July 10, 2009, House & Garden Tour, By Jennifer Hamilton, A blast of purple and a folk art museum, Food & Wine, Mexico by the Glass, By Dick Avery; Photos by Janet Avery, Finding the perfect match

House & Garden Tour
By Jennifer Hamilton

House & Garden Tour
Sun, Jul 12, tour departs at noon
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
US$15 or 150 pesos

Breakfast at Café Santa Ana starts at 9am

A blast of purple and a folk art museum

Another author commented about this whimsical house, “an eyeball-spinning carnival of divinely elevated kitsch!” Casa de Las Ranas is the home of art historian Richard Schultz and visionary artist Anado McLauchlin. A giant painted mural of the Hindu God Ganesh held aloft by McLauchlin greets visitors as they pass through the overgrown and sumptuous gardens of vegetables, flowers, exotic shrubs, cacti and succulents. All the surfaces of the house are painted with limitless bold colors and adorned with mosaics, mirrors, cow skulls, xúchiles and other found objects. Ornate patios lead to secret gardens where more mysteries await. The interior reflects the exterior and then some. McLauchlin’s assemblages, furniture, mosaic
s, painted doors and adorned fireplaces complement and exalt the plethora of unusual and esoteric objects from around the world. One could spend hours in the kitchen without ever leaving: a riot of tiles, painted Gorky Gonzalez plates, Hopi Kachina dolls and old posters from the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. The bodega next to the kitchen sports a beaded curtain of the Mexican Serena (mermaid) awash in lurid pink light. The staircase leads to more and more upstairs: bedspreads from Rajasthan and Uzbekistan, punched tin headboards, Buddhas, sugar skulls, folk art and more. The crown jewel is the over-the-top bóveda ceiling in the master bedroom...probably the largest in San Miguel. We exit through McLauchlin's studio where more of his art and celebrative one-of-a-kind beaded necklaces are on display. What a treat for the mind and soul!

2. The “Hascienda” was the first constructed in San Miguel by local architect Patsy Bubela. Only the main arch in front remains from the original, ancient building. Note the sculpted angels and seashell window effects that are typical of Bubela’s work.

The owners added the roof garden, a studio and darkroom. All of the black and white photos are one of the owner’s work. Notice the beautiful Tamayo lithograph in the front room. A new guest casita was added at the rear of the property a few years ago, and a folk art museum on their property in nearby Atotonilco recently opened to the public. Be sure and ask about visiting it! The roof garden offers one of the best views in San Miguel.

Food & Wine
Mexico by the Glass
By Dick Avery; Photos by Janet Avery

Ever wonder how to decide which wine would best complement your dinner choice when you are out and about? Mexican cuisine isn’t just tacos, enchiladas and the ubiquitous refried frijoles, all smothered in melted cheese. Let’s check out some truly interesting Mexican recipes from diverse cultures, and while we’re at it, explore some of this country’s best wines that can enhance authentic regional dishes.

A great starter is a bowl of sopa de huitlacoche. This rich soup is made from corn that has acquired a fungal growth due to humidity. Huitlacoche has its origins in Aztec cuisine. Its smoky flavor and almost black color blends beautifully with the companion soup—cream of squash blossom. Add chicken broth, onions, celery, salt and pepper, and you have an appetizer that could hold its own as an entrée! A robust white wine is called for here, with full-figured fruit flavors that can stand up to the earthy sweetness of the soup, so pull the cork on a bottle of Monte Xanic’s Chenin Blanc/Columbard.

Try a plate of pacholas next time you have a meat craving. Pacholas involve mixing high grade beef with chile ancho, chile guajillo, salt and pepper, and blending them on a metate—a slab of volcanic stone—using a stone roller with the same rough surface to knead the mixture into a consistency tender as a mother’s love. The mixture is then pan fried briefly. Add some frijoles negros and roasted spring onions, and you’re in business! A dry, smooth red wine such as the Casa Madero Shiraz, with its slightly spicy, fruit forwardness holds its own with the meat flavors of this simple but rich dish.

Let’s travel to Tabasco and enjoy the entrée of kings! Actually, in the Olmec era (1800–400 BCE) of the Mayans, only the king could partake of Potze—a blend of beef brains, kidneys and veal tongue in a light tomato sauce, all steamed in a banana leaf. It’s good to be king! Potze’s intensity needs an offset of a starch such as rice or potatoes. A full bodied vino tinto needs to be in the glass here as a foil to the richness of the Potze. The Casa Madero Cabernet Sauvignon (10 percent Merlot) with hints of cut olives, spices and oak aging is up to the task!

While we’re in the mood for Mayan cuisine, another delicious dish is queso relleno. You can make it by stuffing Edam cheese and mincemeat into a relleno pepper and smothering it in a tomato sauce. When we tried it, the dish was further enhanced with the chef’s “secret” dressing. After we made some admiring “oohs” and “aahs,” the chef did tell us the dressing blended a sauce of flour and butter with turkey bouillon, to which a blend of onions, raisins, olives, chopped almonds and capers were added. Outstanding! The only thing that could possibly be missing is a bottle of Echelon Pinot Noir. Its silky, dark cherry flavors with hints of clove wrap around the palate and make love with the flavors of the sauce!

If you’re serving tapas, try a Pibxcatic chile stuffed with cochinita pibil, a Yucatan-style shredded pork with annatto axiote spices mixed with olives, onions, and tomatoes! It’s delicious as an appetizer, but substantial enough to be an entrée. The Echelon Pinot Noir comes to the rescue again! A glass or two hits the spot with this dish!

The French boast of their béarnaise. Indians are known for tantalizing curry, Italians for rich, thick marinara, and barbeque sauce is known to be a US invention. In Mexico, the undisputed national sauce is mole—an intoxicating blend of chocolate, sometimes peanuts, chiles, garlic, onions, nuts and upwards of 30 different spices!

Mole comes from the Aztec word molli (concoction or stew). It is believed to have been created in the late 1600s by a nun in a convent in Puebla de Los Angeles, outside Mexico City, to honor the archbishop for building a nearby convent. We are forever in her debt! Today, it’s Oaxaca that has the reputation as the Mexican state with the best mole, followed by Puebla and Veracruz.

So, if you’ve never enjoyed a tasty mole sauce, now’s the time! Stuff a tender chicken breast with a confit of dried fruits such as lemons, oranges, pineapple and guava. Bake, and top with a traditional Oaxacan mole sauce. Hey now! A medium-weight red wine is needed to let all these flavors sing. A good bet would be the Montevina Tinto, a slinky, sensual blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. ¡Buen provecho!

Another delicious meat dish is grilled or roasted venison in a guajillo sauce. You add a healthy portion of Oaxacan mole to a puree of dry guajillo chiles, tomatoes, garlic, onion, cumin and oregano. Mix in some grilled corn, drizzle generously over medallions of venison and you are good to go! This sauce really brings out the flavors of the meat. It’s a marriage made in heaven with a bottle of full-bodied red wine such as the San Lorenzo Tinto—a robust blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. The dark flavors of blackberries, raisins and black pepper, with hints of chocolate, stand up to the intensity of this dish!

I’m indebted to Jorge Levario of Woolis Kaban, Pedro and Ana of the late Gallo, and Juan Carlos Escalante of Nirvana for describing the nuances of true Mexican cuisine. Their help and information was essential in writing this article. Further details and tasting notes regarding these and other delicious (and reasonably priced) Mexican wines can be found on our website, www.vinoclubsma.com ; just click on “wines.”

Dick Avery is a freelance writer and head sipper at VinoClubSMA, a wine club devoted to the joys of boutique Mexican wines. He can be reached at vinoclubsma@gmail.com.