Del Mar Country Club to host top Latina chef, author Isabel Cruz at lunch/lecture event

By Diane Y. Welch

Chef Isabel Cruz

Acclaimed Latina chef Isabel Cruz cooks what she loves to eat: comfort food spiced with the Pacific Rim flavors from her old Los Angeles neighborhood, recipes created with an inventive twist on traditional Latin cuisine. And along with her signature fusion of flavors, Cruz has discovered a method of cutting the calories that are so often found in Latin food, without having to sacrifice the taste.
Now the public is invited to sample some of Cruz's personal favorite recipes at a combined lunch, lecture and book signing event at the Del Mar Country Club. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and all are welcome. The $45 admission fee includes a signed copy of Cruz's latest book, Isabel's Cantina: Bold Flavors from the New California Kitchen with dishes recreated and served up by the country club's chefs. This is the first in a series of cuisine-related book events at the club.
The cookbook, published in 2007 by Clarkson Potter and voted in the top 25 of most notable cookbooks by The New York Times Book Review, offers readers a look at the inside secrets of Cruz's signature flavorful, healthful cuisine that has made her so successful. The book was also voted in the top 25 in Food and Wine Magazine and some of the recipes will be used in their upcoming, annually published cookbook.
“These types of ethnic foods are naturally wholesome; rice and beans and salsa are really simple and healthy,” said Cruz in a recent interview. Mindful and concerned about health problems brought on by poor diet, Cruz's passion is to not only produce flavorful recipes, but to create simple, easy to make cuisine that is inexpensive, and low in both cholesterol and saturated fats.
This healthful approach was influenced by an upbringing that included lots of opportunity for socializing and eating.
“My family was always into cooking and having people over for parties, so I think I just got the passion to cook that way.” These people included Cubans and Puerto Rican family members, which influenced Cruz's self-taught style.
The book includes recipes for sauces, such as Avocado Salsa Cruda and Cilantro-Garlic Mojo, as well as more sophisticated cuisine such as Steamed Red Snapper in Foil with Tomatoes, Hearts of Palm, and Ginger and Chipotle-Marinated Grilled Rib Eye, which are perfect for a dinner parties. In between are dishes that make perfect family dinner fare, including Charbroiled Carne Asada Tacos and Green Chile Posole with Pork.
Cruz, who is married with two sons, is the owner of five restaurants along the West Coast, extending from the Coffee Cup in La Jolla and Isabel’s Cantina and Seaside Cantina in San Diego, to Dragonfly in Ashland and Isabel in Portland, Ore.
When asked if out of the five, one stood out, Cruz said, “I shouldn't say it but I do have a favorite, the Coffee Cup in La Jolla. They are all neighborhood restaurants, the kind of place that the surrounding community gravitates to, but that one especially so. It's just a small space and it's really cozy, loud and hectic all at once. The staff have worked there for a long time, it has really great energy.”
The Cruz family is also currently trying to buy a farm in Oregon.
“One of the reasons why we opened restaurants up there is because we love it so much. Our goal is to spend our time living where we work and working where we truly want to be,” explained Cruz.
In partnership with Cruz is her husband, a contractor, who creates unique spaces for each restaurant. The couple's latest project is Barrio Star, a Mexican restaurant that will open up in downtown San Diego next month. Cruz designed the eatery when she saw a need for healthy, homemade, nurturing Mexican food, without the weighty fats that are often found in local Hispanic fare.
Cognizant of the health issues that face many Americans, such as obesity and diabetes, Cruz laments this issues. “Even kids have high cholesterol. It's so simple to correct. It's all about educating the masses to eat better, to realize that fast food is not the healthiest choice, and to learn to make food from scratch. People need to learn how to cook simply and healthfully."
Meet Cruz in person at the Del Mar Country Club, located at 6001 Clubhouse Dr. Rancho Santa Fe, on Wednesday, Feb. 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The price for admission is $45 which includes a recipe book. Reservations are required. Call Mary Cappelletti at 858-759-5500, ext. 103 or email her at mcappelletti@delmarcountryclub.com For more information about Cruz, visit www.isabelscantina.com.