Food Musings

A Winnipeg blog about the joy of preparing food for loved ones and the shared joy that travel & dining brings to life.

La Lomita’s Over the Years-Isla Mujeres

February16

 

La Lomita’s was the very first restaurant we visited on our first trip to Isla Mujeres in Feb 2005.  We landed at noon and decided to pick up some groceries and grab lunch before we took a cab to Punta Sur and our Villa.  We picked up our necessities at Mirtita’s and as we got out Laura’s map to get our bearings, we looked up and saw La Lomita’s.  Wow-what a great place to start our multi-year love affair with Isla and its food.  We spoke to the next table that were salivating over the Chiles Relleno.  We opted instead for papa fritos (french fries from just cut potatoes) which provided my first taste of a squeeze of lime instead of our accustomed vinegar.  We also shared shrimp with garlic and polo frito (fried chicken) with “pink” rice and fuchsia coloured onions. 

We could not get the idea of trying the Chiles Relleno out of our heads and tried to go back on the Sunday of our first week.  We found out and have remembered since, that La Lomita’s is not open on Sundays.  But we went back a third time for our last meal of that first trip and discovered that the Ophelia’s Chiles Relleno were definitely worth waiting for.  The whole poblano chile gets hotter towards the stem.  They are stuffed with a creamy white Mexican cheese, breaded and deep fried and then served on a bed of homemade tomato sauce and topped with cream and a “feta” style cheese. 

We returned for Chiles again in February 2006 when we had a bit of a food “accident”.  One member of our party thought that the green sauce on the table was guacamole and she took a sizable scoop on her taco chip.  It was so fiery that she could hardly speak and it took a good ten minutes before our concern for her subsided. 

When I took my husband to Isla for the first time in January 2007, he was anxious to try the Chiles as well.  There are some situations in life that I find particularly unique-we were waiting for an authentic Isla meal while watching Rachel Ray in Rome on “$40 a Day” which had been overdubbed in Spanish.  The world is a very small place. 

My husband loved the bean soup but saved me from future dismay by not consuming the entire bowl.  Our intention that night was to go out for coconut ice cream but even though we had split the meal, we were too full!  Supper was $14 for two of us including beer.  

We were excited to introduce our kids to the restaurant when we took them there in December 2007.  That experience though was “difficult”.  We were a large group and had all ordered beer when we arrived.  We could see that each time the table next to us finished their beer, the glass was cleared, washed and then delivered with beer to us.  Unfortunately they got the glasses first and we were almost finished eating dinner before we all got ours.  When in Mexico-you just have to relax and do things the Mexican way.  The food was fabulous as usual, so I was content.

I’ve seen mixed reviews on La Lomita’s on the message boards lately.  I hope that all is well for this family.  See you soon Isla. 

Kath’s quote:  “In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength, in water there is bacteria.”-David Auerbach

La Bamba

February14

The intention of “Dine About Winnipeg” is to woo us from our February nesting inclination, to brave the cold and discover a new eatery.   We were more than willing. 

La Bamba has a great selection of Mexican cervesas and tequilas to choose from and D was delighted by his margarita.  He is a purist when it comes to lime margaritas and was duly impressed that it was not a blended concoction from a lime mix but a hand shaken variety with pure lime juice.  He’s been talking about it ever since…

The basket of tortilla chips and salsa verde was an authentic start to the culinary success of the evening. D & I ordered from the “Dine About” selections starting with Sopa de Tortilla.  I often make this soup at home and prefer more lime and cilantro but it was very, very good, just a different recipe from mine.

I had the giant chipotle prawns over Mexican rice.  D had one of my three prawns and I was still more than satisfied (that’s how huge they were).  The Mexican rice-I MUST get their recipe.  I can guess ingredients but I really, really need to be able to duplicate theirs on a regular basis.  So if anyone from La Bamba is reading this, please message me on my blog. 

My fellow diners were well pleased with their Chicken enchilada verdes and D declared that La Bamba has the truest Mexican food in the city.  A high compliment as we are so addicted to Mexican fare, we often talk about opening our own little tiende.

We enjoyed a well-priced Argentinian Malbec with dinner.  A house-made tequila ice cream with coconut wafers was the last course and the evening was touted a success. 

La Bamba Restaurant on Urbanspoon

When the Spanish celebrate Valentine’s Day it is with this expression: “Feliz dia del cariño y la amistad” “Happy day of affection and friendship”.  And so it was that we kicked off Valentine’s weekend in the most appropriate way.

Kath’s quote: “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails

Mexican Chocolate Cake (Eggless)

February11

We have a very little house but our family has always known that what we have, we are more than willing to share with everyone’s friends.  For almost a year now we have really enjoyed getting to know the boyfriend of our youngest daughter.  He is a big burly French Canadian with huge green eyes and a gentle disposition.  And perhaps best of all-he can cook! 

He makes a fabulous omelette (almost as good as our Son’s) and has proven to be a great baker.  Perhaps I am easily impressed because I am such a lousy one.  We are especially pleased when guests feel comfortable enough in our home that they will ask to make something for us and have the run of the kitchen.  When his sister stayed with us this Christmas she made us French crepes.

 

Last night he baked this eggless Mexican Chocolate Cake!

makes one 8 inch round cake (he used a bundt pan)

 1 1/2 cup of flour

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or chili powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 cup of cold water

1/4 cup of canola oil

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a cake pan, set aside.

In a large bowl,whisk all dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and mix well until batter is fully combined. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cake cool for 10 minutes, remove from pan and finish cooling it in a wire rack.

It called for a chocolate glaze but we all decided that a cold custard would be a delicious accompaniment.  The chill from the custard nicely offset the pepperiness. 

Kath’s quote:  “As with most fine things, chocolate has its season. There is a simple memory aid that you can use to determine whether it is the correct time to order chocolate dishes: any month whose name contains the letter A, E, or U is the proper time for chocolate.”-Sandra Boynton

mi casa su casa

posted under Desserts | 4 Comments »

Recreating Cumpa Cosismo

February9

When I joined the Foodbuzz Blogging Community I had to fill out a foodie profile and I was asked where my favourite restaurant in the entire world was located.  This proves to be a very daunting task whether you are a world traveller or just trying to think back over the thousand of restaurant meals that you’ve likely enjoyed in your lifetime.

After much deliberation I choose Cumpa Cosismo in Ravello Italy.  It is said to have been Jacqueline Onassis’ favourite restaurant when she vacationed in the area which I understand was frequently. 

The cafe is a little off the beaten path, that is to say not off of the main square.  But the reason why it was hard to find is that it is known simply as Nettie’s to the locals, after notorious Chef/owner Netta Butone.  Her traditional recipes are simple and exquisite.  Nettie knows her stuff-she personally brings the laden platters to the table and then you don’t see her again until she presents you with the cheque.  

Every once in a while, I attempt to recreate her anti-pasta which is a selection of local vegetables.  Hers was cauliflower, diced zucchini, swiss chard, peppers, eggplant a bit of soft cheese. 

For mine,  I separately saute or grill a number of favourites in extra virgin olive (use your best stuff here) and one or two in black truffle oil for variety.

 

For a couple, I’ll add freshly chopped garlic or fresh basil -but just use what you have on hand and keep it very simple. 

A tip I learned about the eggplant, is that after lightly grilling you stack it, so that the steam in the veggie will continue the cooking process.  To serve, I take each eggplant slice and roll it into a tube. The platter can be served hot if you are entertaining at home or cold if you are taking it to a friend’s. 

Kath’s quote:  “I feel a recipe is only a theme, which an intelligent cook can play each time with a variation.”-Madame Benoit
 

Bon apetito!

Doris’s Last Lunch

February7

If I owned a restaurant (and we still may give that another try) it seems to me that the compliment that would flatter me the most would be the request that my food be served at a person’s memorial service.  I attended an absolutely beautiful celebration of a friend’s life this morning.  She was well enough earlier last week to participate in the planning of this day.  She wanted to know the designated time and was content with an 11 am start.  That way, her daughter shared: “She could provide everyone with lunch”-one of her greatest pleasures.  When it was difficult for her to speak the words “cheese and fruit platters”, she drew circles in the air.  Luckily her daughter knew exactly what the gesture meant. 

When we moved from the sanctuary upstairs to the downstairs hall, the courteous ladies from Rae and Jerry’s were there to great us.  I am absolutely hooked on their salmon sandwich rolls and only get to savour them on other occasions such as these.  The salmon is not overloaded with mayonnaise but still moist with a gherkin pickle in the middle.  I know that there are also delectables made from shaved ham, chicken and corned beef.  Their ham and relish is particularly yummy.  Sister #3 loves the cream cheese and cherry. Rae & Jerry’s cheese trays are always a world wide collection of Fontina, Havarti, Camembert, Edam, Gouda and Cheddar (of course). 

My family already knows a piece of music that I would like at my memorial.  I tucked a copy of it in a file so it could be found at an opportune time.  Maudlin?  Not at all.  They will also know that I want lilies everywhere and that they are to to give everyone who attends a heart stone that I have collected on my habitual beach walks. They know the two places that I would like my ashes thrown into the wind.  They also know that I want baskets of kettle- cooked potato chips, bowls of fresh salsa, black truffle Bothwell cheese, rosemary and Parmesan Triscuits, bowls of ripe black olives and marinated artichoke hearts and cubes of feta cheese.  For dessert-Dream cookies.  Scads of them, so that everyone can eat their fill and then take home pockets full for their kids.  But just in case someone forgets a detail-now it is all outlined here…..

I want to be like Doris.  I want to live a long, full life and then bless in death, all the people that I love in the same way that I have demonstrated my love for them in life-with one last lunch.

Kath’s quote:“Everything ends this way in France – everything. Weddings, christenings, duels, funerals, swindlings, diplomatic affairs — everything is a pretext for a good dinner.”-Jean Anouilh

She flies on.

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