| | Published June 5th, 2013
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Mauricio's Pan Integral con Cervesa
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| By Susie Iventosch |
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Mauricio's little grass hut restaurant Photos Susie Iventosch
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Last month my husband and I had the opportunity to visit the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve just south of Tulum on the Yucatan Peninsula. After driving down a very bumpy dirt road for about an hour and a half, with an amazing view of the Caribbean to our east and a view of the enormous lagoon and mangrove channels to the west, we arrived at our accommodations, Sol Caribe.
Approximately 1.3 million acres in size, Sian Ka'an (translated from Mayan as "where the sky is born" or "gift from the sky") was established in 1986 as part of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Program. It is the largest protected area in the Mexican Caribbean and is home to 336 known bird species, 103 mammal species and dozens of Mayan archaeological sites. In fact, many of the locals actually still speak the Mayan language in addition to Spanish.
Scuba diving is not allowed in the Sian Ka'an, but it is a famous destination for fly fishing for bone fish, tarpon and permit (a very elusive fish and a prize catch, though one I'd never heard of before this trip) in the salt water lagoons and in the ocean. Barracuda and dolphins also swim in the lagoon, and they say there are crocodiles, though we never saw them as we kayaked along the lagoon. Thank goodness!
The wind was on high alert during our trip, so the fishing was not so good. As I am not really a fisherman in any case, I enjoyed the sun and the excellent food that Chef Mauricio and his staff prepared for us, three times a day, all in the middle of nowhere!
Each morning at breakfast, they put out this amazing homemade bread that we enjoyed with jam. On the last day of our stay I inquired as to the recipe and Mauricio gladly obliged. As is the case in every foreign country, the measurements are in the metric system, so it took me a while to gather the nerve to make the conversions. Finally, here they are for you try at home. Even though the main liquid for this recipe is beer, you won't even taste it when you eat it, so no worries if you wish to indulge for breakfast!
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(Makes one loaf)
INGREDIENTS
4 cups flour (1 cup whole wheat, 3 cups white)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 packet yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
One12-ounce bottle of beer (Coors, Pacifico or other light lager)
1/4 cup water (or as much as you need to incorporate flour into dough)
1/4 cup millet
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, place whole wheat flour, 2 1/2 cups of the white flour, sugar, yeast, salt, millet, oats, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Mix well. Stir in beer and mix into dough. Add remaining 1/2 cup white flour and water as needed to form dough into ball.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until double, approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour.
When the dough has risen, form into a loaf and place on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal (to prevent sticking). Brush loaf with water and let rest for about 10 minutes. Then bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and dough appears to be baked. Cool and slice. This bread is great for dinner, but also delicious with butter and jam for breakfast!
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA