Cooking Tidbits from Mardi Burden, Cuisine Classique, Tucson


Biting History one meal at a time



*These Callos (Scallops) are fresh!*

After a particularly long run of WORK, with almost no days off since July Fourth, Bob and I decided on a much needed few days rest in Mexico. I know what you're thinking, "too damn dangerous"! Maybe so, but it was also very much worth it! After a leisurely breakfast overlooking the ocean at Manny's in Puerto Penasco, we ventured on south to el Desemboque. (one of two towns with the same name within fifty miles of one another) a tiny fishing village on the Sea of Cortez. "Our" little town is on the desolate, and spectacular, desert west coast of Sonora, our neighboring state south of Arizona. We had had a rough night before, so we went straight to our motel. It's the only one in town, very cute and clean. Our room faced the ocean and the views were spectacular! We immediately placed our reclining lawn chairs on the veranda, mixed drinks and commenced keeping a close over the sea. (Just in case something happened.) We happened to arrive at our destination, when the moon was in a quarter phase which means the tides were right for harvesting the callos. (Scallops) to us) We watched over coffee each morning as the pangas raced to about three or four miles out. We could see them well with our super binoculars as they lined up on the horizon and deployed the divers. By early afternoon the boats would come speeding back to us, laden with their catch. The shells of the scallops would be clearly visible, high above the sides of the pangas as they sat very low in the water. The launcheros would get busy hauling the boats from the water as fast as they could and take each one the the captain's home. Most would be slid from the trailer to a spot on the ground under a shade three. At that point a crowd would gather and the frenzied work of shucking would begin. Soon, the large pile of callos in the boat would become a large pile of shells on the ground. Buckets would abound with the freshly harvested, meaty adductor muscles. Children would move the meats around in the sand, then men would rinse them in big tubs of sea water.
The work is grueling and only finished for the day after the last scallop has been shucked, weighed and bagged to sell. At sunrise the next morning the entire cycle begins again.
We knew we would never find fresher scallops than these (nor pescadores who needed the income worse) Bob set out from boat to boat along the beach to negotiate for the delicacy. This is one of his favorite things to do. His Spanish is lousy and few of the sellers spoke English. It doesn't seem to matter to anyone. They laugh and slap each other on the shoulders and make the deal. Everyone is happy and we get to bring home some fabulous seafood from one of our favorite locales!

Scallops, one of the most popular mollusks, are as delicious as they are beautiful. While it's the two fan-shaped shells that make mollusks so attractive, it's their large meaty adductor muscle that's given them their status as a gourmet food. Their soft tender texture and mild sweet flavour make scallops a favourite among seafood lovers. And their versatility means they are enjoyed in cuisines all over the world. Read on to learn more about scallops, their nutrition highlights, and easy ways to add them to your diet. Scallops are high in protein, contain virtually no saturated fat and are a good source of important minerals including magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. Scallops are also a great source of vitamin B12 - a three-ounce serving (90 grams) provides half of a day's vitamin B12 requirement. The body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells and to maintain a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B12 is also used to make and repair DNA, the genetic material of cells. Here's how a 3-ounce (90 gram) serving of steamed scallops (bay or sea) stack up in terms of nutrition: Calories 101 Protein 21 grams Fat 1.3 grams saturated fat 0.1 grams Cholesterol 48 milligrams Plus, you get 50 milligrams of magnesium, 304 milligrams of phosphorus, and 1.2 micrograms of vitamin B12. Leslie Beck, RD

To get you in the mood, try this wonderful recipe for *Grilled Scallops with Red Chile Sauce*
bon appetit!
Chow! Bob (and Mardi)
* For more information about (and to get your own) Heirloom Tomatoes, visit: www.Aravaipa.com
Our Culinary Festival continues in September with, SATURDAY, SEPT 11 PRICKLY PEAR WORKSHOP > A Southwestern tradition for centuries! Learn to harvest and prepare the "Tunas" take home Prickly Pear Jelly! Saturdays, Beginning Sept 18, NEW SESSION! Basics of Gourmet Cooking Our first session (Knife Skills) is on sale as a "Try Me" class! MANY SEPTEMBER CLASSES ON SALE!! Coming Saturdays in SEPT. our Original Basics of Gourmet Cooking course is back! please see our schedule for more info.


P.S. THE THRILL OF THE GRILL continues on SharpKnives.com! END OF SUMMER SALES HAPPENING HERE!! Remember we sell most of the tools and small appliances and those wonderful Messermeister knives we use in class on our sister site; www.Sharpknives.com Great Grilling Tools on Sale now!	Mardi Burden shares ownership of Cuisine Classique School of Good Cooking with her husband Bob. Mardi loves to cook and she brings her professional expertise from restaurant kitchens and large catering events to the lessons she teaches in her classes. Mardi's love of cooking, and her knowledge of food and cooking is truly exceptional and she is always eager to "share the love"! Some links will take you to other parts of our website. Please use your browser's "back" button to return to our newsletter.

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