In front of an intimate audience, quietly overlooking the Coronado Bay, Lucila De Alejandro pours her heart out.
“For us to have a dream, a seed to plant, that can seem so insignificant. But if you plant it under its perfect circumstances, and give it everything it needs, it will transform into life.”
The audience, hanging on her every word, was a group of diners enjoying an exquisite meal at one of Coronado’s most tucked away hidden gems Mistral, located at Loews Coronado Bay Resort. Lucila is the co-owner of Suzie’s Farm, located on 140 acres just south of Coronado, which boasts fresh and high quality produce, grown by people who are passionate about organic, local farming. Each season, Suzie’s Farm and Mistral team up to host a series of farm-to-table prix fixe dinners, featuring farm fresh produce and seasonal ingredients artfully prepared to create a meal one is sure to never forget.
Mistral’s Chef de Cuisine Adam Cho, who is a five year veteran of the Loews Hotels culinary team, boast an extensive background in both Japanese-style seafood dishes as well as Mediterranean inspired recipes, that comes from his time spent with Todd English at Olives in New York City. Cho’s approach to cooking blends his myriad of cultural experiences in to a global-infusion menu that highlights seasonal, local ingredients and makes them shine. Robust, intense flavors appear on the menu, and are prepared with brilliant and innovative techniques.
The partnership between Mistral and Suzie’s Farm is a match made in culinary heaven. Suzie’s grows over 100 varieties of seasonal vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits year-round. The farm also provides fresh eggs from their fleet of 300 pastured hens. Suzie’s offers a CSA program as well as a farm stand that is open on Saturdays from 10 am 2 pm.
Mistral’s most recent farm-to-table event featured a plethora of fall flavors, succulent seafood and plenty of fresh produce. The meal began with a Rainbow SalaNova, prepared with spiced pumpkin seeds, shaved goat cheese and a chard citrus dressing. Diners could then choose from a second course of either spaghetti squash with vanilla poached lobster, ponzu and pickled easter egg radish or fresh day boat scallops with a caper confit and red kuri pumpkin. The main course offered a choice between Chilean sea bass with baby beet risotto and young fennel, or a hearty braised short rib with buttercup puree and Japanese turnip. The meal wrapped up with a sweet dessert, Mistral’s chocolate bombe with red kuri gelato.
Prior to creating his culinary masterpiece, Cho started his day at Suzie’s Farm, selecting the produce that would later appear that same evening on plates before very delighted diners.
“It doesn’t get much more farm-to-table than that,” explains Sarah Moran, Public Relations director for Loews Coronado Bay Resort.
The freshness of the ingredients and the passion with which the meal was created was easy to taste and definitely lends an appreciation for good food done right.
Loews Coronado Bay Marketing Director George Allen recalled his experience with growing up in a farming family, yet never having spent time on a farm until Suzie’s.
“Ever had snap peas right off the stalk? They’re unbelievable. Not like any other snap peas I’ve ever had.”
In addition to the farm-to-table events, Mistral offers additional opportunities for foodies to experience Chef Cho’s culinary expertise. Once a month, Cho offers cooking demonstrations and teaches classes, providing instruction on everything from shaking up the perfect salad dressing and selecting the right spices for everyday cooking to secret of grilling and preparing the perfect Thanksgiving turkey. Classes are held once a month on Saturdays.
Mistral and Suzie’s Farm will host a winter Farm-to-Table event on Thursday, December 18 at Mistral. The meal includes four courses and begins with a reception with passed hors d’oeuvres followed by the meal. Reservations are $49 per person and can be made at opentable.com.
As Lucila says, the “quality of the food you will consume and the experience under which you enjoy it will transform you and the people around you.”
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Mary Douglas
Staff Writer
eCoronado.com
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