Tuesday, July 10, 2012

my life at Copita



If you were wondering what happened to me, I promise I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth.  For the last several years, I loved traveling the world teaching, sitting behind my computer writing and smiling in front of the camera but now it feels so right to be back in the kitchen.  I'm at Copita pretty much 24/7 these days cooking with my Mexican soul mate and sous chef, Dilsa Lugo.     Dilsa is from the Cuernavaca, Mexico, I am from San Francisco and working side by side, knives in hand, our creative juices are flowing together.  It feels good to be doing something as simple as shucking sweet corn for corn soup, chopping cilantro from our organic garden in the Sausalito hills and roasting heirloom tomatoes for salsa rustica.  At this point in my life, I'm learning a lot from Dilsa and teaching her what I've learned along the way.  And the best part…  people are loving what we are doing at Copita.



Here’s what they’re saying…



“Honestly, I was a little surprised that the second thing I saw was Weir—her head of red curls bobbing through the crowd with the calm of a pro. She's a woman constantly on the move with ideas and projects. Great for Copita: she's working the floor with her signature charm on a random Tuesday night.”

Then, carnitas. Oh man. They rival Nopalito's adored rendition, for sure: crisp edges, enough salt, a hit from the lime wedge, and—well, my friend said it best: "This is like crack!" I let her bring home the leftovers. 

All of the tortillas are made in house by Mexico-born sous chef Dilsa Lugo (hence the masa smell filling the dining room).

My point here, is that I'll be back, and you should not be afraid to cross the bridge on a Tuesday for a mid-week Marin escape. Considering the manageable prices at Copita, you could even make it a quarterly thing. Just don't underestimate the power of a Mexican restaurant in Sausalito. Make a reservation.”





“The food at Copita is top-notch, but there’s a reason “Tequileria” comes first in the restaurant’s tag line. Weir has tequila expertise like few others, and they’re leveraging it to the max at Copita"





“Copita, just about overnight, has suddenly become southern Marin’s most stylish destination for Mexican cuisine.”





Named “Bay Area’s 10 Hottest New Restaurants”





“Copita has certainly become a Sausalito game changer”






And here’s what we’re cooking…

Aguachiles- I first tried this dish with my feet in the sand in Puerta Vallerta.  Shrimp "cooked" in lime juice with a sauce of chiles, lime juice, cilantro and cucumbers.  Avocados and red onions on top.  


   California halibut ceviche with serranos, lime, red onions and cucumbers

Tamailtos,three little tamales filled with corn and roasted poblanos, pork adobo and chicken verde

 
Mexican tourists are saying that our carnitas is just like their mother's. Thanks to Dilsa's Mom
 
 Oaxacan chocolate milkshake with chile arbol-spiced wedding cookies

I promise to keep posting, maybe even a recipe or two from Copita.  

I miss you all.  And if you're in the Bay Area, jump on the ferry and head over to Sausalito.  We'll have a margarita together!

8 comments:

Andrew Freeman said...

I love Copita --Joanne and Dilsa. It's a true labor of love and you feel it (and taste it) in every bite.

Casey said...

Congratulations! I can't wait to sample the fare at Copita.

Christine said...

I wondered where you had gone. Copita is now at the top of my list for places to dine between Trinidad and SF. Thanks for the update.

Joanne Weir said...

Thanks everybody! Come see me at Copita soon! I'm there all the time.

Aussie said...

You look happy, that's great... the food looks really good, but my favorite Oaxacan chocolate milkshake. Now I'm craving... :)

Kevin said...

Can't wait to visit Copita and try all those food.. And indeed the Oaxacan chocolate milkshake looks so good..

Kristy said...

The food looks delish and scrumptious! I can’t wait to try the dish when I visited your stall.

Joanne Weir said...

And if you haven't been for a while, you need to come back. We are finally there! I'm thrilled with our dream team in both the kitchen and out front! Make sure you say hi when you come in!