They will set a trend with the first "Baja Mezcal Fest" in Ensenada
The Tijuana Tourism and Convention Committee (Cotuco) announced the first edition of the Baja Mezcal Fest event, in which chefs and mixologists from Mexico and the United States will participate, from July 15 to 17, in Ensenada.
At a press conference, Arturo Gutiérrez Sánchez, highlighted the importance of promoting Baja California in terms of tourism, especially when it comes to events involving other agencies with which they work in a coordinated manner so that visitors know the benefits both from Tijuana and Rosarito, Ensenada, Tecate and all its municipalities.
"This first festival highlights gastronomy and the presence of mezcal, which has recently set a trend, so we hope it will be a success so that it continues with more editions," he noted.
In this regard, María del Carmen Granado, director of the Festival, indicated that this event is dedicated to testing the spirit of the Mexican agave with mezcal tastings, guest chefs and mixologists from Oaxaca, Baja California and San Diego, which is an initiative of the cross-border group Be Saha Hospitality Group of San Diego.
“We expect 50% influx of California residents interested in agave culture, food and who are attracted to Valle de Guadalupe; 30% regional visitors, foreigners who live between Tijuana, Rosarito and Ensenada, and 20% Mexican regional visitors, totaling approximately 250 people”, she pointed out.
The Baja Mezcal Fest will take place on July 16 and 17, at Tahona Baja, in Ensenada, explained the board, which has been designed to celebrate artisanal mezcal makers and authentic Mexican culture and heritage.
“Baja Mezcal Fest will be the first event in the region focused on this artisanal spirit, so on Saturday, July 16, between 3:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., guests will be able to enjoy tastings of drinks based on agave from more than 25 leading mezcal brands, and they will have access to meet and mingle with the best mezcaleros in Mexico”, he highlighted.
María del Carmen Granado explained that the panel of all artisanal brands includes world-renowned liquors such as Vago, Real Mineiro, Macurichos, Don Amado, Alipus, Los Danzantes, Dixeebe, Origen Raiz, Animas, Casta Tribal and many more.
To complement the festival drinks, she mentioned, more than a dozen guest chefs have been invited from Baja California, Oaxaca, San Diego, Chicago, to name a few, who will be on site creating flavors of their signature cuisines.
Among the guest chefs will be Christian Herrera, As de Guia (Ensenada); Alejandro Burgos, The Dancers (Oaxaca); Aurora Toledo and Germán Jiménez, Zandunga (Oaxaca); Jennifer Melendrez, Topolobampo (Chicago); Pedro Soares, Puro Oyster Bar (Brazil); Mario Peralta, Jaco (Tijuana); Omar Valenzuela, Celida Cafe (Ensenada); Danny and Dante Romero, Wormwood, San Diego; Janina Garay, Wormwood (San Diego); and Gerardo Salazar from Tahona Baja.
Throughout Saturday, guests will be able to sign up to attend educational sessions starring different mezcaleros, with an intimate size for less than 20 guests and each hour of the day a different session will be held inside the Tahona boats.
In addition, the director noted, the Baja Mezcal Fest will invite attendees to purchase fair trade artisan products at the festival's Spirits Maxicos pop-up store, where talented artists from Oaxaca will demonstrate their craft, while at sunset, attendees will be able to end the day dancing to the sound of international DJ Hydeclip.
“On Sunday, July 17, guests will be able to round out their weekend with an optional Oaxacan Sunday brunch served at Tahona Baja, with guest chefs from popular Oaxacan restaurants Los Danzantes and Zandunga cooking traditional Oaxacan dishes while mixologists craft cocktails. fresh with mezcal”, he emphasized.
It is worth mentioning that the Baja Mezcal Fest will benefit the Corazón de Vida home. For more information you can consult the page https://bajamezcalfest.com/, on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tahonabaja, and Instagram: @tahonabaja.
Also at the press conference were Amar Harrag, director of Tahona; Enrique Hermman, director of Proturismo Ensenada; Marco Antonio Méndez, commercial director of Tahona; Chef Yanina Garay, culinary director of Tahona; and Kevin Tocino, mixologist from Aruba.
