0:00:04 > 0:00:09It was 1968 when I first came here to San Francisco.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13I wanted to do my own road trip from the United States
0:00:13 > 0:00:16to the Mexican border and beyond.
0:00:16 > 0:00:17My dad had just died,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20I'd finished school and I had no idea
0:00:20 > 0:00:22what I wanted to do with my life.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27It was the year after the Summer of Love and things like enchiladas,
0:00:27 > 0:00:29burritos, guacamole -
0:00:29 > 0:00:34I'd only heard of from the radio but they sounded wonderful.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35But it wasn't just the food -
0:00:35 > 0:00:39I wanted to live a little bit dangerously...
0:00:39 > 0:00:40And I did.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Mwah!
0:00:55 > 0:00:56Oh.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09SAT-NAV GIVES DIRECTIONS
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Ever since I arrived in California,
0:01:15 > 0:01:20I've been promising myself a full-on American breakfast and today's my
0:01:20 > 0:01:22last chance before we cross the Mexican border.
0:01:24 > 0:01:30Rudford's is a family run diner that's been here in San Diego since 1949
0:01:30 > 0:01:33and it's still got a real look and feel of the '50s.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35I love it.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39It's a classic airstream aesthetic.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44You have to brace yourself in a diner and be ready for the huge number of
0:01:44 > 0:01:48choices you just know you're going to be offered.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50- How are you today?- Good morning.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53- All right, what can I get for you? - Well, I'd like steak and eggs.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55All right. How would you like that cooked?
0:01:55 > 0:01:57I'd like it medium rare, please.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Medium rare. How would you like your eggs prepared?
0:01:59 > 0:02:01How can I have them prepared, sorry?
0:02:01 > 0:02:05Over medium, over easy, over hard, scrambled.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08I'll have...
0:02:08 > 0:02:11- Do you do sunny side up as well? - Sunny side up, of course.- I knew about that.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13Can I have sunny side up, please? Thanks.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Did you want hash browns, home potatoes or O'Briens?
0:02:17 > 0:02:18I like the sound of O'Briens.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21O'Briens. OK, those are with onions and bell peppers, is that OK?
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Yeah, that sounds really good.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26And do you want sourdough, wheat, white or rye toast?
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Rye toast would be nice.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29OK. Anything else for you?
0:02:29 > 0:02:31- No, that's fine.- Sounds good.
0:02:31 > 0:02:32Thank you.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41Rudford's was on JFK's route through San Diego in June of 1963,
0:02:41 > 0:02:46and his motorcade passed these very doors before the unthinkable happened
0:02:46 > 0:02:49in Dallas only five months later.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52All of us of a certain age remember where we were when it happened
0:02:52 > 0:02:54and the world became a darker place.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01JFK didn't stop for breakfast, but if he had,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05I bet it would have been pretty much the same as mine today.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11That's really good steak.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Now, I've got to try O'Brien potatoes with the...
0:03:16 > 0:03:18..bell peppers. Excuse me.
0:03:18 > 0:03:19Clumsy as ever.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22They're nice. I mean,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25I think something like this is so much American cuisine, you know?
0:03:25 > 0:03:29And to have this for breakfast back home in the UK might be a bit much,
0:03:29 > 0:03:34but honestly, sitting in this diner, it's just a total pleasure.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39I was just thinking about the sort of things I really like in America.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42This is the first reason I like to be in America is the diner.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46It's not only because the food is really real,
0:03:46 > 0:03:48the conversations are fabulous.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50You just sit here and pick stuff up.
0:03:50 > 0:03:51It's great.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Number two, baseball in bars.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I don't really understand the rules.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58I don't really want to understand the rules.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Seriously, they're as complicated as cricket.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06And finally, and wistfully, the wail of trains in the distance.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16I'm coming to the end of the first part of my road trip,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19which I'm thoroughly enjoying.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21It's been lots of fun doing things
0:04:21 > 0:04:23like playing Bullitt in San Francisco
0:04:23 > 0:04:25and driving the coast of California.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29From San Francisco,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33I drove through Steinbeck country down to Monterey and tasted sand dabs
0:04:33 > 0:04:35for the very first time.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39What have I been missing all my life?
0:04:39 > 0:04:43And in Hollywood, I loved Nancy Silverton's mozzarella bar.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45So simple. What a good idea.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47And delicious, too.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53And at the Hotel del Coranado in San Diego,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56I even strolled on the beach where one of my favourite films,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Some Like It Hot, was shot.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03You can still feel Marilyn's rays.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06And in between, lots and lots of driving.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11There's something about bowling along the coast and smelling the sea that
0:05:11 > 0:05:13lifts the spirit.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16But this car lives in LA and it's got to go home.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Well, it's time to hand over the keys to the Mustang.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24I know it's a bit of a tourist thing, but it's sort of wish fulfilment for me, really.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29So, with great sadness, there you are, Lex.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34I'm tempted to ask him to look after it but, hey, it's only a hire car.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Goodbye, California.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48From now on I'll be travelling in the crew bus.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50It's far more sociable.
0:05:50 > 0:05:56I've missed the rows about what music to play and where we're stopping for lunch
0:05:56 > 0:05:58and stuff like that.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Crossing the border, I mean, going into Mexico,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06it means a lot for me even, you know,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09right back to 1968 when I first did it.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13It's sort of more than just a physical crossing because it's almost like a
0:06:13 > 0:06:17rite of passage into another world where everything is different.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19But apart from that, I mean,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22I just can't wait to get some real Mexican food.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28On the US side, this is a very sensitive border, as everybody knows.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31And there's no filming allowed.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33So it's time to put the camera away.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41But as soon as we are in Mexico - filming, no problemo.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45And the first thing that strikes me is the sea of cars and commuters
0:06:45 > 0:06:49all queueing to get into the United States in the baking heat.
0:06:49 > 0:06:5290,000 of them every day.
0:06:55 > 0:06:56It is really impressive.
0:06:56 > 0:07:03In fact, apparently, Tijuana is the busiest border crossing in the world.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06And looking at it today, I can well understand it.
0:07:08 > 0:07:14The queue is the size of a small city, and like a city, it needs feeding.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19It supports hundreds of traders selling drinks and snacks
0:07:19 > 0:07:20and endless knick-knacks, too.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24This is my first sight of Mexican fast food -
0:07:24 > 0:07:26tamales, burritos, churros
0:07:26 > 0:07:30and the iced fruit drinks called Agua Fresca,
0:07:30 > 0:07:31everywhere.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37I'm just so pleased we're going in the other direction.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45So, finally, we've made it to Mexico and across the border into Tijuana.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51When I was last here, it was run-down and shabby.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54My first impression is that it's changed -
0:07:54 > 0:07:57well, it's nearly 50 years since I was here.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00It's now tree-lined and modern.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03It actually looks quite wealthy.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07There's a sense of optimism in the air, and on that note,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10I think it's time for a nice, quiet, reflective beer.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13LOUD NORTENO MUSIC
0:08:13 > 0:08:17INAUDIBLE SPEECH
0:08:40 > 0:08:43I love the rawness of this music,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45it's like a punk version of mariachi.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47It's called Norteno.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49I think it's brilliant.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Bravo, bravo.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19My focus, of course, is always food.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Tijuana's most famous dish, world-famous, in fact,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27is 90 years old and still going strong.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29It was invented here at Caesar's Hotel,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31and, yes, you've guessed it.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33It's Caesar salad.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38At that time, the hotel was a hang-out for the rich and famous who used to
0:09:38 > 0:09:41sneak over the border for a drink or three.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44This was during prohibition in the United States.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49A few years ago, Caesar's had become seedy and run-down and was on the
0:09:49 > 0:09:50verge of closing.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56It was rescued by one of Tijuana's most famous chefs,
0:09:56 > 0:09:57Javier Plascencia.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Our grandfather worked here, we came here as a family.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06We felt very proud of the salad and we said, no,
0:10:06 > 0:10:10we've got to take over this place because there's so much history in these
0:10:10 > 0:10:11walls and this restaurant,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15and really try to keep it as original as possible.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16It's fabulous.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20We kept some of the original bar pieces and the coffee machines.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25We weren't sure if that was a coffee machine or a tequila still.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30But there's only one thing I've come for, of course,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33and it's the original Caesar salad.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37It's always made at the table, starting with anchovy paste -
0:10:37 > 0:10:40crushed anchovies in oil.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45My waiter adds smooth Dijon mustard and a generous spoonful
0:10:45 > 0:10:47of finely chopped garlic.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51Then black pepper and a splash of Worcester sauce.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55one egg yolk and the juice of half a lime.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01He beats it and drizzles it in a mixture of olive and rapeseed oils,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04because olive oil by itself would be too bitter.
0:11:05 > 0:11:11A tablespoon of grated Parmesan, then it's ready for the lettuce -
0:11:11 > 0:11:15crisp, young, Romaine leaves, which he turns gently in the sauce.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22And then he finishes off with more cheese and one super-sized crouton.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Perfect with a glass of chilled white wine.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Here we encourage the guests to eat the salad with their hands.
0:11:36 > 0:11:37That's the way they used to eat it.
0:11:37 > 0:11:38Oh, I will, then.
0:11:40 > 0:11:46When Caesar created the salad, he had a cook that he hired from Italy.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49He was the one who was creating the salad for himself back in the kitchen,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53late at night, so when a customer went and saw, she asked,
0:11:53 > 0:11:54"What are you making?" He said,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57"Well, I'm making the salad that my mother used to make for us.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00"We were very poor, so we had stale bread, we had a little bit of cheese,
0:12:00 > 0:12:02eggs and lettuce."
0:12:02 > 0:12:04And that's how the whole thing started.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08But then Caesar took over and he was a tall, handsome guy,
0:12:08 > 0:12:10so he started making it table-side.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12He took the name and...
0:12:12 > 0:12:16So, I read somewhere that Wallis Simpson had come to Tijuana
0:12:16 > 0:12:18and had had this...
0:12:20 > 0:12:23..and then broadcast it all over the world.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27Yeah, yeah, she was the one who went to the kitchen and talked to Olivio,
0:12:27 > 0:12:32and she took the recipe back home to England and she started promoting it,
0:12:32 > 0:12:35and making it for her friends and she was one who helped
0:12:35 > 0:12:38take the salad worldwide.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42But, yes, yes. There are different stories but that one is very true.
0:12:42 > 0:12:43Well, I think I better taste it.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Yes, with your fingers.
0:12:48 > 0:12:49Wow.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55That's delish. Rich with the Parmesan and the egg yolk,
0:12:55 > 0:13:02but the mustard and the lime juice just to give it that tartness.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06And the anchovies, I mean, what I love about it is it's so simple.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10I just really regret that so many people make Caesar salad so complicated.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11They have so many bits in it.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14They need to come here and taste yours.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18They need to come here and taste the original recipe.
0:13:18 > 0:13:19- Cheers.- Cheers.
0:13:25 > 0:13:31Caesar's glory years were in the 1920s and '30s - Tijuana's heyday.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35There are plenty more reminders around of that pleasure-loving era,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39like this former spa complex in the middle of town.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47This is the last jewel of
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Agua Caliente,
0:13:49 > 0:13:54and that was built in the late '20s, early '30s, and was the sort of,
0:13:54 > 0:13:58culmination of why Tijuana was so popular.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02It was all down to prohibition in the United States
0:14:02 > 0:14:04and a ban on gambling,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06and a ban on prostitution.
0:14:06 > 0:14:11Everybody wanted to get over the border to Tijuana and gradually,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14bars opened and this was the
0:14:14 > 0:14:16crown jewel, I suppose.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20The Sodom and Gomorrah of Tijuana.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23It was a hotel, a casino, a race track.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Vegas before Vegas existed.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30And its illicit pleasures were a magnet for the rich and famous,
0:14:30 > 0:14:35like Hollywood stars Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable and Bing Crosby.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39They used to hop over the border on a tiny fixed-wing plane,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42direct into Agua Caliente.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47The New York Times reporter said at the time, on the whole continent,
0:14:47 > 0:14:54you would not see more money piled up outside the US Mint than in
0:14:54 > 0:14:57the casino at Agua Caliente.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03It was being so near the border and offering temptations like these
0:15:03 > 0:15:08that put Tijuana on the map and turned it from a remote outpost into
0:15:08 > 0:15:09the prosperous city it is now.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27The plush Avenue Of The Heroes is full of statues of Mexican giants.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31Here is the last Aztec emperor who was killed by Cortes.
0:15:37 > 0:15:42And this is Abraham Lincoln, breaking the chains of slavery in his fist.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46I must say, it is a bit of a surprise to find a statue to an
0:15:46 > 0:15:48American President this side of the border.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52I don't think you'd see that nowadays, if you catch my drift.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07This is a migrant town with thousands of people in transit
0:16:07 > 0:16:11taking with them, of course, the food they were brought up with.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13The burrito is a case in point.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17It is really popular in the States and back in Padstow,
0:16:17 > 0:16:20where I think about what to cook for my travels,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24I decided to make a dish that represented the border country.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26It's the burrito, my way.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34So I'm using chicken thighs here and I've taken the bones out
0:16:34 > 0:16:37and first of all, I'm going to marinate them for a couple of hours.
0:16:37 > 0:16:38So, on goes some lime juice -
0:16:38 > 0:16:43the most important element because it really does soften the flesh.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48About three cloves of chopped garlic, about 60mls of olive oil,
0:16:48 > 0:16:49and now some chilli flakes,
0:16:49 > 0:16:50about a teaspoon.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55Oregano, a bit of brown sugar, just a tiny little bit of sweetness there.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59And finally, salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
0:16:59 > 0:17:00It's smelling lovely.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04I just always liked the smell of chillies with garlic and lime.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06It always means Mexico to me.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10There we go. I'm just going to leave that to marinate for a couple of hours now.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15What this burrito needs is guacamole.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Starting with a good, ripe avocado,
0:17:17 > 0:17:22then jalapeno chillies with their seeds, to keep in some heat.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26Chopped onions and coriander and lime juice -
0:17:26 > 0:17:29you've got to have lime juice to stop it going brown.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Then some salt and a good bashing.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37I like it a bit lumpy, not too smooth.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43So, in goes my chicken now out of the marinade.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45I'm just browning it up nicely,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48just turning it over with my tongs.
0:17:48 > 0:17:49Everybody needs tongs.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Chefs now are using tweezers, but I'm still on the tongs stage.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Just turn those over.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00I can't stand these recipes where they just talk about a quantity of marinade,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02you put the meat in,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05and then they never mention the marinade again.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08I suppose you have to throw it away. Of course you don't! Put it in with the chicken.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Turn the heat down a little bit and leave it to cook through
0:18:11 > 0:18:14for about ten or 15 minutes.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16I'm now making what is called a pico de gallo.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Pico de gallo actually means a cockerel's beak.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22First of all I'm slicing up some onions,
0:18:22 > 0:18:27to about the sort of size you can imagine a rooster pecking up.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Next, some tomato -
0:18:29 > 0:18:32I'm just taking the seeds out of the tomato but I'm leaving the skins on.
0:18:32 > 0:18:37And again, cutting those into cockerel bite-size pieces.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Next, a jalapeno chilli - or you can use serrano if you can get a hold of them.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Then some coriander
0:18:44 > 0:18:46and finally, some lime juice.
0:18:46 > 0:18:47A little bit of salt.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51I'm just adding a bit of pepper, freshly ground, of course.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Very important, with pico de gallo, you make it up at the last minute.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59Particularly, don't add the salt until the last minute or it'll start
0:18:59 > 0:19:04taking all the juice of the vegetables and you want them really lovely and crisp. I love this salsa.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10So that chicken's looking extremely lovely,
0:19:10 > 0:19:16and now just chopping it up into small pieces to go into the burrito.
0:19:16 > 0:19:21Pour all that reduced marinade over the top of it and stir that in.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23Quite limey and salty.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Beautiful. Now to make up the burrito.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29I've just got some big flour tortillas here.
0:19:29 > 0:19:30That's the thing about burritos,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34you really want to stuff them and that's the first thing is plenty of
0:19:34 > 0:19:36chicken. Now some rice,
0:19:36 > 0:19:37this is just cooked rice.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39This is mozzarella cheese.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42In Mexico you would use oaxaca cheese.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47And now my pico de gallo, that lovely fresh salsa.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52Good lot of guacamole and finally some sour cream.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56And now to roll out the burrito - one end up like that,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58then the two sides in,
0:19:58 > 0:20:04then tuck the filling under as much as you can while you roll it over.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09And just look at that filling.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11Isn't that a bit edible?
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Mmm. Yum-oh.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Tijuana is beginning to make a bit of sense to me now.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28It's a fusion town.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33It isn't America but it doesn't really feel like Mexico either.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Maybe like the random uni-cyclers at the traffic light,
0:20:36 > 0:20:40this city juggling - not for college fees, like him -
0:20:40 > 0:20:43but with its dual identities.
0:20:43 > 0:20:49A quarter California? Two-thirds Mexican? Who knows what the mix is.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08And finally, we're leaving Tijuana, heading south down the coast road.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11We can see the Baja Peninsula before us,
0:21:11 > 0:21:16a long spit of land stretching over 700 miles into the Pacific.
0:21:17 > 0:21:18Not surprisingly,
0:21:18 > 0:21:23this area is famous for its lovely fish and we are turning off and bumping
0:21:23 > 0:21:27down a hidden trap to the fishing village of Popotla.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33One extraordinary contrast -
0:21:33 > 0:21:35there is a multi-million dollar studio
0:21:35 > 0:21:38right next door to this ramshackle village.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42This is where Titanic and Master and Commander were filmed.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47Even though we stretch our necks and peer, we only glimpse the top of the
0:21:47 > 0:21:50masts on Russell Crowe's ship.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59This is much more like the Mexico I know and love.
0:22:00 > 0:22:01This is Popotla.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05We're only about three-quarters of an hour from Tijuana but it's like a
0:22:05 > 0:22:06different world.
0:22:06 > 0:22:11Where I'm thinking, it's almost like I'm in a Sam Peckinpah movie,
0:22:11 > 0:22:12something like The Wild Bunch.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16You can imagine it sort of like cowboy country by the sea.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21You can sort of see a load of cowboys with spurs and boots walking down
0:22:21 > 0:22:24the main street in Popotla.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28What makes it more like that is that actually a lot of the people working
0:22:28 > 0:22:31here are deportees from the United States
0:22:31 > 0:22:37and they're people from South America, Central America, Southern Mexico, stateless,
0:22:37 > 0:22:41dispossessed and they come here to get what jobs they can.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46But to me, it's wonderful and apparently, the fish is second to none.
0:22:51 > 0:22:52I'm meeting Patty,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55she's a conservationist who works with the local fishermen.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59- Very nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you, how are you?
0:22:59 > 0:23:00- Very, very well.- How are you?
0:23:00 > 0:23:01Welcome to Popotla.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Very, very impressed by this.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07- I know.- I mean it's like a dream for me.
0:23:07 > 0:23:08Now this is what we've come for.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11The fishermen sell their catch straight from the boat.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14So what's been eating that, then, there?
0:23:14 > 0:23:17- The sea lions.- Oh, God.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18- They're ferocious.- Lovely fish.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21- This is scorpion fish.- Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24And you know what, they send it alive to China when they get them.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- Really?- Oh, I love this one.
0:23:26 > 0:23:27Oh, these are good eating, though.
0:23:27 > 0:23:28Oh, lingcod. Yeah, yeah.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Yes and it's a ferocious eater also.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34- Yeah, yeah.- Sometimes you can find them blue or purple,
0:23:34 > 0:23:35because of what they eat.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Would these be eaten locally, then?
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Yes, they're either fried or steamed.
0:23:41 > 0:23:46- Yeah.- And garlic butter or a la diabla, we call them, which is like...
0:23:46 > 0:23:48- With chili, I suppose, diabla. - Chili.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51And tomato. Yeah, but this one is really good.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52Maybe we can take this one.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55OK. I love to try some sculpin, as well.
0:23:55 > 0:23:56- Yeah.- I mean anything, you know.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01This one, the colour one, yes.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03- Fabulous.- Do you think that will be enough for us?
0:24:03 > 0:24:05What a lunch, what a feast.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Yeah.
0:24:07 > 0:24:08What I'm loving about this place,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12just sort of so spontaneous and I think if you're a fish lover,
0:24:12 > 0:24:15a seafood lover, it's the sort of, this is the sort of...
0:24:15 > 0:24:16- The natural way.- The natural,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20wonderful place to come and eat perfectly fresh fish.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Now that our fish are de-scaled and filleted,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27we can take them to any of the restaurants that line the bay.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31They charge a cooking fee according to the weight of the fish and
0:24:31 > 0:24:32they're very modest prices.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37This is La Estrella, this a local restaurant.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42Beautiful fish, gosh.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48Our lingcod is sprinkled with lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper,
0:24:48 > 0:24:53then mayo and then orange and achiote marinade are basted on and onion rings
0:24:53 > 0:24:55and green peppers laid on top.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Then it's grilled over charcoal.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01The scorpion fish is just seasoned with garlic,
0:25:01 > 0:25:03salt and pepper and dropped into boiling oil.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12Both served with refried beans, rice, avocado and of course, salsa.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Wow, look at that.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Isn't it amazing, the plating and everything?
0:25:17 > 0:25:19That is so good.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22So, first of all, the lingcod.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27- That's lovely.- Is it juicy?
0:25:28 > 0:25:32- It's very juicy.- Yeah, and can you tell the basting is subtle,
0:25:32 > 0:25:33it's not overpowering.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35No, it's not all overpowering.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41And then the scorpion fish is, again, it's very juicy.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43There you go, your cheek.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Oh, a bit of rascasse cheek.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49It's called rascasse in French.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Lovely. The studio that they made Titanic...
0:25:52 > 0:25:53And Master and Commander.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55..Master and Commander is next door.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59- Is next door.- I just saw, you know, Russell Crowe's ship next door.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01- I know.- Do any of the actors come here?
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Yeah, Robert Redford will come here.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05- Really?- Yeah, sure.- Russell Crowe?
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, you know, everybody.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Well, they would have loved food like this.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15I know, they love the food and they will hang out with the fishermen also.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19They will go and fish and, yeah, they were like locals.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Presumably the locals had no clue who they were.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24No, they were just like greengrocers to them, you know, so...
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Well, I just want to have a go at the tortilla now as well.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Let's make a taco. Just be careful with the...
0:26:31 > 0:26:32- The bones?- With the bones.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36You have avocado in there, you spread your avocado.
0:26:36 > 0:26:41- Yeah.- And, let's try to make it the local way.
0:26:41 > 0:26:48- OK.- Some beans and some rice and then we're going to try the salsa,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50it's not too hot, I hope.
0:26:50 > 0:26:51- OK.- OK, you fold it.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Together, together.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56- Make a gap.- OK.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58- And you grab it.- I like the way you hold it.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59- Salud.- Salud.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04- Mm.- Mm.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07- So good.- Cheers.
0:27:07 > 0:27:08Cheers.
0:27:11 > 0:27:12I've just been thinking,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16there are some countries people go to on holiday and still behave much as
0:27:16 > 0:27:20they do at home. You know, a nice cup of tea at 11,
0:27:20 > 0:27:25a stroll before lunch to their favourite cafe where they secretly hope
0:27:25 > 0:27:28there'll be lamb chops on the menu, maybe with mint sauce,
0:27:28 > 0:27:34that sort of thing. Mexico is not like that, not like that at all.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38She wants you to like her for what she is, she takes no prisoners.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42You eat what she eats, you drink what she drinks, you listen to her music,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45there's no quarter given.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49You either like it or you leave - and I love it.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00Next morning, we leave the coast for a while and make our way inland
0:28:00 > 0:28:02further south into wine country.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11We're going out for breakfast and when I say "out", I mean a long way
0:28:11 > 0:28:13off the beaten track.
0:28:13 > 0:28:18This place I'm going on the road, it appears, to nowhere
0:28:18 > 0:28:25has been voted by the British FoodieHub Awards the best breakfast,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29not just in Mexico, but in the world.
0:28:30 > 0:28:36She's called Dona Esthela and it's called La Cocina De Dona Esthela.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40Will her borrego turn out to be good or her famous pancakes?
0:28:40 > 0:28:43What's going for her is I haven't had my breakfast,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46I'm very hungry and I haven't had a cup of coffee.
0:28:55 > 0:29:00We arrived just as Dona Esthela is about to take a slow roast lamb out
0:29:00 > 0:29:03of the wood oven, where it's been cooking overnight
0:29:03 > 0:29:04and the smells are delicious.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Nice to meet you, Esthela.
0:29:11 > 0:29:12Buenos dias, bienvenido.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15It's smelling wonderful, can we have a look?
0:29:15 > 0:29:16Ah-ha.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22This is her famous borrego,
0:29:22 > 0:29:27it's unusual having lamb for breakfast but the smell of this is
0:29:27 > 0:29:31unbelievable, this is agave that she's flavouring it with.
0:29:31 > 0:29:36Agave is that spiky plant you see everywhere in Mexico.
0:29:36 > 0:29:37This is really clever,
0:29:37 > 0:29:42the thick leaves are supporting the lamb so the juices can gather below.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45And having had steak and eggs in the States,
0:29:45 > 0:29:52borrego in Ensanada or near Ensenada is really good for me for breakfast,
0:29:52 > 0:29:54and I can't wait to try it.
0:29:55 > 0:30:00It means the meat is roasted on top and slightly stewed underneath.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05Moist meat, rich stew, lots of happy customers.
0:30:08 > 0:30:09This is a nice story.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14Dona Esthela and her family lost their jobs when the farm they were
0:30:14 > 0:30:15working on was sold.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19She'd always loved cooking, so she started selling food from
0:30:19 > 0:30:21here, her home.
0:30:21 > 0:30:26Her reputation went national, then, they say, global.
0:30:26 > 0:30:30But despite the fame, she still cooks every dish herself.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40Well, it's delicious, it's absolutely delicious.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43I can taste all those nice charry flavours,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46not particularly hot but then pasilla chilies aren't.
0:30:46 > 0:30:51It's wonderful. Now I'm going to put it all into a tortilla which is
0:30:51 > 0:30:53actually the way it's supposed to be made.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57In goes the meat, bit more I think,
0:30:57 > 0:31:01then we'll add a bit of the gravy and this is just cooked down,
0:31:01 > 0:31:03the lamb's cooked down with the garlic
0:31:03 > 0:31:05and the oregano and everything.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08Now, I think I'll put a bit of onion in there because this is what you do
0:31:08 > 0:31:13in Mexico, you just make up your own little sort of tortilla sandwich,
0:31:13 > 0:31:16it then becomes a taco.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18Just put a bit of lime on there.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24And a little bit of salsa roja, chili sauce.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27Good to go. Now, this is the thing.
0:31:37 > 0:31:38It's all about
0:31:40 > 0:31:42lime juice and chili, I think -
0:31:42 > 0:31:45maybe coriander, lime juice and chili.
0:31:45 > 0:31:46That is superb.
0:31:49 > 0:31:55Esthela's elote hot cakes made with sweetcorn are legendary.
0:31:55 > 0:32:00She grinds the corn herself, adds sugar, baking powder,
0:32:00 > 0:32:04a pinch of salt and milk and that's all there is to it.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11But people come flocking here from far and wide to eat them.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18That's really interesting,
0:32:18 > 0:32:21she knows when they're done by the weight of them,
0:32:21 > 0:32:22how much they've dried out.
0:32:22 > 0:32:23They look brilliant.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37Well, again, top marks.
0:32:38 > 0:32:44Superb. Washed down with this cafe de olla, which is cafe from the pot,
0:32:44 > 0:32:48coffee from the pot with cinnamon and sugar, lots of sugar.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52So what do I think?
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Is this the best breakfast in the world?
0:32:54 > 0:32:59Well, it's a very, very wonderful breakfast but what I tend to say is,
0:32:59 > 0:33:04how can you judge the difference between a fantastic breakfast in Mexico
0:33:04 > 0:33:07and the full English somewhere in Britain?
0:33:07 > 0:33:09I mean, it's just absurd.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13All these world awards, it means absolutely nothing to me but,
0:33:13 > 0:33:17with this coffee, it's a great experience.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Fantastic. Mwah!
0:33:28 > 0:33:33Literally a few yards up the road, an easy stroll away,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37is Dona Esthela's next-door neighbour, La Lomita Winery.
0:33:39 > 0:33:45We are right in the middle of Guadalupe Valley, which I'm told is Mexico's Medoc.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48In fact, they've been making wine here since the Spanish brought the first
0:33:48 > 0:33:53vines to the Baja over 200 years ago.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57But it's only in the last few years that Mexican wine has really started
0:33:57 > 0:33:58to take off.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02I've come to meet the owner, Fernando,
0:34:02 > 0:34:08who explained to me that this is an arid valley and it's very far from fertile.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Our soil is not very rich,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13that's something that's very different from elsewhere in Mexico.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15In Mexico,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18you send a... you throw a seed and you have a tree.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22Here, you throw a seed and you don't have anything.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24Vines, that's important, isn't it, about vines?
0:34:24 > 0:34:27Yeah, vines love adversity.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29So why did your family buy into this?
0:34:29 > 0:34:34My parents got the idea of just having a small place
0:34:34 > 0:34:38where you have nice weather where the family could gather.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41That's like the story of Guadalupe,
0:34:41 > 0:34:45almost all of the wineries came here not thinking about, you know,
0:34:45 > 0:34:49having this big winery or a big company, they were more thinking,
0:34:49 > 0:34:54there were families all over Mexico and all over the world looking for a
0:34:54 > 0:34:55place to be happy,
0:34:55 > 0:34:57to have a good lifestyle.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59And then
0:34:59 > 0:35:06the wine fever grabs you and doesn't let you go and that's when you start
0:35:06 > 0:35:09to think, well, why don't we make two barrels for the family
0:35:09 > 0:35:13and if it's bad, well, we drink it.
0:35:13 > 0:35:18And then those two barrels become four, then all of a sudden there are 400
0:35:18 > 0:35:23barrels and you have to sell your wine all over Mexico,
0:35:23 > 0:35:25then United States.
0:35:25 > 0:35:30At least for us, we are going to England also in a month to sell our wine.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32My son's in the wine business.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35- Yeah?- Charlie.- Oh, great.- I think I'd better give him a ring, when we've tasted it!
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Absolutely, absolutely.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44After that, there's only one thing to do.
0:35:46 > 0:35:47So what have we got here?
0:35:47 > 0:35:49The entry-level white wine
0:35:49 > 0:35:55is a chenin blanc, sauvignon blanc and a hint of Chardonnay.
0:35:55 > 0:36:02Normally in Baja, we eat rough, raw fish or oysters with beer
0:36:02 > 0:36:07but nowadays we tend to go with these kind of wines better.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Rough food - do you mean like down on the beach
0:36:09 > 0:36:10with the boats all around you?
0:36:10 > 0:36:14It's eating from the source, basically.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18We cannot be a Mexican winery if we don't think about our culture
0:36:18 > 0:36:22and how we eat and we really try, really,
0:36:22 > 0:36:26really hard to make wine that could go well with Mexican food.
0:36:27 > 0:36:32That's a big dilemma because Mexican food is so complex.
0:36:32 > 0:36:33Yeah.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35It's very demanding.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39Yeah, because I mean if you think of France, the food is a lot more
0:36:39 > 0:36:42delicate generally and the wines are.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44- Yes.- But, here, you want something with a bit more body.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47- Absolutely.- You've got all that chili...
0:36:47 > 0:36:49- Yeah, absolutely. - I get it, I get it.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54So this is a pagano, this is our grenache.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56Just grenache, nothing else?
0:36:56 > 0:36:59It's just grenache, all of the wineries have a theory
0:36:59 > 0:37:02about what Baja Guadalupe wine should be.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04But this is our theory.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06Well, I'm loving it,
0:37:06 > 0:37:10I've just tasted it and it's almost got a smell and a taste slightly of
0:37:10 > 0:37:12mescal, there's a sort of like...
0:37:12 > 0:37:16Yeah, it makes all the logic in the world because you have some
0:37:16 > 0:37:21smokiness. It's a complex, strong, powerful Mexican wine.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23We're very proud of this wine, but
0:37:25 > 0:37:27I'm the one with my team
0:37:27 > 0:37:31making this so it's like talking about your children.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35You're going to say good things about it, right?
0:37:35 > 0:37:37The cafe at the winery is popular, too.
0:37:37 > 0:37:42We'd only just eaten enormous breakfast, but they served us bite-size
0:37:42 > 0:37:45portions from their menu which were lovely.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50My favourite was this one and I made this back in Padstow,
0:37:50 > 0:37:52crab adobado.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57So, I'm putting quite a lot of butter in the pan,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59I'm not going to get it too hot,
0:37:59 > 0:38:02cos I don't want the chopped red onions
0:38:02 > 0:38:07which I'm now adding and the garlic to burn, to colour at all.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12There we go, I'm just going to leave that to sweat now for about three or
0:38:12 > 0:38:14four minutes.
0:38:14 > 0:38:20So, here I've got a block of about 20g of achiote paste, which is made with
0:38:20 > 0:38:24annatto, which is actually the seeds of the achiote tree.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26That's what I tasted in this dish,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29I'm just mixing it now with some orange juice,
0:38:29 > 0:38:32otherwise you get lumps in the finished dish, so stirring it till it's nice
0:38:32 > 0:38:37and smooth. So I'm going to add it into my garlic and onions and butter.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44Now some vegetables to go with my onion and garlic.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46First of all, some poblano chilies.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50You might think they're green peppers but, no, they are a type of chili,
0:38:50 > 0:38:54they're the mildest of chilies but still have a little bit of heat so
0:38:54 > 0:38:57out go the seeds and just finally shred those.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01And add those into my onion and some tomatoes, about three tomatoes,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05just roughly chopped, there we go.
0:39:05 > 0:39:07That looks so nice.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09The green and red.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Always remember in those spaghetti Westerns, remember...
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Well, you probably don't cos you're not old enough, but they always had
0:39:14 > 0:39:18great food and it was always like the Mexican flag colours,
0:39:18 > 0:39:22lots of tomatoes and red chilies and green chilies all together.
0:39:22 > 0:39:23That looks fab.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30So, I'm just going to leave those to stew down for a little with poblano chili
0:39:30 > 0:39:32and the tomatoes.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37And now for the pasilla chili, it's what they look like when they're dry.
0:39:37 > 0:39:38Nice little rattle.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43And what I've done in fact is just to take the seeds out of the chili,
0:39:43 > 0:39:46which you just cut off the end and shake the seeds out,
0:39:46 > 0:39:47and then soak this
0:39:47 > 0:39:50for about 20 minutes and it ends up like that.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52Very, very fruity chili.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56Not particularly hot but really good in something like a mole because it
0:39:56 > 0:40:00gives this lovely, slightly fruity background to the sauce.
0:40:00 > 0:40:05Just slice those up very thinly and in that goes, too.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08And look at that, it's stewed down really nicely.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Next, the crab.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13I mean, just look at that, this is Cornish crab meat,
0:40:13 > 0:40:17and sort of the great thing about a dish like this is using our own
0:40:17 > 0:40:21produce like this Cornish crab - I mean, look at the lumps in it.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23That's beautiful.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25And now a bit of coriander on top.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27That looks so nice.
0:40:27 > 0:40:29And some salt from my salt pig.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31There we go.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34And now I'm just going to fold this through, because I don't really want to
0:40:34 > 0:40:38disturb any of those lovely crab lumps.
0:40:38 > 0:40:43And now off the heat and time to finish the dish.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47A scattering of breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan,
0:40:47 > 0:40:52then they go under a really hot grill for five minutes making a lovely,
0:40:52 > 0:40:54crisp, cheesy crust.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09It's just such a lovely taste, I keep going on about achiote.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11Bless you.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Thank you, Dave.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17But, I haven't used strong chilies in there, hot chilies,
0:41:17 > 0:41:19you can still taste the crab in there,
0:41:19 > 0:41:24you can taste that achiote and it's so lovely and moist with all of those chili
0:41:24 > 0:41:26peppers in there and the tomato.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28This is just exquisite.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36Baja California means lower California.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40It comes from a time when the whole of the West Coast right up as far as
0:41:40 > 0:41:44Sacramento was owned by Spain and then Mexico.
0:41:47 > 0:41:52The land looks dry and uninviting but the climate is quite mild.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57Not just grapes, but all kinds of European plants grow easily here
0:41:57 > 0:42:01and a new wave of cooking using these crops has really taken off.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04They call it Baja Med.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08I've been invited to meet one of its creators, the famous Baja chef
0:42:08 > 0:42:12Miguel Angel Herrero, at his family farm.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16Well, first, welcome to my house, your house.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18The same place.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23- Salud!- Miguel coined the phrase "Baja Med"
0:42:23 > 0:42:26to describe his own style of cooking.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29Baja Mediterranean is what it is.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33First, Mexico starts here but also, Latin America.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37It can be the sausage, the tortilla, whatever it is, chilies.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41The second influence in Baja Med is Mediterranean.
0:42:41 > 0:42:45This Baja, we have a Mediterranean climate,
0:42:45 > 0:42:48so this is what means Baja Med.
0:42:48 > 0:42:53He's a typical chef, multi-skilled and completely uncontrollable.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56He started grilling beetroot to make a salad
0:42:56 > 0:42:58before we'd even set up the camera.
0:43:01 > 0:43:02Got the blue cheese and...
0:43:02 > 0:43:05- The peppermint.- Peppermint.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10Transformed.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12- It's getting there.- Yeah.
0:43:12 > 0:43:13Giving me ideas all the time.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16- That's why you're here. - Sharing, we're sharing.
0:43:16 > 0:43:17Por favor.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19And the wine, give you more ideas.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22- Always.- Yeah, and I'm hungry.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Miguel's first love is hunting.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27In fact, it's how he became a chef.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30And he still hunts to provide meat for his restaurants.
0:43:31 > 0:43:36He's cooking me wild venison which he shot and prepared himself.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40He uses the same marinade as the beets - garlic, shallots,
0:43:40 > 0:43:42thyme and olive oil.
0:43:42 > 0:43:47But then he adds chopped rosemary and salt and quickly sears the venison
0:43:47 > 0:43:49on a smoking hot grill.
0:43:49 > 0:43:51White corn tortillas in Baja.
0:43:53 > 0:43:59And it may be Baja Med but it's still very much Mexico, so there's only one
0:43:59 > 0:44:02way to present it - as a taco, of course.
0:44:02 > 0:44:07He spreads goat's cheese on the warm tortilla and piles on chopped venison
0:44:07 > 0:44:11and refried beans and then he toasts it again.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14I like the tortilla to be crunchy.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17Tacos in Mexico are like pasta in Italy.
0:44:17 > 0:44:22- Yes.- It's just the perfect vehicle for all kinds of so many things,
0:44:22 > 0:44:23- as pasta is.- Yeah.
0:44:23 > 0:44:27Where would Mexico be without tacos, without tortillas?
0:44:27 > 0:44:29La gente del maiz,
0:44:29 > 0:44:30- the people of the corn.- Yeah.
0:44:30 > 0:44:32It's part of your soul.
0:44:32 > 0:44:35- Part of your...- Heritage.
0:44:35 > 0:44:38And obviously, every taco needs avocado,
0:44:38 > 0:44:44so he adds a few slices and a drizzle of nine dried chilli sauce.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47This is going to be a religious experience.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54Mm.
0:44:58 > 0:45:01Superb.
0:45:01 > 0:45:05I mean, most of the tacos I've had so far have been slow-cooked meat,
0:45:05 > 0:45:07you know, like shredded, which is lovely,
0:45:07 > 0:45:11but this is totally different with the medium rare, I suppose, venison
0:45:11 > 0:45:12with the goat's cheese.
0:45:12 > 0:45:14This is Baja Med.
0:45:14 > 0:45:15The heart of Baja Med.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17- Yes, sir.- Hunted venison.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33Moving on southwards, towards Ensenada,
0:45:33 > 0:45:37we stop at a roadside store for a drink and what we find there really
0:45:37 > 0:45:38interests me.
0:45:39 > 0:45:43It's a Mexican fruit salad with a few surprises.
0:45:43 > 0:45:48This was invented in Baja, but it's become popular all over Mexico.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52It's an eccentric mix.
0:45:52 > 0:45:57As well as fruit, there is meat, nuts and chilli sauce and lime,
0:45:57 > 0:45:59lots of it.
0:45:59 > 0:46:00Muchas gracias.
0:46:03 > 0:46:06Wow, this is a little bit unusual.
0:46:06 > 0:46:09It's called Coco Loco,
0:46:09 > 0:46:11meaning crazy coconut.
0:46:11 > 0:46:15I've never seen anything quite like it in my life before.
0:46:15 > 0:46:18It's a mixture of fruits and vegetables
0:46:18 > 0:46:20and all kinds of wacky things like
0:46:20 > 0:46:24pork skin, which is really, really odd,
0:46:24 > 0:46:28tamarind, chili, sweet peanuts.
0:46:29 > 0:46:32Honestly, it just defies description.
0:46:32 > 0:46:37It is completely mad, but it's not bad, as a matter of fact.
0:46:37 > 0:46:43I mean, the Mexicans really like a mixture of sweet, sour and hot.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46The only thing I could compare it to,
0:46:46 > 0:46:49in Malaysia is a thing called Rojak, where you've got all this lovely
0:46:49 > 0:46:54tropical fruit and then they pour this concoction made with shrimp paste
0:46:54 > 0:46:58and tamarind and chilli on it all over this lovely fruit, and you think,
0:46:58 > 0:47:02"Well, that's going to ruin it," but it doesn't.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06I'm sorry, but it's absolutely delicious.
0:47:06 > 0:47:08Well... Excuse me.
0:47:09 > 0:47:13When I saw it being made, I thought, "I'm going to hate this,"
0:47:13 > 0:47:16but it's fab.
0:47:25 > 0:47:27Finally, we're arriving in Ensenada,
0:47:27 > 0:47:29the furthest south we are going in Baja.
0:47:32 > 0:47:37It's a harbour city and it's full of boats of every shape and size.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41Pleasure boats bobbing around in the Marina, cruise ships,
0:47:41 > 0:47:45massive containers and, of course, the fishing fleet,
0:47:45 > 0:47:49supplying the fish market on the harbour side - and sea lions too.
0:47:49 > 0:47:51SEA LION BARKS
0:47:51 > 0:47:56So it's not surprising that Ensenada is big on fish. Above all,
0:47:56 > 0:47:59fish tacos. I love fish tacos.
0:48:01 > 0:48:05They're so traditional, you wouldn't think there was anything new
0:48:05 > 0:48:08under the sun that could be done with them.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10Well, that would be wrong.
0:48:10 > 0:48:13Because this is Taqueria Criollo.
0:48:13 > 0:48:17It's the brainchild of Tania and Memo,
0:48:17 > 0:48:20he's a surfer and they're both chefs,
0:48:20 > 0:48:25and their ambition was to create ultramodern Mexican fast food.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28Seafood tacos for the social media generation.
0:48:31 > 0:48:32I'm really fond of taking pictures,
0:48:32 > 0:48:34even though most of my time I'm in the kitchen.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36Does it work? Does it bring customers in?
0:48:36 > 0:48:39We definitely get a lot of people from Instagram.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41- Really, really? - It's very Instagrammable.
0:48:41 > 0:48:45This is probably the reason we put so much effort into making these
0:48:45 > 0:48:49plates look so pretty, because they have to photograph well.
0:48:49 > 0:48:50Yeah, but it's flavour first.
0:48:50 > 0:48:55It's flavour first, but it also catches the eye of anybody surfing
0:48:55 > 0:48:59the internet and surfing social media.
0:48:59 > 0:49:01Once they come in, now we've got you.
0:49:01 > 0:49:02Yeah, yeah.
0:49:03 > 0:49:08Tania's already started today's batch of watermelon escabeche,
0:49:08 > 0:49:10lightly pickled in hot vinegar.
0:49:10 > 0:49:12I've never seen such a thing.
0:49:14 > 0:49:19For my taco - now, this is a surprise - a big dollop of mash,
0:49:19 > 0:49:22fried inside a corn tortilla envelope.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26It's loaded with ceviche of shrimp, which means the shrimp is raw,
0:49:26 > 0:49:28just cured in lime juice,
0:49:28 > 0:49:31and it becomes the base of a kind of seafood salsa.
0:49:33 > 0:49:38It's mouthwatering, very fresh and zingy and perfect for the climate.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42- Lovely, thank you.- Here you go.
0:49:42 > 0:49:45It looks wonderful, it's so pretty.
0:49:49 > 0:49:51That's gorgeous
0:49:51 > 0:49:54and it's just a wonderful sort of symphony, should I say,
0:49:54 > 0:49:58of textures and flavours, and freshness.
0:49:58 > 0:49:59It's fab.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01I just want to try a bit of this on its own.
0:50:05 > 0:50:10Who would have thought of pickling watermelon? But it's got a lovely crunch,
0:50:10 > 0:50:11lovely sweetness.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14I mean, this is sort of recognisably Mexican.
0:50:14 > 0:50:15You've got the
0:50:15 > 0:50:18crisp taco and the mashed potato,
0:50:18 > 0:50:20but I don't think I could get something like this anywhere else.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24- Thank you.- I mean, what's really nice is you are so young, right?
0:50:24 > 0:50:26And it's such a trendy, smart place.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30I can imagine people watching this, watching you and thinking,
0:50:30 > 0:50:32"We've got to go there. We've got to get to Ensenada."
0:50:32 > 0:50:36So, is this what you'd call Baja Mediterranean, or something different?
0:50:36 > 0:50:39We call this kind of food Mexi-pop, because it's...
0:50:39 > 0:50:43- Mex...?- Mexi-pop, because it's Mexican and popular.
0:50:43 > 0:50:48We do posole, we do tortillas here, we do chilaquiles, we do tacos, we do...
0:50:48 > 0:50:50It's just popular Mexican cuisine.
0:50:50 > 0:50:54You've just taken a taco and made it, sort of, bang.
0:50:54 > 0:50:55We have the best ingredients.
0:50:55 > 0:51:00The Pacific Ocean has the best seafood ever, so we're very, very lucky.
0:51:00 > 0:51:02We just get to... Just don't...
0:51:02 > 0:51:04- mask...- Screw it up. - Yeah, don't screw it up.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07And don't mask the flavours and you're golden.
0:51:09 > 0:51:14I mentioned classic fish tacos earlier, and this is my own version,
0:51:14 > 0:51:19which I'm making back home in Padstow, using super fresh Cornish cod.
0:51:22 > 0:51:26I'm just warming some bought corn tortillas on this comal,
0:51:26 > 0:51:28which I actually brought over from Mexico.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31Corn tortillas, you can buy them now.
0:51:31 > 0:51:35Not really in supermarkets, but online, and they are really,
0:51:35 > 0:51:37really special. Of course, it's better to make your own,
0:51:37 > 0:51:41but you can buy them and heat them up and they are very good.
0:51:41 > 0:51:46I'm just slipping them now into my little Mexican keep-warm bag,
0:51:46 > 0:51:51and that just keeps them not only warm, but also nice and steamy as well.
0:51:51 > 0:51:52Now, avocado.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54Scoop out the flesh.
0:51:54 > 0:51:59These are really ripe, and that's exactly how they have to be.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02When they're like this, when you finish a dish of Mexican food,
0:52:02 > 0:52:05it's almost like putting a dollop of cream on the top.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08They're so rich and lovely.
0:52:10 > 0:52:14For the batter, I need flour, salt,
0:52:14 > 0:52:19baking powder and beer to make it as light as possible.
0:52:21 > 0:52:26Just enough beer to make a batter about the consistency of thick cream,
0:52:26 > 0:52:28double cream.
0:52:28 > 0:52:33Now in Mexico, in Baja, California, they tend to use fish like shark,
0:52:33 > 0:52:38like dogfish. But I think cod makes a fantastic taco,
0:52:38 > 0:52:42so I'm just cutting that up into about 2cm slices.
0:52:43 > 0:52:48And now dropping that into some seasoned flour and then into the batter.
0:52:48 > 0:52:54Meanwhile, I've heated up my oil to about 190 degrees centigrade,
0:52:54 > 0:52:57and I'm just going to drop them one by one into the batter.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59Look at that, foaming up.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02I'm just going to wait until they're only just cooked through.
0:53:02 > 0:53:04Don't want to overcook them.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07I always judge this by the look of the batter.
0:53:07 > 0:53:09It needs to be like a lovely light brown.
0:53:11 > 0:53:16There we go. Take them out one by one on to kitchen paper,
0:53:16 > 0:53:19just to drain off a little bit.
0:53:19 > 0:53:24So, I'm just going to slice those lovely bits of deep-fried fish in half.
0:53:24 > 0:53:27Look at the pearly whiteness of that cod there.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30And that's it. I'm ready to go with the tacos.
0:53:30 > 0:53:36Remember, a tortilla is the flatbread, a taco is when you fill it,
0:53:36 > 0:53:38and fold it up.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42First, some fine-sliced white cabbage to give it crunch,
0:53:42 > 0:53:47then the fish and a few slices of avocado.
0:53:47 > 0:53:52And then a spoonful of the pico de gallo, that lovely salsa with onion,
0:53:52 > 0:53:56tomato, green chilli and coriander.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01Now, here we have sour cream and mayo, so, the essential.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04And lastly, and by no means least,
0:54:04 > 0:54:07some really hot red sauce.
0:54:07 > 0:54:08There we go.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11That's it, that's a taco made.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14Fold it up a little bit and eat.
0:54:25 > 0:54:26I'm in downtown Ensenada,
0:54:26 > 0:54:31and don't you just love a Mexican street ending in dry hills in the
0:54:31 > 0:54:35background? I'm so pleased to be here, but also I'm told this bar,
0:54:35 > 0:54:38Hussong's, is really atmospheric.
0:54:38 > 0:54:42More importantly perhaps, it's margarita night.
0:54:42 > 0:54:46There are lots of stories about how and where the famous cocktail was
0:54:46 > 0:54:51invented. At least five towns in Mexico claim it.
0:54:51 > 0:54:55I don't really care where it came from, I love a margarita,
0:54:55 > 0:54:57and I'm going to try one in Hussong's.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02Whether from Acapulco or Ensenada,
0:55:02 > 0:55:06there is one thing all margarita stores have in common.
0:55:06 > 0:55:11They all involve a beautiful woman in a bar with a liking for tequila,
0:55:11 > 0:55:16orange liqeur, ice and lime, lots of lime.
0:55:16 > 0:55:20I've come to meet Hans, one of the three Hussong brothers who run the bar.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25How long has the bar been in your family?
0:55:25 > 0:55:28This year in October, it'll be 125 years.
0:55:28 > 0:55:29My gosh.
0:55:29 > 0:55:34I know. My great-grandfather was the one who founded it and started up
0:55:34 > 0:55:37this place, and it's still in the family.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39This is where margaritas came from, was it?
0:55:39 > 0:55:41- Yes.- Definitely?
0:55:41 > 0:55:43- Yes.- OK.
0:55:43 > 0:55:49It was back in 1940 when one of our bartenders named Don Carlos Orozco,
0:55:49 > 0:55:54used to mix drinks, make new drinks for Margarita Henkel,
0:55:54 > 0:55:56which was the daughter of the German ambassador at the time here in
0:55:56 > 0:56:02Ensenada, and one of those drinks that she loved was the Margarita now.
0:56:02 > 0:56:03- This one?- Yes, this one.
0:56:03 > 0:56:07And she kept ordering and ordering and it kind of stuck, you know.
0:56:07 > 0:56:10That's why we call it the margarita.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12This is the correct glass for a margarita?
0:56:12 > 0:56:15- Yes.- Cheers.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20That is a nice Margarita.
0:56:20 > 0:56:24It's actually quite a simple recipe, but it has a lot of tequila in it.
0:56:24 > 0:56:25- Oh, OK.- Got to be careful.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29Well, I mean, I've heard various other stories about margarita,
0:56:29 > 0:56:31but I like this one.
0:56:31 > 0:56:33Yes, thank you.
0:56:36 > 0:56:41MARIACHI MUSIC
0:56:46 > 0:56:48Finally, a real mariachi band.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51They're a bit more formal than Norteno.
0:56:58 > 0:57:01It's hard if you're not an expert to tell them apart,
0:57:01 > 0:57:04but mariachis love to dress up.
0:57:04 > 0:57:09Part toreador, part gigolo and lots of gusto.
0:57:13 > 0:57:17MARIACHIS SING
0:57:40 > 0:57:44I've only touched the surface of Baja, but it's time to move on.
0:57:46 > 0:57:51In Guadalajara, I'm going to see the longest street-market in the world,
0:57:51 > 0:57:54they say, selling food from all over Mexico.
0:57:59 > 0:58:03Then on to the home of tequila, which is, in fact, Tequila.
0:58:06 > 0:58:08At Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast,
0:58:08 > 0:58:12there's the holiday hang-out of Liz Taylor and Richard Burton.
0:58:12 > 0:58:14Such luxury.
0:58:18 > 0:58:24And finally, sunset on the West Coast with a flaming coffee.
0:58:24 > 0:58:26Perfect.