From dining
out and cooking lessons to a Chef’s Table experience at a food festival, here’s
a list of gifts that will make your special food lovers sparkle and shine.
Lesson #1
when holiday shopping: You can’t keep these gifts for yourself no matter how
much you love them. Savor the hunt and Buen Apetito!
Buying memorable experiences…
Dinner Out
What’s the ideal gift for food lovers? Dinner out at their favorite restaurant.
In
downtown SMA:
The Restaurant at Sollano #16
http://therestaurantsanmiguel.com/Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday from 12 to 10pm and Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 12 to 11pm
Share a variety of the appetizers – all of them exceptional; Shaved Brussels Sprout and Kale Salad; Hamburger night Thursday; Pineapple Margarita and the Coffee and Ancho Chili Braised Pork Cheeks. Don’t forget the desserts.
Chef Donnie Masterton consistently
delivers on everything he creates. Look for his new restaurants, Birdies Burgers and Tacolicious, to open after the first of
the year.
In the Country:
In the Country:
B’ui Cocina de Campo at Km 2
Camino a San Miguel el Viejo, C.P. 37700, San Miguel de Allende, Gto.
Phone: 415 688 0021.
https://www.facebook.com/buicocinadecampo
I call it “The
B’ui Experience” because I was captivated, not just by the setting - in stunningly
beautiful Otomi - but by everything; from the superior food and wine, to the
extraordinary service and the state of its’ simple, country elegance. From
start to finish, you can easily do three hours here.
We had the
most incredible experience AGAIN at B’ui this past Sunday. Order the tasting
menu for the best culinary experience and value. For wine the Espacio en Blanco Chardonnay from Valle de
Guadalupe or the Casa Madero 2v, 50% Chardonnay, 50% Chenin Blanc from Parras
Coahuila, Mexico are splendid choices.
We think Chef Marko Antoine Cruz is one of
the best chefs in SMA. You will too.
In San Antonio:
Zumo
at Orizaba 87
http://zumosma.com/
There are only a handful
of restaurants in SMA that have it all: great food, creative drinks,
world-class service and a million dollar view to match. ZUMO is at the top of
that list.
Part of the pleasure of this experience is the incredible staff. You will be completely wowed by the service.
This striking
dish is Chef Gabriel Ferrant’s Conde
soup with Mexican sausage, baby squid, black beans, crispy jalapeño tortilla
strips and fresh Oaxaca cheese aioli.
Something new…La Canica
Chef Bricio Dominguez’s latest street food restaurant with
partner, Chef Paco Roncero, a well-known Michelin star chef from Spain, is enchanting.
They landed in a beautiful, old home on Pila Seca and put together a fun menu
that changes weekly.
Delightful back patio with lights strung above to remind you that twinkle is what you do when you’re dining with your best foodie friends at SMA newest restaurant.
The merriment starts here…
An edible Christmas…
La Lonja Carniceria at Mesones 33 and Colegio 21
Love Hansen’s Prime Rib but want to cook it at home? You can order any
meat from La Lonja to make that special meal for the person you love.
Open 7:00 AM to 6 PM, they also have
home delivery. Steaks: T-bones, rib-eyes, fillets, New York; ground-beef,
sausages, lamb-and-pork cuts; and poultry: chicken, ostrich and turkey.
From Your Kitchen:
You’re such an incredible cook, no reason not to make something mouth-watering and box or bottle it up for your special Foodie.
Buying experiences with built-in delayed gratification:
Cooking Classes:
Cooking Classes:
Chef Michael Coon at Casa de Cocinas
Chef Michael Coon teaches cooking classes, does
food tours, Mexican day trips and has magnificent tasting dinners in his
kitchen every month. Michael has traveled just about everywhere and his knowledge of
world food is significant.
The theme of this particular dinner was
tequila and his menu boasted some pretty superb tequila combinations.
Chef Laura
Buccheri at La Cucina di Afrodita
Phone: 415-124-2435https://www.facebook.com/LaCucinadiAfrodita
Laura has the
wonderful ability to create dishes such as this homemade cocoa tagliolini with
walnuts, gorgonzola sauce and mesquite smoked bacon. It was an unusual
combination of ingredients but the flavors worked so well together.
Call Laura
for private or group cooking lessons. She specializes in desserts and I can
personally recommend every one of them. I’ve tried them all.
She also conducts culinary tours
of Italy. You can email Laura at laurabuccheri@hotmail.it
Chef Paco
Cárdenas at El Petit Four
Mesones 99-1http://elpetitfour.com/
This was the first cooking class I took in San Miguel and still one of my favorites. In addition to learning how to make many classic Mexican dishes, Paco takes you to the market and around San Miguel to meet the food vendors he buys from. I still use the same vendors today. The minimum to open a class is 4 people; maximum 6.
The Chef’s Table Experience: SMA Food Festival
The chefs
table at the SMA Food Festival was the hottest food ticket in San Miguel last year. $100 USD for a multi-course
meal and you pick the chef.
Create a clever
I Owe You to tell your favorite food
lover you are treating them to this experience.
Look for a
confirmation of the dates on http://www.smafoodfestival.com/ . They sold out early last year so be sure to book right away.
This is #1 on my own wish list.
Hot Air Balloon Ride: Globo San Miguel
Want to get
an aerial view of beautiful SMA? Make it a champagne flight followed by
breakfast at the Rosewood. This is my idea of lofty living. Gift
certificates are available.Contact Guadalupe Garza for additional information. reserva@globosanmiguel.com
Sabores San Miguel at Parque Benito Juarez
Tell the kids to start saving their pesos and treat you to the best family food experience in San Miguel, Sabores San Miguel. They will be hard pressed to spend $15.00 USD which will get you 10 tastings.
The festival will
be held again this year in mid-June, the same weekend as the Fiesta de los
Locos. Look for more information on http://www.saboressanmiguel.com/
Sketching Classes: Susan Dorf
Do you daydream
about keeping a sketching journal with all of your favorite food and
restaurants? Take a class from Susan Dorf who publishes her sketches in Atencion
San Miguel each week. Susan swears she can teach anyone to draw, even
me.Email susan@susandorf.com for information and to register. www.susandorf.com
Don’t forget
to package the gift with lots of colored pencils, pens and a beautiful sketchbook
from one of the many markets around San Miguel.
A trip to the Food Capital of Mexico: Oaxaca
For years,
I've been told that the food in Oaxaca was the best in Mexico but I had to see
for myself. It took just one plate of dark, rich, and wonderfully sweet and
spicy mole negro at Catedral Restaurante
and Bar in Oaxaca to convince me.Food lovers will also enjoy the markets in Ocotlan on Friday and Tlacolula on Sunday. Indigenous people from the villages all over the central valleys of Oaxaca come for market day. You will be seduced by the smells, the sights and the sounds.
This trip is
inexpensive:
A flight on Interjet, my favorite airline in
Mexico, is usually under $100 each way from Mexico City. Interjet
WebsiteGrab a room at Casa Colonial for as low as $45 USD. This bed and breakfast is in an ideal location and a short walk to downtown. You’ll love the communal breakfast in the morning with others from across the globe. http://www.casa-colonial.com/.
You can also take a Wednesday cooking class at Seasons of my Heart Cooking School with Susan Trilling for just $85.00 USD which includes a trip to the Etla market. www.seasonsofmyheart.com
Gifts with instant
gratification…
Charitable Giving
Giving to a
charity is one of the BEST ways to celebrate the holidays. My favorites are:Nourish Mexican school children through programs at Feed the Hungry http://feedthehungrysma.org/
Celebrate the
fact that you are giving a family their own kitchen to cook in at Casita Linda. http://casitalinda.org/en/
While you’re at it, a great gift to give yourself is to volunteer at Feed the Hungry or Casita Linda. Nothing outshines the gift of your time.
A REAL Christmas Tree
There is something heavenly about waking up in the middle of the night to twinkling lights and the smell of fresh pine. Size the tree perfectly to the person you are giving it to. At Costco. $900 pesos.
Reindeers
15 Pesos will get
you an adorable little reindeer and a hug from Guanayadra and her mother Erica.
In the Jardin every afternoon until Christmas. Skip that cup of coffee and you can buy two.
High spirited
gifts…
Wine Festival: Cava Sautto Wine Fest at Hotel Sautto, Calle del Dr
Ignacio Hernandez Macias 59
Reserve wines are in abundance at this show as well as high end liquors like Hennessy, Dewar's, Bacardi, Johnny Walker, Herradura, Chevas Regal, Bruxo, Grey Goose and other leading labels. For 300 pesos, you sample any of the wines or liquors featured at the event. At the end of the night, take your ticket stub into Cava Sautto, Hotel Sautto’s wine shop and you get a $200 peso credit against any bottle in the store.
Mark your calendar for the next Cava Sautto Wine Festival on February 6, 2016.
Cerveceria Dos Aves
www.cerveceriadosaves.comThis brew, made in San Miguel, won major awards this past year in the 2015 Mexico Professional Beer Competition, with gold medals in both Pale Ale and Stout Imperial.
Dos Aves makes a Christmas
brew every year, so look for it in stores around San Miguel.http://www.cerveceriadosaves.com/san-miguel-de-allende.html
Make a Christmas Party Kit: Put bottles of Dos Aves in a wooden case and package it with handmade coasters, and vials of glitter and confetti.
Gourmet Food, Wines and Liquors…
Carnevino at Ancha De San Antonio 24 has a wonderful,
extensive selection of wines, liquors and high-end meats from Sonora. You’ll
need at least an hour to explore all of their offerings.
Carnevino also carries the exquisite Carmen Chardonnay that I had at ZUMO the other night
Visit La Europa at Canal 13 and create a Bellini kit with your favorite Champagne or
Cava and seasonal fruits.
Ask Felipe about
other distinctive tequilas and mezcals on their shelf including San Miguel’s
own Tequila Casa Dragones.
Your favorite
food lover can’t have too many…
Festive Gifts: Abrazos at Zacateros 24
http://sanmigueldesigns.com/There should be a sign on the door: Smiles Happen Here! This place is an experience.
Nothing
shouts MEXICO more than Abrazos. When you walk in, you’ll be tempted to throw a
fiesta, or handfuls of confetti, buy something rosa, build an altar, count your
primos, down a bottle of tequila, set off fireworks, ring the church bells,
sing with the Mariachis, plant a chili garden or play the Loteria with your
favorite group of Lucha Libres.
Abrazos carries a full line of kitchen gifts including festive aprons and chef coats. You’ll fall in love with the Mexican designs like Jardin de Frida, Elotes Amarillos, Chiles Fiesta Azul, Dia de Los Muertos, even festive Pinatas.
It’s my happy
place when I want to be reminded of why I am in Mexico. Owner Patrice Wynne will likely be there to inspire your choices.
Gift
up to persuade your food lover to come back for another visit because three
weeks was simply not long enough. They’ll love you for reminding them that the
party’s here in Mexico and happens every day.
Floor Cloths
Beautiful and artistic floor cloths by Joy Wesson. www.joywesson.com
Kitchen
Gadgets: Blime at 50 B Esp. Nunez
Blime is a one-stop cooking and gadget store. From garlic crushers and whisks to a good set of pots and pans, it’s so nice to finally have a kitchen supply store in SMA. If you can’t find it here, ask them to order it.
Blime is
opening another store on Ancha San Antonio soon. Ask for Marisol.
Spices
and Chilies: A Granel at Puente De Umaran 27
When I want fresh, this little store, up from the Mercado Ignacio Ramírez, has everything: seeds, chilies, sweets, spices , grains and many other raw ingredients. Load up a basket and give it to that food lover along with a recipe or two.
Something
Extravagant: Sollano 16 at Sollano 16
http://www.sollano16.com/Beautiful, elegant gifts for your favorite food lover including Chamba, the handmade black pottery from Colombia and milky white Astier de Villate from Paris.
Stunning coffee table books from all over the world. My go-to shop when I am looking for something extravagant. You’ll be surprised at the prices...in a good way.
Ceramics
and Pottery: Arte y Artesanias Paloma
at Ancha de San Antonio #28
Lovely and unusual ceramics and tableware from all over Mexico. This shop is tiny but has plenty of items for all the food lovers on your list.
Fair prices along with first-class service. It’s another one of
San Miguel’s best kept secrets.
The Galleries at Fabrica Aurora
Explore the Galleries at Fabrica Aurora and find great food gifts like these antique bowls from Le Spezie.
Explore the Galleries at Fabrica Aurora and find great food gifts like these antique bowls from Le Spezie.
Also check
out Cantadora Cantera (415 154-8302)
and Algarabia (415 154-7505) for
attractive gifts you wouldn’t find at any other store.
Bilingual Food Shopping Guide: Biblioteca Pública de San Miguel
de Allende at Insurgentes
#25
How do you
say Pie Crust ready-made in Spanish? This little book converts all the culinary
terms to make for instant Spanish. From meat cuts, vegetables and fruits, to
the most exotic spices, you’ll want to take this book with you when you shop. 150
pesos.
Tacopedia
I loved this book from the first time I saw it and realized what a resource it is. Tacopedia explores everything about Mexico’s favorite food, the taco, including all of the different traditions and regions in Mexico. You’ll also get 100 authentic Taco recipes adapted from the Mexican best-seller; from fillings and tortillas to salsas and sauces.
I loved this book from the first time I saw it and realized what a resource it is. Tacopedia explores everything about Mexico’s favorite food, the taco, including all of the different traditions and regions in Mexico. You’ll also get 100 authentic Taco recipes adapted from the Mexican best-seller; from fillings and tortillas to salsas and sauces.
My favorite
part of this book is the wonderful graphics, photographs and illustrations. I
say they make the book. What do you think?
I purchased my copy from Michael Coon at Casa de Cocinas. Email him at this address for availability. insideroute@aol.com.
I purchased my copy from Michael Coon at Casa de Cocinas. Email him at this address for availability. insideroute@aol.com.
Handpainted Tableware: Ceramicalopez at Recreo 10-A
Ceramicalopez
sells eye-catching, handpainted tableware. 
Cazuelas: Josefina at Losa Barro Local #3, Mercado
Ignacio Ramírez
A cazuela is
as important as a cast-iron pan is to a Southern cook. These clay pots are great for cooking soups, beans or stews. It holds a steady heat allowing foods to cook both slowly and evenly.
It’s no
wonder that Cazuelas are collected by Mexican families and handed down through
the generations. Some people are so attached to them they even give them a
name. I call mine FLACO trusting that the calories will burn out of whatever it
is I'm cooking.
This stand, inside Mercado Ignacio Ramírez, sells cazuelas for the best price.
Claudia’s Pies
Too lazy to cook? Give your foodie a day off
and order Claudia’s pies. Call 415-151-0146 or email her at campanita1985@live.com.
My favorite: this
Lemon Meringue. She also sells at La
Pulga; next one December 13th.
Chocolates: Joferej
This is one
of my favorite places to hang out, enjoy a cup of high-end hot chocolate from
Tabasco and buy a box of top quality chocolates to gift your fellow chocoholics. Open from 10
AM -8 PM daily expect Sundays 11 AM -8PM.How do you get a chocolate jolt? In addition to hot chocolate, they also serve Chocolate Espeso (thick chocolate) with bitter at 70% and semi-bitter at 60% for 45 pesos.
Ask for Alejandra.
Online orders at https://www.johfrej.com/
mayolicasantarosa.com
Make it a day trip and go to Santa Rosa de Lima, Camino Real s/n, Santa Rosa de Lima, Gto, México. Phone. +52 01 (473) 102 50 17
One of the
most beautiful Mexican pottery stores in the area, you can find anything and
everything for your food lovers’ kitchen.
While you’re
on your way out of town, stop at the town bar, Alto’s Cantina, for a bottle of
delicious orange flavored Mezcal. You’ll wonder how anything this good can cost
just 80 pesos.
Something Sweet: Artesana Boutique
Open for a
month, this new little shop, tucked away inside the Rosewood Hotel, sells
Salvador’s baked goods including the most decadent chocolate that looks like a
taco topped with fruits and nuts.
Designed by
Tables and More out of Guadalajara, the shop is drop-dead gorgeous and has
outdoor seating.
You’ll likely
find the coffee crowd here as they also serve Starbucks for the same price as
the Starbucks in town.Can’t Find What You Want? Time to Hit the Department Stores
Liverpool - San Miguel
Liverpool recently started carrying both Williams Sonoma and Pottery
Barn, my go-to Christmas stores back in the states.
Plaza La
Luciérnaga, Libramiento José Manuel Zavala Zavala 165 4A, La Luciérnaga, 37745
San Miguel de Allende or shop online at:
El Palacio de Hierro - Antea Lifestyle Center Queretaro at Paseo de la
República, Juriquilla, Querétaro, Querétaro
http://www.elpalaciodehierro.com/
Great gifts
for chefs including one of my favorite lines: Emile Henry.
The
TAJINE POULET will set you back $2,690.00 pesos but think about the dinner
you’ll getthe first time they use it. I’m already savoring every bite just thinking about it.
PMBU.jpg)
