Tag Archives: culinary

Baja Food & Wine Festivals on the Horizon

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Hola amigos/as! It’s the time of year we’ve been waiting for: the Baja Festival Season! Here is a list of upcoming events on our radar screen, with links. We’ll write more about them individually in the near future.

Saturday, April 15, 4pm – Crossing South Food & Wine Festival, Rosarito Beach Hotel This first-time event is tied to the popular PBS TV show, Crossing South. Meet show host Jorge Meraz, enjoy food & wine samples, and salsa dance lessons! Tix: $70, $140 for VIP. Check out this video.

Sunday, April 23, noon – Festival de las Conchas y el Nuevo Vino, Hotel Coral & Marina, Ensenada One of our very favorite fests! With 50+ restaurants serving gourmet samples made with oysters, clams and scallops, and 80 wineries pouring tastes of 150 different wines . . . how can you go wrong? Tix: $1200 pesos (about $67 at the current exchange rate).



Saturday & Sunday, May 27-28, 10am – Art Walk Rosarito, CEART, Rosarito Beach Not a true food and wine fest, but in the past this event HAS included booths for both wine and food. Touring the art and talking with the artists is very fun! Admission in the past has been free. 

Saturday, June 10, noon – Fiesta de los Vinedos en Flor, Jardin Decantos, Valle de Guadalupe  A family-oriented event in a new location this year. Wine and beer tastings are offered, but you gotta pay for food (although prices are very reasonable). Tix: $700 pesos (about $37). And, kids under 18 are admitted free! Tix are on not sale yet. Read more at https://provinobc.mx/eventos/


Friday, August 4, 7pm – Muestra del Vino, Centro Cultural Riviera, Ensenada We’ve not been to this event, but it looks like a great time. It’s the opening event for Fiestas de la Vendimia, the Baja wine harvest celebration. And I love the venue, Cento Cultural Riviera! Again, tix are not on sale yet, but read more at https://provinobc.mx/eventos/

Sunday, August 20, noon – Concurso del Paellas, Vinedos Liceaga, Valle de Guadalupe My very favorite event of the year, with 80 wineries and 80+ teams of “paelleros.” Grab a table under the giant oak trees and enjoy wine, music, and of course, paella all afternoon. Such a festive but relaxing atmosphere. Bring friends, or make new ones! This is the closing event of the Fiestas de la Vendimia. Tix this year will be around $75, worth every penny, but are not yet on sale. Learn more at https://provinobc.mx/eventos/  



Three other past events: Cocina la Baja, typically held in early July at Estero Beach Hotel,Sabor de Baja, generally held in late August at the Rosarito Beach Hotel, and the Valle Food & Wine Fest, usually an October event, have not announced 2023 dates yet. We hope all shows will go on, and we will keep you posted.

Salud!

Como siempre, muchisimas gracias por fotos by Bob Gove.



Baja in a Time of Coronavirus

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It’s been a tough three months, hasn’t it? Trying to stay safe and healthy, and dealing with racial injustice and resulting fallout. Let’s pray that the second half of 2020 will be much better!

Some random insights on what’s going on south of the border:

Border Closure. In theory, the US/Mexico border is closed to all but essential travel. But I have several friends (who shall remain nameless) who have been down multiple times in the past three months since the purported “closure,” with no questions or problems. However, they all drive across, and all have SENTRI passes. U.S. and Mexico officials have just extended the closure until July 21.

Approaching Tijuana via San Ysidro.

Ensenada Closure. According to Baja Bound’s recent Border Crossing Update, visits to Ensenada are banned for non-essential reasons, with checkpoints at El Sauzal and other entry points. But if you are going to Valle de Guadalupe, friends’ experiences have proven that there is access via the free road via La Mision; however, apparently, the highway from Ensenada to the Valle is blocked. One friend got a screamin’ deal at one of my fave Valle B&Bs in May, and reported that most tasting rooms and restaurants were closed, but products were available for takeout.

Valle Update. Kristin Magnussen Shute of Vinos Lechuza reports that they have just been given the green light to reopen, although with “limited capacity.” An encouraging sign! Be sure and make reservations if you plan to visit Lechuza.

Coastal Area Restaurants. I’m sure this is woefully incomplete, but here’s a smattering of news: twenty-eight of Puerto Nuevo’s 30 restaurants have now reopened, so you can get your lobster fix! Splash (Km52), Poco Cielo (Km59) and La Fonda (Km59.5) have reopened and are doing brisk business. Colectivo Surf Tasting Room (Km41) is currently training staff in anticipation of reopening soon. Happy Hour Restaurante (Km43) and Kraken (Km52) are also serving. In downtown Rosarito, Susanna’s, El Nido and Bistro Le Cousteau are open. YAAY!

A recent beautiful day (with music!) at Poco Cielo

Farmers Market. Bart Berry reports that the Puerta al Valle Farmers Market is back in operation every Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. in La Mision (Km62). If you go, check out Bart’s smoked yellowtail; it looks delicious!

Get Bart Berry’s smoked yellowtail at the Puerta al Valle Farmers Market.

Food and Wine Festivals. Sadly, Comite Provino’s wonderful Festival de Las Conchas y El Vino Nuevo (first planned for May 3, then delayed until June 7) has been postponed until further notice, as has their many Fiestas de La Vendima events (planned for late July through mid-August). This includes the 30th Annual Paella Fest, scheduled for August 16! Bo Bendana is taking a “wait and see” posture on Sabor de Baja, originally scheduled for August 26. Carolina Carreno of the big Valle Food and Wine Fest planned for October 3 reports they are working with the government to see if events of their size and scope will be permitted at that time. In the meantime, ticket sales have been paused. Fingers crossed that the 2020 Baja food and wine festival shows WILL go on! 

Memories of the 2019 Paella Fest.

At least Baja eating and drinking opportunities are opening up. Please contact me with any other insights. And please, stay tuned! 

A look back, a look ahead

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2019 was a very good year for eating and drinking in Baja! Here’s a quick recap of some of our favorite events:

Chef Drew Deckman’s offerings at Vinedos en Flor.
  • In July, we attended Cocina La Baja at the Estero Beach Hotel/Resort for our first time. What a great event! Beautiful setting, live music, fantastic restaurants/chefs, and cooking demos. Impressive!
Chefs Drew Deckman and Javier Plascencia at Cocina la Baja.
One of more than 90 pans at the Concurso de Paellas.
  • Sabor de Baja, held one evening each August at the Rosarito Beach Hotel, gets better year after year, with new restaurants, wineries and craft breweries represented. Keep up the great work, Bo and Dennis!
Getting fired up at Sabor de Baja.
  • Our road trip to Scorpion Bay in September was the first time I’ve been down the highway past Guerrero Negro in many years. We loved our stay at the Scorpion Bay Hotel, and enjoyed many eating and drinking opportunities along the way.
Ceviche at Vista al Mar just south of Loreto. As delicious as it was beautiful!
A bit more crowded this year, but the Valle Food & Wine Fest stays classy.
  • We spent a very rainy Thanksgiving brunching in Tecate with friends at Asao, wine tasting at Viña de Frannes and Hilo Negro in the Valle, and followed by a tasty Baja-style turkey dinner at the cozy Susanna’s in Rosarito.
Thanksgiving appetizer at Susanna’s: a light, fluffy and delicious corn tamal.

We look forward to many great events and experiences in 2020! Save these dates; we’ll publish details and info about additional events as they become available.

  • Festival de las Conchas y el Vino Nuevo – May 3 (main event)
  • Viñedos en Flor – June 13
  • Concurso de Paellas de Ramón García Ocejo – August 23
  • Sabor de Baja – August 26
  • Valle Food & Wine Fest – October 3 (tickets now on sale!)

Gracias por photos by Bob Gove.

Valle Food & Wine Fest nearly sold out!

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The third annual Valle Food & Wine Festival kicks off one week from tomorrow with an impressive lineup of all-star chefs, including Wolfgang Puck, Michael Cimarusti, Rick Bayless, and Nancy Silverton. There will be a Chefs Welcome Dinner at Deckman’s en el Mogor on Friday, October 4, but the main event takes place Saturday at Finca Altozano, owned by Chef Javier Plascencia, who happens to grace the cover of the current issue of Food & Wine En Espanol. Get there early to enjoy unlimited food from more than 40 tasting stations, plus wine, craft beer and Mexican spirits tastings until 6:30 pm. Mosey over to “Talks Under the Tree,” culinary conversations moderated by Saveur Magazine’s co-founder, Colman Andrews. Stick around for great music from Baja’s Takon Machine and (YES!) Ozomatli. A portion of the festival proceeds will benefit the Corazon de Vida Foundation. According to a nice write-up in today’s Union-Tribune, attendance will be capped at 2,500 and the event is very close to a sellout, so if you don’t have tickets yet, get on it! Team EatDrinkBaja had a great time last year; we look forward to this year’s Fest, as well as “glamping” on a friend’s land adjacent to the Fest! Always an adventure.

Getting to the Fest early pays off!
Early attendees with happy feet share the “dance floor” with one of Finca’s artsy cows.
The incredible chef, cookbook author and TV show host, Rick Bayless.
Cooking over open fire is a Valle tradition.
. . . more goodies on the grill.
Team EatDrinkBaja at the 2018 Valle Food & Wine Fest. Salud!

Gracias por photos by Bob Gove.

Sizzling Summer Soirees on Tap

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Summer’s here, and the beautiful Baja festival season is in full bloom. For example, this Saturday, July 27th, there are three fantastic options. We wish we could be in three places at once, but we’ve not quite figured out how to clone ourselves!

Verbena Campestre, Vinedos San Cosme, 2 pm – This family-owned winery sure knows how to put on a gran fiesta! Because it is located at the start of la antigua ruta del vino south of Ensenada – and not in the now red-hot Valle de Guadalupe – it has yet to be discovered by many, and it is muy Mexicano. Definitely worth the trip! Get there early, grab a table in the shade, sample offerings from several Baja wineries, enjoy some regional cuisine (for purchase, but reasonably priced), then groove to the live music and shake your tail feathers on the dance floor! We’ve always had a great time at this fest. Tickets >>

Team EatDrinkBaja at a previous Verbena Campestre.

Cocina La Baja, Estero Beach Hotel Resort, 2 pm – Seafood lovers, unite! You’ll find Team EatDrinkBaja at this event next Saturday. It’s the third annual, but we’ll be attending for our first time. Promoters claim Cocina La Baja will present all of Baja’s fish and seafood in one place, with Baja wine, craft beer and live music, to boot! And we love Estero Beach; it should be a sublime setting for an awesome afternoon. Tickets >>

One big fish at Cocina La Baja!

Valle Wine Fest, Foro Santo Tomas, 4 pm – Not to be confused with the Valle Food & Wine Fest coming up in October, this fest looks more like a concert than a food fest, with reserved, tier-priced seating facing a big stage, ranging from approximately $47 to $145 (VIP) per person. Prices include four food tastes, four wine tastings, as well as two samples of craft beer. There will be live music, with headliner Matute: Nuevo Show Planeta Retro Tour; the band appears to specialize in covers of 80s English language hits, but I love how they incorporated this rocking marching band in this video! Could be fun. Tickets >>

SHOULD BE ON YOUR RADAR SCREEN!!

Will post more info about these events soon, but we suggest you save the dates:

Friday, Aug. 2 – Muestra del Vino, Centro Social Cívico y Cultural Riviera de Ensenada

Saturday, Aug. 10 – Baja Blues Fest main event, Rosarito Beach Hotel

Friday, Aug. 16 – Vendimia Oaxaca en Valle, Finca La Divina, Valle de Guadalupe

Saturday, Aug 17 – Verbena Bodegas de Santo Tomas, Ensenada

Sunday, Aug. 18 – Paella Fest/Contest, Vinedos de Liceaga, Valle de Guadalupe (a best bet)

Wednesday, Aug. 28 – Sabor de Baja, Rosarito Beach Hotel (another best bet)

Saturday, Aug. 31 & Sunday, Sept. 1 – Rosarito Art Fest, Puerto Nuevo Baja Hotel & Villas

Saturday, Oct 5 – Valle Wine & Food Fest, Finca Altozano, Valle de Guadalupe

Ciao for now! Hasta pronto.

Viñedos en Flor at Monte Xanic

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Another fave Valle de Guadalupe event, Fiesta de los Viñedos en Flor, will take place this Saturday, June 15. The event will feature local artisans, regional food, and over 120 different wines.

The family-friendly festival (those under 18 years of age enter free!) will also offer kite flying, tractor rides through the vineyards, and art projects for kids. This year’s event will benefit the San Vicente Shelter in Ensenada, which provides assistance to locals and immigrants in need. We’ve been to Viñedos twice: three years ago at Vinos Bibayoff, and two years ago at Finca La Carrodilla. It’s a fun event with plenty of wine, but warning: food (other than random samples) is not included in the ticket price; however, there are reasonably priced options available for purchase. Still, a great way to spend an afternoon (noon to 6:00 pm) in the Valle! We believe this is the first time Monte Xanic has hosted Viñedos, and we look forward to attending Saturday.

Click here for more information and tickets.

Team EatDrinkBaja at Viñedos 2016.

Under the winemakers’ tent at Viñedos 2017.

Welcoming flowers on hay bales capture the Valle vibe.

Discount Alert: Valle Food & Wine Festival!

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Our fine friends at the Valle Wine & Food Festival, coming up Oct. 5 through 7 in Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe, have graciously provided a discount code for our friends & followers. If you’re planning on going, purchase NOW, because prices go up at midnight Friday, Sept. 14! Click here and use promo code EATDRINKBAJA. There’s a star-studded lineup of chefs from both sides of the border, and a variety of experiences over three days; the main festival takes place Saturday, Oct. 6 from 4pm to midnight at Javier Plascencia’s Finca Altozano. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Corazon de Vida Foundation. So, GET ON IT; we hope to see you there!

 

Summertime – and the food fests are plenty

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There’s never a BAD time to visit Baja, as our past adventures have demonstrated. However, summertime is food fest time, and some of our very favorites are on the horizon:

Verbena Campestre – Saturday, July 28 – San Cosme Vinedos
LOVE this first-class festival, as well as the family that runs San Cosme. It’s a refreshing bit off the beaten track, located south of Ensenada and Maneadero, where the “old wine route” begins. We’ve found this fest to be more authentic Mexicano than most others; we’ve spotted very few other gringos, and everyone is always ultra-friendly and welcoming. With free wine tastings for the first 1,000 guests, craft beer, artisan products, live music and tons of grilled food options, it’s a real winner. Book a cabin or tepee at Las Canadas across the highway, dance the night away, and join the conga line without having to drive back. Tickets are (YAY!) now available online. If you’re still on the fence, watch this cool video recap from last year.

Fiestas de la Vendimia Paella Contest – Sunday, August 19 – Vina de Liceaga
Every year, there are more and more events during Fiestas de la Vendimia, the grape harvest festival, in and around Valle de Guadalupe. You can’t go wrong with any of them. However, our fave is the closing event, the venerable Ramon Garcia Ocajo Concurso de Paellas. I first attended this event more than 20 years ago and, although it’s grown considerably, it continues to be well-organized, a ton of fun, and a classic Baja Norte afternoon. With 90+ paella-producing teams present, (cooking only over wood fire, thank you!)  and 50+ wineries pouring, you won’t go hungry or thirsty. Arrive early, stake out a table under the trees, and enjoy live music on two stages and the fantastic ambiance all afternoon. As of this writing, tickets are still available!

Sabor de Baja – Wednesday, August 29 – Rosarito Beach Hotel
Sabor is the classy way to wrap up the summer Baja food fest season. A true labor of love, this event pairs many of Baja’s top chefs with its best wines and craft beers. It’s a friendly competition, but legitimate – the judges really DO blind tastings, plus attendees vote for the People’s Choice award. There’s live music, and it all takes place in the lovely beach front gardens of the classic Rosarito Beach Hotel. It’s worth a jaunt to Rosarito on a Wednesday evening . . . it’s summertime, so no one will notice if you get to work a bit late Thursday . . . right? Don’t forget your mandatory all-white attire and your dancing shoes. For tickets, email sabordebaja@gmail.com, and check out the very reasonable ticket/stay packages at the RB Hotel.

Save the Date: Valle Food & Wine Festival – October 5-7 – Valle de Guadalupe
Really excited about this autumn event! More info to come soon; in the meantime, check out this link.

Kick off the Baja Food Fest season with Conchas!

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You know Spring is here when the Festival de las Conchas y el Vino Nuevo comes around! This fest has expanded into a week-long series of educational and culinary opportunities including A Day of Oysters, An Afternoon of Mussels, special Chefs’ Dinners, and more. Saturday’s Parrillada at Quintas Papagayo just north of Ensenada sounds fabulous (read my colleague W. Scott Koenig’s write up on his blog, A Gringo in Mexico), but we’re gearing up for this Sunday’s main event at Hotel Coral. A lovely setting, an abundance of fabulous shellfish and vino, and exceptional access to many of Baja’s best chefs and winemakers. Hope to see you there; as of this writing, it looks like tix are still available!


Don’t miss Baja Norte’s Gastro Party of the Year!

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When does a food fest feel more like a big party? When it’s Sabor de Baja, silly! The 5th annual edition of Sabor is coming up Wednesday, August 30, in the oceanfront gardens of the venerable Rosarito Beach Hotel. We felt fortunate to attend last year; read our take-aways here. We were very impressed with the thoughtful event planning and the careful pairings of delicious dishes with Baja wines and craft beers; we can hardly wait to see what’s in store for this year! Expect fun live music, distinguished judges, and the opportunity for YOU to cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award. From what we’ve heard, participating restaurants will include Valle de Guadalupe’s Latitud 32, Mixtura, Tahal and the new La X, plus Rosarito’s Pasta y Basta and from Ensenada, Planta Baja and Mantou, winner of last year’s top prize. Wineries will include AliXima, Relieve and El Cielo, to name but a few. Gold level tix have already sold out, and we hear silver level tix are in short supply! Find out how to get tickets and check out the ticket/overnight packages. And, hey – don’t forget to wear white!

See? You’ve gotta wear white to Sabor de Baja! Just be very careful if you’re drinking (or near someone drinking) red wine.

Last year’s top prize went to Mantou, for this duck carpaccio, smoked with wood vines & mesquite, with goat cheese, pearl apricots and microgreens, paired with Corona del Valle Sauvignon Blanc. As delicious as it was beautiful!

We also loved this tuna with chile, grapefruit, watermelon, jicama & salsa de chapulines paired with 2014 Tintillo from Legado Sais.