Edible San Diego Rooted in Flavor Special Edition Issue 53

ROOTED IN FLAVOR

Table Talk

If we are what we eat, then we are so many things. For just a moment, think back to when you were young: What did you eat, and who prepared it for you? Go back one or two generations more and consider what culinary traditions shaped your life today.

My ancestors made their way from England, Scotland, France, and Spain to the US and Mexico generations ago, and fast-forward, I am a mid-century Girl Scout who learned my way around the kitchen by helping my mom from an early age. She passed on the essential life skills, like showing me how many different things you can put in a tortilla for an after-school snack.

Growing up as part of a very large extended family, I looked forward to every holiday because something fun was always in the works—sleepovers, camping, and big Christmas potlucks. Nowadays, plant-strong or low-carb options may sit alongside the holiday tamales, but we make sure one cousin brings the Jell-O salad. One bite brings back memories of beloved aunties and uncles since passed and the countless adventures, sunsets, mile stones, and hugs we shared.

Year by year, my childhood saw a formerly rural area become suburbanized. Our little orchard and garden became like an island as dairy farms and citrus orchards gave way all around us.

As the summer heat rose each year, my friends, siblings, and I would climb apricot and plum trees, eating our fill, while my mom would stay up late to make jam when the house was cool and quiet. Those jars glimmered like jewels all year long in our hall closet—special gifts to be given with uncomparable flavor on breakfast toast.

We invite you to reminisce about your own food memories, and to make some new ones. Since we celebrate authenticity, Edible San Diego dedicates this special issue, Rooted in Flavor, to the culinary traditions unique to our part of the world. Because a plate of food can reveal so much about our shared past, present, and future.

To add more spice, convenience, and aha moments to your days and nights, make sure to visit ediblesandiego.com and sub scribe to our monthly newsletter and social media platforms. If you enjoy our work, please patronize our advertisers’ businesses, subscribe, and invite your friends to join our rapidly growing Edible San Diego community—all of which enables us to keep these essential conversations happening. Thank you.

Katie Stokes Publisher, Edible San Diego

Nava family summer in Weldon, CA, circa 1972.

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COVER PHOTO BY OLIVIA HAYO

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Fresh, exciting, and vibrant are the themes of the Creta signature pita (far left), violeta latte (left), and the Chicanostyle mimosa (bottom).

Hot Dish

Telefónica Gastro Park

BY KELLY BONE

“Food Has No Border” proclaims the billboard rising over the sun-dappled dining patio of Tijuana’s Telefónica Gastro Park. Wood-slat stairs rise to seats overlooking the plenitude of dining options, including many vegetable-heavy dishes and a 100% vegan taqueria. Here, local and global flavors hug an onsite brewery decorated in fluttering piñatas, and murals scratch at the surface of issues like immigration, community, and humanity at large.

La Taqueria Vegiee

Chef Antonio Quintero’s La Taqueria Vegiee is beloved on both sides of the border (they also have a food truck rooted in South Park). The adobada taco highlights the classic flavors of Tijuana with the craft of a vegan kitchen. Stuffed with trigo—a chewy seitan made with wheat, barley, and rye—marinated in achiote paste and thyme, the protein comes folded in a corn tortilla with cilantro, chopped onions, and guacamole.

» facebook.com/lataqueriavegiee

Creta

The spirit of the Mediterranean rises in the vegetable-loaded Creta. This portobello pita (above) rolls flame-grilled mush rooms with cherry tomatoes, paper-thin red onions, fat cuts of avocados, and baby greens (hold the basil aioli for a vegan option) in a pillowy flatbread. More greens are tossed with chopped tomatoes and cucumbers dressed in a briny Kalamata olive tapenade and served on the side.

» facebook.com/cretaft

Satabu

Colorful vegetables laze across a flour tortilla in the hongos mixtos tacos at Satabu. Roasted mushrooms and juicy poblano peppers come threaded with fideos de arroz (rice noodles), pinto beans, and bits of corn under pickled purple cabbage, cilantro, and guacamole. A self-administered splash of salsa will blend the flavors together perfectly. Cash only.

» facebook.com/satabutj

Telefónica Gastro Park Boulevard Aguacaliente #8924 Tijuana, Baja California 22000

» facebook.com/TelefonicaGastroPark

KELLY BONE; ERIN JACKSON (2)

Liquid Assets

BY ERIN JACKSON

Three ways to satiate your thirst with modern Mexican beverages in Barrio Logan

Border X Brewing

Any of the brewery’s beers can be michelada-fied with a splash of La Diabla mix, but the Pepino Sour, a Berliner Weisse with lime and cucumber, serves as the ultimate pelo del perro (hair of the dog).

» borderxbrewing.com

Por Vida

Unique drinks like violeta latte, spicy mango lemonade, and horchata cold brew are offered at this neighborhood coffee shop and art gallery. But the mazapan latte, served hot or cold with De La Rosa mazapan crumbles, is a standout.

» porvidacollective.com

Barrio Dogg

The Chicano-style mimosa features a mini bottle of Mexican bub bly upended in tropical punch with key lime juice and chamoy. A Tajín rim adds a salty, spicy bite that boosts the fruity flavors.

» barriodogg.com

Let’s Grow El Chayote Poderoso

BY JESSICA GONZALEZ

Native to Latin America, specifically Mexico and Guatemala, chayote was a staple in the Aztec diet for centuries. San Diego’s proximity often affords us a similar climate, providing a spectacu lar opportunity to grow one of Mexico’s prized culinary gifts.

This tropical squash is a perennial favorite and gardener’s dream as it produces year after year. Likened to dense cucumbers, chayo tes can be consumed raw or cooked. Thinly sliced in fresh ceviche, added to soups, or pickled atop carnitas tacos, chayotes deliver an exceptionally versatile harvest.

Chayotes are opportunists: The hearty vines are enthusiastic climbers, so placement is key. Select an organic chayote from your local farmers’ market and rest it, stem end up, on organic garden soil in full sun. Within a few weeks your chayote will sprout (think sprouting potatoes) and begin unfurling small vines. Once the vines are five to six inches long, pop the chayote directly in the ground, ensuring the vines are exposed. This rapid grower wants organic compost, nitrogen, and a layer of mulch. Water your plant when the soil is dry to the touch, adding diluted fish emulsion every two to three weeks. Harvest chayote when they are four to six inches long. They keep well refrigerated for up to a month.

Where the chefs shop. Open to the public everyday 8-5 pm.

Low in fat, high in fiber and antioxidants, tart and crisp nopales grow abundantly throughout our region.

Five Ways to Eat a Cactus

BY FELICIA CAMPBELL

The most commonly eaten cactus is the prickly pear or Opun tia. In Mexico, the pads or nopales are called lengua de vaca “cow's tongue”—and in Sicily, the fruit or tuna is referred to as fico d'India, or “Indian fig.” Both the fruit and the pads can be eaten cooked or raw and are a great source of fiber and antioxidants, but they do require a little prep before getting started.

Nopales have a bright, vegetal flavor, like an amped-up stalk of asparagus. Select paddles that are green and plump. Smaller, thinner young paddles are more tender. While most store-bought pads will already have their sharp spines removed, you’ll still want to wash the pad. Hold it at an angle to slice off any remaining spines and cut out the eyes where the spines were attached. Trim off the outer quarter-inch of the pad and the thick base and the nopales are ready to cook.

The tuna fruits are a great addition to any fruit-based dish or salad, with a taste that’s somewhere between watermelon and bubble gum. To prepare them, slice off both ends and make one vertical cut down the body of the pear. Slip your fingers into the

slit and grab the skin. Peel off the thick outer skin and discard. The flesh is filled with tiny seeds, which are completely edible. Chop and toss with orange slices and mint for a simple fruit salad.

Now that your nopales and tuna are ready to go, here are five ways to cook with them.

Grilled Nopales

Preheat a grill to medium and brush the pads with olive oil and a hearty sprinkle of salt and pepper. Grill them over medium to medium-high heat until golden, about 3 minutes on each side.

Grilled nopales can be cut into strips and added to tacos or left whole and used as a base for tostada toppings like salty cheese, refried beans, or stewed meat.

Blanched Nopales

Add cleaned nopal paddles, whole or sliced, to cold water in a pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. As the cactus cooks, it turns a darker green and releases a sticky liquid similar

to okra; skim this juice and discard while the nopales simmer. Continue cooking until the cactus is al dente, about 10 min utes. Rinse to remove any remaining liquid and pat dry.

To make a simple salad, toss blanched nopales with tomato, onion, cilantro, and ranchero cheese with lime and salt to taste. You can also add the blanched nopales to casseroles or scrambles along with diced chiles to add a hearty texture to a meatless dish.

Juiced Prickly Pear

To extract the juice of the prickly pear fruit, place peeled fruit into a blender or food processor and pulse until liquefied. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher or bowl and dis card remaining pulp and seeds. Six to 12 tunas will yield about one cup of juice.

Add the juice to fresh lemonade, add an ounce to your mar garita, or simply combine equal parts seltzer water and juice for a refreshing spritz.

Baked Prickly Pear

Swap peaches for prickly pear in a simple cobbler, dice and add

to your muffin or cupcake batter, or use the juice to add a complex layer of flavor to your lemon bars.

Nopal Tortillas

Soften 4–5 cactus pads in boiling water with a pinch of salt and ½ teaspoon baking soda for 5 to 10 minutes. Process the pads with a few sprigs of cilantro in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add about 4 ½ cups masa harina to a large mixing bowl and slowly add pureed nopales and warm water in batches, mixing as you go, until the dough is the consistency of soft cookie dough. Mix in 1 teaspoon of salt. Separate the dough into 16 small balls and refrigerate for 10 minutes to an hour. When ready to cook, flatten each ball between two sheets of wax paper with a rolling pin until they are about ⅛ inch thick. Cook on a skillet or comal over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until they puff. Enjoy in place of traditional corn or flour tortillas.

From the left: Vegan Cajun-Spiced Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos and Charred Corn and Grilled Stone Fruit Salad.

We publish new seasonal recipes every week. Get inspired at ediblesandiego.com.

Prickly Pear Soda with Tajín and Mint

By Olivia Hayo Chili-Lime

Avocado Salad

By Olivia Hayo

Grilled Elote: Mexican-Style Corn

By Felicia Campbell

Vegan Cajun-Spiced Cauliflower Chickpea Tacos

By Alexa Soto

Charred Corn and Grilled Stone Fruit Salad

By Olivia Hayo

Grilled Green Tomato Panzanella Salad

By Olivia Hayo

Watermelon, Feta, and Tomato Salad

By Olivia Hayo

Agua Frescas: Tasty Mocktails

By Miguel Valdez

Three-Step San Diego-Style Campechana

By Mitch Conniff

OLIVIA HAYO, ALEXA SOTO

Finfish Farming Envisioning Aquaculture in San Diego

BY ELAINE MASTERS

About three miles offshore, a fishing boat tethers to a large circular ring bobbing on the surface—a fish pen swaying in a current and moored to the ocean floor nearly 300 feet below. Inside the carefully structured net, thousands of yellowtail flash as they move up and down the water column. The pen casts a shadow where wild fish cluster and claim shelter, while others shuttle beneath looking for food.

This is the vision Don Kent, CEO of Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI), shares with other scientists, the Port of San Diego, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra tion (NOAA). While local shellfish farms have been successfully established for years, open ocean finfish pens in federal waters along San Diego’s coast would be a first for the nation.

Eating fish is generally considered a healthy, environmentally positive option and aquaculture could make the benefits more ac cessible and affordable. The scientists at Sustainable Fisheries point out that “the more seafood that is eaten in place of cow, the better, since [industrial] bovine farming is the largest driver of rainforest and biodiversity loss on the planet.”

Aquaculture, the practice of growing water based species, has been going on for millennia. The Chinese farmed freshwater fish a thou sand years ago and people in the Mediterranean raised carp as far back as the Middle Ages. Much later, in 1851, the state of California began regulating fisheries. By 1970 the Aquaculture Development Act declared that “it’s in the interest of the people that the practice of aquaculture be encouraged in order to augment food supplies, expand employment, promote economic activity, increase native fish stocks…and better use the land and water resources of the state.”

California aquaculture has been in process ever since, along with growing pains and well-documented aquaculture fails outside of California that have left deep impressions, concerns, and mistrust. In 2018, a marine salmon farm in the Pacific Northwest failed, allowing over 300,000 Atlantic salmon to escape into Puget Sound. There’s little evidence that many survived, and whether they’ll compete with wild salmon has yet to be determined.

The yellowtail that HSWRI is proposing for pens are a local species that is mostly caught in Mexico. San Diego waters, on the northern end of their habitat, are just warm enough to potentially make farming them sustainable.

Issues and opportunities

Pen density is one environmental issue that local aquaculture must manage. Elsewhere around the world, packed cages have increased the risk and transmission of disease. Kent and fellow HSWRI scientist Mark Drawbridge have been refining aqua culture best practices to keep pen populations low and yield healthier fish. Since 1982, HSWRI has worked with the state’s Ocean Resources Enhancement and Hatchery Program to grow and release white sea bass spawned and raised at their Carlsbad hatchery for both sport and commercial fishermen to harvest. Meanwhile, HSWRI has been exporting technical knowledge as well as hatchlings across borders to operations like Pacifico Aquaculture, a striped bass farm in northern Baja California. “Our investment in research is used across the border and then we buy the product back,” notes Kent.

Striped sea bass came to Northern California by train for the World Expo in the 1920s and were later released into the San Francisco Bay. In Southern California, the fast growing striped bass flourish in the Pacifico pens but can’t spawn successfully outside of their freshwater hatchery.

Pacifico founder Omar Alfi and partner Daniel Farag both graduated from USC with degrees in business and private equity. Alfi felt that they “weren’t making anything tangible or impacting the world” before looking at food spaces and the growing global need for more protein. When they took over an existing northern Baja aquaculture facility that was in bank ruptcy, they quickly realized that success was dependent on a closed system. Today, their fish pens float above an offshore submarine canyon. The health of the fishery is validated by the nearly 200 diverse employees and weekly water and ocean floor tests conducted by Mexican regulatory agencies.

Some environmental concerns with aquaculture are more verifiable than others. A Coastkeeper report warns of “elevated levels of antibiotic residues, antibiotic resistant bacteria… and viruses in aquaculture raised finfish and shellfish.” Kent asserts such reports are unreliable since regulations require that chemical treatments can only be made with the consent of a veterinarian, and only chemicals that are not retained in the fish flesh are used.

Problems with fish deformities, genetic integrity, and

euthanasia have also been reported. Although, aside from euthanasia, these harsh realities occur in the natural world and inform the practices of raising healthy farmed fish. Much has been learned and remedied in US waters and local operations could continue to make improvements with easier oversight, while reducing the carbon footprint by harvesting closer to market.

Feed accounts for 50% of operation costs, and its ingredients are another sensitive topic for consideration. HSWRI is interested in a fish-based diet made from byprod ucts, or fish cuttings that are currently considered waste. This feed would reduce impacts on wild-caught fish and keep protein out of landfills. Overfeeding or feed waste is not a problem for aquaculture companies like Pacifico where employees watch a video monitor as fish pellets drop into the pens. When the fish stop feeding, they turn off the food, which minimizes waste on the ocean floor.

Most wild fish harvests are reaching maximum sustainable yield

In US waters, fish stocks are managed carefully on many levels. However, imported seafood, whether wild or farmed, is not subject to the same verifications, restrictions, size and capture limits, humane labor conditions, and water monitor ing regulations. Kent says, “If we farm it ourselves, we’ll set our own standards.” We’ll know what we’re getting.

Fish farming could help address the confusion over labeling or fish fraud: For example, LoveTheWild, a packaged farmedfish product endorsed by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation uses labeling that reveals where the fish was harvested. Kent envisions a QR code system at fish counters that would dis close when, where, and by whom the fish was harvested.

Fishing jobs and the independent fisherman

Commercial and sport fishermen aren’t convinced that US aquaculture development is in their best interest and demand a place in the discussions at national and state levels. What impact fish farming will have remains to be seen but there is evi dence that aquaculture pens can be fishery enhancement tools.

Pablo Sanchez-Jerez from the University of Alicante re ported at the Offshore Mariculture Conference in 2010 that “the effect of attraction seems to be higher around farms than around traditional FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices)…with up to 2,800 times more wild fish in their immediate vicinity compared to areas without farms.”

Drawbridge agrees, citing a study at their Catalina fish farm that found “pens are aggregating devices where fish seek shelter and create a thriving ecosystem, one that fishermen could use.”

Aquaculture creates fishing jobs, as Pacifico has shown, but some fishermen prefer independence —though aquaculture might also provide stability for those in the ever-shifting industry. Kent says, “I know guys that leave from San Diego and go all the way up to Oregon to fish for tuna, and they’re tired of it. They’d like to make a living for their families here. We need the boats. We need the labor. The 75 jobs on the farms themselves aren’t guys in white lab coats. It’s going to be guys that know how to work in rough water handling product. We’ll create another 200 jobs upstream and down, directly and indirectly. That’s 300 jobs from less than onethird of a square kilometer of surface area in the open sea.” The farmed species could also supplement wild landings, and it’s possible that wild-caught seafood would continue its trend towards greater value.

Aquaculture: Net gain or net loss?

Could aquaculture devastate the US fishing industry? Noah Oppenheim, executive director of the Pacific Coast Fisherman, claims that “this emerging industrial practice is incompatible with sustainable commercial fish practices embraced by our nation for generations.” The sentiment was supported by over a hundred organizations in reaction to proposals easing aquacul ture permitting in Congress. Others are looking for one agency to provide oversight of projects.

Hallie Templeton of Friends of the Earth, a non-governmental agency (NGO) has attended NOAA public comment panels around the country and also worries that pushing for corpo rate profits will come at the expense of the environment and fishermen’s livelihoods. Currently, less than 10% of the seafood

consumed in our country is landed by US fishermen, so fishing jobs have already been lost to other countries.

With increasing protein sources as a goal, other NGOs recom mend land-based fish pens, but to date operation costs make the fish too expensive to compete in the marketplace. The abundance of water necessary to operate is an issue and more than one land-based seafood operation went under when oxygen levels, overheating, or water quality issues decimated their stock.

Much has been made of the fact that only big players are involved in the game. The pro-aquaculture lobby Stronger America Through Seafood (SATS) has members in every part of the industry. Their mission is to increase the “US production of healthful, sustainable, and affordable seafood.” In truth, only large, well-funded endeavors have a chance to build and operate fish farms big enough to be commercially viable.

San Diego finfish aquaculture remains a possibility

The United Nations notes that about 8.6 billion people will call earth home by 2030, indicating a great need for future sources of protein—and aquaculture could be part of the solution. The US has the opportunity to create new sources

for seafood or cheap imports will continue to dominate and further decimate wild fish stocks. Our domestic fishing indus try struggles to compete.

The Port of San Diego is developing Blue Tech incubators to promote aquaculture that is environmentally and economically sound. They offer planning tools, look at spatial concerns, and help to identify opportunities. Port program manager Paula Sylvia helps locate finfish sites around San Diego, juggling regulations that exist in federal and state waters with multiple agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Coastal Zone Management Act and interfacing with NOAA and the National Ocean Service Centers of Coastal Sciences.

HSWRI and its partners have invested significant resources and time searching for viable aquaculture sites near San Diego. The pens need to be in water shallow enough with acceptable currents to tether to the ocean floor. Balancing the interests of commercial and sport fishermen, the Navy, NGOs, and recre ational and environmental groups has been difficult. Once a site is agreed upon, the long process of permitting will begin. Local finfish aquaculture may be years away, but the vision moves towards reality.

Tres Generaciones

Three Generations

BY BETH DEMMON

Many generations ago, the Pesqueira family paid a flat fee of 50 cents to enter Arizona from Sonora, Mexico.

“Not like it is today,” laughs El Indio president Jennifer Pesqueira as she shares the story of how her great-grandparents came to the United States. The pair moved to Los Angeles, where their family continued to grow. One of their children, Ralph Pesqueira, eventually became Ralph Pesqueira Sr.— and Jennifer’s grandfather and the founder of El Indio.

“My grandfather started El Indio in August of 1940,” explains Jennifer. “He ran the business up until he passed away in 1981, and then my dad [Ralph Pesqueira Jr.] took over.”

Although El Indio has always been in the family, Jennifer admits she didn’t expect to end up working there. She’s the only one of her generation at the res taurant, and even she didn’t officially join the staff until after college at San Diego State University. Still, some of her earliest memories come straight from the kitchen.

“About the only thing I learned to do was ask the people in the kitchen for my little burrito. My dad would make me say ‘gracias’ to the whole room, and they’d always giggle at me,” she recalls.

Over the years, El Indio grew to four locations, but consolidated back to the original space around 1994. Even with these shifts, much remained the same—especially the recipes brought from Sonora by the first Pesqueiras.

While El Indio is famous for their taquitos and their bagged corn tortilla chips at local food retail ers, they’ve added non-fried items to their menu to meet the demands of health-conscious diners. Jennifer also mentions recent laws aimed at reduc ing plastic and styrofoam waste as bigger financial hurdles for the small business to absorb, but both she and her father are confident in their ability to roll with the necessary changes.

After nearly 40 years at the helm, today Ralph Jr. enjoys a more relaxed grip on the restaurant. “My dad’s kind of retired. He just sort of sits back and makes sure I don’t mess up,” chuckles Jennifer.

Somos Diversos

We Are Diverse

San Diego-Baja Cuisine Has Been Multiethnic for Two Centuries

BY BARBARA ZARAGOZA

I n 1821, Mexico declared independence from Spain and Alta (Upper) California came under the Mexican flag. By then, a large community of men and women had come from Baja California and Central Mexico during the late 1700s onwards and settled in what today constitutes the state of California. They forged a fiercely autonomous identity, and not wanting to be known as Españoles or Mexicanos, they began calling themselves Californios

The Californios held prominent political offices in towns throughout Alta California. They also raised cattle, as selling hides became a lucrative business. Many of the Californios traced their ancestors back to 1769, when Gaspar de Portolá trekked from Baja California into San Diego with a large party

of soldiers who were of blended ethnicities precisely because Mexico under Spanish colonialism had been such a vast melt ing pot for centuries. The Californios, like those who came before them, were of mixed backgrounds, including mestizo, Afro-Latino, Spanish, Portuguese, Amerindian, and even Jewish heritages.

The Californios had a distinct way of cooking. William Smythe, the first to write a definitive history of San Diego, de scribed their food as such: "The Californios naturally survived on a diet of mostly meat. Alongside beef, they enjoyed veal, but did not eat venison, mutton, or pork. Added to their staple protein diet, they made tortillas, tamales, and chili con carne. They ate fish on Fridays and their sugared pastries were highly prized."

Sacred Expedition with Captain Gaspar de Portolá and his party of soldiers going through Goat Canyon in what is the US-Mexico border today. Painting by Benjamin Meza

PAINTING: BENJAMIN MEZA; PHOTOS: OLIVIA HAYO

After California became part of the United States in 1850, the Californios began to lose both their political influence and their land. Many prominent families from Old Town San Diego migrated to the border region and their descendants continued living in towns on the American side, such as San Ysidro, and owned small cattle ranches outside Tijuana. While their prominence waned, their cuisine experienced a renaissance thanks to a native-born Virginian named Bertha Haffner-Ginger who came to Southern California and published the first known book of Californios cuisine, appropriately titled California Mexican-Spanish Cookbook.

Her cookbook included recipes for salads, soups, tamales, omelets, and beans, among others, and she explained the early distinction of Mexican cuisine in her introduction: "It is not generally known that Spanish dishes as they are known in California are really Mexican Indian dishes. Bread made of corn, sauces of chile pep pers, jerked beef, tortillas, enchiladas, etc., are unknown in Spain as native foods; though the majority of Spanish people in California are as devoted to peppery dishes as the Mexicans themselves, and as the Mexicans speak Spanish, the foods are commonly called Spanish dishes."

Today, the influence of the Californios persists in the San Diego-Baja region. Their blend of Mexican, Indian, and Spanish foods became part of the border culture, with tamales eaten during Christmas and enchiladas eaten all year round. In keeping with the multiethnic heritage of the Californios, the continued growth of diversity in this area also enriches the culinary terrain. The Chinese began to settle in Baja California during the 1800s and to this day tout their signature shark fin soup at many restaurants. Jewish communities in Chula Vista, Bonita, and Tijuana remain kosher, refraining from pork as has been their tradition for thousands of years and mirroring the diet of early pioneers to Alta California. The Filipino community has made its mark in National City where a bust of Filipino nationalist icon Jose Rizal stands in front of Seafood City, a mar ket that offers traditional Filipino delights including lumpia and pancit. Individuals from these communities have sometimes intermarried, their children tracing their descendants to ever more diverse heritages. The children of Filipino and Mexican parents, for example, identify as Mexipino and continue to shape San DiegoBaja cuisine through new culinary traditions such as adding longaniza sausage to Mexican scrambled eggs with chile.

As everywhere, so too in the border region the adage remains true: We eat our culture. Old and new at once, these food traditions represent 200 years of the ever-chang ing multiethnic heritage of the San Diego-Baja region.

A Modern Infusion

of Indigenous Ingredients

BY FELICIA CAMPBELL

Chefs Mario Peralta and Juan Cabrera come from two different worlds but were united by a mission to preserve the indigenous ingre dients of Mexico’s past through seasonal, modern dishes that point to an exciting and sustainable future.

Juan Cabrera was born in Mexico City and earned his cooking chops at the world-renowned Pujol restaurant in the capital, while Mario Peralta, a native of Tijuana, worked up north under award-winning chef Javier Plascencia at Misión 19 and at Fuego Cocina del Valle in Valle de Guadalupe. The pair met in 2017 on the second season of Top Chef Mexico. A year later, in July 2018, they opened Los Compas in Tijuana. The restaurant’s name loosely translates to “buddies” or “compadres,”

but as they explained, it implies a mission-oriented connection closer than friendship. Their bond was forged over a shared pas sion for celebrating traditional Mexican cuisine and elevating indigenous ingredients.

At their small, stylish restaurant, heirloom corn varieties are nixtamalized each day and ground for use in everything from tortillas to dessert tamales, which retain the corn’s vibrant pink and blue hues even after being cooked. Though corn has been cultivated in Mexico for over 10,000 years—with an amaz ing diversity of regional variations—this essential ingredient is in danger of being lost to a monocrop of industrialized yellow corn. According to Rafael Mier, the founder of the Fundación de Tortilla Maíz Mexicana, at least 59 varieties of native corn are on

the verge of extinction. The reintroduction of heritage corn varieties by innovative restaurateurs and chefs, like Peralta and Cabrera, is a vital part of efforts to raise awareness and promote farming of this indigenous crop.

At Los Compas, marlin tlacoyos (pre-Hispanic masa ovals, thicker than a tortilla) are made using pink heirloom corn and come topped with locally caught marlin, house-pickled güeros chiles, and wedges of avocado. Tostadas de ceviche verde (green ceviche tostadas) feature a citrus marinated local catch served on crisp tostadas alongside smoked cauliflower and draped in a cilantro pesto.

In addition to their focus on corn, many of the menu items are built around seasonal ingredients that reflect the pair’s close relationship with local farmers. The romanesco asado dish stars grilled romanesco and mustard greens from Wulf Ruiz’s Cengrow Organic Farm near Ensenada. The tender, smoky vegetable is served over what they describe as a Mayan romesco sauce made with roasted onions, chiles, garlic, and toasted sunflower seeds. This, and pretty much everything on the menu, benefits from a drizzle of earthy housemade hot sauce made from chile de arbol, peanuts, garlic, and dried shrimp heads still bobbing in the spiced oil and emparting their salty complexity.

Other dishes take inspiration from international influences that have informed the borderland cuisine of Baja Norte. There is a prevalence of Chinese food in Mexico thanks to several waves of Chinese immigration that began in the late 19th century, and Peralta explained that when he was growing up, Chinese was his family’s special occasion treat. At Los Compas, such flavors are incorporated into the taco Chino (Chinese taco), which features a slightly sweet, Chinese-style sausage, a smear of hoisin sauce and fresh pickled vegetables served in a silky corn tortilla. Carnitas de papada de cerdo (pork jowl with kimchi Mexa) features a luscious fried pork jowl served over a bed of finely shaved, house-pickled vegetables inspired by the increasingly popular Korean kimchi variations served at gastro parks around Tijuana.

The playful surprises and pitch-perfect execution continue through the dessert menu, which features the likes of creamy-as-cheesecake guava flan and an inventive pan caramelo cornbread bread pudding topped with white chocolate, cornflake praline, and vanilla ice cream. Far from a traditional menu, the dishes at Los Compas are a vibrant celebration of sophisticated, modern Mexican cuisine that is in formed by deep heritage and history, without being limited by it. This approach makes it one of the most exciting places to taste the terroir of the region’s past while experiencing a glimpse of its future.

Boulevard Agua Caliente 10594, Aviacion, 22014 Tijuana, BC » loscompastj.com

NOTES ON GETTING THERE: You’ll need your passport. The restaurant is a 30-minute drive from downtown San Diego and crossing into Mexico is simple. Getting back to the city can take longer‚ over an hour during peak traffic. Alternatively, park behind H&M at Las Americas Premium Outlets and take a 10-minute well-lit walk to the border crossing pedestrian bridge. Use a ridesharing app like Uber or Lyft for a 10 to 15 minute drive to the restaurant.

The restaurant has a full bar menu of cocktails, wine, and beer with plans to offer a selection of craft beers made in collaboration with local brewers.

FELICIA CAMPBELL; OLIVIA HAYO; COURTESY LOS COMPAS

BY MARIA HESSE

If you’ve lived in San Diego long enough, you may have learned that there’s more than tacos at the heart of regional Mexican cuisine. Ask around and you’ll hear warm childhood stories depicting a mother’s various renditions of sopa de fideo and quesadillas, sometimes served twice a day. Others will say it was the first bite of a California burrito that led to a secret guacamole recipe reserved for special occas sions. In this age of modern conveniences, it’s also about knowing which friends keep a fresh tub of La Salsa Chilena and a bag of El Indio tortilla chips regularly stocked. These are the foods and experiences we share with our loved ones, embedded deep within our core, a single bite transporting us back, flavors manifest memories rich with emotion. Cena con mi familia is Spanish for “dinner with my family.” Here we share the memories and recipes of cherished dishes from three Edible San Diego readers, their stories represent a broader picture—that love for delicious foods connects us all.

CENA CON MI FAMILIA

Edgar Chong (page 24) sits in grandmother Irma’s lap, along with greatgrandmother Antonia, great-great-grandmother Maria, and other family members in Guadalajara enjoying tacos.

PHOTO COURTESY EDGAR CHONG

SUZE MCCLELLAN Ojai and Baja

MY FAMILY HAS A HOME IN Baja California Sur. When I visit, we adventure around the area and try different restaurants, then I try to recreate the dishes I liked at home. While dining at Cielito Lindo in Cardinal, the restaurant owner invited me into the kitchen to learn to cook my favorite version of Chiles Rellenos de Cardinal.

Chiles Rellenos de Cardinal

SERVES 6

BASIC RED SAUCE

3–4 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped ¼ cup beer or dry white wine

1 15.4-ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste 1–2 tablespoons butter (optional)

CHILES RELLENOS

6 poblano peppers 3 large potatoes 10½ ounces goat cheese 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed 5–6 large egg whites ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar 1 cup all-purpose flour

Peanut oil ¾ cup–1 cup grated cheese

In a medium frying pan, over medium heat, sauté olive oil,

onion and garlic for 3 to 5 min utes, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent. Add beer or dry white wine and bring to a simmer for 30 sec onds to burn off the alcohol. Stir in tomato sauce and water, return to a boil; lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Season to taste and I like to add butter to finish the sauce.

Char peppers by placing them over an open flame, dry roast ing, or broiling them. Turn often to blacken skin evenly, about 10 minutes. Allow the peppers to rest until they are cool enough to handle, 3 to 5 minutes. Place peppers in a large plastic bag and seal it to sweat off skins, about 10 min utes. Most of the charred skin should fall off easily, but rub off any excess with your hands

or a paper towel. Set aside.

Peel and roughly dice pota toes to 1-inch cubes and boil in lightly salted water until tender, about 15 to 20 min utes; drain potatoes and place in a large bowl.

(Tip: Save the potato water for wild yeast sourdough bread.)

Add goat cheese, salt, pepper, and cumin to the potatoes and mash with a potato masher.

In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare peppers, first slice one side of the pepper to open, making sure to keep the stem intact.

Stuff the pepper with a small handful of the potato mixture, just enough to fill the inside of the pepper.

Lightly dredge the pepper in flour, shaking off excess. With your hands, cover the pepper with the egg white mixture. Repeat with remaining peppers.

Heat 1” oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat.

Carefully place 1 or 2 peppers in the oil and fry until you see a beautiful golden brown color around the edges, about 1 min ute; gently turn peppers with tongs and brown the other side. Place on a paper towel-lined plate and fry remaining peppers.

Cover the bottom of an oven proof casserole dish with a bit of red sauce. Place peppers in casserole dish, cover with more red sauce, and top with grated cheese.

Bake in the oven until sauce is sizzling and cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.

SANDRA BELCHER Valley Center

AS A CHILD I LOVED THE warm comfort of the Mexican bread pudding called capirotada. This love came before I knew what salty and savory meant and before I knew cheese and dried fruits paired so well. It was sweet and a little salty and I loved it.

As a teen, I finally watched my grandma make it and was taken aback by everything that went into it (and, quite frankly, maybe even a little grossed out?). She started with a layer of tortillas, then added queso, nuts, and pieces of crusty bolillo soaked in butter or lard mixed with brown sugar and cinnamon. She threw in some raisins and topped everything with another layer of tortillas to keep it moist—all this and I never saw measuring spoons!

Now, as an adult, it’s comfort food—yet it’s also something else. Slightly salty from the nuts, with sweet cinnamon syrup and rich, creamy cheese, it’s everything sophisticated.

Capirotada

SERVES

4 stale bolillo rolls or French bread, sliced into about 20 slices (for layering)

6 tablespoons lard or butter, divided by tablespoon 1 cup raisins

1 cup chopped nuts (almonds or your choice)

1 cup queso Oaxaca or

Monterey Jack cheese cut into small cubes

½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

(Tip: I buy bolillo bread already bagged, sliced, and toasted in Mexican markets. But you can toast bread if it’s not stale enough. You want the bread to be hard. Capirotada is typically a Lenten food so the bread is easily available around Easter.)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Make a syrup by bring ing water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon sticks and cloves and set syrup aside to cool slightly.

In an 8-inch round pan, rub 2 tablespoons lard or butter to coat the bottom and sides of the pan and line with 4 of the corn tortillas.

Dip sliced bread in syrup mix ture and begin to layer in the pan over tortillas, sprinkling ¹/ ³ each of the lard or but ter, raisins, nuts, cheese, and coconut over the bread.

Repeat for 2 more layers and drizzle with any remain ing syrup. Top with 2 tortillas rubbed with butter to keep moist while baking. Bake until tortillas on top are crisp and capirotada is moist in the center, about 30 minutes.

EDGAR CHONG

Little Italy

I GREW UP WITH MY grandmother in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico, where I had the most humble and delicious meals of my life. One particular taco that my grandmother made for me is called Tacos a La Malinche. I’d help get all the ingredients ready for her to cook, like getting the hen from our backyard, going to the tortilleria for a kilo of freshly made tortillas for 5 pesos, and asking Doña Chachina for permission to pick avocados for guacamole from her backyard tree.

The tortillas are heated directly on the fire for a unique smoky burnt tortilla flavor. The chicken is slowly braised with fresh herbs and hoja santa, then served on a bed of guacamole, and garnished with crispy chicken skin chicharrones and homemade crema de rancho (sour cream).

My grandma still makes this meal for me on my birthday every year, and I think it’s an example of family traditions and embodies how Mexican cuisines are represented. It’s all about the remembrance of childhood and the love of family that was put into making a simple taco. This will be a memory that’s in my head every day of my life.

4 quarts canola oil

GUACAMOLE

2 avocados

½ serrano chile, minced

½ lime

1 teaspoon salt

CREMA DE RANCHO

1 pint heavy cream

½ cup buttermilk

4 teaspoons lime juice

1 teaspoon salt

FOR SERVING

White corn tortillas

Microgreens

Make the chicken: Bring water and salt to a boil in a large pot; lower the heat to medium and add the herbs. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the chicken. Cook chicken on low until it will shred easily, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken from the pot and finely shred.

Make the chicharrones: Place chicken skin on a sheet pan and cover completely with salt; remove excess. Air dry for 2 days. In a large cast iron Dutch oven, heat oil to 350° and deep fry chicken skin for 45 seconds. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Tacos a La Malinche SERVES 4

CHICKEN FILLING

4 quarts water

3 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon fresh oregano

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 leaf hoja santa

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

CRISPY CHICKEN SKIN CHICHARRONES

2 sides of chicken breast skin

2 cups kosher salt

Make the guacamole: Smash pitted avocados with serrano, a squeeze of lime juice, and salt until well incorporated.

Make the crema de rancho: In a mixing bowl, bring heavy cream to room temperature and stir in buttermilk. Cover the bowl with cheesecloth and let it sit overnight. Mix in lime and salt to serve.

Assemble tacos by reheating tortillas on an open flame. Add guacamole, top with shred ded chicken and drizzle with crema de rancho. Garnish with microgreens and chicken skin chicharrones.

Now the executive chef at Puesto at the Headquarters, Chong plans to offer this taco on the menu. Below: Edgar with his grandfather at the mango fields in Jalisco.

PHOTO COURTESY EDGAR CHONG

A Luxurious Day Trip to Tecate Beckons

BY DEBRA BASS

If you’ve ever had any trepidation about crossing the border, this might be the perfect local excursion for those who want to be spoiled. Rancho La Puerta is located in Tecate about an hour east of the Otay border. The spa and health-centered resort renowned for its luxurious weeklong accommodations offers single-day excursions on select Saturdays of every month. The day trip includes a 50-minute classic massage, fitness classes, free time to get in touch with nature or relax by the pool, healthy morning snacks, Mediterranean lunch, a tour of the organic garden, and a cooking demonstration and buffet at La Cocina Que Canta. Round trip transportation to and from San Diego is included for $345.

My day started with a 7:30am bus ride from the Mission Bay Visitors Center, and within two hours I found myself seated on the second floor of a rustic dining hall nibbling on a breakfast snack buffet of breads and muffins (with and without gluten or dairy), seasonal fruits, and freshly squeezed juices.

I indicated my food preferences as non-dairy and pescatarian, and servers and supervisors attentively directed me to the most suitable choices on the buffet line before I even had to ask. In gredients and preparations were readily communicated at every meal, making it clear that dietary restrictions are addressed with genuine concern.

We split into groups for a tour of the grounds after breakfast. It seemed a bit overwhelming and sprawling at first, but once I learned to make the loop I realized the property is a series of cir cuitous paths that make getting lost nearly impossible. Rancho La Puerta is designed with accidental exercise in mind and the ameni ties are purposely sprinkled throughout to incentivize wandering.

Following the morning tour, the itinerary in my welcome packet described a schedule of fitness classes ranging from intense core workouts to gentle meditation. I selected the abs class, followed by yoga—and then it was already time for the

Mediterranean lunch buffet. The maître d' recognized me from breakfast and guided me to accommodating dishes. I ended up with a plateful of salads and vegetables that included a blend of roasted eggplant, bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, snap peas, tomatoes, and sweet potato, plus a side salad topped with spicy garbanzo beans.

There was just enough time after lunch for a massage and nap under a blanket in a quiet lounge area, so I decided to skip the two-mile hike up Alex’s Oak Trail.

At 3pm we were whisked off to the resort’s culinary center, La Cocina Que Canta, which translates to “The Kitchen That Sings.” It was named after the delightful bird songs from the property’s morning visitors.

We toured the six-acre organic farm attached to the culi nary center and cooking school and got a lesson in devotion. The farm uses no commercial or animal fertilizers, and we were introduced to an abundance of happy worms working through compost. Chef Denise Roa, who has been with the ranch for eight years, said that the worms are just one of the many things that make the soil so fertile and the produce so unparalleled.

As we sauntered through the farm rows, she encouraged us to bend down and snap off tiny stalks of broccoli and leaves of different varieties of arugula, spinach, and mustard greens. We stopped often to sample and almost everyone smiled in surprise at the pleasant flavors of the raw leafy bits. The arugula was spicy and the broccoli sweet. The real selling point was when Roa tugged up a bulb of celery and passed around pieces of it. It was vaguely peppery, earthy, and faintly sweet; certainly not your typically bland, crunchy stick used as a delivery system for something with actual flavor. This was celery you could snack on cheerfully, even if you weren’t on some torturous diet.

The evening meal was made largely from the garden and in cluded Moroccan sweet potato lentil stew, citrus-marinated kale with apple and pepitas, arugula salad with quinoa and avocado, and roasted shrimp and turnips served on cedar planks with lemon-cilantro chimichurri.

Dessert was a chocolate coconut ginger mousse. We all agreed that the cups for this heavenly concoction were much too small—and like the day—ran out too quickly. » rancholapuerta.com

PHOTOS

COURTESY RANCHO

LA PUERTA

BY ERIN JACKSON

TASTE VENTURE TOURS

As founder of Taste Venture Tours, Domi nique Cancio guides curious explorers to Barrio Logan to experience the neighborhood’s unique culinary offerings and learn about its his tory and culture.

“I want people to have real conversations— and the best way I know how to do that is over food,” says Cancio.

Tours typically depart from Iron Fist Brew ing Co. and include a guided stroll to view the Chicano Park murals, a behind-the-scenes look

Events

MAY

Gator By The Bay returns with classic New Orleans cuisine, live music, and bon temps from May 9–12. » gatorbythebay.com

Join executive chef Jeff Jackson and Matt Gordon (of Urban Solace) for Play ing With Fire, a wood-fired dinner at The Grill at Torrey Pines on May 6. » lodgetorreypines.com

AVANT’s culinary team will teach you how to make a delicious dinner that’s light on calories and rich in flavor at the AVANT School of Cooking on May 8. » ranchobernardoinn.com

Journey to Wild Willow Farm for a South Bay Culinary Tour featuring a coffee demo, farm-to-table lunch, and wine tasting on May 25. » epicureansandiego.com

JUNE

The Seedling Soirée is the Olive wood Gardens & Learning Center’s annual fundraiser that showcases the season’s bounty with garden-inspired cocktails and a chef’s culinary feast on June 1.

» olivewoodgarden.org

Taste of Little Italy returns with tasty bites and beverages on a self-guided tour through one of San Diego’s most vibrant dining neigh borhoods on June 19. » littleitalysd.com

Go behind the scenes on a Beer Geek Tour that starts at White Labs, followed by lunch at Brothers Provi sions and a tour at Societe Brewing Company. The info-packed beer expe rience takes place on June 29. » epicureansandiego.com

Find more events online at ediblesandiego.com/event-list.

BY THEODORE R. NIEKRAS

In Season

FORAGING IN MAY AND JUNE

Although our spring showers have already come and gone, that old adage about May flow ers still stands, especially this year. Hike any ditch or crevasse and find greens like dandelion, sow thistle, purslane, wood sorrel, wild fennel, mallow, wild mustard, and watercress.

Sow thistle, dandelion’s close cousin, is one of my favorites. Everything from root to shoot can be eaten on this plant and similar ones, but watch out for the central stalk that tends to have small thorns. Kumquat stands out as a citrus that’ll be plentifully available. Burdock should be prime for its artichoke-flavored stalk and root.

Last but not least, forage for the common gar den snail in the evening. This snail was reportedly introduced to California during the Gold Rush by a Frenchman who dearly missed his escargot. Disclaimer: When foraging for food, anything collected should be properly identified and prepared before consuming.

Neighborhood Dining Guide

These restaurants are either locally owned, passionate about local sourcing, or both. Enjoy a delicious meal and make sure to tell them that Edible San Diego sent you!

NORTH COUNTY

A.R. VALENTIEN

11480 North Torrey Pines Rd., La Jolla 858-453-4420 • lodgetorreypines.com/ar-valentien

The Torrey Pines Lodge’s signature restaurant, A.R. Valentien, highlights regional San Diego cuisine served in an elegant, timbered indooroutdoor dining room overlooking the 18th hole of Torrey Pines Golf Course. Executive chef Jeff Jackson sources only the best local provisions, and the menu changes frequently based on seasonal fare available. The restaurant takes its name from a talented early-20th-century California artist whose works are exhibited throughout the restaurant.

MISSION BEACH

ESCOGELATO

122 South Kalmia St., Escondido 760-745-6500 • escogelato.com

Located in the heart of Escondido, EscoGelato is made fresh daily using the highest quality ingre dients and fresh fruit sourced from local farmers. The result is a luscious, super-creamy gelato that’s full of flavor. You will taste the difference. In ad dition to the main event, enjoy a nice selection of paninis, soups, salads, coffee, and tea.

JUICE WAVE

3733 Mission Blvd., Mission Beach 858-488-0800 • juicewavesd.com What began as San Diego’s first organic juice truck now has two happy homes in Miramar and Mission Beach. Still, their commitment rings true: “Refresh and nourish the soul by using the best quality farm-fresh ingredients from local farms that reflect the radiant growing season in Southern Califor nia.” Check out their creatively named cleanses, like Lettuce Love, Turnip The Beet, and Kalefornia.

POINT LOMA SOLARE

2820 Roosevelt Rd., San Diego 619-270-9670 • solarelounge.com

Solare is an authentic Italian restaurant with a special focus on southern Italy and Sicily featuring a menu made with fresh ingredients selected daily. Blending modern and traditional tastes, the results are light and healthy dishes brimming with natural flavors. Complement your meal with one of 2,000 bottles of wine from the cellar or 30 wines by the glass. Solare is committed to serving the cuisine of today, created with all the love and attention to detail from generations past.

DOWNTOWN / LITTLE ITALY

BIVOUAC CIDERWORKS

OCEANA COASTAL KITCHEN

3999 Mission Blvd., San Diego 858-539-8635 • catamaranresort.com/dining-entertainment/ oceana-san-diego-restaurant

Oceana Coastal Kitchen features chef-driven California cui sine and a modern, ocean-inspired design. Oceana offers bayfront dining at an iconic Pacific Beach hideaway. Executive chef Steven Riemer’s playful interpretations of classic dishes highlight the purity and flavors of California local produce and a commitment to sustainable ingredients. A cold bar with sushi options, small bites, and main dishes includes the fresh est seafood available from the coast of Baja and the Pacific.

3986 30th St., San Diego 619-725-0844 • bivouaccider.com

As a center for experimentation and camaraderie, Bivouac Ciderworks is a welcome home for active, crea tive, and outdoorsy cider and food enthusiasts alike. Their goal is to inspire curiosity and foster a passion for what craft cider brings to the table. The outdoor-inspired tasting room, right in the heart of North Park, features a full menu of food options. Don’t miss the Impossible Burger, award-winning tuna poke, and vegan jackfruit sliders.

PHOTO COURTESY SUZANNE SCHAFFNER ESCOGELATO

Monday

Escondido—Welk Resort † 8860 Lawrence Welk Dr. 3–7pm, year-round 760-651-3630

Tuesday

Coronado

1st St. & B Ave., Ferry Landing 2:30–6pm 760-741-3763

Escondido * 262 East Grand Ave. 2:30–7pm (2:30–6pm Oct to May) 760-480-4101

Mira Mesa * 10510 Reagan Rd. 2:30–7pm (3–6pm fall-winter) 858-272-7054

Otay Ranch—Chula Vista 2015 Birch Rd. and Eastlake Blvd. 4–8pm (3–7pm winter) 619-279-0032

Pacific Beach Tuesday † Bayard & Garnet 2–7:30pm (2–7pm fall-winter) 619-233-3901

People’s Produce Night Market 5010 Market St. 5–8pm 619-813-9148

San Marcos NEW! 1035 La Bonita Dr. 3–7pm 858-272-7054

UCSD Town Square UCSD Campus, Town Square 10am–2pm, Sept to June 858-534-4248

Vail Headquarters * 32115 Temecula Pkwy. 9am–1pm 760-728-7343

Wednesday

Little Italy Wednesday *† 501 W. Date St. 9am–1pm 619-233-5009

Ocean Beach 4900 block of Newport Ave. 4–8pm (4–7pm winter) 619-279-0032

Farmers’ Markets

State Street in Carlsbad Village State St. & Carlsbad Village Dr. 3–7pm (3–6pm fall-winter) 858-272-7054

Temecula—Promenade * 40820 Winchester Rd. by Macy’s 9am–1pm 760-728-7343

Thursday

Lemon Grove 2885 Lemon Grove Ave. 3–7pm 619-813-9148

Linda Vista *† 6939 Linda Vista Rd. 3–7pm (2–6pm winter) 760-504-4363

North Park Thursday *† 2900 North Park Way 3–7:30pm 619-550-7180

Oceanside Morning * Pier View Way & Coast Hwy. 101 9am–1pm 760-791-3241

Rancho Bernardo 16535 Via Esprillo 11am–2pm 619-279-0032

Friday

Borrego Springs 700 Palm Canyon Dr. 7am–noon, Oct to May 760-767-5555

Horton Plaza Lunch Market 225 Broadway Circle 11am–2pm 619-795-3363

Imperial Beach *† 10 Evergreen Ave. 2–7pm, (2–6pm winter) info@imperialbeachfarmersmarket.org

La Mesa Village * La Mesa Blvd. btwn Palm & Allison 3–7pm, year-round 619-795-3363

Mission Valley *† Civita Park 7960 Civita Blvd. 3–7pm, Apr to Jan 760-504-4363

Bernardo Winery 13330 Paseo del Verano Norte 9am–1pm 760-500-1709

Saturday

City Heights *†! Wightman St. btwn Fairmount & 43rd St. 9am–1pm 760-504-4363

Del Mar 1050 Camino Del Mar 1–4pm 858-465-0013

Rancho Penasquitos YMCA 9400 Fairgrove Ln. 9am–1pm 858-484-8788

Scripps Ranch 10380 Spring Canyon Rd. 9am–1pm 858-586-7933

Temecula—Old Town * Sixth & Front St., Old Town 8am–12:30pm 760-728-7343

Vista *† 325 Melrose Dr. 8am–1pm 760-945-7425

Sunday

Allied Gardens Sunday 5170 GreenBrier Ave. 10am–2pm 858-568-6291, 619-865-6574

Hillcrest * 3960 Normal & Lincoln Sts. 9am–2pm 619-237-1632

La Jolla Open Aire Girard Ave. & Genter 9am–1:30pm 858-454-1699

Leucadia * 185 Union St. & Vulcan St. 10am–2pm 858-272-7054

SDSU

Campanile Walkway btwn Hepner Hall & Love Library 10am–3pm, Sept to June www.clube3.org

Horton Plaza Lunch Market 199 Horton Plaza 11am–2pm 619-481-4959

Valley Center 28246 Lilac Rd. 3–7pm (2–6pm, Nov to Mar) vccountryfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Kearny Mesa 8725 Ariva Ct. 9:30am–1:30pm 858-272-7054

Little Italy Mercato † 600 W. Date St. 8am–2pm 619-233-3901

Pacific Beach 4150 Mission Blvd. 8am–noon 760-741-3763

Poway * 14134 Midland Rd. 8am–1pm 619-249-9395

Murrieta * Village Walk Plaza I-15, exit west on Calif. Oaks & Kalmia 9am–1pm 760-728-7343

North San Diego / Sikes Adobe † 12655 Sunset Dr., Escondido 10:30am–3:30pm 858-735-5311

Rancho Santa Fe Del Rayo Village 16079 San Dieguito Rd. 9:30am–2pm 619-743-4263

Santa Ysabel 21887 Washington St. 10am–4pm 760-782-9202

Solana Beach 410 South Cedros Ave. Noon–4pm 858-755-0444

* Market vendors accept WIC (Women, Infants, Children Farmers’ Market checks)

† Market vendors accept EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer)

! Currently only City Heights accepts WIC Farmers’ Market checks and the WIC Fruit and Vegetable checks.

All San Diego County markets listed except SDSU and Seeds @ City are certified by the County Agricultural Commissioner. Visit ediblesandiego.com and click on “Resources” for more complete information and links to farmers’ market websites.

BY OLIVIA HAYO

How to Make Cóctel de Frutas

Mexican Fruit Cocktail

The pucker of lime and heat of chiles are addicting sensations, but couple them with cooling fruits and vegetables and you’ve got a recipe for the ultimate refreshment: cóctel de frutas. You’ve undoubtedly seen fruterías, Mexican juice bars or kiosks lined with cups of fresh-cut fruit doused in lime, chile powder, and drip ping in a deep red sauce, and you either bought a cup and found yourself hooked, or wandered by curiously vowing to try it another time.

Here’s a quick guide to create one of your own at home with natural ingredients that will make you a devoted fan in no time.

1. Chile Powder

Popular under the brand name Tajín, this seasoning blend is made from chiles, salt, lime, and an anticaking agent. While we’d grab Tajín from our pantry in a pinch, there’s nothing like making your own that’s completely cus tomized to your palate and free of any preservatives. Here’s a recipe to get you started: Remove seeds and stems of 1 cup dried chiles de árbol and 1 whole ancho chile. Toast in a skillet until fragrant and set aside to cool. Break chiles into smaller pieces and finely grind using a spice grinder; mix with 2 ½ tablespoons ground dried lime (available at international markets) and smoked salt to taste.

2. Chamoy

Sweet, sour, spicy, and salty: This condiment is a secret weapon you’ll want to find any excuse to use. Aside from its use as a sauce on cóctel de frutas or swirled through a fruit smoothie, it’s also great in savory dishes (just imagine it as a glaze brushed over grilled chicken). There are many brands available at the grocery store but making your own with a few ingredients means you always know what’s in it. Soak 5 dried apricots in warm water for 30 minutes or up to overnight. Discard liquid and add the fruit to a blender with 1 cup apricot jam, ¼ cup fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile, and 1 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

3. Fruit

Spices and condiments can only do so much, so be sure to select seasonal fruits and vegetables with varying textures, colors, and sweetness for the best result.

Favorites include mango, watermelon, jicama, cantelope, cucumber, pineapple, and young coconut. Cut into spears, wedges, cubes, or slices, and arrange on a serving platter, or divide into cups.

Dust everything with chile powder, drizzle with chamoy, and top with dried coconut, chile mango, crushed peanuts, or pieces of tamarind candy.