Art and Heart: A Culinary Showcase by Ron Aleman at Sophie’s
Sophie’s Ron Aleman. Art.
This is the first thought that came to mind when my dish was served – a beautiful combination of colors and textures that made me take notice. The impeccable service and a thoughtfully curated space overlooking Michigan Avenue added to the experience. Comfort meets class here, and you can´t help but feel charmed when you visit. I was hooked.
Chef Aleman’s cioppino at Sophie’s. And beyond beauty, substance. Heart. You are after all at Saks Fifth Avenue… a model walking by each table with the latest designer jacket can be a reminder of your targeted budget or caloric intake. Chef Ron Aleman’s food is so good though, that somehow you feel welcome, not intimidated.
As I kept coming back I realized that something resonated within me. Just like shorthand, food is a secret language that transports you to a particular time and place. I knew the author of my meal was undoubtedly an artist. But, why did I think that this American fare spoke Spanish to my soul?
Chef Ron Aleman grew up dreaming of pursuing a career in the arts, perhaps painting or drawing (when I heard this, the artistic plating made perfect sense). Instead, he took a detour and graduated with a degree in business. As a successful salesman, at the age of 30, (when many professionals have consecrated themselves to their craft) Aleman was starting over. In his new position, tending to the chores assigned to the most junior staff, he took over washing dishes and mopping with pride. “I knew this was the path I needed to follow, and there was nothing to be ashamed of”, he said.
If you have tried Chef Aleman’s food, you have looked at a snapshot of his heart: “Family is at the center of food. Food is love… cooking for others is an honor.” It is precisely his family where Chef draws a lot of his inspiration. Aleman found his Mexican mother-in-law’s asada salsa so irresistible, that he recreated her recipe in his kitchen. Growing up with tortillas as a staple of his family’s meals, his point of view is down-to-earth yet uniquely cosmopolitan. If you visit, try his coconut bread pudding, a dessert that in Mexico, we call capirotada.
You say bread pudding, I say capirotada. Either way, this dessert is amazing. Like CliffsNotes on Chicago, Chef Ron Aleman’s dishes are a synopsis of the character of the city- elevated yet approachable; informally sophisticated; worldy American with just the perfect touch of heat.
Follow Chef Aleman on Instagram: @Ronaleman27
(312) 525-3400
700 North Michigan Ave. 7th Floor
Esquites con Sal de San Felipe: La Receta de la Chef Atzimba Pérez
Foto: Chef Atzimba Pérez INGREDIENTES
6 elotes tiernos desgranados
1/2 barra de mantequilla
1 chile jalapeño picado finamente
20 hojas de epazote picadas
4 tazas de caldo de pollo
Sal de San Felipe con chiltepín para sazonar (cómprala aquí)
PARA SERVIR
Mayonesa
Jugo de limón
Queso cotija
Chile piquín
Epazote picado para decorar
PREPARACIÓN
Pon a derritir la mantequilla. En una cacerola, acitrona el chile jalapeño, el epazote y los granos de elote.
Sazona y añade el caldo de pollo. Deja hervir durante 30 minutos.
Sirve en un vasito con un poco de caldo. Decora con hojitas de epazote picado. ¡Deliciosos para este frío! ¡Que los disfrutes!
Según la receta de la chef Atzimba Pérez. Para más información sobre Atzimba, visíta su página de Facebook haciendo click aquí. The Perfect Complement to Great Food. Tips & Recipes by Rick Bayless. (Sponsored)
Photo: Negra Modelo I was so excited when Negra Modelo asked me to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime walking food tour of San Francisco (led by none other than Rick Bayless), with stops including everything you can imagine from carnicerías to panaderías and tortillerías*. The elation was immediately followed by the crushing realization that I had a previous commitment that would not allow me to physically make it.
I already knew I needed a clone, but this was just overwhelming evidence.
Luckily for me, our friends at Negra Modelo allowed me to report from the distance. Thanks to the magic of social media, I intently followed the mouthwatering play-by-play which included freshly made tortillas, the freshest carne asada meat in town, huaraches, pan dulce, and of course, Negra Modelo. ¡Ahhh!
In 1965 Salvador Vazquez brought Mexican carne asada cuts to San Francisco. 
Photos: Negra Modelo As I “followed” the group into the panadería, which I learned was proudly operated by a third-generation baker, I understood the shop was out of my beloved conchas (for a moment I confess experiencing fleeting gratitude, as I could not bear much more pain). The group still lucked out, enjoying these instead:
Photo: Negra Modelo Pan dulce is such a staple of Mexican meals. “Ir por el pan” (to go get bread) is a daily, delicious activity so prevalent, that it has made it into colloquial expressions. For example, a famous pick up line is: “¿A qué hora vas por el pan?“. Literally meaning, “when do you usually go get bread?” the expression is usually used to say: “When will you be alone so that I can talk to you?”
When I was a little girl and even living in the city, men on bicycles with huge baskets on their heads, would home deliver pan dulce. I am not sure that this still takes place in big cities, but growing up, it was always a treat to hear panaderos ringing their bells, chanting ,”¡el pan!” (bread is here!) This is immediately what I though of when I saw the picture below. Priceless!
Photo: Negra Modelo I vicariously enjoyed this very thoughtful event through the tweets and posts of my fellow foodies. Plus, although I did not get to try the Twitter activated machine packed with samples, I was able to bring this party favor to you- Negra Modelo’s new website featuring tips and recipes by Chef Bayless, just in time for the holidays. Look no further! www.NegraModeloUsa.com helps you bring to life anything from guacamole con chicharrón to mussels, all made or paired with Negra Modelo, the perfect complement to great food.
See? You can have your beer and drink it too!
¡Salud!
Photo: Negra Modelo *butcher shops, bakeries and tortilla shops.
Disclosure: La Vitamina T was invited by Negra Modelo to cover this event, and was compensated to post about it.
Nuestra Mesa: Quesadillas de Caracol
Foto: Manuel RiveraLos insectos son una de las tantas aportaciones de la época prehispánica a la gastronomía que actualmente conocemos como mexicana. Relegados durante siglos, (en gran parte debido a que los colonizadores españoles encontraban la costumbre de comer insectos algo repulsiva) hoy, este alimento ha recuperado su auge. Actualmente, más allá de ser el alimento cotidiano de una multitud de comunidades indígenas a lo largo y ancho del país, los insectos se han consolidado como un fascinante (e incluso elevado) ingrediente de la gastronomía mexicana. Desde hormigas hasta escarabajos y gusanos, la abundancia, la diversidad y el alto contenido proteínico, de esta fuente de sustento antes desdeñada como un alimento primitivo, quizás irónicamente sea la comida del futuro.
En esta ocasión, y únicamente gracias a la extraordinaria labor de antropología culinaria del chef Aldo Saavedra, es que nos es posible traerles esta receta del municipio de Acolman, en el Estado de México. Según Saavedra, gracias al clima y al cultivo del maguey propios de esta entidad, Acolman es un gran productor de caracol silvestre. Aquí, este insecto se consume en diversos y exquisitos guisos que van desde sopas, salteados con guajillo, en ensalada de nopales y con xoconostle para quesadillas.
Ingredientes:
- 150 gr caracol silvestre (puede ser en lata)
- 1/2 cebolla picada en cubos pequeños
- 3 xoconostles
- 1 ramita de epazote picado
- Tortillas
- Sal
- Aceite para freír
Proceso:
- Enjuaga y pon a escurrir los caracoles.
- Pela los xoconostles, quitales las semillas del centro y pícalos en cubos pequeños.
- Calienta el aceite en una sartén. Ya caliente pon la cebolla. Una vez que esté transparente, agrega los caracoles. Dos minutos después, incorpora el xoconostle.
- Dejar cocinar por 10 minutos, sazona con epazote y sal.
- Calienta las tortillas y rellénalas con el salteado de caracol.
El chef Aldo Saavedra ha cocinado para huéspedes de establecimientos como el conocido Hotel Condesa D.F. y ha contribuído con sus recetas en proyectos con marcas de la talla de Larousse y Danone. En Nuestra Mesa, el chef Saavedra comparte con los lectores de La Vitamina T, su pasión por la cocina y por México. Encuentra más información sobre el chef Saavedra en México de mis Sabores.A Sip of Heaven: Chocolate Champurrado
Chocolate champurrado. Photo: Brenda Storch “Es tan santo el chocolate, que de rodillas se muele, juntas las manos se bate y viendo al cielo se bebe.”
-Refrán popular mexicano
“Chocolate is so holy that you must kneel down to grind it; put your hands together to churn it, and look to the Heavens to drink it “.
-Mexican folk saying
Chocolate, or Xocoóatl, in Náhuatl, was an important ceremonial drink in pre-Columbian cultures. Its importance was such, that seeds of the cacao tree were not only offered to gods, they were also used as currency. Considered nutritious and even medicinal, chocolate made its way to Europe via Mexico.
Serves 4 cups
Ingredients
- 4 cups of water
- 1/2 sprig of cinnamon
- 5 tbsp of brown sugar or a small piece of piloncillo of around 2.5 oz
- 5 tbsp of tortilla masa
- 1.5 oz of handmade chocolate. I got the chocolate for my champurrado as a gift during my last trip to Mexico! You may replace it with a piece of chocolate for atole (in the U.S., you may find it in your ethnic food aisle under brands such as Abuelita or Ybarra). Using the latter might make the champurrado a bit sweeter, so reduce sugar.
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Dilute the masa in 2 cups of cold water until there are no clumps.
- Boil the remaining water with the sugar and cinnamon.
- Incorporate the corn masa while mixing constantly on low heat.
- Add the vanilla and the chocolate.
- Continue to mix constantly for about 15 minutes or until the mix reaches the desired thickness.
- This time, I added a pod of cascabel pepper for flavor! You can add a piece of dry pepper without its seeds if you want. We chose a sweeter pepper.
- Champurrado is a very thick drink. If you like it a bit lighter, you might reduce the amount of masa you add.
Enjoy!
AlXimia: The Art and Science of Extraordinary Wine
Photo Courtesy of AlXimia Under a sky that only a handful of locations in the world can offer (Ensenada’s observatory is the second most important in Latin America), AlXimia’s large, intricate dome-like structure, is a vision out of a sci-fi movie. As we drove by, I was transfixed. I could not help but intermittently think about a mothership and “The Jetsons”.
“Mad scientists,” joked Pasión Biba’s Abel Bibayoff, as we parked right next to the futuristic dome. I can hardly contain my excitement- “We saw this from the road last night!”
Photo courtesy of AlXimia Dubbed by the locals “The flying saucer that landed in Valle of Guadalupe” or “The Cathedral of Wine”, the building is an architectural exercise in ingenuity and efficiency. Thought out to showcase water and energy conservation while highlighting the wine-making process, it is clear from our vantage point within this unique circular building, that we have found ourselves in the midst of something quite extraordinary.
At the fulcrum point of art and science, AlXimia really lives up to its name. Backed up by a a group that under one cellar (and immediate family) gathers astronomers, educators, winemakers and even Ivy League mathematicians, it is no wonder why this A-team produces award-winning wine. In fact, Spain’s most reputable and comprehensive wine guide, Guía Peñín, has recently given AlXimia’s Aqua 93 points, the highest score for a Mexican wine, positioning it as “excellent” within the 90-94 point range.
I was particularly fascinated by the concept “Elemental Wine” or “Vino Elemental” explained by Alximia’s winemaker Álvaro Álvarez- a nod to the four elements in nature: air, water, earth and fire. According to the philosophy of the winery, the combination of these four speaks to balance, sustainability, and, maybe more importantly, to the little piece of Valle de Guadalupe that is included in every bottle of AlXimia. Beyond the beauty of the concept, pragmatism- consumers can guide themselves with the elements represented in each wine for pairing purposes. For example, water and fish; air and poultry, and so on and so forth. Brilliant.
Starstruck by a select group of food and wine intellectuals. From left to rightL ÁlXimia’s Álvaro Álvarez, Pasión Biba’s Abel Bibayoff and Lozhka Bistrot’s Chef José Bossuet While AlXimia’s operation is smart, and innovative, it is also firmly grounded in family, work ethic, and a profound respect for nature. I find it so poetic that the family’s patriarch is an astronomer… these Mexican entrepreneurs are undeniably, stars.
Where to buy: Visit the winery´s online store.
How to get there: Click here to find a map.
Do not miss: La Terrasse San Román by chef Martín San Román, located in the winery’s terrace.
Prior articles in the series:
<¡´Biba´México! The Zeal Behind Mexico´s Pasión Biba
< World Class: Mexican Wine and the Hands who Make it (Introduction to a Series)
Nuestra Mesa: Para este Día de Muertos, Tamales de Queso y Chile
Foto: Manuel Rivera Por: Aldo Saavedra
Entre los diversos platillos que forman parte de la celebración de Día de Muertos, están los populares tamales. En cada región de México, a este platillo se le “da vida” de diferente manera, incorporando masas, rellenos y procedimientos distintos.
En el Valle de Santiago, por ejemplo, entre las comunidades otomíes que ahí radican, descubrimos unos tamales únicos de intenso sabor y preparación sencilla. Servidos durante los velorios para alimentar a los que acompañan a los dolientes, y preparados nuevamente para celebrar el Día de los Fieles Difuntos, estos tamales están hechos con ingredientes y utensilios endémicos, entre ellos el tequesquite, una piedra de sal que emerge en las zonas acuosas después de la época de lluvias. El tequesquite se usa como sazonador, o bien se le agrega a la masa de maíz para inflar los tamales y darles textura. Aquí, les comparto la receta.INGREDIENTES:
- 1 kg de masa de maíz.
- 250 grs de manteca de cerdo.
- La cáscara de 10 tomates
- 1 cda de polvo para hornear (para remplazar al tequesquite que se usa originalmente)
- 4 piezas de chile ancho sin semilla.
- 300 grs de queso añejo.
- Sal
- Cantidad necesaria de agua.
- 20 hojas de totomoztle (hoja de maíz)
PROCESO:
- Pon cocer las hojas de tomate en agua. Si vas a usar tequesquite, pónlo a hidratar previamente en un vaso de agua para que suelte la tierra. Posteriormente añade esta agua al recipiente donde hervirán las cascaras de tomate, cuidando de no vaciar el fondo. Hierve ligeramente. Reserva.
- Pon las hojas de totomoztle a remojar.
- Remoja el chile bien desvenado en agua durante una media hora, escurre. Muele en metate alternando con el queso. Si no tienes metate, usa el procesador de alimentos cuidando que no queden cascaras grandes. Mezcla con el queso hasta formar una pasta homogénea y reserva.
- Agrega sal a la masa, manteca de cerdo y en caso de que no tengas tequesquite, añade el polvo para hornear. Mezcla hasta que se integren todos los ingredientes.
- Añade poco a poco el agua de los tomates hasta que la masa se desprenda de la superficie donde se está trabajando, no es necesario agregar toda el agua.
- Escurre las hojas de totomoztle.
- Arma los tamales agregando en una hoja un poco de la masa, extendiéndola por la hoja y al centro el relleno. Envuelve doblando firmemente y coloca los tamales acomodados en una vaporera, paraditos, con las puntas hacia arriba
- Cocina durante 1 hora o hasta que estén bien cocidos. Sabrás que los tamales se cocieron bien, cuando el tamal se desprende con facilidad de la hoja.
Nota curiosa: En algunas zonas del país se acostumbra dar la bendición a la olla para que se cocinen bien los tamales, pero en Santiago Mezquititlán, se ponen dos chiles guajillos formando una cruz en el fondo de la vaporera. Se cree que de esta forma, las personas que andan cerca y alcanzar a oler lo que se prepara, no impedirán, con su antojo, la buena cocción de los tamales.
El chef Aldo Saavedra ha cocinado para huéspedes de establecimientos como el conocido Hotel Condesa D.F. y ha contribuído con sus recetas en proyectos con marcas de la talla de Larousse y Danone. En Nuestra Mesa, el chef Saavedra comparte con los lectores de La Vitamina T, su pasión por la cocina y por México. Encuentra más información sobre el chef Saavedra en México de mis Sabores.¡’Biba’ México! The Zeal Behind Mexico’s Pasión Biba (The First in a Series)
Photo Credit: Pasión Biba From the Series “World Class: Mexican Wine and the Hands who Make it”
Photos: Enrico Bellomo/Brenda Storch
I became fascinated by Valle de Guadalupe’s cuisine while following the recent opening of Lozhka Bistrot, a partnership between Pasión Biba’s Abel Bibayoff and celebrated chef José Bossuet. It was not until I spoke with Chef that I realized this prosperous little town, barely two hours south of San Diego, had been colonized by a group of Eastern European immigrants known as Molokans. In the early 1900s, fifty Molokan families fleeing from the Russian Orthodox Church sought refuge in this idyllic town. Serendipitously, while the Mexican government granted the colonizers permission to establish themselves and to own land, the story of Mexican wine found a way to not “die on the vine.”
Gratefully.
Aside from tending to grapes and making wine, the new settlers introduced commodities that included geese, beehives, grains, cooking and farming techniques. Molokans forever changed the phenotype of Valle de Guadalupe, including its gastronomy.
Lozhka Bistrot is a brilliant, almost poetic summary of what this town is about- a contemporary, singular take on double the fusion (novo-Hispanic cuisine with Russian influences) where dual identities abound. Visitors of Valle de Guadalupe will be equally delighted with airy Molokan bread, and pan dulce.
At Lozhka, for example, I had the most memorable duck enmoladas. Bossuet explained the protein is a nod to the use of geese favored by Molokan settlers, replacing the more traditional use of chicken in this dish. If you visit Lozhka, Chef recommends pairing this glorious plate with Pasión Biba’s Zinfandel 2010.
During my stay, I heard the story of a lady who makes tamales out of Varenyky dough. I could not confirm whether or not this is just an urban legend, but after all, this is Mexico. Here, anything is possible.
Duck Enmoladas at Lozhka Bistrot Among a host of delicacies that words will only fall short to describe, I was treated to the most unforgettable compote made with yellow watermelons and freshly-picked tomatoes.
Chef Bossuet and one of his irresistible creations: watermelon and tomato compote. Farm-to-table is Valle de Guadalupe’s bread and butter. Many of the vineyard owners have partnered with well-renowned chefs to offer a complete culinary experience. Thanks to this effort, the collection of elevated eateries in this area is a true gem.
Freshly harvested yellow watermelon finds a way to your table (and your heart) at Lozhka Bistrot. Past and future juxtapose in every detail- Lozhka means ‘spoon’ in Russian and the name of the restaurant is an homage to Abel Bibayoff’s grandfather Alexei, one of the Molokan founders of this town. In the halls of the family’s small museum, where handmade ‘loshkas‘ lie close to a few samovars, we see the next generation of Bibayoffs happily sleeping in a baby carriage.
It is very clear that tradition is a lifestyle for the Bibayoff family- it is tangible matter. It is alive. Viva.
Alexei Bibayoff’s Spoon or “Lozhka”. After having the good fortune to be guided (by none other than Abel Bibayoff himself) through the process in which vines are coaxed into grapes and then turned into wine, the name of his label, “Pasión Biba” resonates. This play on words, which phonetically means “live passion”, says it all.
Pasión Biba’s Abel Bibayoff There are years of character, generational zeal and know-how in his wine. Each drop is nurtured, loved, intimately known. If it were possible, each would have a name that over and over again, would translate into ‘passion’. In every drop, Pasión Biba.
¡Biba México!
Lozhka Bistrot is open Wednesdays – Mondays 1o:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Learn more about Pasión Biba< Prior Article in the Series: World Class: Mexican Wine and the Hands who Make It
>Next Article in the Series: AlXimia: The Art and Science of Extraordinary Wine
How to get there:
Map courtesy of Pasión Biba. World Class: Mexican Wine and the Hands who Make It (Introduction to a Series)
Photo: Enrico Bellomo Mexico has been producing wine since the 16th century. Legend tells of Hernán Cortés demanding that grapevines be brought to the Nueva España to be grown after the Spanish wine supply was depleted during the celebration of the defeat of the Mexica empire. In an interesting turn of events, Mexican wine happened to be so good, that the Spanish Crown banned its production other than for liturgical use.
In 1843 Dominican priests from the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe del Norte mission, discovered that superior quality grapes faired well in the valley’s mediterranean microclimate. Today, 90% of all Mexican wine is produced in this area. Sadly, not many Mexicans drink it.
We are back from a visit to what is known today as Valle de Guadalupe, México’s wine country. We were drawn by Lozhka Bistrot, the most recent project by beloved Mexican gastronome Chef José Bossuet, and Pasión Biba’s Abel Bibayoff. Our gracious hosts delighted us with a tour featuring a variety of wineries where the production ranges from artisanal to massive.
The time we spent with the winemakers left a lasting impression- a shapshot of the Mexico only a few have a chance to palate. From mathematicians, to astronomers, enologists, plastic artists and restaurateurs, the people behind the wine that is produced in Valle de Guadalupe explains why this wine is so extraordinary. Here, passion runs deep, as does a profound, almost spiritual commitment to making the best wine. Every time.
In the upcoming weeks we will be writing a series based on our experience at each winery: Pasión Biba/Bibayoff, Alximia, Torres Alegre and Las Nubes. This is our humble tribute to remarkable wine and to the hands who make it.
Next articles in the series:
> ¡´Biba´México! The Zeal Behind Mexico´s Pasión Biba
>AlXimia: The Art and Science of Extraordinary Wine
Estampas de Mi Ciudad – The Ubiquitous Street Quesadilla Stand
Street Quesadilla Stand Photo: Guillermo Chan – Mexico City A sampling of Mexico´s mestizo nature in a bite, (the fusion concept of a quesadilla already combines the Spanish word for “queso” with the Aztec word “tortilla“) try a chorizo and cheese quesadilla. More pre-Hispanic stuffings include flor de calabaza (zucchini blossoms) or huitlacoche (corn fungus). The latter might not sound too terribly appealing, but trust me, there is a reason why Mexicans have consider it a treat for centuries.
You will never go hungry in Mexico City, where quesadillas, sopes and other garnachas* are easily found street-side and served either as a snack or a meal. Filled with a variety of stuffings ranging from flowers and vegetables, to meat and even insects, these portable pockets of pure joy are a staple of any modern Mexican meal.
*Garnachas: Slang term for comfort-food, usually made out of corn on a comal.
El chef Aldo Saavedra ha cocinado para huéspedes de establecimientos como el conocido Hotel Condesa D.F. y ha contribuído con sus recetas en proyectos con marcas de la talla de Larousse y Danone. En Nuestra Mesa, el chef Saavedra comparte con los lectores de La Vitamina T, su pasión por la cocina y por México. Encuentra más información sobre el chef Saavedra en 
