International Gourmet Festival Comes to Secrets Vallarta Bay!

Beach-loving foodies unite! The Puerto Vallarta International Gourmet Festival is almost here. Every year, professional chefs from around the world gather in Puerto Vallarta to promote the exchange of culinary experiences and enhance the epicurean reputation of Mexico. This grand event takes place this year from November 13 through November 23, 2014 and will provide mentoring opportunities for local chefs, celebrate the impeccable credentials of Puerto Vallarta’s restaurants and honor guests with unparalleled gourmet experiences.

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Delicious food, beautiful beaches and vibrant Mexican culture? It doesn’t get any better than this! Come experience the Puerto Vallarta International Gourmet Festival when you stay at Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta!

Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta is proud to host the festival’s Progressive Avant-Garde Dinner which will provide a gastronomic tour of four Puerto Vallarta restaurants in a luxurious beach resort setting complete with fine champagne, wine and spirits. The dinner will feature chefs Mario Blanco and Rosendo Corona, both known for creating unforgettable and unique dishes to delight guests.

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The Puerto Vallarta International Gourmet Festival’s Progressive Avant-Garde Dinner at Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta is not one to be missed!

We can’t wait to show off our beautiful resort and hope to see you soon at Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta for Puerto Vallarta’s biggest culinary celebration of the year!

The Great British Bake Off Winner Visits Secrets The Vine

Secrets The Vine Cancun recently had the honor of welcoming John Whaite, winner of The Great British Bake Off! John has a diploma in patisserie from the revered Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts and has published two cookbooks: John Whaite Bakes and John Whaite Bakes At Home. He will be opening up his very own cooking school later this year.

Secrets The Vine Cancun

John learns the art of pairing authentic Mexican food and wine at Secrets The Vine Cancun

We at Secrets The Vine thought it would be a great opportunity to introduce him to the exciting world of authentic Mexican food and wine, so we decided to show him some recipes!

Secrets The Vine Cancun

Beginning the sopes at Secrets The Vine Cancun

We worked with John to create some traditional Mexican sopes and mole. John even tried making his own sope. The food was paired with Espacio en Blanco, a fine Chardonnary from Hacienda La Lomita.

Secrets The Vine Cancun

The secret to great traditional Mexican cooking is always starting with fresh ingredients at Secrets The Vine Cancun!

As the delicious  scent of fresh prepared mole filled the kitchen, Secrets The Vine chefs completed the final steps and it was ready for enchiladas, which were paired with Mogor Badan, a great Cabernet–Merlot wine from Valle de Guadalupe.

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The delicious finished mole enchiladas at Secrets The Vine Cancun

We had a great time with John in the kitchen and wish him the best of luck with all his future ventures!

Make it at Home: Molletes (Mexican Bean and Cheese Sandwich)

Here at Secrets Resorts & Spas, we are dedicated to providing our guests with the very best in world-class amenities including gourmet dining.  Just because you are at home and dreaming about your next visit to one of our resorts, it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the great Mexican fare offered at our resorts!

Today, we are featuring Mollete, a Mexican Bean and Cheese Sandwich. It’s perfect for lunch or a late Saturday afternoon snack!

Mollete
From Saveur Magazine

Credit: Todd Coleman

Credit: Todd Coleman

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SALSA:
2 lbs. plum tomatoes, cored, and cut into ½” cubes
⅔ cup roughly chopped cilantro
6 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
1 large white onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt, to taste

FOR THE BEANS AND ROLLS:
½ cup lard or canola oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small white onion, finely chopped
2 cups chicken stock
3 (15-oz.) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 bolillos or kaiser rolls, split
12 oz. queso Oaxaca, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the salsa, combine tomatoes, cilantro, chiles, and onion in a bowl, and season liberally with salt; fold gently to combine. Cover, and refrigerate, for about 1 hour.

2. To make the refried beans, heat lard in a 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add stock and beans, and cook, stirring and mashing, until almost all beans are smooth and mixture is slightly soupy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.

3. Heat broiler to high. Using your fingers, scoop out and discard the insides of rolls, leaving a ½”-thick shell. Place roll halves on a foil-lined baking sheet with their cut sides up, and broil until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Pour about ½ cup refried beans over each roll half so that the beans are spilling over the edges, and then sprinkle with cheese. Return to broiler, and heat until beans are heated through and cheese is just melted, but not browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer one roll half to each serving plate, and top each with a couple large spoonfuls of salsa. Serve immediately.

Must-Have Mexican Foods

It’s no surprise that we love Mexican food at Secrets Resorts & Spas and guess what? Our guests love it too! When they come to our resorts, they find themselves craving Mexican fare and chowing down on it throughout their stay.

If you’re visiting one of our properties soon, you’ll want to be sure to try the below must-have Mexican foods. If you don’t have a trip planned, no need to worry. It’s likely that a local Mexican restaurant in your town will serving similar foods so head there and enjoy!

Must-Have Mexican Foods

1. Fish Tacos: These are a guest favorite at Secrets Resorts & Spas and can be enjoyed at either lunch or dinner.

2. Guacamole & Tortilla Chips: Chips and “guac” make an excellent afternoon snack or dinner appetizer.

3. Fajitas: This signature dish makes a fabulous dinner and will leave you perfectly full.

4. Enchiladas: Let’s face it…you can never go wrong with enchiladas!

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