Tuesday, September 23, 2025

A Dream & the Courage

 "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to follow them."

-- Walt Disney

While on vacation at the eastern shore of Virginia, I wanted to learn more about my favorite shellfish, the oyster. The best educational experiences come from those who have first-hand knowledge. In this case, I found a local oyster farm, Lambert Shellfish, that offered a tour through the various stages of oyster cultivation. As I was planning our vacation, I decided that the tour would be part of the itinerary. My family and I took that tour, but we got a lesson in more than shellfish. It is a story that has been told before; but, it is one that hit home with me in unexpected ways. So I am going to tell it again, but in my own way. 

The story revolves around Lambert Shellfish, a small oyster farm. The farm sits at the tip of a peninsula that runs along Hungar's Creek as that waterway enters into the Chesapeake Bay. A walk on any of the peninsula's sidesprovides amazing views of the water, the far-off shore line, and the bay itself in the distance. 

Those views interested Alex Lambert, whose family puchased the Hungar's Creek property, which included a home, back in 2013. Alex would watch the watermen as they worked their way up and down the creek, going in and out of the Chesapeake Bay. He gained an interest in their work, and then began to watch (and re-watch) aquaculture videos on YouTube, epecially videos about oyster farming. Three years later, in 2016, Alex took his first step: he purchaed seed and equipment from the Chesapeake Oyster Company and "planted" the seed under the dock at the house. Those seeds would give birth not just to fledgling oysters, but to a dream of having a successful oyster business.

Alex was not an oyster farmer at that time. He was a certified public accountant working for a very large company in New York City. Alex worked hard at that job, successfullty obtaining a secure position within the firm. The success was not fulfilling for him. It was not making him happy or keeping him healthy. Alex made changes: he moved to the Washington, D.C. office of that large accounting firm. This move put Alex closer to Hungar's Creek and his interest of oyster farming. He was able to begin that farming on a part-time basis. Those changes were not enough. After some reflection and talking with his parents, Alex decide to quit his certified public accountant position to pursue his dream of creating a successful oyster business. 

This is where the courage emerges. Change is never easy, especially when it involves abandoning a career for a different path. That change becomes even harder when one takes a figurative dive into a market where there are many oyster farmers, big and small, up and down the Chesapeake Bay.  

As Alex told us his story, I could picture myself standing in his position at various points in my life and career. I too have had a dream to do something other than what I was doing: whether it was owning and operating my own small restaurant, having my own vineyard or brewery, or even having my own oyster farm. I stood at that figuative fork in the road where Alex found himself. One direction led down a path whose destination I readily recognized. The other direction led into the unknown. 

It takes courage to take that other path; and Alex truly has that courage. I was in awe as I surveyed how far his courage had taken him. The path leads to Lambert Shellfish.

Alex and his oyster farm employ a rather innovative method for cultivating oysters. (Innovative at least for the eastern shore of the Delmarva.) Generally speaking, Alex uses the equipment and techniques used by Australians to cultivate oysters, specifically a basket system under the dock that allows young oysters to spend time both in and out of the water. This process, according to Alex, helps to develop the shells (which makes it easier to shuck them) and increases the size of the oyster itself. After spending time in the baskets, the oysters are moved to ground cages that spend time in tidal areas, which, once again, expose the oysters to time both in and out of water. The oysters then move to a longline system, where they continue to grow.

The above description is a very basic one of a process that takes twelve to eighteen months. Alex learned about this process by consulting with others and, of course, through the Internet. (Perhaps I should spend some time watching aquaculture videos so that I can better explain the process.) 

In the end, I got a lesson not only in how one could cultivate oysters, but also in how one could have the courage to strike it out on their own in a very difficult business. I can say that what Alex has going works. At the end of the tour, we got to sample some of the oysters that he has cultivated. I can honestly say that the oyster I tried stands out as the best oyster -- in terms of brininess and meatiness -- that I had the entire week I spent on the eastern shore. (And, I ate quite a few oysters, most likely from competitors of Lambert Shellfish.) 

Having a dream and the courage to pursue it is inspiring. Right now, Lambert Shellfish sends its oysters to New York, where they are lucky enough to eat some amazing oysters. If you see a menu that features "Loving Cups" or "Rocky Tops," as those are the names that Alex has given to his oysters, then you should order (and re-order) those oysters. 

I am truly grateful to hear Alex's story, which he provided after having worked that day. For now, my dream is that Alex continues to succeed and grow his business, so much so that my family and I could order his oysters to enjoy ourselves. 

PEACE.

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Mexico

"Mexican food is far more varied than people think."

-- Gael Garcia Bernal, Actor & Filmmaker

That statement is particularly true if the people happen to live in the United States. In a country where the history of Mexican food tells the tales of Chi-Chi's and Chili's, along with Taco Bell and Chipotle, one could easily think that Mexican food consists of nachos, tacos, quesadillas and chalupas. Yet, the entirety of Mexico, from the Rio Grande to the Usumacinta, from the Pacific to the Caribbean, plays host to a wide range of different cuisines. The foods of the arid stretches of Sonora differ from those along the coastline of Jalisco. Those dishes differ from the indigenous cuisines of Oaxaca and Tabasco.

Americans love Mexican food, but as Anthony Bourdain once noted, "we have barely scratched the surface of what Mexican food really is." In some respects, Mexican cuisine is older than "the great cuisines" of Europe. And, it can stand its ground with those cuisines as well. A mole sauce from Oaxaca is as complicated to make (if not more so), in terms of ingredients and processes, as any sauce from storied European cuisines that are featured the Michelin-starred kitchens of restaurants anywhere in the world.  

The regional cuisines of Mexico
In order to understand the range of regional cuisines in Mexico, one needs to look at the country itself. Generally speaking, one could outline at least seven different regional cuisines. There is the El Norte (Aguascalientes, Baja, Sonora, Chihuahua, Cohuila, Durango, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas), with a range of seafood dishes from the coasts of the Pacific Ocean and Baja California) to the beef dishes from the ranches of Sonora and Chichuahua. (I think this could be split in two separate regions on its own.) There is the Costa del Pacifico Norte (Comalina, Jalisco, Nyarit, and Sinaloa), which is known for dishes such as pozole and birria. There is the Bajio (Guanajuato, Michoacan, Queretaro and San Luis Potosi), where rice and pork feature prominently. There is Costa del Pacifico Sur (Chiapas, Guerrero, and Oaxaca) where one could enjoy the cuisine of the indigenous peoples. Then there is El Sur (Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatan), where one could enjoy pork dishes like pibil. There is El Golfo (Tabasco & Veracruz), where, as noted above, there is Afro-Cuban and Creole influences. Finally, Mexico Central (Federal District, Hidalgo, Mexico, Morelos,  Puebla, and Tlaxcala), where many of the other regions' influences meet. 

This variety makes the preparation of a main dish from Mexico especially challenging. I have previously dabbled in the particular regional cuisines, whether it is preparing the Mole Verde Zacatano or Tacos de Chapulines con Tequila y Guacamole. Yet, which cuisine will reign supreme for this Mexican round of my Around the World in 80 Dishes Challenge

With so many regions, states and cuisines to choose from, I decided to introduce some randomness. I used a random address generator to provide me with three addresses as starting points to choose the cuisine and the dish. Those addresses gave me the following Mexican States: (1) Sonora; (2) Jalisco; and (3) Tabasco.

APPETIZER

I have never traveled to the State of Sonora, let alone walked the streets of its capital, Hermosillo, during the 1980s. (I would have been in my teens during that time.) Yet, if one did, they would have come across the culinary creation known as the Sonoran Dog or the Danger Dog. Vendors, known as dogueros, grilled bacon-wrapped hot dogs, which they placed in bollilo bun could be customized with a rage of toppings and condiments. Toppings typically included tomatoes, onions, beans, guacamole or salsa, while condiments could include mayonnaise or mustard. 

Grilling the dogs is the key. One cannot boil or steam them. However, some vendors operated in less than sanitary conditions or in violation of food preparation regulations, which gave rise to the name "danger dogs." Fortunately, I found a recipe on Saveur from Danny Trejo, the famous actor who owns restaurants like Trejo's Cantina and Trejo's tacos. There is no issue with the food, the only danger would be crossing one of characters played by Trejo, like Navajas from Desperado or Machete from the movie of the same name.

DANGER DOGS (SONORAN DOGS)

Recipe from Danny Trejo

Serves 4-6

Ingredients (for onions and peppers):

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 medium green bell pepper, thinly sliced (2/3 cup)
  • 1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced (2/3 cup)
  • Kosher salt

Ingredients (for the Danger Dogs):

  • 2 jalapenos, quartered lengthwise
  • 6 hot dogs
  • 6 bacon slices
  • 6 hot dog buns
  • 2 tablespooons vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Prepare the onions and peppers. In a large skillet, add the oil and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the green and red bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until everyhting is soft and deep golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, season to taste with salt, and set aside. 

2. Prepare the jalapeno peppers. In an empty skillet, add the jalapenos skin-side down and cook over medium heat without moving until charred, about 5 minutes. Turn them owner and cook until tender, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Return the skillet ot the stove and turn off heat. 

3. Make the danger dogs. Tightly wrap the hot dogs in bacon from end to end. To the empty skillet, add the oil and turn the heat to medium. When it's hot and shimmering, add the hot dogs and cook until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, give each hot dog a quarter turn and cook for another 5 minutes. Repeat on the remiaining two sides until the hot dogs are crisp all over. 

4. Finish the dish. To serve, spoon the reserved onions and peppers into buns, then top each with one jalapeno slice. Top with the hot dogs and serve immediately. 

MAIN COURSE

As the story goes, the Spanish conqusitadors were not the only ones to arrive in what is now Mexico during the 16th century. Those conquistadors brought goats with them, which were used to help clear the rugged terrain as the conquistadors and colonizers made their way across the Americas. However, the goats became a problem. Their numbers multipled and, as the Spanish colonizers settled in, there was not as great of a need for the goats. Unlike cattle or pigs, the Spanish were not fans of eating cabro or cabra, as they did not like the smell or taste of the gamey meat. So, in Jalisco, they decided to give the goats to the indigenous peoples. The goats were just as much of a problem for the natives, as the goats ate everything, including the crops. So the indigenous people decided to eat the goats. They used traditional preparations, using spices and herbs as they cooked the meat slowly in vinegar and water, until it became a delicious soup. The Spanish were unimpressed, referring to the soup derogatorily as "birria," which means "worthless" or "useless." 

That worthless soup outlived the Spanish empire and became an important part of the cuisine in Jalisco. A person who prepares the iconic soup became known as birriero. The preparations began to vary with regions within Jalisco and with the cooks, but the end product - the soup with its rich broth did not change. As birria expanded across Mexico, there were additional changes. For example, as it reached Tijuana in the 1950s, a street food vendor named Don Guadalupe Zarate decided to use beef instead of goat. There is also a legend in connection with Zarate that customers asked him to add liquid to the birria, which led to the beef soup. (I think that this part is probably legend, as other sources indicate that the preparation of birria as a soup goes back to Jalisco.)

Birria continued its expansion northward, along with Danger Dogs, into the United States. Culinary migrants, whose aromas and flavors would add to the tables in kitchens and restaurants across the country. Birria could not make it on its own, it needed real people, real migrants who came to this country seeking a better life for themselves and their families. At first, there was Chalio Luis, who brought birria to the Los Angeles, California in the 1970s. Then there was Reuben Ramirez, along with his cousins Oscar and Omar Gonzalez, who opened a birria stand in South Central Los Angeles, California in 2013. There were countless others, who brought their knowledge as birreros or just as someone who could prepare birria to the U.S. for people to eat and enjoy. 

Today, Americans have embraced birria, with restaurants serving the beef and broth, often in taco form, in restaurants from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles, California. However, our government has turned against the Mexicans migrants and residents who live in the United States (along with all other individuals with brown or black skin). Governmental authorities have increased their efforts to deport them, with masked individuals rounding up individuals and taking them away in unmarked vans to detention centers and prisons. These facts were not lost on me as I prepared this dish. 

BEEF BIRRIA

Recipe from Isabel Eats

Serves many

Ingredients:

  • 4 to 5 pounds chuck roast, cut into large 4-inch chunks
  • 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 guajillo chiles, rinsed, stemmed and seeded
  • 5 ancho chiles, rinsed, stemmed and seeded
  • 5 arbol chiles, rinsed and stemmed
  • 2 large Roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion
  • 1 4-inch Mexican cinnamon stick
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • Water, as needed
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1/4 cup distilled white viengar
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoong ground cloves

Directions:

1. Brown the meat. Generously season the meat with salt and pepper on all sides, and heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Working in 2 batches, add the meat and sear on all sides until browned. Remove the pot from the heat, add the seared meat back into the pot and set aside. 

2. Continue with other ingredients. While the meat is searing, add the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, arbol chiles, tomatoes, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and pepper corns to a medium pot. Cover completely with water and bring to a boil over high ehat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. 

3. Blend the other ingredients. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles and other ingredients to a large blender. Add 1 cup of the chile soaked cooking water, the beef broth, white vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano and cloves. Blend on high for a few minutes until compeletly smooth. (You may have to do this in 2 batches if your blender is not big enough.) Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the seared meat. Discard any solids left behind.

4. Cook the birria. Stir the meat and chile sauce together to combine and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender. 

5. Finish the dish. Transfer the meat to a large bowl and shred it with two forks. Add the meat back into the consomme and serve as a stew in bowls with diced onion and chopped cilantro, or as tacos in corn tortillas with shredded Oaxaca cheese, cilantro and diced onions.

SAUCE

For the last dish, which comes from the state of Tabasco, a State that lies along Mexico's Caribbean coastline of Mexico. This region has a long history, stretching all the way back to the Olmec civilization, which predominated over the area from 1400 BCE to about 400 BCE. After the decline of the Olmecs, the Chontal Maya civilization emerged, controlling the area from 300 CE until the Spanish conquistadors and colonists arrived. 

I wanted to find a recipe that draws from the pre-Spanish culinary traditions. I found it in chirmol. I am not talking about the Guatemalan salsa. Instead, it is a "stew" whose origins go back as far as the Chontal Maya civilization, if not further back in time. The quotation marks are used because chirmol is not so much a stew, as it is a mole. A sauce prepared with a range of ingredients that set it apart from other preparations. For the chirmol, the key ingredients are the tortillas, which are burnt; the anchos, which provide the smoke and spice; and, most importantly, the petitas or pumpkin seeds. 

The sauce is very versatile, but it is usually served over chicken, fish or pork. Of course, chicken and pork are not indigenous ingredients, both of which having been brought over by the Spanish. If you want to de-colonize the dish, I would use either fish or turkeys, which had been domesticated by indigenous people in the area long before Spanish arrived. 

CHIRMOL TABASQUENO

Recipe from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 3 stale tortillas or tostadas
  • 3 to 5 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 head of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
  • 1 white onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1/2 pound Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
  • 1/3 pound pepitas or pumpkin seeds
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 tablespoon achiote paste (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds (optional)
  • 1 hoja santa or small bunch of epazote (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons lard or olive oil
  • 1 pound of crab meat (or any other protein)

Directions:

1. Prepare the tortillas. Get a large heavy frying pan or comal very hot. Partially char the stale tortillas, you want lots of black marks, but don't blacken them totally. If you are using tostadas, no need for this. 

2. Prepare the chiles. Briefly toast the ancho chiles, pressing down on them with a spatula. You want to see some blistering, so maybe 10 to 30 seconds per side. Submerge all the toasted chiles in warm water. 

3. Prepare the other ingredients. Arrange the onions garlic and tomatoes on the hot pan to char them. You want serious blackening here. The tomatoes will take the longest, and don't be tempted to move them too soon or you will leave all the good blackened bits in the pan. If that happens, scrape it up immediately and set the scapings aside.

4. Toast the pepitas. In another pan, toast the pumpkin seeds over medium high heat until they start to pop. Move to the bowl of a blender. Crush up the toasted tortillas and put them in the blender too, along with the cloves, achiote, and anise seeds, if using. Add enough water to the blender to turn this all into a runny paste. Pour the contents into a large bowl. 

5. Continue the preparation. When the vegetables are nicely charred, peel the garlic, then add everything to the blender with the soaked chiles and the joa santa leaf if using. Add some of the chile soaking water and blend this to a puree too. Add it to the bowl and mix well. Add salt to taste.  

6. Finish the dish. Heat the lard or olive oil in a pot over medium high heat and when it's hot, add the chirmol. Stir well to combine and drop the heat to low. Let this simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over cooked crabmeat or other protein. 

*     *     *

This challenge has special meaning. I strived to complete it by Mexican Independence Day in 2025, during a time in which the administration of the United States was using its enforcement powers in unconstitutional and inhumane ways against Mexicans who were living here both lawfully and without proper documentation. It was also reported that the administration planned to have Immigration & Customs Enforcement target Mexican Independence Day celebrations in Chicago, Illinois. Rather than persecute people, I wanted to join in the celebration of their culture.

In so doing, I made three interesting dishes from across the country. All three were successes and I look forward to where the next challenge will take me. 

PAZ.

Saturday, September 13, 2025

Welcome to Scoville

It all began with Ed's Cave Creek Chili Beer. Basically, take Corona and substitute a serrano chile for the lime. And let that chile sit in the beer for a very long, long time. The result is an experience apart from all other beers. Put simply, one drinks Chili beer not so much for the beer, but for the burn.  That is how my love for chile beers began. 

Over time, that love evolved. It was not so much about the burn anymore. I stopped drinking the Cave Creek beer, partly because it became harder to find, but partly because I was introduced to a whole different kind of chile beers ... mole stouts. (Check out the beer review page to see the different stouts that I have reviewed to this date.)  I found that the use of chiles (most commonly ancho chiles), along with other spices, produced a beer that was far more enjoyable than one that simply scorched the insides going down. It seemed as if those would be the only chile beers that would catch my attention. 

Until I came across Jailbreak Brewing's Welcome to Scoville. An India Pale Ale brewed with jalapeno peppers, Jailbreak's offering is what a chile beer should be. The pepper is present, but it is rounded out with the hops and a slightly more elevated malt profile. 

The Welcome to Scoville pours a standard IPA golden color, although it has a slight hazy appearance and offers a decent foam at the top. The aroma of the beer gives some not-so-subtle hints of the pepper, but once one takes a sip, that is where this beer sets itself apart from other "chile beers." 

One can definitely taste the jalapeno pepper, as well as feel the burn, but it is really no more than if one ate a sliced and seeded jalapeno pepper. Not only can one taste that pepper, but they could also make out the hop notes, such as a slight bitterness, as well as the malt in the background. These elements make this beer the most rounded chile beer (excluding mole stouts, which probably still represent my favorite style of chile beers), that I have had the opportunity to drink. 

This beer is available at Jailbreak's brewpub, where I found it for about $13.99 per six pack (if I recall correctly). I have seen it in stores where Jailbreak beers are distributed, but it is not as common as the brewery's other offerings. Until next time ...

PEACE.

Saturday, September 6, 2025

Blistered Shishito Peppers with Gomasio

While I was strolling through a local supermarket, I came across a bag of shishito peppers. These small green peppers are a Japanese ingredient, as "shishito" translates into "lion's head" in Japanese. I have previously used these peppers in my cooking (you can check it out here). They are a quintessential simple ingredient. All you need to do is roast them or saute them, and they are a tasty snack. (They are also a game, as most - but not all - of the peppers are usually mild; however, every once in a while, there will be a spicy one in the bunch.)

It seems somewhat obvious that a simple ingredient should be paired with another simple one. And, I had just the ingredient in mind ... gomasio. For those who may follow this blog, gomasio is a Japanese condiment that consists of two ingredients: toasted sesame seeds and salt. I had recently made the recipe and had a nice supply in the kitchen. All I needed was a recipe that uses the Japanese spice mix with shishito peppers. (Actually, given the simplicity of what I was about to do, a recipe is not really required.) 

Nevertheless, I found a recipe that combined shishito peppers and gomasio, along with a couple of other ingredients, namely lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt. Five total ingredients produced a simple dish. Yet, this dish could be served as an appetizer or small plate. A simple tapa or meze (or pintxos if it had a toothpick skewered through it). 

Making a simple recipe every once in a while provides a nice balance to the many more complicated recipes that are still vying for my limited time and, if they get made, working their way through the post-writing queue. It also does somthing more. I often joke about how one could measure my level of stress by the dishes I make. The more complicated the dish, the higher level of stress. Yet, making a series of small dishes is perhaps a better way of dealing with stress, as the success of each dish builds upon the next one, helping to keep my focus off of what stresses me and helping to feel more accomplished. I need to keep this in the back of my mind more often, especially during these times. 


BLISTERED SHISHITO PEPPERS WITH GOMASIO
Recipe from Bits of Wellness
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 cups of shishito peppers
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon juiced
1 tablespoon Gomasio
Flaky sea salt

Directions:
Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook peppers, turning occasionally, until they begin to blister on all sides. Remove from heat and squeeze the lemon over the peppers. Plate the peppers and sprinkle with Gomasio. Serve immediately. 

PEACE.