Ingredient: green onions, thinly sliced for garnish

Hotel Del Peregrino

After a good bit of research on Brion’s behalf, we decided to make Merida, Mexico our holiday destination for January, 2019.

Merida was named the American Capital of Culture in the years 2000 and 2017. At the end of 2010 it was also selected by the United Nations to be part of the 100 Cities of Peace in the world.

I thought it would be nice to do a number of blogs this month focusing on  some of the highlights of our trip. I couldn’t resist starting with the  wonderful little boutique hotel we enjoyed during our stay.

Once a colonial home, the 4-star Hotel Del Peregrino has been completely remodeled in the traditional Yucatan style. A three-story building, centrally located in the historic district of Merida. Set apart from the noise of the city center in a very quiet neighborhood but still within easy walking distance to many places of interest.

This hotel is very clean and organized with an eclectic mix of traditional and modern furnishings. It is characterized by its high ceilings, restored mosaic floors and a central courtyard in which a gourmet breakfast was served every morning. The main breakfast entree varies each day and is prepared for you when you sit down. Breakfast is served communal style which gives guests the opportunity to chat with each other.

This boutique hotel has 13 guest rooms — six on the main floor and seven upstairs. On the upper floor is an open air terrace with tables and chairs where it was nice to sit at the end of the day.

Daily housekeeping ensures that everything was fresh and tidy when you would return after your day’s adventure. It was always amusing to see what ‘towel decor’ would be waiting on your bed!

The hotel has its own travel agency where you can book tours to visit the surrounding area. The Mayan ruins are what draw many people to the Yucatan. Although Mayan culture is not ancient history, it is alive and well in Merida.

Thumbs up to the owner, Jim and his great staff for such a memorable stay.

In some of the following blogs this month, Brion and I would like to share some more pictures from Chichen Itza, Uxmal and the Haciendas. Such great experiences with the added bonus of feeling safe in a foreign country.

Here are a few pics from the hotel.

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 Mexican Eggs Benedict
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Course Brunch
Servings
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
Course Brunch
Servings
Ingredients
Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
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Instructions
  1. In a small saucepan, gradually stir flour into milk until smooth. Add butter, salt & pepper; stirring constantly over medium heat until boiling. Allow to boil for one minute to thicken. Slowly add the cheese & stir until smooth. Remove from heat & keep warm.
  2. Slice & butter bagel halves. On griddle, lightly toast bagel, fry eggs (yolks should be soft). Slightly grill thin sliced ham. On serving plates, place a bagel half, top each with 2 slices ham & 1 egg. Ladle some cheese sauce over all & garnish with some thinly sliced fresh chives. Nice to serve with pan fried potatoes & fresh peppers.

Chinese Pork Ribs with Spicy Rhubarb Sauce

It seems that the exact origin of five-spice powder is unknown but there is some speculation that the blend was created in traditional Chinese medicine. A very unique spice blend that represents a wide range of flavors from sweet, salty and bitter to pungent and sour. Rumor has it that the Chinese were trying to create a ‘miracle powder’ that was representative of all the five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Then again, its possible that a cook accidentally stumbled upon this particular combination of spices and realized its power to improve on a bland dish. In any case, it is very versatile and can be used not only in cooking but also adds a unique flavor to baked goods.

Many recipes for five-spice powder exist but there is no one traditional recipe. Often the ingredients and amounts can vary from region to region and are different depending on the household and individual tastes. The original blend contained star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel seed, cinnamon and cloves. A staple in Chinese cuisine but has also found its way into other international cuisines such as Vietnamese and Hawaiian food.

This is an interesting recipe combining pork with a spicy rhubarb sauce. Definitely a keeper!


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Chinese Pork Ribs with Spicy Rhubarb Sauce

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Rating: 5
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, European, Korean, Middle Eastern

Servings


Ingredients
Rhubarb Sauce

Rib Marinade

Course Main Dish
Cuisine American, European, Korean, Middle Eastern

Servings


Ingredients
Rhubarb Sauce

Rib Marinade

Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!


Instructions
Rhubarb Sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine rhubarb, water, honey, hoisin, garlic, ginger, 5-spice powder & crushed red pepper. Bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced & the rhubarb is very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat & stir in soy sauce & lemon juice. Transfer 2 TABLESPOONS of the sauce to a saucer; set aside the remaining sauce until serving time.

Rib Marinade
  1. In a resealable large plastic bag, combine soy sauce, honey, oil, 5-spice powder, salt, pepper & the 2 Tbsp of reserved 'rhubarb sauce'. Place ribs in the bag; seal & marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight.

  2. Preheat oven to 275 F. Place ribs & marinade in a baking dish. Place in oven to SLOW roast for about 1 1/2 hours until VERY tender. Remove from oven, garnish with sliced green onion & serve with remaining rhubarb sauce.