minute for safety). There were no anchovies in the early salads and the slight flavor of anchovy came from the addition of Lea & Perrins, which has anchovies in it. There are stories that Caesar’s brother, Alex, was first to add anchovies, but no one knows for sure. When I was taught to make it in Caesar’s, we used anchovies. It is said that Alex first added egg to it. Here’s how it is made today:

MY Caesar’s Salad made from

the recipe (below).

For the Croutons:

·1 baguette French bread slices (1/2 inch thick).

·Fresh grated parmesan cheese.

·Infuse 1 cup olive oil with 6 cloves garlic. This will be used to drizzle or brush on French bread slices for croutons. Set it aside.It CAN be done the day before, but olive oil with garlic in it MUST be refrigerated overnight.

For the Greens:

·3 medium heads of Romaine lettuce – washed, DRY and chilled.

·2 to 3 tablespoons wine vinegar

·The juice of one lemon or Mexican lime

·1 or 2 one-minute coddled eggs

·Course freshly ground pepper

·Salt

·Dash of Worcestershire sauce

·6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

·Whole anchovies for garnish, although I was taught to crush a couple of anchovies in the dressing.

DIRECTIONS

To Make Croutons:

Preheat oven to 225 F. Slice bread and spread it out on a cookie sheet. Pour small amount of garlic-flavored oil over cubes. Dry in oven for 2 hours. Sprinkle croutons with grated Parmesan cheese. Store in jar or a tightly sealed zip-lock baggie and refrigerate to keep crisp.

Prepare the Romaine:

Wash 24 hours ahead if possible. Dry and refrigerate. The classic/original salad is served with whole smaller leaves, but sometimes, larger outer leaves are torn into 2-3 inch pieces, if meant to be eaten with a fork (I serve very small heart leaves, whole). Set the leaves aside.

To Prepare the Salad:

In a large salad bowl, chilled if possible, drizzle about 1/3 cup garlic infused oil over vinegar, lemon juice and eggs. Sprinkle with fresh pepper. Season with salt and dash of Worcestershire. Add the cheese. Add the leaves last and toss to coat with dressing.

2011 Gran Fiesta Amigos de Mazatlán

Gran Fiesta Amigos to Kick Off Fall Travel Season in Mazatlán

October 31st to November 3rd!

Nicknamed “The Pearl of the Pacific”, Mazatlán has long been a favorite Pacific beach destination for me, as well as many others who want to get away from the tired over-crowded tourism centers around Mexico. Many of those who celebrate the uniqueness of this seacoast town have gathered there annually for 17 years as Mazatlán spotlights its cultural heritage... its authentic cuisine... its beaches... and its world-class fishing and surfing. The event is the annual Gran Fiesta Amigos de Mazatlán and it will electrify the town from October 31st to November 3rd, 2011. While the 2011 Gran Fiesta Amigos (Big Festival of Friends) is intended to welcome and thank Mazatlan’s travel partners such as wholesalers, tour operators, airlines (American Airlines just launched daily non-stop flights to Mazatlán from Dallas-Fort Worth for an estimated upswing of $15,000,000/annually in tourism revenue and another option for the over 2,000,000 visitors a year), incentive companies, international journalists and tourism dignitaries... but it is the perfect time of the year for all sun-seekers to visit Mazatlán.

Mazatlán has become a world-class surfing destination.

The sunsets in Mazatlan are unmatched anywhere else! 

The 17th Annual Gran Fiesta Amigos de Mazatlán is jointly presented by the City of Mazatlán, the Mazatlán Hotel Association and the State of Sinaloa.



“Mazatlán’s rich culture and unrivaled hospitality sets it apart from other destinations.” says Carlos Berdegue, vice president of Mazatlán Hotel Association and Tourism Board. “Visitors here enjoy beautiful weather and Pacific coast sunsets alongside a lively historic center, renowned cuisine and premier resorts. There are also top-ranked spas, championship golf and year-round events. We are committed to showcasing the many sides of Mazatlán and look forward to making the 2011 Gran Fiesta Amigos the best ever.”

Pulmonias are Mazatlan's trademark transportation found only here!

Among the highlights of this year’s celebration are:

Angela Peralta Theater

Old Mazatlán’s neoclassical Angela Peralta Theater and Plaza Machado will be hosting performances and special dinners. There will be displays of Day of the Dead altars, walking tours of Old Mazatlan, boutiques, jazz clubs and art schools.

Immaculate Conception Cathedral

Cruise ships line up in this popular cruise destination

Cliff divers perform several times a day on the malecon.

There will be tours and excursions of nearby colonial towns such as Copala, El Quelite and La Noria. Visitors can also savor authentic regional cuisine (including some of the best seafood in the world), visit local artisans’ workshops, archaeological museums, churches and historical sites dating back to the 1500’s.

It’s not bragging if you’ve done it... and Mazatlan is recognized worldwide by sportsmen (including me) as a first-class sport-fishing destination. We’re talking about big trophy fish like Marlin, Tuna and Sailfish. Golfers recognize world-class golf resorts and courses such as El Cid Golf and Country Club’s Lee Trevino championship course; the Robert Trent Jones-designed Estrella del Mar (which I set out to play... but it played ME like a fiddle); and the new Marina Mazatlán Golf Course designed by David Fleming. Among events at this year’s Amigo’s celebration will be a keynote breakfast presentation on November 1st honoring distinguished travel industry guests and a featured speaker. The breakfast, along with other events at Gran Fiesta Amigos de Mazatlán will be at the state-of-the-art Mazatlan International Center, a destination in itself for business meeting and conventions in Mazatlan.

For more information on attending the 2011 Gran Fiesta Amigos, you may visit http://www.GoMazatlan.com.

Baja California Norte and Rancho La Puerta

There’s More in Tecate Than Beer!

La Puerta rooms yield spectacular views of the mountains that border Mexico and the US.

Baja California, Mexico.  It’s the Mexico you and I didn’t expect… and it’s the Mexico that begins only a few minutes from San Diego, the gateway to Mexico’s surprising northern Baja peninsula.   I’ve enjoyed many visits to the southern part of this peninsula... the state of Baja California Sur, and have loved it.  Cabo San Lucas, Loreto, Todos Santos, La Paz… I keep going back.  A couple of years ago was the last time before this trip that I had entered Mexico through Tijuana (for a conference on real estate investment in Mexico) and I never left my hotel for four days. But this was the first occasion when I have spent much time roaming the “norte”.  In the state that holds the seafood and art mecca of Ensenada, the exciting border city of Tijuana, and the beautiful Valle de Guadalupe, heart of Mexico’s wine country, in the town of Tecate lies Rancho La Puerta Spa and Fitness Resort.  I was actually in Baja California on a culinary quest to learn more about the current style of northern Baja California/Mediterranean fusion cooking in this area, specifically, Tijuana… but more on that in another article. I lost my focus!  Plenty of interesting food to write about in Tecate, too… especially here in the world capital of taco stands!  I find it hard to pass up a taco stand in Tecate.

Taco stands dot the streets in Tecate

Life in Tecate revolves around their most prominent business, the Tecate Brewery.

Being male, my definition of a “spa” was a facility of a few thousand square feet nestled in a luxury resort that my wife went to while I was playing golf… but I learned that I was thinking “day spa”.  Wandering along the perfectly manicured, yet natively natural pathways through the 3000 acres of this, the mother-of-all-destination-spas, I was amazed that the 2010 Travel & Leisure Reader’s Choice as the World’s Best Destination Spa had escaped my radar.   Further confounding me was the fact that this spa has been here,   an hour from San Diego, in the town of Tecate,  Baja California, Mexico since 1940.

The dining hall at La Puerta is in a comforting natural setting.

Even the art at Rancho La Puerta reminds guests to slow down and reflect.

Founded by Edmond and Deborah Szekely, what is billed as the world’s first destination fitness resort and spa grew to become the premiere multi-day vacation destination spa in the world.  Rancho La Puerta offers world-class landscaped gardens, an organic farm, internationally known cooking school, and mountainsides and meadows of great hiking/walking experiences.  Not at all a “day spa”, but a sustainable paradise that, with a stay of a few days, guides guests toward a positive lifestyle change with focus on fitness, healthy diet,  and the relaxation that comes from the complete luxury spa experience.  What a nightmare… here I, a travel blogger/writer, am in this place without Sally and I have to write something about it that she will certainly read. Maybe I should think about playing it down?

Most of the facilities and lodgings are sprinkled amidst world-class gardens and vineyards.  Probably the world’s first “eco” resort, the Ranch practices sustainable organic gardening and resource conservation, and leads the way in environmental protection and education efforts in the region.  Within walking distance, their organic farm, Rancho Tres Estrellas, grows acres of the healthy fare guests feast on daily.  They produce over 115 different organic vegetables, fruits and herbs for bountiful seasonal preparation. As a food writer, I am trying to figure a way to extend my stay!

Slowly walk the labyrinth to excercise your spacial problem solving skills.

Activities at La Puerta include walks, hikes, Pilates, cooking instructions (I always do this everywhere I go), dance (I always do this when my wife makes me), golf (YAY), tennis, volleyball, swimming, yoga, quiet reflection… or absolutely nothing (YAY)!  I took a pre-dawn walk through the farm with kitchen manager, Salvador Tinajero, who was out chosing the seasonable organic produce that’s ripe and ready for today’s meals.  It wasn’t special treatment, either… it’s a regular activity for guests.

Salvador Tinajero, the farm manager,
harvests produce for the day's menu.

Birding is spectacular, and another reason to keep quiet to Sally, formerly with the Houston Audubon Society (Lewis’ Woodpecker, Chipping Sparrow, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Orange-Crowned Warbler, Lesser Goldfinch, Spotted Towhee, California Thrasher, Phainopepla, and more… they list over 180 species on their website)  and hikes may focus on geology and wildlife, or merely oneself.  Strolling through colorful lavender and fragrant fields of sage and Artemisia, I scared up bobcats, gray foxes, rabbits, ground squirrels, coyotes, raccoons and prairie dogs. When looking skyward, golden eagles, Swaison’s hawks and turkey vultures were soaring in search of the small game that scurried about in advance of my footsteps.  I tried a walk through the labyrinth to exercise my spatial problem-solving skills. Didn’t work… but I understand it does for others.

The beautiful setting keeps you from staying in your room at La Puerta.

Always visible is the beauty of Mount Kuchumaa, a 3800 foot high peak which the indigenous Kumeyaay tribes people knew as the "exalted high place."  Occupying Baja California Norte for as long as 12,000 years, they viewed Kuchumaa as the womb of the world, from which all creation came.  Only shamans were allowed on the summit of the mountain, which was considered a place of initiation for spiritual leaders, while the valleys, meadows and woodlands below were gathering places for all.  Having recently returned from Chiapas, I was mindful of my constant obsession with the Maya and this trip drove home that there are so many diverse indigenous root paths running throughout Mexico. It’s not all about the Maya and the Aztecs.

Acres of seasonal produce grow to serve the guests of  Rancho la Puerta.

The spa’s farm is one of the most important features of La Puerta and the part around which much of the healthy lifestyle revolves.  The food here is spectacular and the key words are “local” and “organic”. Menus are planned around the seasonal produce from the farm and locally caught seafood.  Wines are all from Baja California’s wine country and are locally produced.  While La Puerta is not on the coast, it is near the Pacific coast town of Ensenada. Several times a week, buyers from La Puerta start the day at Ensenada's Mercado Negro… an open air seafood market that rivals the huge seafood markets in the Mediterranean… then they rush back to the kitchen with fresh whole fish, such as mahi mahi (Dorado here in Mexico… and no easy  feat to haul big ones like I have caught of the Pacific coast of Mexico), tilapia, grouper, yellowtail and red snapper  to be carved by La Puerta’s expert chefs into the day’s “catch” on the menu.  All dishes are complemented by the freshest ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, organic peanut butter, nuts and seeds.  Menus are planned with the recommendations of Walter C. Willett, M.D., from Harvard's Graduate School of Public Health, author of Eat, Drink and be Healthy.

Would it be a spa without offering expert massages to begin (or end) your day?

As a true destination spa, rates and the plans are for weeklong stays, starting and ending on Saturday and can even include transportation to and from the San Diego airport.  There are three organic gourmet meals a day and snacks including a smoothie bar, juices, soups, and vegetables, etc.   All beverages with meals are included, also.  Guests have full roam of all fitness facilities, the spa, swimming pools, and the library and laundry facilities.

It's not hard to figure why this La Puerta hiker is smiling

An example of how much fun exercise can be is a dance class at La Puerta.

To illustrate the size and scope of La Puerta, it is interesting to note that there are approximately 50 different scheduled group classes per day, with up to five choices of activities per hour including guided hikes and walks and workshops.  There are spa and fitness concierges to customize programs and help you gain ease with the many proffered services.  I found that nightfall doesn’t necessarily mean bedtime, as there are evening programs and entertainment.  There are some a la carte items such as spa services, personal one-on-one training, and cooking classes or demonstrations at La Cocina Que Canta cooking school.

Cooking classes in La Cocina Que Canta teach healthy cooking with
local organic ingredients.

Rates for a weeklong stay at La Puerta range from approximately $3000 to $4000 per person.  Tipping at La Puerta is truly optional… there is NO service charge.   I found that made me want to tip, though.  Clever.

By the way, should you elect to use the available pickup from the San Diego airport and the return to same at the end of your visit, you will find that the infamous hour-long waits at the U.S./Mexico border are not to be suffered by you.  Mexico is heavily pushing medical tourism and that includes the ability of facilities like Rancho la Puerta, as well as hospitals and clinics, to drive you right up to the border in a special lane bypassing the long lines of cars awaiting inspection to cross to the U.S.!
I promise you, this will not be a vacation from which you will have to recuperate.


Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa
U.S. Business Office
11696 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 203
San Diego, CA USA 92121
858-764-5571 direct line
U.S. Toll Free:  1-800-443-7565
www.rancholapuerta.com
www.discoverbajacalifornia.com
www.ensenada.com
www.tecate.com

Recipes

I brought back recipes of a couple of the delicious healthy dishes served at La Puerta and offer them for you to try at home. Butternut Squash Soup with Caramelized Apple and Rancho la Puerta Baked Vegetable Eggrolls with Ginger Plum Dipping Sauce. Hope you enjoy tring these!

Butternut Squash Soup with Caramelized Apple

La Puerta's rich butternut soup is made from squash freshly harvested on-site.