Mexican Seafood Enchiladas at Hay's Place in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Mexican Seafood Enchiladas at Hay’s Place in Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget 

For a West Coast family reunion, my daughter Florence Paget, husband Laurent, and I went to Hay’s Place at Pebble Beach, California for a Mexican meal overlooking the Pacific and golf course. This is a great spot for a family vacation photo. 

We began our meal with our standard order of smashed guacamole and salsa. The guacamole at Hay’s Place is a salad with chopped onion, tomato, cilantro, avocado, and a little tequila. The corn chips that come with the guacamole are mostly blue corn chips and have a smokier taste than yellow corn chips. 

I tried the enchiladas del mar trio (3 seafood enchiladas with different sauces). On the day we visited Hay’s Place, the daily catch for one of the enchiladas was tilapia. (I lucked out!) 

Enchiladas are warmed soft corn tortillas wrapped around fillings with sauces on top that are baked to oozing goodness. At Hay’s Place, the enchiladas were filled with seafood, roasted mild green peppers that could be New Mexico chili peppers, and creamy Oaxacan crema cheese that is less tangy than sour cream with a dairy flavor. 

As I mentioned, the first enchilada in this trio was filled with sautéed tilapia fillet, mild green pepper strips, and Oaxacan crema cheese. The filling was wrapped with a soft blue corn tortilla. The sauce on this enchilada was a mole poblano, a savory spiced chocolate sauce. 

The second enchilada was filled with lobster, mild roasted green peppers, and Oaxacan cheese. The sauce for this lobster enchilada was a mild red sauce that tasted as if it had been made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, chili peppers, and seasonings like oregano, cumin, and paprika. The sauce was light and let the lobster flavor shine. 

The third enchilada was filled with shrimp, mild roasted green pepper, and Oaxacan crema cheese as well. This enchilada was also wrapped in a soft blue corn tortilla. The sauce on this enchilada was a piquant green sauce most probably made with Mexican tomatillo green tomatoes, jalapeños, onions, cilantro, and garlic. 

This grandiose selection of enchiladas came with stewed black beans mixed with tequila and Spanish rice made with tomato juice, chicken broth, and a few chopped green peppers. 

As a beverage, I drank Mexican Jarritos Mandarin orange soda that is partially made with orange juice. It still has sugar, but also has Vitamin C. 

For a tonic, spa meal that is also a little exotic during a golfing trip or tour of 17-Mile Drive, I highly recommend Hay’s Place at Pebble Beach. (Definitely a Blue Zones Outing by the ocean in fresh air!) 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Books-a-Million is carrying my book posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you Books-a-Million for carrying my book Eating Soup with Chopsticks.

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New York Meal at Pub's (Growers Pub) in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget

New York Meal at Pub’s (Growers Pub) in Salinas, California by Ruth Paget 

My daughter Florence Paget took me out for a New York dinner at Pub’s in downtown Salinas, California for a daughter-mom outing before the big weekend with the Java House Grand Prix Monterey at Laguna Seca and the Obon Festival (July 27) at the Buddhist Temple in Salinas.  

We started our meal with Monterey Bay deep-fried calamari. The calamari were lightly coated in polenta corn meal with a piquant dipping sauce and lemon wedges for squeezing. I really enjoy eating this dish in cool-weather Salinas with a sweet Meyer lemon lemonade. 

Salads came with our main dishes. I chose Thousand Island dressing for my New York-themed crispy and chilled romaine lettuce salad with a juicy tomato wedge on the side. Life is good in America’s salad bowl capital. (Blue cheese dressing is available for diners who would like calcium and protein to go with their salad.) 

Florence ordered a medium-rare prime New York steak with a baked potato along with steamed carrots, zucchini, and broccoli. The steak was juicy and perfect Florence said. 

I ordered chicken fettucine Alfredo. The fresh pasta was bathed in a rich creamy sauce that tasted as if it had been made with cream, butter, mascarpone cheese, and Parmesan cheese. That sauce was so good, it would make garlic ice cream taste good. (Gilroy about 20 minutes up 101 makes garlic ice cream in America’s garlic capital.) 

The cubes of chicken breast and thigh meat in the fettucine Alfredo were moist, tender, and flavorful. This delicious dish can also be made with shrimp and salmon at Pub’s. 

To complete our meal, we had some elegant New York desserts – cheesecake for Florence and tiramisu for me. 

For tiramisu, you line the bottom of a casserole with sponge cake lady finger cookies, pour espresso coffee over the lady fingers, spread whipped mascarpone cheese (similar to whipped cream) over the lady fingers, and dust the top of the mascarpone with cocoa powder. You then chill the tiramisu and serve it with raspberry sauce. Pub’s makes their tiramisu like this and it is a fantastic finish for a New York-themed meal. 

For New York steak and Italian-American meals, Pub’s in downtown Salinas, California offers great food and a full bar. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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University of Chicago Press Book Releases for July posted by Ruth Paget

University of Chicago Press Book Releases for July and Recommendations - click below:

University of Chicago Press Books for July

I like monthly book recommendations.

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

National Taiwan University Library is carrying my book posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you National Taiwan University Library for carrying my first edition book about Virginia entitled More Leisure than Money.

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Amazon Italy is carrying my book Marrying France posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you Amazon Italy for carrying my book Marrying France.  Molto Grazie!

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Open Library Org has collected my work posted by Ruth Paget

Thank you Open Library Org online library for listing me as an American Food Writer and carrying my work.

Posted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France