Tag Archives: Marcela Valladolid

Tequila Hacienda de La Flor by Marcela Valladolid

There has been much anticipation awaiting the launch of the Hacienda de La Flor tequila line by Chef Marcela and Antonio Valladolid. Yesterday afternoon, Searsucker in downtown San Diego held an intimate soft launch for their Organic Hacienda de La Flor brand. The absolutely beautiful bottles of tequila lined the bar and surrounding areas, and before we knew it, the restaurant slowly started to fill up with close family, friends, and press.

We were greeted with a crafted cocktail made especially for the event. Local mixologist Jen Queen wanted to create a cocktail that didn’t mask the natural flavors of the tequila. She used prickly pear, with an added hint of reduced Habanero syrup and Rosemary. The color of the cocktail itself was absolutely stunning, I felt as if I just kept looking at it with a dreamy stare. Each sip had a slight tartness, with the heat of the chile coming out in the back of your throat. Most importantly though, the tequila was still the star. With this taste, I couldn’t wait to experience the rest of the line. I would love for this cocktail to frequent my life a lot more often.

The cocktails and conversation were flowing, as Marcela and Antonio Valladolid took front and center. It truly is something special to hear about their “labor of love”, and craftsmanship that went into creating their brand and line of tequila. The tequila itself is 100 percent Organic, and each classification is crafted with excellence.

The time had come to taste the different types of tequila, and with that came a couple of small bites from Chef Jo Jo to accompany them. We started off with the young Blanco tequila, and carried on with the Reposado, Anejo, and Extra Anejo. The small plates started with a Hamachi Crudo with spicy Watermelon sauce, and was followed by braised Oxtail sopes (One of my favorites of the day.), Fried Green tomatoes, and Pork belly with mole. Each pairing worked together as a symphony, between the different tequilas and food options.

I loved each tequila that I tasted, and picking a favorite was a bit difficult. Okay, so the Anejo may have come out a bit over the top of the rest for me. With that being said though, I would gladly enjoy any of the bottles at any time. As I mentioned before, the bottles are gorgeous, and I am happy to have one gracing the counter tops of my kitchen as we speak.

We wish you absolute success with the Hacienda de La Flor Tequila line, we know that it will be a hit!

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Roasted Cauliflower with Avocado-Cilantro Dip

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It is the New Year, and eating healthy (or healthier) is always on my list of things to do. I’m not going to go crazy and take tortillas or hamburgers out of my life or anything, but less unhealthy snacks is a great start. I saw this recipe in ‘Mexican Made Easy’, and I thought, “What a delicious and healthy snack.” I absolutely love any vegetable, especially when they are roasted. The cauliflower comes out almost sweet, and honestly I could have eaten every last one right off of the baking sheet. Then the Avocado-cilantro dip comes into play, which is really easy to make, and packed full of flavor. This dip would be a perfect addition to any vegetable tray.

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Pomegranate, Basil and Queso Fresco Salsa

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Pomegranate, Basil and Queso Fresco Salsa
You might have started to notice a trend around here. Ever since I bought Chef Marcela Valladolid’s book ‘Mexican Made Easy’, I have not been able to put it down. Her recipes are full of simple ingredients, but she really packs each dish full of flavor. You can taste each ingredient on their own, and they all shine in their own way. With that being said, this salsa caught my eye every time that I flipped through the book. I absolutely love when unique flavors and textures come together. This salsa is so refreshing and light. I decided to use Pepitas in place of the Pine nuts, because that is what I had on hand. Between these two types of nuts, each one will add its own characteristic to the salsa. The colors alone of this salsa are gorgeous, and it would be a great option to serve at your next get together.

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Oatmeal Horchata

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Oatmeal Horchata
When it comes to my favorite (non-alcoholic) drinks, Agua de Jamaica and Agua de Horchata come in side by side. I just might love Horchata a little bit more, but that is simply because I am obsessed with cinnamon. When I came across the recipe for a version made with Oatmeal in Marcela Valladolid’s ‘Mexican Made Easy’ cookbook, I could not wait to make it. The oatmeal makes this drink a bit more hearty, and even something I could see myself having at breakfast. This version is not only healthier for you, but it is packed with flavor. Even though Horchata is best when served chilled, I find it to be a very comforting drink.
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Molletes and Chef Marcela Valladolid’s Book Signing

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We had the pleasure of meeting Chef Marcela Valladolid at the book signing for her new cookbook Mexican Made Easy (See pictures below). She caught my attention, from the first time that I saw her on the Food Network. She really displays how beautiful and simple Mexican dishes are. Residing in the San Diego/Tijuana area, you get to experience the best of both worlds. The two cultures are best expressed through the food, and Chef Marcela genuinely gives mexican food the respect it deserves. For instance, “There’s no such thing as yellow cheese in truly authentic mexican cuisine.”
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LA Street Food Fest

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This past Saturday we headed up to Pasadena to attend the 2nd Annual LA Street Food Fest. The whole week with all the talks about “carmageddon”, I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive, but there was no way that we were not going to attend this food fest. Yes, of course we had alternative routes planned out, and “what if’s” running through our heads, but as it turned out there was not an ounce of traffic. I have actually never seen the freeways so empty in my life. “Carmageddon” made the drive to LA an absolute breeze. With our stomachs and tastebuds curious, we were ready to eat and drink for the next three hours.

I have to admit that I was the most excited about seeing the Baja Chefs and restaurants at the event. We headed right to the Mision 19 booth, where we saw Chef Javier Plascencia dishing out his Smoked Oyster Asada with Chicharron short rib, Serrrano Ponzu butter, Lemongrass foam and Sea Beans. This oyster had such beautiful flavors to it, and the chicharron added this crunchy texture to the silky oyster, that which together, it was an excellent combonation. This was the first time that I had ever been introduced to sea beans, and with further research I learned that they are edible salt tolerant plants that grow near beaches or salt marshes. The sea salt flavor is what made it such an ideal garnish to the oyster, and it had just the right right bite and flavor. This was one of my favorite bites of the whole day, and little did we know that later on he would go on to win “Best in Show” and “People’s Choice” for his oysters. Congratulations Chef Javier Plascencia for this award, it was well deserved! Later this month we have plans to go out to dinner at Mision 19 for our first wedding anniversary. I can not wait to experience and taste more dishes that Chef Javier has at his restaurant.

This beef cheek taco was from another one of Chef Javier Plascencia’s restaurants called Casa Plascencia.

I was so happy to grab a photo with Chef Benito Molina and his wife Solange Muris of Manzanilla Restaurant. They were serving lengua (tongue), beef cheek, and abalone mini tostadas. They called it the Manzanilla Surprise. I very much enjoyed the flavors and textures of these little bites.I would love to take a trip down to Manzanilla in Ensenda, for my birthday in late August.

Sea Urchin tostada from La Guerrerense. This won the award for Best Original Showmanship.

I also got to grab a shot with Chef Marcela Valladolid, who was one of the judges for the food fest.

This little bite from Cacao Mexicatessen was so packed with flavor, and another one that was at the top of my list. It was Venison Chorizo Verde, tortilla de Jicama, Serrano relish, and drizzled with Goat Cheese Crema Mexicana. I think that the Tortilla de Jicama is a genious idea! You get a nice cool and crisp crunch when you bite into the venison chorizo. So delicious!

Tequila Tasting: Angel Bendito Tequila. For any of you that know my Dad, this was of course one of his favorite stops.

Of course we had to try the ice cream sandwiches from the Cool Haus truck. We got there before the long lines, and I am so glad that we did, especially in the heat. We enjoyed the Potato Chip and Skor bar cookie with Orange Chocolate Cointreau ice cream, and the Double Chocolate sea salt cookie with Butterscotch Rosemary ice cream. These sweet treats are truly delectable.

Walking around in the middle of July with the sun beating down on you calls for an ice cold beer right? Singha beer was a lovely and surprisingly light thirst quencher. I am not a huge beer drinker, but I found myself being very fond of this beer.

This is my little foodie in training. Giovanni loved being out and about taking in all of people around him, and even though he can’t talk yet, I am sure that he loved the delicious smells as well.

The Ballywood Meatball from the Great Balls on Tires Foodtruck.

Cake Balls from Delicious Wishes LA.

This was a tasty hot dog from Dog Haus. The caramelized onions on top added a delightful richness to the dog.

We unfourtunately did not get around to every single food booth, but it was an experience that I will never forget. I am already looking forward to attending next year’s event. It was three hours dedicated to good bites and good times.