A Taste of Baja

WARNING:  This article contains NO recipes. Not one!!  Recently, The Delicious Duo tripped over the southern U.S. border and spent the weekend on the beaches of Rosarito and Ensenada, Mexico. Rick Bayless will probably disagree with me, but I don't think there's any way to truly recreate the magical experience one encounters when savoring  genuine Mexican cuisine.  Perhaps it's just the well trodden paths of the tourist district, but it seems the streets of Mexico are fraught with a myriad of tiny establishments advertising handmade temptations perfected by the owning family over generations. In the ten minutes it took us to pass through Rosarito's main drag, I counted more than a dozen small stands and cafes whose wafting aromas worked like blinking billboards inviting me to try each one's particular speciality. Of course, my family has traveled this road many times, so instead of giving into these temptations, we headed directly to our favorite stand; Tacos de Manuel. 

Tacos de Manuel stands just a few miles off the Baja coast on Benito Juarez Road. Though it probably appears inconsequential to the rest of the world, to my family Manuel's stands as a monument to the greatness of true Mexican street cooking. Within the same hour as Sara and I cross the Mexican border, we can almost always be found at the service counter putting in our first round of taco orders.  Our favorite dish at Tacos Manuel are the tacos al pastor.  Meaning "Shepherd's style", al pastor consists of beef or lamb marinated in a pineapple-infused chile sauce and fire-roasted on a spit; gyro-style. A helpful server stands ready to shred a steamy piece to be smothered in the house salsas, fresh cilantro, and onion. 

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This trip, Sara and I ventured another hour south to the lazy outskirts of Ensenada.  Nestled in the winding coastline is a natural rock formation the locals call La Bufadora.  Chiseled away by the waves, the boulders form a narrow cove that shoots water, like a geyser, more than twenty feet in the air creating a splashy spectacular. The path leading down to La Bufadora is lined with merchants offering a spectrum of temptations. Our eyes were caught by a man selling fresh clams in their shells. Roasted over an open flame and dressed in pico de gallo, cheese, and a drizzle of lime juice; they were a revelation. The lime-kissed clam melted like butter against juicy tomatoes creating a experience that was nothing short of heavenly.    

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Back through the hustle and bustle of the heart of Ensenada, Sara and I stopped at a fish market in the harbor.  Local fisherman displayed the catch of the day in neatly braided stacks beckoning to passersby to take advantage of the day's lowest prices. After careful examination of each counter, we left with a pound of smoked salmon and fresh ahi tuna in tow. 

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Of course, nothing on the streets can beat the cuisine that comes from your own kitchen. We had been staying in a beach house with Sara's aunt; an accomplished cook in her own right. After spending the night sleeping to the sound of the waves, she treated us to chilaquiles fit for a king. Tortilla wedges were fried to a golden crisp, topped with eggs and a red chile sauce. The earthy chile mingled with a sprinkling of cotija cheese culminating in this staple of Mexican soul food to create one intensely satisfying bite. After breakfast, the bags were packed and soon we were over the border knowing it wouldn't be long before the call of Rosarito would draw us back; hungry for more. 

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