2012-07 - CASA Ajijic

CULINARY ARTS SOCIETY OF AJIJIC
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Volume 26 Issue 7
July 2012
www.ajijiccasa.org
Monday, July 16th
CATEGORIES
Category One (A): Italian Main Dish
Category Two (B): Italian Dessert
Presenters should
arrive to be set up no later
than 3:45.
Meeting begins at 4pm
As President I have decided that it would be interesting to hear from one of
our board members each month. This month we are presenting
Blue, CASA’s Treasurer!
Thank you. Pat Carroll
Next CASA Meeting
at Min Wah
NEW MEMBERS FOR 2012!
CASA WELCOMES ALL OF
OUR NEW MEMBERS!
Evelyn Cronin
Lois Cugini
Audrey Doll
David Evans
Richard Nast
Daphne Peerless
Erik Phariss
Sacha Phariss
George Radford
Regina Szava
Rosanne Wilshire
Tony Wilshire
The CASA Membership
would like to thank
Beth Cathcart
for her beautiful decorations
each month.
Presidents Message
This is my second year in CASA and, although I’ve only garnered three
third-place wins, I keep trying! I grew up pretty much in a mashed potato,
vegetable and meatball Norwegian home. I think the only spices my mother
had were salt and pepper.
When I told my friends I was going to join CASA, they laughed—can you
believe that? I joined because it’s an area of my life that I had not challenged
before. My cooking was pretty much barbecue, stove top and crock pot
cooking. Now, I’ve made cheesecakes, Venezuelan dishes, New Zealand’s
Pavlova and Greek Moussaka. I spend hours on the Internet ferreting out new
and interesting recipes. My friends aren’t laughing anymore!
When Patrick sent an email asking who knew Quicken and might be interested
in taking on the Treasurer’s job, I said I would if he couldn’t find anyone else.
Already being on two other boards, I hesitated. In addition to my LCS and
Condo association board work, I keep myself busy with line dancing, scrabble,
bridge (okay, most any game) and continue writing articles. I’m working on
my third book after successfully publishing “Midlife Mavericks: Women
Reinventing Their Lives in Mexico” back in 2000.
I retired early at age 51 and escaped from Silicon Valley, 80-hour work weeks
and too many hours on an airplane to find some balance here in lovely Ajijic
and I’ve never looked back. I can count seven different careers in my life
ranging from systems design where I worked on a team
designing Hewlett-Packard’s cost accounting system, to
business-to-business direct marketing to worldwide
customer service for a Unix operating systems company.
In between the larger companies, my partners and I
created two successful consulting companies.
My two grown children live in California and
Washington and I have one delightful 10-year old
grandson. Participating in CASA during the past year
has been challenging and...just plain fun.
Karen Blue (known simply as “Blue”)!
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Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic
CASA UPDATES
2012 CASA BOARD
MEMBERS and
COMMITTEE VOLUNTEERS
President:
Pat Carroll
(766-3144)
Vice President
Annie Green
(766-5243)
Secretary:
Helena Feldstein
(766-2710)
Treasurer:
Blue
(766-3144)
Director at Large:
Linda Friedman
(766-5285)
Past President:
Mary Ann Waite
(766-1436)
Membership & Reservations:
Joyce Raburn
(106-0900)
Newsletter/Publicity:
Pam Ladd
(765-3683)
Judging Tabulator
Peter Luciano
(766-5336)
Programs & Decorations
Beth Cathcart
(765-5221)
Judge Coordinator & Special Events
Monica Molloy
(766-0699)
Web Master
Kenee Campo
(766-45510)
Historian
Tod Jonson
(766-1981)
SPECIAL NOTE
If you sign up to present and do not
show without notifying Joyce Raburn,
the Membership & Reservations
board member; the next time you wish
to present you will be put on a wait
list. If that category is not filled;
Joyce will notify you one week prior
to the meeting that you will be
allowed to present. Obviously,
extenuating circumstances will be
taken into consideration.
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HOUSEKEEPING NOTES & REQUESTS
1. Presenters need to make enough food for 5060 tasting size servings. This equates to 12
full size servings. If presenters don’t make
enough food, people at the end of the line
can’t sample the food and your chances lesson
for getting a People’s Choice Award.
2. Please also remember this is a Tasting Only of
each presentation! Please notify your guests.
3. NEW! There will be no separate, small presentation plates for Category A as most of those
dishes are served hot. If the judges are tasting
from a separate dish, they may not get a warm
serving. If the presenter in Category B deems
it is necessary to offer a presentation plate, that
is acceptable, however, realize that when a
dessert or side dish is cut into, the total
presentation usually is not as attractive.
3. Reservations for presenters need to be in by
the Friday at noon prior to the Monday
monthly meeting.
4. Please remember to make reservations for
yourself & your guest(s) with Joyce Raburn
each month. raburn1000@yahoo.com.
NOTE: We have had no response for help on the
Website. Since Kenee is traveling out
of the country until July, the website
will not be updated until she returns.
Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic
CASA’S 5th ANNUAL PICNIC WILL BE A
LABOR/LABOUR DAY PARTY
MONDAY, SEPT. 3rd AT 4:00pm at the
IGUANA de PIEDRA
(The last restaurant just before San Juan Cosala)
Tickets are $150 Pesos per person and includes:
Your choice of
Arrechera, Coconut Shrimp,
Chicken Rellano or Grilled Sea Bass.
Flan for Dessert, 2 for 1 Drinks & the Tip!!
Guests are Welcome (same price)
Please see Mary Ann Waite to purchase tickets at the
CASA July & August meetings or e-mail
to reserve if you will out of town.
mawaite7815@yahoo.com
JUNE 2012
Judges
*********************************************************************
PETER BARKER
At an early age, Peter was inspired to enter the kitchen as his father and paternal grandmother were great cooks. At the age of 14,
Peter cooked his first Thanksgiving dinner. And he often cooked the family meals. Peter’s first job, at the age of 13, was a pot
washer at a steak house. Eventually he was promoted to plates and silverware! At 16, Peter was promoted to prep cook and no
longer had to clean up messes! Soon thereafter he was promoted to broiler man.
Peter was captivated by eastern Indian thought, meditation, and culture. This eventually led him to visit several ashrams in the U.S.,
Europe, and India where he immersed in vegetarian and Indian food and cooking. He started in the pot room and eventually helped
open and manage several vegetarian eateries in San Diego, Detroit and West Virginia.
Since moving to Lakeside in 2000, Peter had been out of the restaurant biz, but in 2004 he and his wife opened The Secret Garden
in Ajijic. Peter now has a weekly Saturday night Indian Dinner Special at the Secret Garden. This is not just Indian food but food
cooked by Medic Brahman principals of cleanliness and food steeped in tradition. As a boy Peter noticed how one can bring such
pleasure to others with food.
Peter states “there is no better or easier way to please either man or God than a good meal. A hot bowl of soup on a cold day,
Mom’s fried chicken, or a 108-course offering in a thousand year old temple, food is a unique offering of love from
one soul to another”.
*********************************************************************
LESLIE MARTIN
Leslie was born and raised in New York City. She married a Canadian and moved to London where she was lucky enough to be
“gifted” classes at The Cordon Blue Cooking School. She has always been interested in food and having traveled around Europe,
the Middle East and Asia, gave her an ample taste of worldwide cuisine.
Two of the most useful things she learned at the cooking school was how to organize the time needed to prepare any kind of menu,
as well as how to do all sorts of prep work - fish, meat etc - for all types of menus.
After she moved to Ajijic in 2000 she was fortunate to have Sharon & Duff King ask her to cater for them. This gave her
the confidence to share her knowledge and experience with the community and from there on she has never looked back.
Leslie has had her own catering company for the past 4 years called Leslie's Express Gourmet. She also owns Hacienda on the
Hill, a B&B. Leslie also supports all the major local charities; provided all the desserts for Chefs Under the Stars and her ten course
dinner for the Spring Ninos Ball went for 16,500 Pesos! She presently also makes one of the desserts for No. 4 Restaurant.
*********************************************************************
JOHN PRICHARD
John was born in the small town of Stockton-on-Tees, England. His father was in the Navy, so the first ten years of his life were
spent on different bases around the world. It was at these differing locations that he was introduced to many different and interesting foods; so different from what was traditionally served in the U.K. His mother was a good basic cook, but it was his father who
was the creative cook and it was from him that he learned to love cooking.
He arrived in Canada at the age of 21 just when the full range of ethnic markets was becoming established. Food and cooking became an important part of his life. He married, raised a family and enjoyed the good life. While living in Germany with his wife,
Lynn and family, he taught night classes in simple gourmet cooking. Returning home to Canada in 1984, he needed to lose weight,
so became a vegetarian. Originally, he never intended to remain vegetarian, but found that he felt so much better that he remains
one today. Vegetarian cooking does not mean a loss of flavors, just different ones. He, of course, still loves to cook and since
arriving here in Mexico in 1999, have discovered even more, new and exciting dishes.
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Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic
June Speaker
Joe DeLeon
Joe DeLeon, a CASA member for many years, was born and raised in Port Arthur, Texas. After
graduating from the University of Texas Medical School Joe did his medical residency in
Cardiology followed by a fellowship at the National Institute of Medicine. Joe continued his
medical training throughout his career in Occupational Health, Public Health and Hyperbaric
and Diving Medicine.
Joe believes that eating a vegetarian or vegan diet is the only healthy way to eat. He strongly
feels that by eating in this healthy manner is a way to prevent and reverse most diseases. He
offered this program to all of his patients and saw significant coronary artery disease reverse
without the need for further medical procedures. He believes that surgery and medicines cure
very little but that eating a vegetarian or vegan diet provides for healthier and longer lives by
helping to prevent diseases.
Joe and his wife June moved to Ajijic in 1998. Joe started cooking at duck and deer camps
while in Texas for large crowds. He then took cooking courses in Chinese and Japanese cuisine
and finally a course in International cuisine. His favorite cuisine to cook is Chinese basically
because it is so healthy.
“Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get. Choose well
and live long; choose poorly and live miserably.”
PEEK PREVIEW OF OUR JULY SPEAKER!!
Hugo Coude du Foresto
Will present a short history of food & gastronomy in the Mediterranean basin.
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Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic
WINNER’S PHOTO GALLERY
JUDGES—CATEGORY A– MAIN DISH VEGETARIAN
FIRST PLACE—MONICA MOLLOY
Eggplant Rellenos & Tomato Pepper & Smoked Red Pepper Sauces
SECOND PLACE SALLY MYERS
Holiday Celebration Dinner
THIRD PLACE—WAYNE PALFREY
Canelloni a la Mexico
Judy
FIRST PLACE
Monica Molloy
Eggplant Rellenos & Tomato
Pepper & Smoked Red
Pepper Sauces
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SECOND PLACE
Sally Myers
THIRD PLACE
Wayne Palfrey
Holiday Celebration Dinner
Cannelloni a la Mexico
Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic
WINNER’S PHOTO GALLERY
JUDGES CATEGORY —B—COOKIES, BARS & BROWNIES
FIRST PLACE—MARY ANN WAITE
Salty Caramel Crunch Bars
SECOND PLACE—ALEXANDRA GORDON
Jackson Pollock Brownies
THIRD PLACE—BLUE
FIRST PLACE
Mary Ann Waite
SECOND PLACE
Alexandra Gordon
THIRD PLACE
BLUE
Salty Caramel Crunch
Bars
Jackson Pollock Brownies
Lemon Blueberry
Cheesecake Bars
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Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic
WINNER’S PHOTO GALLERY
PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNERS
CATEGORY A —NANCY TRAILL
Channa Bhatura
CATEGORY B —MAUREEN RENZ
Berry Nice Bars
NANCY TRAILL
Channa Bhatura
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MAUREEN RENZ
Berry Nice Bars
Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic
Eggplant Rellenos & Tomato Pepper Sauce & Smoked Red Pepper Sauce (Serves 4)
Monica Molloy
1 small eggplant cut into ½ inch dice, tossed with 3 tbsp. olive oil and salt & pepper and roasted in a 425 degree oven until golden
and cooked through 20 – 25 minutes
¾ cup crumbled fresh goat cheese
1 ¼ cups grated Monterey jack cheese ( 5 ounces)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
4 Poblano chilies, roasted on top of a gas stove just until charred and put in plastic zip lock bag, after 15 minutes peel skin off and
cut down 1 side and clean out all seeds
12 ounces dark beer 1 ½ cups
3 large eggs
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 ½ cups white or yellow cornmeal
4 cups vegetable oil
Put the roasted eggplant, Monterey jack and goat cheese and cilantro in a bowl and mix, season with salt and pepper
Divide filling among the chilies, compressing it into shape of each chile. The roasted chilies are very delicate and can tear
Whisk together the beer, eggs and 2 tbsp. flour in a medium bowl.
Spread ½ cup flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper
Spread out the cornmeal on a second plate and season with salt and pepper
In a large frying pan heat oil to 370 degrees. Fry the chilies one or 2 at a time continually turning in the oil until light brown. Drain
on paper towel.
Dredge the chilies completely in the flour, tap off excess. Dip chilies into the beer batter and allow excess to drain off before
dredging the chilies in the cornmeal and fry in hot oil
Spread the tomato-roasted red pepper sauce on the bottom of a plate and place a chile rellenos on top of the sauce and then spoon
the smoked red pepper sauce on top and serve.
Tomato- Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (makes about 2 cups)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small Spanish onion, finely chopped
2 cloves roasted garlic, finely chopped
1 can fire-roasted Muir Glen Organic tomatoes ( this can be purchased from Super Lake) and juice and puree plus 2 roasted Roma
tomatoes, pureed
2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded and chopped
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp honey
Kosher salt and ground pepper
Heat oil in medium saucepan over med. Heat. Add onion and roasted garlic and cook until soft.
Add both pureed tomatoes and cook over high heat until sauce is thickened and reduced 20 minutes. Place red peppers and tomatoes in blender and blend until smooth. Add cilantro and honey and season with salt and pepper. This can be prepared 1 day in advance and refrigerated . Reheat before serving.
Smoked Red Pepper Sauce (makes about 2 ½ cups)
4 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
½ small red onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves roasted garlic, peeled
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. chilies in chipotle sauce, pureed
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
½ cup canola oil
Combine red peppers, onion, garlic, vinegar, honey, mustard and chipotle puree in a blender, season with salt and pepper and blend
until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified. Strain the sauce into a bowl. This sauce can
be prepared 1 day in advance and refrigerated.
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Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic
Salty Carmel Crunch Bars
Mary Ann Waite
Ingredients
45 club crackers, such as Keebler brand
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups graham-cracker crumbs
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch baking chips
1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
Directions
Line a 9x13-inch pan with 1 layer of crackers, cutting as needed to fit.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the graham-cracker crumbs, both sugars, milk and vanilla.
Bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and spread half of the cooked mixture over the prepared crackers.
Place another layer of crackers on top. Spread the remainder of the cooked mixture over the crackers.
Place a last layer of crackers on top. In a small microwave-safe bowl, carefully melt the butterscotch chips,
using short bursts of power, stirring in between. Stir in the
chocolate-hazelnut spread until smooth, heating slightly if needed to make mixture spreadable.
Evenly spread the chocolate mixture on top of the last layer of crackers and refrigerate for about an hour to
set. Cut into bars.
Makes approximately 54 bars.
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Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic
CASA Categories for 2012
Month
Category A
Category B
Jan. 16th
Chili/Stews
Savory Breads, Muffins, Biscuits
Feb.20th
March 12th **
Cajun/Creole MD
Valentine Dessert
Fish & Seafood MD Complimentary Side Dish
April 16th
May 21st
June 18th
July 16th
Aug. 20th
Sept. 17th
Oct. 15th
Asian/ Oriental MD
Main Dish Salad
Vegetarian MD
Italian MD
Hot/Cold Soups
Mexican MD
Middle East/ North
African MD
Poultry MD
Botanas/Appetizers
Nov. 12th **
Dec. 17th
Fruit Dessert
Cheesecake
Cookies, Bars, & Brownies
Italian Dessert
Pies & Cakes
Mexican Dessert
3 Ingredient Dessert Challenge*
Complimentary Side Dish
Holiday Desserts
MD= Main Dish
* Dessert can have many ingredients but must include a fruit, nuts and a liqueur (not liquor).
** All meeting dates are the 3rd. Monday of each month except for March
and November which are held on the 2nd Monday because of Mexican Holidays
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Culinary Arts Society of Ajijic