Archive for September, 2009

In Praise of Sunday Champagne Brunch

What better way to start a wonderful Sunday in New Mexico than with a Champagne Brunch? Hit the early church service and then make reservations for what can only be called an EVENT.

Our Sunday Champagne Brunch never ceases to amaze! Yes, it’s $19.95 per person for adults (and that includes the Champagne!) and 10.95 for children 6 to 12, 5 and under are free but talk about getting your money’s worth. Zowie!

You must make a plan of action. So many people make the mistake of walking in, picking up a plate and start filling it with food. NO NO NO!!! The correct method is to stoll casually around the room, which is filled with plates and bowls and chafing dishes of aromatic foods. Display no interest in one item over another. Remain calm but make mental notes about where you saw the sausage, how many people lined up for an omelette, where are the steamed vegetables so you don’t waste time going there again. Lift a chafer lid if you’re curious or the name tag doesn’t make clear what’s inside. I really like the clear plexiglass toppers with access through holes cut in the side. Keeping the food warm and sanitary but with an easy reach for the goodies inside.

At the omelette station, you may have to stand in line for a couple of people but once you order, don’t wait there. Move to get some accompaniments – a strip of bacon and a piece of sauce, a couple of that imported Spanish Manchego cheese cubes, some cantaloupe and a Belgian Waffle with syrup and whipped cream – THEN go back to the omelette station and your special order creation should be ready to be topped with some shredded cheese and laid onto your plate. Make your time productive.

Once the first round is over, time to call up your mental notes about where the good stuff is. The food is generally on round tables to encourage browsing rather than standing in line. Dart in for a spoon of this and back off. Don’t stand in line. Move quickly and with purpose toward your objectives. Hit and move! Hit and move! My advice is to never go for the second spoonful. Take one – even a half spoon – and move on. Experience all these flavors rather than stuffing your self.

Find a special something? Yeah, baby! Hit that again! And a special note about the salads. Don’t ignore them! There are treasures over in the lettuce patch. Look for the Seafood Salad – same recipe for 38 years!! Hit the Jalapenos Escabeche – peppers, onions, carrots and spices – the stewing process mutes the hot, hot stuff in the peppers and shares it with the onions and carrots. Impress the family by popping one of these jalapenos in your mouth at the table with a “Ain’t no big thang” smile. Flavorful? Yes. Intense? No.

Now, a tough one – dessert. I vote for another glass of champagne with a little fresh fruit. Dip ‘em in the chocolate fountain? Your choice. But, try the crepes suzette if you’re looking for something lite. That fourth trip through the room hit the ‘full’ button? Try the crepes. A simple crepe shell floated in butter, orange juice and orange liqueur topped with a spoon of whipped cream.

What a way to start the afternoon nap!!! Oh, alright, let’s walk around the Plaza and check out the Mesilla Farmer’s Market – everything must be hand-made in New Mexico to be sold on the Plaza. You never know when you’ll need a new Santos of Saint Pasqual for the kitchen!! But, then the nap!!

Lunch Special: Trout or Red Snapper Vera Cruz Fantastico!

We only occasionally offer lunch specials. It’s just our philosophy that we have a varied and fun menu and that is what we concentrate on. But, every so often, we get a special price or some items ordered for a banquet meal are not used. So it was today!! Man, were we lucky!!

Yesterday, there were about 15 mountain trout and about 15 orders of Red Snapper not used for a banquet and Line Cook Fred Carrillo (we call him Skinny Fred. The other Fred, we just call Fred) came up with a beautiful Vera Cruz sauce to top the fish. Perfection. Just tangy enough with chile, a beautiful tomato base and tender strips of onion and bell pepper.

Yesterday, we sold all 13 orders for Lunch and the last 2 were gone by 6:00 PM!! Many compliments to Skinny Fred!! We are so proud of him and his abilities with food. He has the – not Midas Touch but, maybe the – Emeril Touch with seafood.

I just tasted the Red Snapper today and the sauce is even better today than it was yesterday!! Now, the Red Snapper – if anyone has been fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, you know there are like 6 kinds of fish called Red Snapper – is not the endangered species so overfished as to almost wipe them out. This is one of the fish the catchers used to just throw away!!! But, necessity is the mother of invention and when the standard Red Snapper fish started disappearing, this fish looked better and better!!

The standard Red Snapper is actually a pretty fish and this Red Snapper is not so pretty…alright, it’s a really ugly fish….but it does have that red sheen to it’s skin and scales and the white, tender flesh is wonderful for a spicy sauce.

Just had to tell you about Skinny Fred’s accomplishment with a great Vera Cruz sauce!!

Proclamation From the Town of Mesilla

Whereas, the Double Eagle Restaurant has been a community landmark since it was established in 1972, famous for its offering of aged steaks, fresh seafood, flavorful poultry and pork dishes all served in the oldest of nine buildings listed on the National Resgister of Historic Places within the Town of Mesilla and;

Whereas, Green Chile, raised in the Mesilla Valley, slow roasted and peeled, has always been a favored ingredient of may dishes produced by the chefs of the Double Eagle and is available to be add to any and all plates served by the Double Eagle, and;

Whereas, the Double Eagle Restaurant did establish, begin and develop Peppers Café as a separate menu within the Double Eagle National Historic Register building, with separate kitchen facilities, kitchen staff and servers, all dedicated to the proposition that the cooking techniques, ingredients and heritage of the cuisine of the Mesilla Valley should be preserved, protected and defended and not perish from this Earth, and;

Whereas, the Green Chile Cheeseburger is, in moderation, generally and widely acknowledged as an appropriate and important part of a healthy diet and healthful lifestyle for any and all New Mexicans, both young and old, and;

Whereas, Peppers Café does in fact offer a Green Chile Cheeseburger with a one and a quarter pound patty of aged and seasoned ground beef on a twelve inch locally baked yeast bun grilled golden brown, topped with a generous and liberal covering of New Mexican Queso Ranchero white farmers cheese, three grilled Mesilla Valley Big Jim green chilies and a seasoned dry salsa of chopped, locally raised tomatoes, onions and jalapenos known as Pico De Gallo, and

Now, therefore, we the Mayor and the Trustees of the Town of Mesilla do ordain and declare that Peppers Café may of right ought to, should and is hereby directed to claim the title of World’s Largest Green Chile Cheeseburger.

Done this 14th day of September in the year 2009

We do hereby attest and set our hands Michael Cadena
Mayor
Passed by unanimous consent

Juan A Fuentes
Town Clerk-Treasurer

Blackberry Mojito
Not familiar with a Mojito? {Moe-HE-toe} It’s a fabulous rum cocktail from the island of Puerto Rico made with mint leaves muddled with a bit of sugar, rum, squeeze of lime and soda water. Muddling is a technical bartender term meaning mashed with a wooden stick. Think summer sun, a big umbrella, lapping waves, white sandy beach and this tall, cool refreshing beverage:

For the Ladies-
Your eyelids ease open in the moist warmth and, hidden behind the dark sunglasses, you cut your eyes toward the cabana boy. Boy? No. He’s a man, alright. One of his long, muscular legs is tucked up with both hands resting on his knee topped by his chiseled chin sprinkled with a two day stubble of black beard and he’s staring back at you. With all your strength, you raise your right index finger and let it fall crashing to the arm of the chaise lounge. He reacts immediately, popping his head off his knee and quickly standing. His tanned, handsome face is split by his beautiful white teeth framing a crooked smile and he turns to the bar. His just tight-enough shorts catch your eye as he waits for the mojito to be made. He takes the drink from the bartender and, as he turns, his unbuttoned shirt wings open, revealing a distinct six pack and rounded pecs lightly painted with short black hair. He moves easily and quickly toward you, his shirt still breezing behind him, his bare feet stepping through the fine white sand. As he sets the drink next to you, his Puerto Rican accent tickles your ear with, ”I asked the bartender to add a few blackberries. I hope you don’t mind.” Your slight smile signals acceptance and he turns. You watch and wait till he has resumed his post before taking a sip of the blackberry mojito.

For the Gents-
Your eyelids ease open in the moist warmth and, hidden behind the dark sunglasses, you cut your eyes toward the cabana girl. Girl? No. She’s a woman, alright. One of her long, lean legs is tucked up with both hands resting on her knee topped by her dimpled chin and she’s staring back at you. With all your strength, you raise your right index finger and let it fall crashing to the arm of the chaise lounge. She reacts immediately, quickly standing. Her tanned, beautiful face is split by beautiful white teeth framing a knowing smile and she turns to the bar. Her just tight-enough shorts catch your eye as she shifts from one leg to the other waiting for the mojito to be made. She takes the drink from the bartender and, as she turns, her unbuttoned shirt wings open, revealing an amply filled bikini top gently swaying as she moves easily and quickly toward you. Her shirt still breezing behind her, her bare feet stepping through the fine white sand. As she sets the drink next to you, her Puerto Rican accent tickles your ear with, ”I asked the bartender to add a few blackberries. I hope you don’t mind.” Your slight smile signals acceptance and she turns. You watch and wait till she has resumed her post before taking a sip of the blackberry mojito.

For Ladies AND Gents-
Then you jump up and say, ”Wow! Now, that’s a good drink!”