Yucatán Magazine: at Home / No. 4 / Cheers! Entertaining Guests by Yucatán Magazine

Entertain guests with expertly paired nibbles and drinks A kitchen showcase with bright ideas Luxury listing: An artisanal Itzimná villa

Cheers!

Relax and raise a glass to friends and neighbors

An impromptu cocktail party atop Jim and Annie Eckles’ aerie, which has a stunning view of the twin mansions.

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Director Lee Steele lee@roofcatmedia.com Marketing Manager Yesica Benitez yesicabenitez@roofcatmedia.com

Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht carlosrosado@roofcatmedia.com

Creative Consultant Eduardo Vázquez evazquez@roofcatmedia.com

Editorial Consultant Pablo Arroyo Díaz pabloarroyo@roofcatmedia.com

Circulation Manager Alejandro Pinto Tolosa circulacion@roofcatmedia.com

CONTRIBUTORS Melissa Adler Abraham Bojórquez Maggie Cale María José Cisneros Leo Espinosa Verónica Garibay Laura Sánchez Juanita Stein Joanna van der Gracht de Rosado Maggie Rosado van der Gracht Cathy Quinn Steve Quinn Tim Street-Porter

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Yucatán at Home AÑO 2, NÚMERO 4 Todos los derechos reservados por Roof Cat Media S de RL de CV, Paseo de Montejo 475C, Piso 3 x 37 y 39 Col. Centro, Mérida, Yucatán, México. Prohibida la reproducción total o parcial del contenido sin autorización previa y por escrito de los editores. La revista asume que el material aquí presentado es original y no infringe derechos reservados de ley. Reserva de derechos de uso exclusivo del título. Yucatán at Home no se hace responsable por el contenido de sus anunciantes. PRINTED IN YUCATÁN, MEXICO

ISSUE 4 | YUCATÁN AT HOME

índice 4

Editorial: Cheers to the homebodies

Headlines from YucatánMagazine.com

Just Asking: The best place to live

Caring for your home

En las Calles: Cholul is perfectly positioned

Recommended reading from your local independent bookstore owner

ENTERTAINING 11 Moveable Feast comes to the party 17

Recipe: What to eat on Mondays

18 Guess who’s coming to dinner 19

Party on the roof with a custom cocktail

Pair Mexican wines with seasonal food

KITCHEN SHOWCASE

25 Brighten the heart of your home

CONVERSATIONS

33 A chef brings Dubai at taste of Yucatán 36 A cook finds his sweet spot on YouTube 39 A photographer sees the light 43 David and Travis say “Hola Caffeiños!” 44 Blending the old and new in Itzimná

YUCATÁN HOMES & LAND

A sanctuary villa in Itzimná

Turnkey Santa Ana home fit

for the modern foodie

FRAMED

56 CM Pleigo’s paintings haunts us for good

Editorial

For months, we’ve been planning an issue focused on entertaining at home — something more casual than dinner parties but more special than just Margaritas by the pool.

Cheers to the homebodies among us

We remembered our friends Annie and Jim Eckles, whose home has a three-story perch from which to see a few of the Paseo’s most monumental mansions at roof level. When the sun sets, there’s the glow of the hotel zone, miles of residential rooftops, and several broadcast towers twinkling at dusk. It inspired a breezy cocktail party, and by breezy, we mean lots of fresh air. Cathy and Steve Quinn joined them. Since well-ventilated spaces are in demand these days, we believe we found the perfect gathering spot for a small group of friends. Plus, Cathy is an amazing cook and knows how to assemble amazing party trays with what’s available in town. See Page 19 for some of her ideas. Her husband Steve is a master mixologist, and we benefit from his cocktail knowledge, too. It was through her that we met Fernando Almazan, who she profiled for Yucatán Magazine online. She later hosted a wine tasting where she provided different tapas for each of about a dozen wines that we sipped. It was obvious by then that she would be an asset for our “entertaining” edition. For another story, we met baker and designer Robert Willson, who worked closely with a US architect to construct one of the most memorable kitchens we’ve seen in Centro. It has already been photographed for other magazines, but in this case, that didn’t dissuade us from planning our own spread. Even more interesting to us was that fact that when we were house hunting 11 years ago, we toured the property. It was my first property crush, although it was a dark, dusty ruin. Despite what the real estate listing said, it took more than “fairy dust and love” to fix it up. Willson is part of our first-ever Kitchen Showcase, starting on Page 25. See how he ended up bringing in natural light to what would have been a windowless tomb. Something more clever than skylights. I swear next time I build a kitchen, I’m doing that! As we reconsider the role of the home in our lives, workhorse kitchens are sure to be more desirable. Instagrammable kitchens will always be in, but impractical kitchens are out. Durable appliance and countertops, practical storage systems and sensible layouts — has anyone improved on the classic stove-sink-refrigerator triangle? — are given more consideration these days. As we take to cooking for ourselves and others from our own kitchens, we devote this issue to the homebodies among us. We love being at home! 

Lee Steele Director, Yucatán at Home lee@roofcatmedia.com

ISSUE 4 | YUCATÁN AT HOME

LOL-TÚN

WILDLIFE

CULTURE

Where archaeology meets paleontology

What to do if you find Exceptional masks baby sea turtles at Casa de Montejo

Meaning “flower stone” in Yucatec-Maya, Lol-Tún is a cave and archaeological site in Yucatán’s south. It is often considered part of the “Puuc touristic route,” despite not truly fitting this moniker architecturally. Archaeological and paleontological discoveries suggest that the human occupation of Lol-Tún goes back more than 10,000 years. Within the cave, researchers have discovered the bones of mammoths, bison, large cats, and deer — some dating as early as the Pleistocene, millions of years ago.

Baby sea turtles are extremely cute, so the desire to want to pick them up (especially when they are in distress) is understandable, but don’t. It is illegal to handle sea turtles without supervision from a licensed specialist. Second, too much contact with humans, especially being fed, can result in aberrations of their instincts and behaviors. If you spot an injured sea turtle or an unmarked nest, contact Yucatán’s turtle protection and conservation office at the state ministry for sustainability: (+52) 999-502-7825.

“Detrás de una máscara,” or “Behind a Mask,” is an extraordinary art exhibit at Casa de Montejo by Oaxacan artists Jacobo Ángeles and his wife María Mendoza. The exhibit has 36 pieces of art representing an imaginative fusion of mesoamerican mythological animals, as well as masks and two large painted canvases. Despite comparisons with Mexico’s famous alebrijes, the creators argue that their inspiration is to be found more in the Mixe-Zapotec culture of Oaxaca than in the work of 20th-century Mexican folk art.

Just Asking “In Chuburna at the beach. Love the quiet beach life, but it’s great to be in the city in 35 minutes. Best of both worlds.”

“We chose Cholul. Halfway between beach and downtown. Quieter than Centro.”

Where to call home: We asked expats which area in Yucatán is best for them: Beach, Centro or somewhere else? New questions are posed regularly on Yucatán Magazine’s Facebook page

“You can’t get replicate the relaxation one can find at the beach anywhere else. It’s got an easy going, laid back quality to it like none other. It’s just good for the soul and you walk around smiling.”

“A walkable centrally located ‘village within the city’ colonia with a mix of socioeconomic backgrounds, its own central market, easy walking distance to anything you need, and with a sense of community and looking out for your neighbors, specifically Chuburná de Hidalgo.”

“Progreso Beach. The natural beauty of the sea & sand, the beautiful people who live & work here, wonderful expat hang outs like Barlovento’s, vendors who sell their local wares, and the Yucatecan culture that is so important.”

“Telchac Puerto and surrounding areas.”

“Puerto Chicxulub and the neighborhood around Alvarado Stadium. It has a social network second to none! It’s a throwback to the neighborhood gathering at the park after a long day and, well ... ‘Que paso’ ‘Nada, tú?’ ‘Nada, y tú?’ ‘Did you hear about bla bla bla’ ‘QUE / WHAT?? Estas bromeando o que?’ ” ISSUE 4 | YUCATÁN AT HOME

Property Professional

Fernando Abreu

An architect takes on the task of home care

here is no shortage of architects in Yucatán capable of building dream homes in Mérida. But once the project is completed and the client is settled in and enjoying a new life, there is always still work to be done. The firm CENTRO Architects was founded in 2007 and expanded eight years ago by adding a maintenance division to address these issues. “Clients often come to us after having worked with someone else who came up with an improvised solution that ultimately made things worse. Our approach is all about real problem-solving, not just about temporary band-aid solutions,” says CENTRO’s founder, Fernando Abreu. Abreu trained as an architect at Yucatán’s UADY state university, as well as at Auburn University in Alabama, where he met his wife Monica. During his time at Auburn, Fernando embraced the opportunity to work and study with colleagues from the United States and across the world on a variety of projects. “It was such a great experience to get the opportunity to work and study with so many great people and acquire such different takes on architecture and ways of doing things,” says Abreu. He took what he learned from working on projects like Auburn’s Rural Studio’s 20k sustainable-home research project — which

The Rural Studio’s 20k house program at Auburn is relevant in Yucatán. “These experiences taught me so much about how to build not just for aesthetics, but also for functionality and easy maintenance,” says Abreu. was the basis of an exhibit at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art) — and put it to work in Yucatán training local architects to build cost-efficient kitchens for traditional Maya homes. “These experiences taught me so much about how to build not just for aesthetics, but also for functionality and easy maintenance,” says Abreu, who also contracts through PM23, a property management company. He has now put these skills to work and aside from building and designing projects of his own, CENTRO spends more time doing property management for existing homes. The maintenance division is capable of taking on any specific home-care issue you

Abreu

can imagine, but also offers plans to offer homeowners the peace of mind that their home will always be in tip-top shape, even when they are out of town. When asked about what kinds of problems are most common in homes in Mérida’s Centro, Abreu says that problems associated with humidity and overly saturated electrical infrastructure cause the most headaches. Abreu and his team also have expertise with areas including carpentry, ironwork, aluminum, air conditioning, motorized gates, and pool maintenance. —Carlos Rosado van der Gracht Visit centroarchitects.com

Relax.

Let us handle the details.

En las Calles

Cholul

North of the loop and south of the beach, a colorful comisaría is sitting pretty Cholul is north of Mérida, but technically run by the city. Its proximity to modern amenities as well as to the beach make the town a strong contender for anyone balancing a need for convenience and space.

ust outside of northern Mérida, Cholul is a municipality slowly drawn in to the city’s urban zone. It borders Tixcuytun to the north, Mérida to the south, Santa Gertrudis Copo to the east, and Sitpach to the west. It is one of Mérida’s 12 comisarías and comes second only to Caucel in terms of size and population. Although it has largely grown in popularity for newcomers, it still retains its town designation as well as most of its traditions and customs. Cholul (pronounced Chuluul) is also the name of a tree that proliferated in this region (Apoplanesia paniculata), generally used in home construction. There is no literal translation of the word but the definition officially used is “water wood,” referring to its resistance to humidity. Since pre-Hispanic times there have been human settlements in Cholul, which previously belonged to the province of Motul. For more than two centuries it

TEXT VERÓNICA GARIBAY PHOTOS CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT

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remained a very small town, functioning mainly as the settlement for servants working in the haciendas. At the beginning of the 18th century, it had a population of 126 people, jumping to just 145 in 1900. There was no primary or secondary road through Cholul, which limited the presence of outsiders. In 1937, Mexico’s President Lázaro Cárdenas expropriated much of the land and institutionalized the ejido — a system of commmunal property. This meant that the servants of Cholul, like those in other parts of the state, obtained collective land titles and formed assemblies, making them ejidatarios, people given the right to use communal land. Working conditions improved and work diversified. Ejidatarios could earn extra income by going to the farms of former hacienda owners. However, even after this change in social composition, there were no significant population movements. Until the late 1990s, the town remained mostly apart from Mérida. Then things changed. As of 2020, Cholul has a population of over 17,000. With the real estate boom in recent years, developments and housing areas have been increased in the region, but mainly in Cholul’s outskirts, which has allowed the Plaza Principal to maintain its original look and feel. Building lots remain plentiful, but are getting snapped up by foreigners, nationals from outside Yucatán, and locals seeking more space and peace. Houses on the market range from modest to opulent, sometimes verging on the grandiose. Closer to the Periférico, the highway loop

A house north of Cholul’s historic Plaza Principal was designed by FMT Estudio for a tech-industry client intending to move here from Mexico City. The resident will telecommute from his new home.

YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

A mural was created by local children with the help from CUAM, Habla, Edúcate, and Sherwin Williams.

At yucatanmagazine.com read about an apiary in Cholul where sacred bees are cared for. that surrounds most of Mérida, high rises alter the skyline. The current 1940s-era Municipal Palace was restored after its collapse by Hurricane Gilberto in 1988. It houses the municipal police station, the civil registry, an elections station, and school. Annexed to the Municipal Palace is

the market, library and Cultural Center Jacinto Canek, where classes in handicrafts, painting, embroidery, guitar, and counseling are offered. The church dates from the mid-17th century and is dedicated to San Pedro Apóstol. Its Guadalupan guilds date back to 1948. Outside, vaquerías are celebrated in April and August and feature traditional dances. Cholul has its own Carnival, Hanal Pixan, and Christmas posadas. When visiting the square there’s an undeniably welcoming feel. Even today, Cholul has not lost its slow-living vibe. 

Across from Cholul’s main square, the Palacio Municipal and an adjacent complex that houses a library, market and cultural center, is the heart of the municipality.

For the bookshelf Juanita Stein »

Kahlo by Andrea Kettenmann

The arresting paintings and drawings depicting Frida Kahlo (1907 - 1954) are, in many ways, expressions of trauma. Through a near-fatal road accident at the age of 18, failing health, a turbulent marriage, miscarriage and childlessness, she transformed the afflictions into revolutionary art. In literal or metaphorical self-portraiture, Kahlo looks out at the viewer with an audacious glare, rejecting her destiny as a passive victim; instead, intertwining expressions of her experience into a hybrid real-surreal language of living: hair, roots, veins, vines, tendrils, and fallopian tubes. Many of her works also explore the Communist political ideals which Kahlo shared with her husband Diego Rivera. The artist described her paintings as “the most sincere and real thing that I could do in order to express what I felt inside and outside of myself.” This book introduces the rich body of Kahlo’s work

to explore her unremitting determination as an artist, and her significance as a painter, feminist icon, and a pioneer of Latin American culture. Hardcover, 96 pages, 427 pesos

Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran

In this astonishing novel, Shanthi Sekaran gives voice to the devotion and anguish of motherhood through two women bound together by their love for one boy. Soli, a young undocumented Mexican woman in Berkeley, California, finds that motherhood offers her an identity in a world where she’s otherwise invisible. When she is placed in immigrant detention, her son comes under the care of Kavya, an Indian-American woman overwhelmed by her own impossible desire to have a child. As Soli fights for her son, Kavya builds her love on a fault line, her heart wrapped around someone else’s child. From rural Oaxaca to Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto to the dreamscapes of Silicon Valley, Lucky Boy offers a moving and revelatory look at the evolving landscape of the American dream and the ever-changing borders of love. Paperback, 496 pages, 393 pesos 

Juanita Stein owns the bookstore Between the Lines on the corner of Calle 62 and 53 in the Centro. Visit facebook.com/BetweenTheLinesMerida

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First person

Personal chef Mérida has embraced cook-turned entrepreneur Carlos Jimenez

y name is Carlos Jimenez Zenteno. I was born in Nacajuca, Tabasco in 1987. I am the fifth of seven siblings. I studied in Villahermosa until high school, being the winner of several awards in public speaking and as a team coordinator. I then moved to Mérida by myself to continue my studies. My first job in Mérida was taking care of elderly people, for which I was offered a place to live and a salary. A few years later, I found a job in a hotel where I started as a porter performing various activities. While working in the hotel kitchen preparing breakfast for 24 people daily, I discovered that I could do more than chilaquiles and other Mexican snacks, so I would search for new recipes among the cookbooks in the hotel library to prepare different American-style breakfasts. When the owner of the hotel realized what I was doing,

YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

First Person Carlos Jiménez

he offered to teach me how to cook different styles of food. After a while, the owner told me that I should pursue a career in gastronomy that it would be easy for me since I had the interest and the talent. The only thing I lacked was the money to pay for school, so the owner of the hotel recruited a group of foreign residents who, month after month, would give me monthly payments for my apartment and studies. During my last year of college, I began serving as a home chef to people in the foreign community in Mérida. After being selected to organize the housewarming party for the newly renovated Casa de Las Torres in 2012, I became the exclusive caterer for the owners' private events. These experiences inspired me to form Moveable Feast Yucatán catering, which has achieved great popularity among the expat community. Currently, I work as the manager of Casa de Las Torres, where we now host a variety of events that require the services of chef, florist, coordinator, and decorator. My goal is to ensure that clients have a unique and memorable experience. Today I consider myself to be very good at organizing and coordinating unique and special events including decorating with flowers, and I work in a very personal way with a high level of quality in my products. My recommendation for people who like to entertain at home is to always include something new and unexpected in both their menu and their table decor, to make their events fun and memorable. Guests will appreciate the thought and detail that goes into an event that was designed specially for them.  14

“While working in the hotel kitchen preparing breakfast for 24 people daily, I discovered that I could do more than chilaquiles ... ” CARLOS JIMENEZ

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Our team is at your service.

Hecho en Casa

TEXT AND PHOTO CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT

Monday meal Yucatán begins the work week with Frijol con Puerco

ondays in Yucatán are all about Frijol con Puerco, but you are unlikely to find it on any restaurant menu. This is a homemade specialty. Why is it a Monday dish? The most common explanation has to do with the fact that before the invention of refrigeration, meat dishes were typically eaten early in the week before they spoiled. Then again, it may just be to keep the Monday blues at bay. In some households, the rice is served white without cooking it in the bean broth, but quite frankly, this is pure blasphemy. In many ways, Frijol con Puerco is the ultimate Yucatecan homestyle dish. Ingredients: 1 kg of pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes 1 250-gram strip of pork ribs 1 kg of whole uncooked black beans epazote (Jesuit’s tea, Mexican-tea) salt to taste For the chiltomate (tomato-based sauce): 6 ripe roasted Roma tomatoes 1 clove of roasted garlic

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2 or 3 roasted chile habaneros chopped raw cilantro salt Garnishes: local avocado (the large variety, not Hass) fresh corn tortillas chopped onion, cilantro, mint and radish limes (limon indio) For the rice and beans: 2 cups of washed white rice (not whole grain) 4 cups of black bean broth and 1/2 cup black beans (take these from the pot of cooked beans and pork) 1/2 cup chopped onion 4 whole peeled cloves of garlic salt

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Soak the black beans in water overnight. When ready to cook, drain off the water and rinse. Place the clean beans in a six-quart soup pot of water, cover, and bring to a boil. At that point, add salt and five sprigs of epazote. Continue boiling until the beans start to get soft. Add the cubed pork and ribs, and keep boiling until the beans are well-cooked (about 11/2 hours) Remove the bits of epazote.

For the rice with beans, place the rice in a strainer and rinse it under a stream of cold water. Let it dry. Pour a little cooking oil into a heavy-bottomed pan and saute the garlic and onion until translucent, add the rice, and continue to saute until the rice starts to look crispy, then add the hot bean broth and whole beans. Lower the heat, cover, and let cook until all liquid has been absorbed. To make the chiltomate, char the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and habaneros. When well-blackened, mash all together except the habaneros. Put the tomato sauce in a bowl and arrange the charred habaneros on top. Chop the onion, radishes, cilantro, and fresh mint finely to garnish. Arrange on a serving plate along with several limes cut in half. Prepare a second plate with slices of Yucatecan avocado. To serve, place the bowls of rice and sauce, the garnish plates and a basket of fresh hot corn tortillas in the middle of the table. Serve each person a bowl (3/4 full) of the bean broth and meat. They can then serve themselves the rest.  19

Ask a Yucateca Yesica Benitez

Inviting the neighbors over Ask a Yucateca is a new column written by Yesica Benitez, a local resident and our marketing director. She was born and raised in Kanasín, just outside of Mérida, and is more than happy to explain the realities, dispel the myths and otherwise give advice to bewildered expats.

I have now been in Yucatán for a while and I finally feel like I’m starting to figure things out. I’ve decided to ask my Yucatecan neighbors “the Sánchezes” for a 6 o’clock dinner. How do I make them feel comfortable?

For some reason, Yucatán’s international community assumes that the region’s laid-back nature means that it’s socially acceptable to wear whatever you want whenever you want. This is simply not the case.

A: People in Yucatán tend to have later lunches, with mealtime commonly coming after 2 or 3 p.m, so if you are planning a dinner party, it’s perhaps not a good idea to schedule a huge meal at 6. That being said, it is a good idea to maybe have some drinks and botanas ready to get the evening going. Consider preparing one of your personal favorites from back home, people are usually up for trying new things. For example, chicken pot pie may not sound exotic to you, but for people here it would likely be quite a novelty. Q: In the past I have run in to issues with people not showing up on time? Is this to be expected? A: Generally speaking, Yucatecos are notoriously late, even for Mexican standards. It is sometimes hard to not take this personally, but I assure you it’s not. If you have invited people over at 7 p.m. and it’s almost 8 already, there is no need to panic. Maybe just send a text message to ask if everything is all right. Chances are that they simply got delayed by something entirely predictable. Even as a Yucateco with

OCD issues when it comes to being on time, this is a major struggle. Just as Yucatecans might tend to have the tendency to arrive late, they also sometimes stick around far beyond the time you had allotted for your little gathering. Conversations tend to go long into the night, and simply leaving after the meal has ended is unheard of. Q: Should I try my hand at speaking Spanish or just stick to English? A: In general people in Mexico appreciate the effort when “gringos” try their hand at Spanish. Chances are your guests are not exactly native English speakers either, so they will appreciate the gesture. Just don’t over-extend yourself and try to find a linguistic balance everyone is comfortable with.

Q: Since I moved to Yucatán I have hardly ever dressed up. Are shorts and sandals acceptable? A: Don’t under dress for the occasion. For some reason, Yucatán’s international community assumes that the region’s laid-back nature means that it’s socially acceptable to wear whatever you want whenever you want. This is simply not the case. As a person who puts time and thought into her outfits, it feels a little disrespectful to see others going out dressing like they were at the beach. This is not just me, plenty men and women feel the same way here. There is a time and place for shorts and sandals, it’s just not “all the time,” and especially not a dinner party.  Unsure about how best to connect with your new friends and neighbors in Yucatán? Confused about the culture? Send your questions to yesicabenitez@roofcatmedia.com.

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Cover Story Entertaining at Home

Good together Close friends belong together, and so do these properly paired appetizers and drinks

A breezy cocktail party: From left, Jim Eckles, Steve Quinn, Cathy Quinn, and Annie Eckles, all international residents in Mérida, enjoy the sunset view.

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BY CATHY QUINN PHOTOS CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT AND LAURA SANCHÉZ

Cover Story Entertaining at Home

h … Relax! No matter how much you Eden’s stories to magnificent views from the top terrace. might enjoy socializing during the From here one sees the beautiful old anthropoApple high season, there can be a small logical museum off to your left (the Museum of Combine the sigh of relief when it has passed. Anthropology and History, Palacio Cantón). At following But, perhaps, you would enjoy sunset, you’ll often see a family of owls take flight ingredients in a another small party now. How about a series of from the upper part of the museo. Out front are three hors d’oeuvres matched to an apple-flavored shaker with ice: lights from buildings spreading out in the discocktail and hosted in a beautiful home in Méritance, the impressive Twin Mansions on Paseo de 2 ounces of bourbon da’s Centro? Yes? Well, come on in to the home Montejo toward the right, and turning further to 2 ounces of Tennessee Green of Annie and Jim Eckles, and let’s get the party the right, there is the roof of Santa Ana’s 18th-cenApple (liquor) started. tury church. In addition to wildlife and incredible 1 ounce Controy or Cointreau The Eckles’ home is warm and colorful with architecture you see the whole sky and sunsets, items that Annie and Jim have collected in their sometimes even storm clouds and lightning. Most Honey and lime to taste travels around the world, plus in the various importantly with our tropical weather, the eveShake over ice and serve immedicountries they’ve lived in over the years. There ning’s cooling fresh breezes are in abundance. ately or make several of these cockare remembrances and travel stories attached to Our party experts and party helpers are Fertails and put in a glass freezer jar (let nando Almazan of Sommelier Express (see Page each decorative item that they own and if you are the jar sit in the freezer for several lucky, they will tell you about the things you are 24), a business offering food, wine and spirits hours to meld and smooth the admiring as you gaze about. along with pairing assistance and hosting tasting drink’s flavors) and serve later, even They bought, and then renovated their house events. His guidance for matching the food to the days later. Also, freezing allows you in Mérida Centro over the last few years and drink was invaluable as we developed the recipes. created a comfortable, attractive home full of light, to serve during the party without The other helper is cocktail enthusiast Steve constantly having to mix drinks. color, and plenty of access to the outdoors. What Quinn, who often posts cocktail creations on sets this house apart from so many is how the Facebook and who loves to invent new cocktails. space is vertically oriented and therefore has the Together they worked to match the cocktail (or quality of an aerie. While there are no eagles in this aerie, there are cocktails) to the appropriate foods. owls that fly by. Today’s special cocktail is named Eden’s Apple. Yes, this is quite During the design phase for the remodeling, Jim and Annie envia strong drink because this is how Steve likes to make them. Causioned enjoying the views from the roof areas. So the house rises the tious people might share one with someone else.

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Accompanying the Eden’s Apple cocktail are three different hors d’oeuvres whose flavor profiles Fernando has recommended to go with the cocktail. See the next page for savory five-spice cocktail meatballs made with pork, dried dates wrapped in crispy bacon. Then, although it’s more of a fall flavor, we served pumpkin-spice almond cookies, which we’ll explain later. After much tasting, cooking, and mixing it is finally party time. A small group of guests is gathered on the third-story aerie deck and the cocktails are ready to pour. The guests sip and it seems everyone is intrigued by Eden’s Apple. But what about the food pairings? How will they work with the powerful flavors of bourbon and the sweet spicy taste of the Tennessee Green Apple liquor? First, we taste the meatballs. The guests are pleased. We add a few drops of soy sauce to the meatballs and some sesame oil. Will soy sauce and sesame oil cloud the flavors or enhance them? We decide soy sauce tastes great, and the sesame oil is also a good complement to the five-spice flavored meatballs and the cocktail goes well with this combination. Next up are the bacon-wrapped dates. These are a hit. People say

As the sun begins to set, Mérida’s iconic twin mansions, or Las Casas Gemelas, and the Palacio Cantón take on a glow. Jim and Annie Eckles raise a toast from their roof deck. the sweetness of the almond-stuffed dates and the smoky bacon are outstanding. These new flavors also complement the drink well. So far, two winning combinations. Finally, we have the Pumpkin Spice almond cookies. Cookies with a cocktail? You might wonder about matching these two things but, these are not sweet cookies, like a chocolate chip cookie. These cookies have a subtle sweetness to enhance the cocktail. We check to see how the pumpkin pie spice measures up to the cocktail and decide it does enhance the cocktail flavors. All the combinations of cocktail and hors d’oeuvres we’ve tried have been great. To ensure that those of you interested in recreating these recipes have the same success, we can assure you that we thoroughly tested them and we successfully recreated these recipes many times. The sunset was very pretty, food and drink worked out beyond our expectations and conversation with friends in this beautiful setting made for a perfect little party. Here’s to you. Cheers! 

Cover Story Entertaining at Home

The menu

US native Cathy Quinn has lived many years in Mérida, where she has become known for her party platters. Her skills came across at a recent wine tasting where she matched the perfect appetizer for each variety that Cellar Master Fernando Almazan served. We asked her for some menu ideas to share.

Five-Spice Pork Meatballs Yields about 25 small meatballs. People tend to eat two or three as an appetizer. Ingredients:

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1½ pounds ground pork 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 1 cup caramelized white or yellow onions cooled and chopped very finely. At the bottom is a do-ahead tip.* 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3 scallions, sliced, plus more for garnish 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root 1 teaspoon onion powder 1½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar ptional: Sprinkle with soy sauce and a O few drops of sesame oil at serving time.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ground meat, panko, finely diced caramelized onions, eggs, scallions, ginger, onion powder, fivespice powder, soy sauce, and vinegar. Use a 1/8 measuring cup to measure the meat mix to help you form uniform-sized meatballs. Tap the measuring cup on your palm to release the meat and roll into a ball. Set the meatballs ½ inch apart on baking paper on a lipped, oven-proof tray. Repeat until all the meat is used. Bake the meatballs for 15 to 20 minutes, then check for doneness and browning. If the meatballs aren’t looking browned enough, cook another five minutes and keep checking until the meatballs are done and browned. The inside of the meatball must be cooked through with no pink showing. If you have access to a meat thermometer, cook until 165F is reached. *Do-ahead tip: Coat the onions with oil and some butter and let bake at 180C/350F for an hour. Of course, you can also caramelize them in a frying pan. I tend to cook them in the oven to free my time for other things. If you use the oven method, stir once halfway through. You can do this a day ahead. Cool and chop them finely. Don’t skip this caramelization step. This one ingredient is the superpower in this recipe. 24

JOFF LEE

Pumpkin-Spiced Almond Cookies Yields 12 - 24 cookies based on cookie size. Prep time less than 20 minutes. Ingredients:

2 cups blanched almond flour (no flour substitutions — use only almond flour in this recipe)

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½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ cup soft butter (use salted butter, or add a pinch of salt to unsalted butter) TERI VIRBICKIS / GETTY

1 teaspoon vanilla extract ISSUE 4 | YUCATÁN AT HOME

Bacon-Wrapped Dates Yields 20. Assembly time about 20 minutes. Ingredients:

20 dates, or as many as you need assuming at least two per guest. Often, people eat more than two so don’t be afraid to make lots. Plus, these freeze very well so you can stash some away for another day

BRENT HOFACKER / ISTOCK

3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

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1 egg, beaten

½ cup peeled and chopped apple minced finely (almost apple

sauce consistency)

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Optional: Add raisins or dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add almond flour and baking powder and mix well. Add melted butter, maple syrup/honey, vanilla, beaten egg, minced apple, optional raisins if using and mix until combined. I used a 1/8 cup measure to scoop dough onto the parchment paper spaced at least ½ inch apart. This resulted in 24 cookies. Press down gently flatten the cookies. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just beginning to go golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet completely before removing from the baking sheet and serving. YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

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1 pkg smoked or roasted almonds (optional) to stuff inside the date

One strip bacon for every four dates. Preferably applewood-smoked, but really any bacon will work.

Preheat traditional oven to 205C/400F degrees or for air fryer at 180c/350 F. Wrap each date with a piece of bacon. Cut longwise to make 4 strips out of each piece. You’ll also want to cut each long strip in half for easy wrapping. Toothpicks are not needed although most recipes will ask you to use them. The bacon cooks and seals itself so save the toothpicks for serving time. Set bacon-wrapped dates on a rack with a cookie tray under the rack to catch bacon grease. Bake for 15-20 minutes in a traditional oven. In an air fryer, set the temperature to 350F, using the mesh basket, and set a timer for 5 minutes. Keep an eye on how the bacon is browning. They can burn quite easily (I know, I’ve produced some charcoaled bacon dates before). If more time is needed add minutes one at a time checking often. 25

The Sommelier Cellar Master Fernando Almazan »

Emevé Chardonnay (Guadalupe Valley, BC) & Grilled Shrimp Skewers Summer is the perfect time of year to break out the grill, and few proteins match up with fire quite as well as shrimp.

Pionero Cosecha, Chenin Blanc / Chardonnay (Grulla Valley, BC) & Summer Vegetables A perfect wine to pair with a salad of summer vegetables. Raw, grilled, steamed, or otherwise.

De Cote Inédito, Viognier / Gewurztraminer (Ezequiel Montes, Queretaro) & Lobster Few proteins are quite as luxurious in both texture and flavor as lobster, and there are a number of different ways to approach pairing it with wine.

Casta Pitaya Rosé, Grenache (Guadalupe Valley, BC) & Grilled Pizza One of the best summer options no matter what you’re cooking. Its fresh, flowery nuances make it an excellent wine for pairing with anything rich with tomato sauce, and what better summer dish than a grilled pizza?

Rosé Natural Palafox, Mission (Grulla Valley, BC) & Grilled Chicken EZUME IMAGES

Pair wines from Mexico with summertime meals

or this time of the year, light and refreshing white and rosé wines, with good acidity, are the best. Look for white wines made from grape varieties whose aromas and flavors are not overshadowed by the low temperatures at which they are served, between 7 and 10 degrees Celsius or 45 to 50 Fahrenheit. Although whites and rosés will appear more now than in any other season, there is always room for a good red. Make it light for something refreshing or more complex when pairing with food that calls for a more intense wine. This season’s recommended reds should be medium-bodied and fluid in the mouth, served at 18 Celsius / 65 Fahrenheit. The food factor is essential. You will surely want a red with more body to accompany red meats, cheeses, or pasta. And since we are in Mexico, why don’t we indulge in a fantastic bottle of Mexican wine? The Spanish introduced wine production to Mexico in the 16th century, but the great wineries were founded in the 20th. Since then, the Mexican wine industry has developed remarkably, especially in the last decade, representing 6,500 hectares of production and 200 business units that make it possible to choose from more than 1,200 labels. Pairing food and wine can seem intimidating for the unfamiliar. In reality, learning how is both fun and relatively forgiving, and you don’t have to be an expert to get great results. Here are just eight of our favorite Mexican wines and food pairings for the summer, all of which are approachable and worth experimenting with at home. 

Grilled chicken is a summer staple if there ever was one, and for good reason—it can be delicious when cooked to perfection. That charred, fatty skin looks for a wine that can adequately provide a counterbalance, which is why many wine experts reach for chilled rosé wines.

Emevé Malbec (Guadalupe Valley, BC) & Steak Summer and steak go hand-in-hand, and finding the perfect beverage pairing can play a huge role in how enjoyable the meal is. There are plenty of wines that pair well with steak, but few are quite as effective as Malbec.

Cavas Valmar Tempranillo (Ensenada, BC) & Burgers Tempranillo is praised by wine lovers the world over for its deep fruit flavors and solid tannic structure. What better characteristics in wine for pairing with burgers?

Casta Syrah (Guadalupe Valley, BC) & Grilled Tuna There is nothing better than the sound of a big tuna steak sizzling on the grill, and a perfect match for it would be this fantastic bold syrah.

Fernando Almazon is Cellar Master at Sommelier Express in Mérida. Contact him for a wine list or tasting party at sommelierexpress@live.com 26

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KITCHEN SHOWCASE

BRIGHT IDEAS Area designers and architects reveal Yucatán

kitchens that are light-filled and inviting.

* And practical, and functional, and cute, and on trend ... YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

Kitchen Showcase

THIS PHOTO: LEE STEELE

Up, up, and away 28

PHOTOS: TIM STREET-PORTER

hen a professional baker is also a professional designer, you expect a lot from the kitchen. Robert Willson and David Serrano rebuilt a house in the Santiago area several years before leaving Los Angeles for good. Eventually, Willson drew on a previous culinary career and started MANO, which supplies high-end scones and other baked goods to boutique businesses and at Saturday’s Slow Food Market in García Ginerés. Suddenly, the kitchen that was already featured in Architectural Digest and Elle Decor was a place for testing recipes. Good thing the space was built for practicality, and not just to look good in a magazine spread. And it’s a comfortable space, flooded with daylight after an intervention from architect friends at Bohl in Annapolis, Maryland. Transforming a dark and nondescript tomb of a kitchen, they raised the ceiling and installed clerestory windows. But their most inspired decision may have been sacrificing some kitchen space to carve out a narrow courtyard on one side, allowing yet another entry point for sunlight. Now the kitchen is bright and cheerful, even on cloudy days. The owners and architects also collaborated on custom cabinetry inspired by traditional Yucatán doors. The light fixture is from the owners’ former LA showroom and the table and kitchen stools are from their own Downtown Classics Collection. Floor tiles of Willson’s design provide pops of complementary colors. Moreover, the Madrigal ceramic pineapples — a collection amassed over the years — are a reminder that we are indeed in a private home, not a commercial kitchen. ISSUE 4 | YUCATÁN AT HOME

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Kitchen Showcase

The fundamentals PHOTOS: FMT ESTUDIO

ithout kitchens, the term “house” is incomplete, says Orlando Franco, who with Zaida Briceño leads FMT Estudio. Kitchens are not only about preparing food but about sharing moments. That’s the guiding philosophy at the architectural firm. Although contemporary life has transformed them into high-tech practical spaces, kitchens still possess a magical aura, says Franco. Some clients prefer continuous surfaces on their kitchen islands to allow for easy maintenance. And roomy surfaces to allow for complex meals that demand lots of preparation. While the open shelves vs. cabinet debate continues, FMT is purposeful when it designs either storage system.

In this kitchen, the client and designer strived for a clean look. Although an entire exterior wall is framed in glass, the house plants are intentional. A relationship to the outdoors played a major role in the decisionmaking with light and ventilation deemed essential for cooking spaces. A wall niche and an open shelf display personal items.

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Clockwise from top left: A kitchen island provides additional seating space providing a conversation area close to the cook. The dining table’s visual relationship with the kitchen was also taken into consideration. It’s not always viable, but when possible, have a window over the kitchen sink. It not only provides a view for the person stuck with washing dishes, but the light and air prevent mold and bacteria. FMT custom-designed a set of cups, small dishes, and bowls intended to be displayed on the open shelves. They coordinate smoothly with the kitchen cabinetry and furniture. Every cabinet here was designed for a specific purpose while selected items were left on open shelves for easy access.

YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

Kitchen Showcase

Honey, I’m home! PHOTOS: LEO ESPINOSA

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asa Abejas is in Mérida’s Centro, but discards any notion of being historical. TACO architects were tasked with turning a small house into a combined jewelry workshop and a headquarters of a company that produces and distributes honey from Yucatecan bees. The home’s lower level, dark and just six meters wide, was streamlined and made to lead the eye to the towering trees in the rear patio. The challenge was to work with an existing structure with local and low-maintenance materials and finishes. Passive energy systems were a priority, as was working within a set budget. “Our intention behind any project is to link the inhabitant with the territory,” according to a statement from the architectural team, Carlos Patrón Ibarra, Ana Patrón Ibarra, Alejandro Patrón Sansor, and Karla Gómez Luna. The firm had to consider the client’s existing furniture and art pieces in a flexible floor plan. So TACO opted for neutrality and versatility in the design. Online: arquitecturacontextual.com

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ADVERTISEMENTw

Be an ambassador

Be an Ambassador for the nonprofit civil association Los Mayas Eternos. Your job: Use social networks to remind your friends that there are countless people in Yucatán relying on donations of clothing, blankets, and non-perishable food items. You can also volunteer your home as a drop-off spot for donations. Please help. Contact Pedro Tec, peterajaw@yahoo.com +52 999-354-3904

Conversation Chef Iván Puc

Far from home Chef Iván gives Dubai a taste of Mexico BY CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT

YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

Conversation Chef Iván Puc

t 36 and from the tiny Yucatecan town of Acanceh, Iván Puc has already built an impressive reputation for himself in the world of high-end cuisine. Chef Iván began working in the kitchen of Mérida’s Fiesta Americana hotel at the young age of 17. “It was really hard work, and not that glamorous to be chopping vegetables and washing dishes all day, but this first job in the kitchen really helped me learn the ins and outs of the industry,” says Chef Iván. Eventually, Iván began working at hotels in the Riviera Maya and in time came to be recognized by his peers and bosses for his undeniable talent and solid work ethic. His can-do attitude paid off when he was given the opportunity to take on the responsibility of managing two restaurants in Tlaxcala. With executive experience, he made his way to Cancún where he worked with renowned Chef John Gray. After a couple of years, Chef Gray recommended Ivan for the opportunity of a lifetime — to start from scratch with a series of high-end Mexican restaurants in glamorous Dubai. “It was a big step, but in all honesty, I did not really have to think too much about it, I knew that this would be a huge challenge but also an incredible opportunity,” Chef Iván admits. In all, Chef Iván is now responsible for four restaurants in Dubai belonging to Meshico Group. The restaurants feature authentic Mexican cuisine and are located in extremely luxurious locations, as is the case of The Soul of Mexico on the northern

From prime Black Angus tomahawk steaks to fresh seafood, Chef Iván shows diners in Dubai how it’s done on the Yucatán Peninsula. Opposite, he shows off a six-kg Spanish Blue “Lobster Monster.” The restaurant on the tip of Palm Jumeirah is festive and its patio has a gorgeous view.

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“It can sometimes be quite a logistical challenge to source our ingredients from Mexico. It requires a lot of work and qualified people on the ground who can ensure the quality, but in the end, it’s always worth it.” CHEF IVÁN PUC

tip of Dubai’s world-famous Palm Jumeirah artificial island. Chef Iván takes great pride in working alongside professionals from all over the world but loves to hire fellow Mexicans to ensure that the culinary experience his restaurants provide is as authentic as possible. To this end, all of Chef Iván’s restaurants import the bulk of their ingredients from Mexico. He lets us know with a big smile that he only serves octopus from Celestún on the coast of his native Yucatán. “It can sometimes be quite a logistical challenge to source our ingredients from YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

Mexico. It requires a lot of work and qualified people on the ground who can ensure the quality, but in the end, it’s always worth it,” says Chef Iván. Regarding the experience of living in Dubai, Chef Iván says that he has great admiration for the city and its culture and people. “One of the things that impresses me the most about Dubai is just how safe it is. You can be out at any time of day or night without a care in the world, it’s quite something,” says Chef Iván. As serving pork is not traditional in Muslim countries, Chef Iván has learned to

adapt some of the menu items at his restaurants. For instance, at the Tulum restaurant right next to the Burj Khalifa tower, he serves Yucatán’s famed cochinita pibil using veal. During Expo Dubai 2020, Chef Iván had the opportunity to host several dignitaries from around the world, including Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal. “It was very satisfying to show the delegation from Yucatán everything that we have accomplished here and how we are bringing the very best of our beloved state all the way to the United Arab Emirates,” says Chef Iván.  37

Conversation Manuel Aguiar Peón

Follow that cook A proponent of Yucatecan cuisine finds his sweet spot online INTERVIEW BY YESICA BENITEZ TEXT CARLOS ROSADO VAN DER GRACHT

anuel Aguiar Peón has always been interested in cuisine. Being the younger of two brothers, Manuel spent a good deal of time with his mother in the kitchen — who always appreciated the help. “My mother loved to cook, but had a special talent for baking. I don’t recall us ever buying a cake during my childhood, not even once,” says Manuel. Manuel’s father, who owns a ranch near Tizimín, is also an avid cook and passed on to his son a love for Yucatecan cuisine and country cooking. Manuel further honed his skills in the kitchen

Manuel serves crepes and scrambled eggs for an elegant Sunday brunch.

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Manuel Aguiar Peón stirs up some pozole, a traditional Mexican stew.

Conversation Manuel Aguiar Peón

“Lots of people think they can’t cook, but this is simply untrue, everyone can cook.” MANUEL AGUIAR PEÓN

Manuel’s partner is a YouTube star as well. Jorge Gastelum, above left, Gastelum, has nearly 350,000 subscribers on his home decor channel. Left, Manuel’s ring light turns his kitchen into a TV studio where he prepares an easy snack of Choco Krispi squares.

Follow online

» » while studying business and hospitality. “While at university my favorite courses always centered around cuisine, but at that point, I never seriously considered making of my passion a career,” recalls Manuel. Aside from a love of cooking, Manuel began studying art at the age of 6 at the Malena Peón Fine Arts school in Itzimná, which belongs to his aunt. After graduation, Manuel worked in wedding planning but found the industry to be extremely stressful. Using the contacts he made in the there, however, he decided to strike out on his own and join the growing event-planning field, decorating highly elaborate dance floors for social events such as weddings, anniversaries, and quinceaños. But as the COVID-19 pandemic began to rage in Yucatán, work decorating dance floors soon dried up. Finding himself at home much more than he was accustomed to, Manuel observed as his partner Jorge Gastelum began to gain a serious amount of traction on social media with his “Inspira tu estilo,” or “inspire your style,” YouTube channel. Manuel would help Jorge with several aspects of the production of his channel and routinely appear in the background, often times cooking or prepping meals. Before long, Jorge’s fans began to ask about Manuel and encouraged him in the comments to set up a YouTube channel of his own. 40

YouTube Recetas que Inspiran Instagram @manuelaguiarpeon

“Jorge was very supportive right from the start and really encouraged me to get the channel up and running,” says Manuel. The first video on Manuel’s “Recetas que inspiran,” or “Recipes that Inspire,” YouTube channel was an audition video for “Master Chef México.” Though Manuel ultimately did not get on the show, he says the experience of uploading that first video was a way to kick off the channel. Since then, Manuel’s channel has grown to over 50,000 subscribers and his videos routinely hit over 100,000 views. Through building his channel, Manuel says he has discovered that he really enjoys inspiring and encouraging people to explore their creativity in the kitchen more than cooking up dishes at a restaurant or catering service. “Lots of people think they can’t cook, but this is simply untrue, everyone can cook,” says Manuel. The content on Manuel’s channel is quite varied but tends to mostly feature baking and Yucatecan cuisine. He also enjoys presenting recipes centered around themes including “cooking up a feast on a budget,” and “dinners in 15 minutes.” At this point, Manuel is concentrating on continuing to hone his skills in the kitchen and with video production to offer his viewers a wide variety of quality content — as well as expanding his own menu, to the delight of his partner Jorge.  ISSUE 4 | YUCATÁN AT HOME

Conversation Leo Espinosa

Capturing the light

How photographer Leo Espinosa interprets Yucatán’s architecture BY MARÍA JOSÉ CISNEROS

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Conversation Leo Espinosa

rchitectural photography has become its own art form. It might be as important as the building itself. Photographer and university professor Leo Espinosa thinks this is an opportunity to capture the strength of a design and how the viewer experiences it. His path in photography began at a very young age, influenced by his two uncles who are prominent in the profession. One is José Antonio Romo from Morelia, founder of the Mexican Society of Photographers. The other is Víctor Rendón, from Mérida, who was dedicated to artistic photography in the ‘80s and ‘90s with Imagen Alterna. “Thanks to their influence I wanted to study photography,” says Leo, who graduated in 1998 from Anáhuac Mayab University with a degree in communications. “I was a foreigner because I came from Campeche,” says Leo. “I was the foreign student that the university adopted and I was always with my camera.” “The photography professor at the LEO ESPINOSA time, Eduardo Ávila, realized that I always carried my camera and a year after I graduated, the university invited me to teach,” Leo remembers. The next step was finding his specialty. Like a good comunicólogo, a term for describing someone who studied communications in Latin America, he experimented with different areas of photography until after three months of travel made him realize architecture the subject

“I asked a lot, researched a lot, and wanted to know what my clients needed.”

Previous page and above: Leo Esponosa highlights Casa del Lago’s sharp angles. Built by TACO, the home is so-called because it is alongside a man-made canal in a golf course community in Mérida.

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Working with available sunlight is an important skill when capturing architectural elements with a camera. “I have always paid special attention to lighting when it comes to portraiture, now I am utilizing this same approach when it comes to building materials,” Leo Espinosa says.

that most suited him. His first projects came from Architect Elías Cisneros, leader of 333 Luxes, and then projects with GA Iluminación came his way. “They were my first serious clients. When I started building my portfolio, most of my work was from them. Everything I had in it was thanks to them,” he says. More clients started arriving thanks to his curiosity, “I asked a lot, researched a lot, and wanted to know what my clients needed.” And about six or seven years ago, TACO, — Taller de Arquitectura Contextual — asked him to work on more projects with them. Although he is not an architect, he has learned through his clients’ feedback. Leo likes to capture the reaction of lights and shadows on buildings. “I have always paid special attention to lighting when it comes to portraiture, now I am utilizing this same approach when it comes to building materials,” he says. Leo also likes to put himself in the role of the spectator to experience architecture as the user of the building, either a house, an office building

YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

Conversation Leo Espinosa

Casita Jabín, in daylight and under the stars, stands out in the Yucatán jungle thanks to its pastel pink walls. Ten minutes from Valladolid, this small home is rented by vacationers and needed the right photographer to show off its best features.

or a public space. It helps to take a photograph that captures the whole experience of a design. He finds his inspiration day by day. “I took it upon myself to follow photographers from all over the world, that’s my inspiration,” says Leo. Most of it comes from online but also the feedback from clients and establishing friendships with his colleagues who include Tamara Uribe and Manolo Solís. Leo is also a professor at Marista University and has his own photography studio.  Instagram: @leoespinosa Facebook: @leoespinosafotoarq

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Success Abroad Café con Leche Travels

Hola Caffeiños David and Travis nurture a growing resource for travelers while searching for the best vegan taco in Mexico TEXT AND PHOTO: LEE STEELE

avid and Travis were inspired by all those online videos Part of the running storyline is their challenge finding restaucoming from expats in Mérida. So naturally, they came to rants with vegan food. They do surprisingly well. Mérida and started a YouTube channel. It helps that both are accustomed to performing for an audience. Fans followed quickly. David is a musician and singer who also writes his own music. With the After working living in a tiny apartment in North Hollywood, pandemic, he collaborates with other artists from a home studio, which California, “We were radicalized on YouTube,” David recalls. right now is a spare bedroom fitted with acoustic panels. In their North He and Travis first considered leaving Hollywood apartment, the home studio was in a closet. Los Angeles for a cheaper part of the Travis is even more location-independent. He is a freelance copyUnited States until they realized how writer and publishes an essay each weekend. He’s also few domestic places it felt safe to be an done stand-up comedy and acting. While interracial gay couple. So they broadened packing for Mérida, they both booked a gig their search. appearing in a Starbucks commercial. David had never been out of the country, After initially renting in the Centro, and Travis’ experiences in Mexico they opted for a more spacious and ecowere pretty limited. He mainly nomical new-construction townhouse remembers a childhood family in a gated development to the north. vacation in Puerto Vallarta. Despite the relatively remote “Then we saw all these location, they have been deterexpats living their best lives mined not to get a car, so they on YouTube,” Travis recalls, walk long distances or hail “in Mérida, and specifically an Uber. Black Americans.” Major cultural difOnce they put together ferences have not been that they had portable an issue, aside from the careers and could work anylanguage barrier. “After a where in the world that had year here, it should be much wi-fi, they were on their way better,” admits Travis. to becoming digital nomads. They are working on that. And by October 2020, Every day, Travis records a they had a YouTube channel five-minute personal anecdote in dubbed Café con Leche Travel. English, and then learns how to The world of expat vlogging is relate the same tale in Spanish, no pretty crowded, but “Why We Sold matter how many days it takes. This Everything We Owned And Moved do-it-yourself technique is designed To Mexico” has over 7,000 views to “make you fluent in the language of and, in a recent count, the channel your life,” he says. has over 8,700 subscribers. For now, David and Travis are Video taken in Mexico City, San doing well with what words and Miguel, and San Luis Potosí, are phrases they know. Their channel is After moving to lighthearted and filled with humor. growing — there’s even an online class Mérida, David, They dance a little, and sometimes on moving abroad and extra content left, and Travis David bursts into song. Furtherfor paying members — and they were have a fastmore, the segments are filled with more recently seen promoting their own growing YouTube helpful insights. Even a knowledgecoffee brand.  channel on able viewer might see completely their hands. new things. Visit cafeconlechetravels.com YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

Architect Juan Carlos Alonso

Now and then Juan Carlos Alonso says ‘yes’ to challenges such as merging colonial and contemporary styles TEXT AND PHOTOS: ABRAHAM BOJÓRQUEZ

uan Carlos Alonso’s journey into the world of architecture began with one of the most powerful words that exist in any language: “yes.” “I used to say yes to everything,” he recalls with a look that reveals a certain affection for his younger self. It was the mid-1990s in the sleepy town of Balancán, Tabasco. Alonso was in high school and, without being too aware of it, he enjoyed his technical-drawing classes the most. A classmate noticed the dedication with which he crafted his assignments. She happened to work as a secretary for a local construction engineer and mentioned that her boss was looking for someone who could draw like him.

In an ongoing project in Mérida, Juan Carlos Alonso included a generous terrace on a previously under-utilized roof. Its tiles coordinate with the home’s blackand-blue color scheme.

ISSUE 4 | YUCATÁN AT HOME

“Would you be interested?” she asked. And Juan Carlos said yes. Just like he always had, and would continue to do so, over the years that it took him to build a career as a prolific architect in southeast Mexico. As we tour the Itzimná house he’s been working on for almost two years — the pandemic started at the same time as the project — I can tell that he is quite the elegant risk-taker. For this project, he chose a palette of almost exclusively black and blue to go with the chukum-style color of the concrete walls. In an unexpected turn, he convinced the owner to have the pool painted black. It’s bold but in a beautiful way, and it works. The oldest parts of the building date back to the mid-20th century. Like an archaeologist, Alonso takes the information of the construction materials to point to an expansion that took place somewhere around the ’70s. The main house is for the owner’s use, and the building in the back consists of two apartments intended for short-term rentals and a small gym. The YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

pool and the bar connect these two areas. While the second floor of the apartment building is entirely new, the bottom floor used to be a stable. Juan Carlos seems particularly proud of the work done in this space. He describes the intervention as surgical since they had to be extremely careful to preserve some of the original elements, which include a column, a star-shaped window, and bathroom tiles. Swimming against the current, Juan Carlos avoids using actual chukum, the limestone-based stucco prevalent in homes being built in Yucatán these days. The resin of the chukum tree, which is native to the region, is far from unlimited, he says. “They are going to run out of it. The price will skyrocket,” Juan Carlos tells me. He wants no part of it, so instead, he mimics the aesthetic with regular concrete and an industrial sealant. After working through his high school years for a local firm, drawing architectural plans and sketches, he was given a recom47

Architect Juan Carlos Alonso mendation by one of the firm’s partners regarding his college education. One that would change the course of his life. “Go to Mérida.” And so he did, and it would be for good. At some point during college, he got into award-winning architect Henry Ponce’s firm, where he stayed for 14 years. Ponce became his mentor and, in Alonso’s own words, taught him to “do things the right way.” He would let Juan Carlos make decisions, and clients took notice. As he began to get more and more side projects, he finally went on to establish his own firm, Alonso Arquitectos, in 2013. He belongs to a rare generation of architects who saw the technology transition from hand-drawn plans to AutoCAD and digital renders during their college years. This allows him to make use of both approaches in a way that would be unlikely for both his older and younger colleagues. “I still carry a pencil and a notepad everywhere I go. I feel like I can’t express as much with any digital technique.” Now 45, Alonso has spent the better part of his life in Yucatán. He married a Yucatecan and has raised his kids here. With a business of his own, his path seems more rooted in the Peninsula than ever. Like myself, Juan Carlos grew up in Villahermosa, the capital city of Tabasco. After a brief detour down memory lane, our conversation circles back to the Itzimná project. We are now on the first floor of the main house, where one space seems to blend into another. Standing by the gorgeous granite island, he speaks passionately about the importance of kitchens. “In big houses, kitchens used to be hidden from view. They were thought of as a place for domestic workers. Nowadays, everything revolves around the kitchen, and it is something that you want to show off.” We go up the stairs, leaning on an original railing, and walk through the three bedrooms as Juan Carlos explains more challenges that had to be tackled wisely. An oversized terrace, shared by two of the bedrooms and built on what used to be wasted roof space, feels like the project’s crown jewel. “Terraces have a very important function. They are transitional spaces between interior and exterior. If there isn’t a terrace, you can’t simply open your window when there is strong sunlight or heavy rain.” Juan Carlos likes to speak about architecture in cooking metaphors. When he mentions Macías Peredo as a major source of inspiration: “He cooks in a very simple way. Uses a restricted palette of ingredients — meaning materials — and he presents those ingredients as they are, without too much coating.” He is a big admirer of Tadao Ando and 48

ISSUE 4 | YUCATÁN AT HOME

Japanese architecture in general. He speaks of Richard Meier and Arata Isozaki, but before going down a rabbit hole of influences, he clarifies: “every once in a while, you have to burn your idols.” In the end, he says, a project should express the owner’s personality. In second place, it should somehow express the time period in which it was built. Finally, the auteur adds his own spice, his final touch as a signature. In every great dish, ingredients coexist harmoniously and in the right proportion. Too much of anything, and it is ruined. There is still some uncharted territory for the chef in Juan Carlos. One thing he hasn’t built is a stand-alone restaurant, something he looks forward to. Equally, he would love to design a church, or at least a chapel. “It should have a connection with the earthly, but also with the divine, the ethereal. It is a great exercise,” he ponders with hopeful eyes. I ask if now, as a seasoned architect, he still says yes to everything. “I have learned that even when I say no, it is a yes to something else, like my principles,” he reflects. “So, to answer your question … yes.” 

YUCATÁN AT HOME | ISSUE 4

Juan Carlos Alonso’s current project in Itzimná blends colonial and contemporary by preserving some original elements, like an ornate window, opposite page.

Tours

Tours led by Yucatán Magazine Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht

Discover with us the wildlife, archaeology, cuisine and culture of Yucatán and beyond. For upcoming itineraries contact us at: carlosrosado@roofcatmedia.com

HOMES LAND LUXURY LISTINGS

Artisanal sanctuary villa in Itzimná

PLUS: A modern masterpiece for foodies

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Yucatán Magazine: at Home / No. 4 / Cheers! Entertaining Guests

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Turnkey Santa Ana home fit for the modern foodie

David and Travis say “Hola Caffeiños!”

A photographer sees the light

Moveable Feast comes to the party

A chef brings Dubai at taste of Yucatán

Pair Mexican wines with seasonal food

A cook finds his sweet spot on YouTube

En las Calles: Cholul is perfectly positioned

Caring for your home

Recommended reading from your local independent bookstore owner

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