Ahhhhh Baja! four words that evoke visions of long and empty stretches of beaches, deserts, cactus, sun, and yes, food. What is Baja cuisine? does such a concept truly exists? and if it exists, how do you define it? how can you tell it appart from regular Mexican food. Not an easy awnser for local chefs yet, so its definately not an easy task for someone who is not from Baja. Since theres a lot of things still evolving in the concept of Baja cuisine, i wont bother with those things that are still a work in progress, i will only work on those that more or less are universally accepted by those involved in this "birth of a cuisine".
To begin with, i should first tell you a little about baja. Baja is a long peninsula that is barely attached to the Mexican mainland. Because of its isolation, tt has the feeling of an island, and its people have a very distinct way of life and culture that separates it from anything you see in central Mexico. The southern half of the state of California and northern Baja California in Mexico are the only other areas of Mediterranean climate in the northern hemisphere. So Baja is often described as the mediterranean of Mexico. Betwen 1683 and 1834, the Jesuits, the Franciscans, and the Dominican missionaries, established a series of religious outposts in order to spread the Christian doctrine among the local natives. They introduced European livestock, fruits, vegetables, and industry to the region. Life in Baja is simple, laid back, and that reflects itself on the local cuisine. Unlike the more complex cuisine of central Mexico, the food in Baja is focused on fresh ingredients and seasonal herbs, vegetables, and an incredible assortment of seafood provided by the Sea of Cortez, and the Pacific ocean. Basic Baja ingredients are: Olive oil, basil, flour tortillas, tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, fish, scallops, clams, lamb, tuna, octopus, wine, cheese, dates, figs, lobster, shrimp, mantarray, and mediterranean herbs.
When did the concept of Baja cuisine start?
Nobody truly knows, but it most likely started decades ago in the food stands and carts all along the peninsula. This is where fish tacos where born, lobster burritos, stuffed clams, seafood tostadas, caguama stews, and many more vintage classics of Baja cuisine. Right from the start the difference betwen Baja cuisine and the cuisine of central Mexico was evident. Freshness and quality of the ingredients was a hallmark, i mean, why mess with a great piece of fish or a perfect lobster by adding a complex sauce? i can imagine the local fishermen grilling fresh fish on a grill, and then eating it with freshly made flour tortillas and a mexican salsa prepared on the spot.
Probably in the late 1980´s or early 1990´s, we started to see the firsts chefs that actually started to use the term "Baja food", the concept then was as thin as morning fog, but it basically introduced the idea to the people of Baja. At about the same time, there was a push from the vitners of the Guadalupe Valley in Ensenada to improve the quality of local wine, and it didn't take long for those two groups (the chefs and the vitners) to see the potential of a partnership that pushed for better wines, and the development of a formal Baja cuisine. The main thing here, is that people embraced the concept and ran with it. Soon young chefs started to depart abroad to study in europe and the united states, and came back with professional skills not to cook recipes from France or Italy, but to cook using locally available ingredients, using a mix of european and traditional mexican cooking methods. The results, expanded minds, and gave birth to a new cuisine. Names like Martin San Roman, Benito Molina, Javier Plasencia, Jair Tellez, and many others, became the first culinary celebrities of Baja. Their restaurants are now known all over Baja, and have inspired a new generation of young chefs that are ready to expand the cuisine even further.
For now, the cuisine is a baja version of mediterranean cuisine, that uses mexican and mediterranean ingredients, with a touch of asian influence. Why asian? just look at the Chinese colony in Mexicali and La Paz, and read a little about the influences left my Japanese fishermen who visited the ports of Baja.
This is a short story of the cuisine, and in the following months i will go into more details about the influences, the ingredients, the chefs, and yes, the great recipes.
© Jesus Chavez – 2011 all rights reserved
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