The Spanish Table s MEXICO VIEJO s www.spanishtable.com Products subject to availability & price changes s s SPRING 2003 s s 1427 Western Ave 1814 San Pablo Avenue 109 North Guadalupe Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101 Berkeley, California 94702 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 (206) 682-2827 • FAX (206) 682-2814 (510) 548-1383 • FAX (510) 548 1370 (505) 986-0243 • FAX (505) 986-0244 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 9:30-6:00, Mon-Sat; 11:00-6:00 Sunday 10:00-6:00, Mon-Sat; 11:00-5:00 Sunday 10:00-6:00, Mon-Sat; 11:00-5:00 Sunday Nikki Crevey, Manager Founded 1995 Libby Connolly, Manager Opened 2001 Karen Fiechter, Manager Opened 2002 The Spanish Table stores will be closed Sunday, April 20th so our employees can spend Easter with their families SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE: While Berkeley architect Michael Raven has been puttering around our wall-of- wine room, sooner or later he has tended to bring up his own work-in-progress on a piece of property he owns in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. And since sometimes Spain seems just too many time zones & air miles away, once Michael had piqued our interest enough, my wife & I cashed in our accumulated American Airlines miles so we could fly down to see what he had been raving about. Situated at the geographic center of Mexico at 6,400 feet elevation, San Miguel has been the object of affection for at least two generations of American expatriates. Now 460 years old, it is a town of extraordinary patrimony, a trove of architectural treasures that have been blessed by being treasured & preserved by a succession of owners with either the time or the money to lovingly restore its 17th century colonial mansions. It is an old enough town to once have housed a member of the Mexican branch of the Catholic Inquisition which is even more interesting when, after a stroll around town, you realize that the people responsible for the design of Spanish colonial buildings had a distinct taste for Moorish architectural elements, religion aside. You might be in a Spanish village, but for the exuberant colors with which the Mexicans have graced their adobe & stuccoed buildings: hues of wild rose blossoms & of dense meadows of mustard flowers. The floral tones of walls makes every narrow street a dance of color. San Miguel de Allende is an incredibly sensual town, a treat for those of us who like to wake up in the morning & be instantly in love with where we are. When night falls, groups of big Mariachi bands gather under the arches along the west side of the plaza. When they pick up their instruments, play a few bars & burst into song, the branches of the trees filling the old plaza, El San Miguel de Allende, Mexico Jardin, are filled with alegría, the night air with joy. - Steve Winston, Owner s s AN INTRODUCTION TO OLD MEXICO s s ON MEXICAN TIME, A NEW LIFE IN SAN MIGUEL, Tony Cohan: Here is an introduction to San Miguel from the perspective of a couple who traded their life in Los Angeles in on a quieter life living “on Mexican time.” They blithely took on a historic property in the heart of San Miguel sharing it initially with rodents, scorpions, insects, feral cats & locals who found their cama de matrimonial a perfect spot for an extramarital tryst. Determindely romantic, they repaired the 17th century hacienda, with all the travails of living amidst a remodeling project that seems to stretch indeterminately into the future & then, at last, sitting down to a candlelit meal of squash blossom soup, Mole del Pueblo & fresh mango mousse, all prepared in their own home in Mexico Viejo... $!4.95 POEMS, PROTEST, AND A DREAM: SELECTED WRITINGS , Sor Juana Inés: Intellectual writing was not a proper pursuit for a woman, in 17th century New Spain, but this nun through shear determination became one of Mexico’s most brilliant writers & poets before women were allowed to learn, let alone to write... $14.00 A LIBRARY FOR JUANA, THE WORLD OF SOR JUANA INÉS, Beatriz Vidal: For young readers, who will also enjoy, and hopefully be inspired by the true story of the 17th Century nun, whose poetry is still recited by Mexican school children...$15.95 LITTLE MEXICAN GIRL PAPER DOLL BOOK: Mini book of regional costumes from Tehuantepec to Oaxaca to Chiapas...$1.50 MEXICASA: THE ENCHANTING INNS AND HACIENDAS OF MEXICO & MEXICOLOR, THE SPIRIT OF MEXICAN DESIGN, Melba Levick ,Tony Cohan & Wife, Masako Takahashi: By sheer coincidence, we happened to stay in two of the Bed & Breakfast inns featured in these two beautifully photographed books: Casa Luna & Casa Liza... $24.95 COLONIAL MEXICO: A GUIDE TO HISTORIC DISTRICTS & TOWNS: If your interest in Mexico Viejo has been piqued, here is the essential travel guide to the key cities, towns & sites with just enough logistical advice on hotels, etc... $21.95 ESCAPE TO MEXICO, Sara Nichols: An anthology of selected pieces from twenty great fiction writers... $14.95 SAVORING MEXICO: RECIPES AND REFLECTIONS ON MEXICAN COOKING, Marilyn Tausend: Gorgeous, large format book loaded with mouth watering photos, illustrative drawings, sidebars, maps & oodles of authentic, tempting recipes...$39.99 MEXICO, ONE PLATE AT A TIME, Rick Bayless: Some of the best Mexican food in the world is prepared & served at Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill in Chicago. In this cookbook, he shares his recipes & his life-long delight in the cuisine of Mexico ... $35.00 FRIDA’S FIESTAS, RECIPES & REMINISCENCES OF LIFE WITH FRIDA KAHLO, Guadalupe Rivera: The author was Diego Rivera’s daughter by his wife just prior to his marriage with Frida. We hope that if you saw the movie, Frida, that you took note of the food. It was weeks after seeing the movie before I could quench my cravings for authentic Mexican food. Here Guadalupe presents twelve anecdotal feasts she participated in while living with Frida, including Christmas Posadas, 3 Kings Day & Day of the Dead. Each authentic meal is beautifully recreated recipe by recipe & stunningly photographed in their historic settings...$35.00 The Spanish Table YBARRA s MEXICO VIEJO s Page 2 s GUANAJUATO: In this silver mining capital, on the way from San Miguel de Allende to the airport at Leon, we tell our driver-guide to stop so we can visit the Diego Rivera Museum & the Mercado Hidalgo , a huge building designed by the architect Gustav Eiffel, better known for his Parisian tower. The Guanajuato mercado has a great domed roof that arches over a multi-floored hall teaming with vendors. We descend a long stairway and enter into the hall of butchers. Here, whole pigs lie draped over the cutting tables awaiting the cleaver. Next to them are monumental stacks of slabs of puffy chicharrones fried to a rich, golden color. As we pass one stall, the vendor leans over a galvanized laundry tub filled with stiff, white lard, using a wooden paddle to scoop out a customer’s order. Behind him, ropes of plump, red, hand-tied chorizo sausages hang in thick rows, exuding the aroma of curing pork fat, dried chilies, garlic & Mexican oregano. A Mexican feast. s PRODUCTOS YBARRA s Our first container of 2003 has arrived from Sevilla, Spain with fresh inventory of Ybarra brand products. So it’s time to restock your pantry! s YBARRA ACEITUNASs YBARRA ANCHOVY OLIVES: Warning: these anchoa stuffed olives are addictive! 3 tins, 40g... $2.99 YBARRA ANCHOVY STUFFED OLIVES: (Get a 10% discount on a case of 12 tins) 130g... $2.99 YBARRA ANCHOVY STUFFED OLIVES: This huge tin is not intended as a single serving, 500g...$9.99 s YBARRA GORDAL (QUEEN) OLIVES WITH PITS: Big, briny, green olives in glass jar, 500g...$6.99 YBARRA MANZANILLA OLIVES WITH PITS: A large jar of smaller whole green olives, 500g...$2.99 YBARRA MANZANILLA OLIVES WITH PITS: Lunch-box or picnic basket sized plastic bag, 100g...79¢ YBARRA “ALTA SELECCIÓN OLIVES WITH PITS: Specially cured for incredible flavor, 120g...$2.99 YBARRA PITTED MANZANILLA OLIVES: No pits, big, barrel shaped jar of classic olives, 400g...$3.49 YBARRA PITTED MANZANILLA OLIVES: Green olives with no pits in a plastic bag, 75g... 79¢ YBARRA MANZANILLA OLIVES STUFFED WITH RED PEPPER: Big jar, 500g... $3.99 YBARRA MANZANILLA OLIVES STUFFED WITH RED PEPPER: Cute plastic bags, 75g... 79¢ YBARRA “ALTA SELECCIÓN OLIVES STUFFED WITH PIQUILLO PEPPERS: Specially cured for incredible flavor, then filled with whole strips of tangy pimento de Piquillo, awesome olives, 120g... $3.99 s YBARRA VEGETABLES s YBARRA TOMATE FRITO IN OLIVE OIL: Tomate Frito is not just another tomato sauce. Its definitely Spanish in both its flavor & texture. This is our favorite version as it is made using Ybarra’s own olive oil, tin, 410g... $2.49 YBARRA TOMATE FRITO WITH ONIONS: Variation on the theme with onions added, tin, 410g... $2.49 YBARRA TOMATE FRITO IN OLIVE OIL: OK, we actually imported these for Josep at Seattle’s Basque tapa restaurant, The Harvest Vine, but maybe he will share a few cans if you are having a really big party. Food service pack, 2.6 kilo tins...$10.99 YBARRA PISTO SAUCE IN OLIVE OIL: A rich sauce of eggplant, ripe red peppers & onion all cooked in olive oil, 410g...$2.49 YBARRA ALI OLI: This garlic mayonnaise has a cool new label, same intense flavor, jar, 225ml... $1.99 HABITAS (BABY FAVAS BEANS) IN OLIVE OIL: These are used to make gourmet salads in some of Spain’s finest restaurants.