Gorging on Rambutan

Yay! It’s rambutan season (or ranbutan as they’re called here). These tropical delicacies burst in your mouth with a sweetness and texture similar to lychee.

We haven’t had any since living in Mexico City a few years back, when they would make an appearance at the markets each summer. Seeing them recently at Mérida’s central market looking so fresh and juicy was a treat. 

A crowd of bystanders looked on as we made a purchase. It was clear that quite a few had never seen rambutans before. One guy asked us what they were. With our broken Spanish failing, we handed out samples to him and his friends and instructed them on how to eat them (tear off the red skin and and devour the soft interior).

Who knows how long the season will last, but while i’ts here, we are considering a visit to the central market daily.

World Cup Fever (of Sorts)

We have finally found a reason to love the World Cup. Although it’s a few weeks gone, better late than never.

The other day, while at Superama, we spied bottles of Mrs. H.S. Balls Original Recipe Chutney sitting by the entrance, marked down and unloved. This chutney, a staple in South Africa, was presumably being sold as some sort of promotion for the great sporting event just gone. Thank god nobody bought it, as it’s all the more for us.

With four bottles now sitting in our cupboard, it’s time to make us some bobotie, a South African shepherd’s pie of curried beef topped with a savory egg custard. It’s the perfect foil for our Mrs. Balls and some yummy comfort food is just what we need after surviving our latest remixto brunch.

In Cafe Heaven

Finally, a decent coffee shop in Centro!

We can’t say enough about Boca de Nube, located on Calle 60 near the corner of 55. It’s locally owned and operated, which means by going there, we are not supporting that US corporate monstrosity with origins in Seattle. The interior is tastefully simple, the espresso is pulled to tremendous satisfaction and the chocolate croissants are packed with lots of good-quality chocolate.

Granted, it’s no Blue Bottle. The milk lacked in creaminess (we could tell it wasn’t going to be great when we heard the steamer screech as it began frothing) and the croissants were a bit flat as the pastry wasn’t quite as flaky as it could have been. All in all, however, it was the best cafe experience we’ve had in the city.

To top it all off, Brent, who is an avid black tea drinker (it’s the Kiwi in him) walked away satisfied with the pot of tea that was served. Good quality loose leaf English Breakfast tea, served in a real teapot with water hot enough to actually brew it properly. On the face of it, this doesn’t seem that hard, yet it’s a rare place that gets it right. Kudos to Boca de Nube.

Pop Tarts Anyone?

It’s that time of the month again when we lock ourselves in the kitchen to bring you another remixto brunch.

This month’s menu will feature a croque señora (our twist on the French classic), Brent’s special chipotle chilaquiles (we guarantee it ain’t anything like your local cocina economica’s sloppy version) and gooey piña pop tarts, baked in house. And by popular request, we are reprising our candied bacon, lechon benedict and slushy sorbet mimosas.

So what are you waiting for? Brunch will take place Sunday, July 25 from 10am - 2pm at Casa Mexilio. Reserve your table now!

Tired of Reno Talk? Eat Brunch!

Last month, we launched our underground restaurant, remixto with our first in a series of monthly Sunday brunches. It was a hit!

Now, we’re back and ready to tackle round two. This month’s menu will reprise the breakout hit, lechon benedict, mixed up with two new creations – green eggs & jamón and a toasted (hen)wich. To top it off, we’re serving up a candied piña colada parfait and a few other surprise treats. Bloody marys and mimosas will be flowing, and this time we promise not to run out.

Brunch will be served at hotel Casa Mexilio on calle 68, #495, x 57 y 59. Seating is limited, so reserve a table now by emailing reservations@remixto.com or calling (999) 9 01 54 30.

Oh, and as for reno talk, we can’t promise you the complete absence of “did you use pasta tile throughout your house?”, but maybe the food will prompt other thoughts.

So, What’s Next?

Whew! Throwing the remixto brunch event last Sunday wiped us out. With tables fully booked, we made it through the day having held the kitchen together. Lars and Claudette of MexicaChica Getaways did a smashing job handling front of house. They poured the Bloody Marys like pros and made sure everyone left completely satisfied and craving for the next event. Read what the Casual Restaurant Critic had to say.

Which leads us to the question of what’s next? Well, we’re now about two weeks behind on our other projects, so this week is catch up time. Stan is still frantically drawing plans, sections and elevations to submit for permitting. Once those are in the queue, it’s then on to fleshing out more architectural details and finishes (it’s a never-ending process).

On the remixto side of things, Brent is figuring out what to do for our June event and sending out occasional tweets. Stay tuned for details.

A Gourmet Brunch in Merida

As mentioned in our previous post, we have been thinking about our empire. What should it be? Secretly, we have always wanted to create a “culinary salon” focused on gourmet Mexican food. Well, after spending years thinking about it, we decided it was high time to get going.

We are pleased to launch a new underground restaurant called remixto, open only one day per month. Who knows how the concept will develop, but for now, we’re assuming there are plenty of people out there who love a great Sunday brunch.

For our first date, May 2, we are taking over a hotel in Santiago between 10am and 2pm and will feature lechon benedict with homemade english muffins, french toast soaked in rompope and more. Check it out at remixto.com or view a sample menu.  

We would love to have your support for our innaugaral event. Seating is very limited, so reserve a table by emailing remixtobrunch@gmail.com or call (999) 9 01 54 30.

God Bless the Mennonites

We have been thinking about Mennonites of late after we learned that a group of them live out near Campeche. Despite the commandment about coveting, we have been lusting after their cheese, specifically the queso Chihuahua they invented and make so well.

It turns out we were not alone. Our friends Lars and Claudette have also had these secret thoughts. Shared a few nights back over wine, we tasked Lars to find out more and get his hands on some cheese.  

This morning, just 48 hours later, Lars arrived at our door with the wonderful cheese pictured above. Apparently, he spotted a Mennonite man on the street, solicited him for cheese, and made the exchange in a hotel room where the man was staying.

Tasting it now, this cheese reminds us of a dryer Swiss cheese. If one were to age it, we could imagine it turning out not unlike a flavorful pecorino. Although it melts well and makes a great grilled cheese sandwich, we shall use it tonight thinly shaved over a cucumber and dill salad.

A Brief Sojourn

You may have noticed we’ve been rather quiet this last week. That’s because we are currently in Budapest celebrating Stan’s father’s birthday with dips in thermal baths, hunks of roasted pork knuckle, vistas of incredible architecture, and lots of yummy cakes from incredible coffee houses found throughout the city.

Add to that last week’s jaunt in Paris where we’re still high from the natural sweetness of locally-grown tomatoes and pastries from Patisserie Zadaharu AOKI. All we can say is we are so NOT ready to head home! That said, a few cochinita salbutes would not go astray.

See you next week!

A Star is Born

You know when a new movie comes to town and you are just dying to see it. Yet, for whatever reason, you don’t make it on opening night and it loses its sense of urgency. You may end up seeing it a few weeks later, but the odds are against it.

Well this is now us in Mérida. It’s no longer opening night and our pace of adventure slows. Some things, like the exotic seasonal fruits and vegetables at the central market, are passing us by. It’s now or never (or at least until next year), so time to get moving.

Enter the caimito (or star apple), “discovered” with renewed exploratory vigor. 

This sweet fruit has a wonderfully fleshy center and a creamy juice. It’s like a lychee crossed with a tropical milkshake. After learning to avoid the rind (bitter and pasty), we had teaspoons in hand and were digging out the fleshy centers like professionals.

At 10 pesos for a bag of adventure, it’s a better deal than simply watching it on the big screen.