Hacienda de San Antonio

Feliz Mayo!   I cannot believe the month is almost over and June will be upon us soon.  Lately I have been dreaming about a trip we took in May six years ago to Mexico in celebration of Hubby's birthday.  I love to go off-the-beaten-path in Mexico, and this has to be one of the finest spots I have ever seen.  Called Hacienda de San Antonio (love the name!) and situated in the state of Colima, on the west coast halfway - mas o menos - between Mazatlan and Acapulco, it was originally built about 120 years ago as a coffee plantation.  Later purchased by British financier, Sir James "Jimmy" Goldsmith, it is now lovingly run by his family, Alix and Goffredo Marcaccini, as a luxury hotel.  One of its defining traits, I feel, is the dramatic view of the active Colima volcano, which is often seen smoking in the distance.  You can choose to be adventurous and take a horseback ride through the working plantation and ranch, or hike partway up the volcano (the government has set a limit on how high you can go).  Conversely, you can just sit by the gargantuan pool and drink rose all day.  Either way, la vida is pretty dulce.

Courtyard into Hacienda de San Antonio

Roof-top deck

Interesting pommel on this Mexican saddle

Dining al fresco after the ride

This was an Out of Africa moment for me

Overwhelmed by it all, I had to take a siesta

I cannot get enough of the volcan de Colima

Hasta pronto, caballeros

On a side note, I read Annabel: An Unconventional Life many years ago and find it a very interesting read.  I especially enjoyed her memories of staying at Cuixmala, another fabulous estate of Jimmy Goldsmith's, that is near Manzanillo, a two hour drive from Colima.  On our next visit to Hacienda de San Antonio, we might try to swing down to Cuixmala to check it out.  Stay tuned.  

Turkey Wrap (Up)

As I was sorting through my photos over the weekend, I realized that I have some memories and photos from our trip to Turkey in March that are definitely worth a mention before calling it a wrap. 

Sumptuous breakfast buffet at the Kempinski Ciragan Palace Hotel, which is included in the price of the room.

Quail egg omelets - how decadent!

And speaking of the Ciragan, the wake up call includes coffee or tea, which I sipped on while enjoying the incredible view of the Bosphorus from our room.

Ever since reading C.S. Lewis's The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, I have been intrigued by Turkish Delight.  It looks so beautiful, but some may find it an acquired taste.

Sounds like a cliche, but carpet shopping is an experience at the Grand Bazaar, if only to see gorgeous rooms like this:

If you are not interested in a carpet, try checking out the jewelry or leather shops.  I snapped up a gorgeous suzani, an embroidered tribal textile.

Or consider some colorful Arab lanterns...

Lovely encaustic (cement) tile at the Karakol Restaurant near the Topkapi Palace. 

Stop in for a quick bite while touring the Palace

Traditional wooden homes on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, many of which have been refurbished in recent years.

Attending a party in the ancient cisterns beneath the city of Istanbul, built in the 6th century.

Participating in an audience with the imam of the Blue Mosque.

The mosaics of the Hagia Sophia that date back to the 11th century.  

A modern addition to the old church are the lightbulbs in the chandeliers that were replaced for the filming of Argo.

Spun sugar, at the Yemek Sanatlari Merkezi Culinary Arts Center

...and on the street.

It was an incredible trip, and I tried to include as much detail and perspective as I could.  No doubt I missed a couple of things, but hopefully these Turkey posts will serve as an incentive to visit (or revisit, in some cases) this fascinating country.  I would love to return to Turkey for a family trip, which will hopefully include a trip to Bodrum, recently dubbed by Departures as the "new St. Tropez", Ephesus, and Cappadocia.  It would be ideal to charter a traditional Turkish gulet and sail up and down the coast with some friends and their families.  Whatever your fancy, I would highly recommend VIP Tourism to plan your trip.  Contact them at www.viptourism.com.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Summer is Here

With temperatures rising above 100 here in the Valley of the Sun, it is time to say goodbye to spring and hello to summer.  Springtime in the Desert Southwest is a brief period of time, but it is stunning in its beauty.  I will have to hold on to these images in my mind in order to get through the next five months of 100 plus heat:

Rows of Palo Verde Trees

Close-up of the blossoms on the Palo Verde

Palo Verde and Frank Lloyd Wright's desert Spire

I would love to have this one in our yard

Ocotillo, also known as coachwhip, slimwood and vine cactus

The bright crimson flowers of the ocotillo

The festive blooms of the prickly pear cactus

The blooms are also found in yellow and orange, but pink is my fave

The flowers of the prickly pear sprout fruit that looks similar to a fig.  The fruit, known as tunas, ripen in midsummer to a deep red color, and contain a sweet red-purple juice.  Prickly pear nectar is made with the juice and the pulp of the fruit, and is used to make candy, jelly, and syrup.  From the syrup, you can make a heavenly prickly pear margarita, that is so colorful your children might mistake it for a kiddie cocktail.

Watch out!

Prickly Pear Margaritas

6 oz. Tequila (don't use the good stuff, plata - silver, unaged - is just fine)

4 oz. Triple Sec

4 oz. Freshly-squeezed lime juice (this is a must!)

2 oz. Prickly Pear Cactus Syrup

1 oz. Orange Juice

Mix all ingredients together and pour over ice, for a margarita en las rocas (on the rocks), or blend all ingredients with ice for a frozen margie.  

Cactus Wine Cooler

Ice

1 T. of Prickly Pear Cactus Syrup

4 oz. of white wine (again, don't use the good stuff!)

4 oz. of 7-up or club soda

Mix all together in a glass.

Check out a couple of on-line sources for Prickly Pear Cactus Syrup.  I found some great stuff on amazon.com.

Have a wonderful week!

Argentina

As I write this post on May 5, I am reminded of where I was a year ago today: on a flight returning from Buenos Aires. Hubby and I had flown to Cordoba, Argentina, for a three day dove shoot with my siblings, and then with another couple, on to Mendoza to spend a few nights at the incomparable Cavas Wine Lodge.

It was autumn south of the equator, with shorter days and cold nights. In Cordoba, we woke up before dawn and spent the entire day in the field. We rested at midday for a few hours to enjoy a leisurely lunch of grilled steaks and sausage, and returned to the estancia after dark.

El almuerzo

Outdoor grilling

Hubby con mis hermanas

Me with two Fila Brasileiros at the estancia, Thor and Bella

In Mendoza, we centered our days around tasting Argentine Malbecs, the robust red wine made from the grape of the same name that has become known as one of the "national varieties" of the country.  Cavas Wine Lodge is a Relais and Chateaux destination located in Lujan de Cuyo, a 40 minute drive from the Mendoza airport.  Owned by Martin Rigal and Cecilia Diaz Chuit, Cavas is built in a Spanish colonial style and encompasses 55 acres. At the time of our visit there were 14 casitas scattered among the vineyards.  With the stunning backdrop of the Andes, it is one of the most magical spots in South America.

One day we went wine tasting on horseback to three nearby wineries: Vina Cobos, Bodega Ruca Malen and Decero. Vina Cobos is a partnership with Paul Hobbs, Andrea Marchiori and Luis Barraud.  We are huge fans of Paul Hobbs, and, after having visited his Sebastopol winery two years ago, were thrilled to have this opportunity to see his Argentinian operation.
Even though just barely 10 am, we treated ourselves to a bottle of Vina Cobos Volturno, a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Malbec.  (When I say "we" in this case, I am including two of our compadres in crime...just in case you were wondering about two people polishing off a bottle of wine before noon.)  Volturno is a spectacular wine, having received ratings of 98 points from The Wine Advocate, 94 points from the Wine Spectator and 93 points from Wine Enthusiast.

We then climbed onto our criollo horses (with a helping hand from our gaucho, Lolo) for a short ride to the Bodega Ruca Malen, where we feasted on a five course meal with paired wines in the shadow of the ever-present Andes.

One of our criollo horses resting in the shade

Mi esposo fabuloso

Bodega Ruca Malen

Slowly making our way towards our last stop, Decero

As if we had any room for more food (or wine), we knew we had to make the pilgrimage to Francis Mallmann's restaurant, 1884.  I had met Chef Mallmann in May of 2010 when he was in San Antonio for a book signing at HEB Central Market, one of the most incredible grocery stores in the world that deserves its own post (one day, mark my words, I will do it!).  His cookbook, Seven Fires, is a beautifully illustrated bible on wood-fire cookery.  What does one order when in Argentina at Mallmann's restaurant...steak!  And check out the size of this beauty, which is a meal for two, but can easily feed 4, or 6 or 10.

I love how most steaks are served with chimichurri; see his recipe below

In 2010, Francis (left) and Frances, my mother (right with poufy hair, one of her more endearing and defining features)

Run out and grab a copy

On our final day, we toured the Piattelli winery with winery director, Gabriel Fidel.  Some friends had put us in touch with fellow Arizonan, Jon Malinski, owner and CEO of Piattelli, who arranged this tour for us.  As a former Minister of the Economy for the province of Mendoza, Gabriel Fidel not only broadened our horizons on wine, but also on Argentinian politics.  As well, he holds a masters degree in Public Affairs from the University of Texas (love it!).  
We rolled back to Cavas and spent the evening on the rooftop of our casita in front of the fireplace curled up under blankets star gazing...heavenly.  Hasta pronto, Argentina!

Dining at Piatelli

Sunset from our rooftop

Vino tinto

Francis Mallmann's Chimichurri

1 cup water
1 tablespoon coarse salt.

Boil water and stir in salt until it dissolves.  Remove from heat and cool.

1 head garlic, separated into cloves, peeled and minced
1 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup fresh oregano leaves (you are going to have to be really patient to do that)
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Mince the parsley and oregano, and add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes.  Whisk in the red wine vinegar, the olive oil, and lastly, the salted water.  Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 day.  Chimichurri can be kept refrigerated for up to 2 to 3 weeks.