4 feet 2 mouths

30 Aug 2012

A Dinner Party to Honor the Bay Area (by Nathan)

When we lived in Berkeley we cooked a lot of food. We had friends that also cooked quite a bit. It was natural for us to want to cook for each other, and thus the beginnings of frequent feasts. One Saturday afternoon Nalat, Brenda, Carmen and I embarked on a long and strenuous hike in the Berkeley hills. We did not expect to be so hungry, but after hours of no food we wanted to cook something. That night we made a feast of fresh sushi, sashimi salad and onigiri. Rubbing our bellies and sipping on sake we decided to begin the regular dinner party.

The potluck would be alternated between three apartments on a rotating theme chosen by one of the chefs. For almost two years we would have a party every two to three weeks. The themes ranged all types of cuisines, cooking methods and styles. We cooked Chinese, Thai, Japanese (not sushi), French, Indian and we insisted on something stuffed, fermented, barbecued, lucky, vegan or using squash. Some meals required drink pairings, another, a jug from Preston winery as the highlight, a few dinners featured homebrewed beer made by Brenda and Drew. We even had a dinner inspired by the four elements: earth, wind, fire and water. Each dinner was a highlight to our week, a highlight to our month and an experience bringing us closer as friends.

Our dinner party feast

So, when we returned to Berkeley for a few days, there was one thing on all of our minds: when is the dinner party? And more essentially, what would be the theme? Carmen and I chose the theme “Missing the Bay Area.” The idea was to cook something that we could not live without from the Bay Area. The general theme among all of us was the freshness of the ingredients. The produce available here is unparalleled, farm to table is actually possible; I walked from talking to North Bay farmers at the market to the Brenda’s kitchen knowing exactly where my vegetables came from.

Battered squash blossoms over tomatoes and avocados

Humbolt Fog, honey and almonds

Highlighting the freshness of the ingredients, I made stuffed squash blossoms over early girl tomatoes and avocado. I also picked up a slice of Humbolt Fog cheese that we smothered in sliced almonds and honey. Carmen contributeda lemon, almond tea cake based on one from Tartine Bakery.

Rancho Gordo beans

Fig, raspberry and chocolate tart

Rancho Gordo beans are delicious, Brenda stewed a handful of ingredients together into a salty savory concoction deserving of seconds and thirds. She also made a David Lebovits inspired fig and raspberry tart with Tcho chocolate drizzled over the top.

Nalat’s chapino

Oysters on the half shell

The abundance of seafood in San Francisco is amazing. Nalat recreated a chapino that she loves from the North Beach neighborhood with mussels and crab legs. We cracked open a few oysters and topped them with a mignonette.

Fig, prosciutto and arugula pizza

Drew put together a fig, prosciutto and arugula pizza and shared some of his hoarded Siduri wine.

We ate, we drank, and then we had a little more. As always, the meal was a feast of delightful cuisines and treats. We slept overly full, but dreamt hungrily of our next dinner party.

Posted in Berkeley, California, Cooking, San Francisco, United States and tagged Food

28 Aug 2012

3 Comments

A Tourist in San Francisco (by Nathan)

Downtown SF and trolley car

Victorian buildings of San Francisco

San Francisco definitely has a charm to it. The Victorian style homes sit shoulder-to-shoulder on rolling hillsides. There are beautiful bridges and bounties of delicious food. Who could forget trolley cars, light rail and a commuter train- public transit for the local traveler. To our benefit, Carmen and I were able to once again return to San Francisco, we visited some of our favorite eateries and sat in the sun enjoying the few moments of heat that we could get.

Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco City Hall

A recommendation to any tourist in SF: bring a jacket, always. So many believe that because San Francisco is in California that it will be warm, that there is actually a summer, but it is always cold. I too forgot and I clung onto the one long sleeve and jacket that I brought for the two weeks. A jacket is especially necessary if you are visiting San Francisco’s most spectacular piece of architecture, the Golden Gate Bridge. It spans the mouth of land that confines the SF Bay closing off the enormous Pacific Ocean which means it is often covered in fog. Another favorite architectural sight is the city hall sitting prominently with a magnificent dome.

Dolores Park and SF skyline

Bi-Rite Basil, Olive Oil and honey lavender ice cream

We did find time to lie in the park. Dolores Park is large and filled with people that try to soak up the mid-afternoon warmth before the fog seeps in over the hills. We read, people watched and turned away the magic truffle salesman. The sweets we had in mind were: ice cream. Bi-rite is at the far north-east corner of Delores Park. A mile away is another glorious ice cream institution named Humphrey Slocomb. We ate at both (on separate days). There was basil and olive oil infused at Bi-rite and sesame seed and Szechuan strawberry sorbet at Humphrey Slocomb.

Dry fried chicken wings at San Tung

Xiao Long Bao at Kingdom of Dumplings

We spent a handful of days visiting consulate offices in San Francisco. It is amazing how many Visas are needed to be secured before traveling for seven months. China was definitely the most scrupulous, but to celebrate we ate Chinese, twice! We went to San Tung for best chicken wings and Kindom of dumpling for you guessed it: dumplings.

Mission Chinese hot and spicy everything

Cheung Hing barbecued meats

And then we ate more Chinese. I didn’t realize it fully when we left the Bay Area, but many of our favorite places pulled the spicy, oily flavors of Asia right onto our doorstep. Our first stop was Dol Ho that serves some awesome hole-in-the-wall dim sum. Then Mission Chinese for fiery meats and vegetables. One of our favorite Chinese barbecue places is called Cheung Hing; juicy meat hangs in the window and fried suckling pigs are wheeled out to families preparing for a party.

Chairman Bao food truck in SF sunset

We made time for street food. San Francisco has a blossoming street food culture with delicious food trucks and mobile eateries. One of the best things in the Bay Area in recent years is the advent of Off The Grid. This organization has been organizing food truck circles and street markets all around the Bay Area. Carmen and I would attend a 10 truck one in Berkeley on Wednesdays, but the mother of all events is the Friday scene in Fort Mason with almost forty trucks. Our favorites were Chairmen Bao’s tofu steamed bun, Happy Dumpling, Azalina’s Malasian banana balls and copious amounts of Magnolia beer.

Phở roll at Rice, Paper Scissors

The next day we decided to get even more of the action at the annual Street Food Festival in the Mission neighborhood. This conference and festival is fun because trucks and restaurants mix to provide a “small item,” “large item” and drink. Our favorite was a mushroom phở roll at Rice, Paper Scissors. From sambusas, bread pudding and pão de queijo; this event had it all.

A glorious Tartine Bakery assortment

One of the best places on this planet for baked goods is Tartine. There is something wrong with how good everything is at this place. We went a couple times, but our favorites are the bread pudding, croissant, and their country bread loaf. We also had a toasted almond and pecorino sandwich that was so rich that we needed to take a nap afterwards. One night we cooked with some friends and re-created their lemon almond tea cake, very easy to make and absolutely delicious.

Suppenküche spätzle

Another favorite is Suppenküche, a fabulous German restaurant to die for (and die by). Their cheesy spätzle is one of our favorite dishes alongside one a German beer from their long list of taps.

Bay Area Friends

All that food was nothing in the enjoyment of seeing all of our wonderful Bay Area friends. We stayed in multiple houses and apartments. We camped, slept on floors, couches and air mattresses, but the real fun was spending time with some of the people that know us best. There were long nights drinking, dinner parties cooking up feasts, and casual lunches, brunches and late night dinners. We truly have a family of friends in San Francisco and they will surely be missed.

Posted in California, San Francisco, United States and tagged Big Cities, Food, Friends, San Francsico, Travel

22 Aug 2012

1 Comment

Berkeley Bites (by Carmen)

Last time I wrote a about Berkeley it was to say goodbye to a city that had treated me well. Seven months later we have returned, not as residents but as visitors. After we attended the Sonoma wedding we ventured back to Berkeley to stay with friends and revisit old haunts. It was wonderful to be back in a place I’m so familiar with, where it feels like I know every nook and cranny. But as I walked around the sunny, tree lined streets, I didn’t feel regret about leaving. I appreciated the good food and easy walkability of Berkeley but was confident I had made the right choice to move on.

Berkeley Farmer’s Market

River Dog stand at the Berkeley Farmer’s Market

There was only one moment of weakness. On Thursday evening we attended the organic farmers market and were reminded of the bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables available in California. After the market we made our traditional stop at Vintage Berkeley to be tempted by their excellent selection of wines, all of which are priced under $25. We also made our way to the best cheese shop in the world, The Cheese Board Collective. The woman behind the counter was totally excited for our idea of stuffing squash blossoms with ricotta and immediately brought us some amazingly delicious samples to try. Following this routine with a home cooked meal constitutes what I consider to be a perfect Thursday evening, one we enjoyed many times while living here. Aside from all the friends we sorely miss, this foodie path pulled on my heartstrings the most.

Produce at Berkeley Bowl

Heirloom tomatoes!

And then there is Berkeley Bowl. My love of food and cooking was awakened in Berkeley and I feel that this wondrous grocery store played a role. To be sure, it is not for everyone. The enormous variety of good quality products at low prices, not to mention their glorious produce and bulk sections, makes it popular. With so many people there is a certain amount of jostling to be expected, especially near the bottleneck by the berry section. But Nathan and I had a strategy: 1) divide list based on sections of the store, 2) enter, we each pick up a basket (carts will just slow you down) and try cheese sample, 3) Nathan goes to deli counter, I head over to dairy, 4) meet up around yogurts (or, more often, retrieve Nathan from nearby wine section), 5) Nathan selects meats and seafood, I find packaged and canned goods, 6) Nathan gets nuts, flour, etc. from bulk, I start in on the produce leaving my basket in a nearby aisle in order to increase maneuverability, 7) Nathan joins me in produce to select fruit, 8) get in the check-out line and breathe! Oh how I miss it.

In fact most of the things I miss about Berkeley revolve around food. So with that in mind I present my personal Best of Berkeley list.

Zachary’s Roma Pizza

Zachary’s Chicago Style Pizza

Best Place for Deep Dish Pizza: Zachary’s. This place is right up there with any Chicago deep dish restaurant. Actually, its rich tomato sauce beats out any competition. The Bay Area deep dish debate generally revolves around Little Star (cornmeal crust) vs. Zachary’s (flaky crust), with the occasional Paxti’s lover thrown in. I can appreciate both styles but for ambiance, employee benefits (Zachary’s is a co-op) and satisfaction guaranteed, I will always head to Zachary’s.

Thin crust from The Cheese Board

Cherry corn scone and english muffin from The Cheese Board

Best Place for Thin Crust Pizza: The Cheese Board Collective. Another co-op run pizzeria (hey, this is Berkeley!) makes my Best of Berkeley list. Quite simply, it serves the best veggie pizzas with lots of garlic and herbs piled on a chewy crust. Plus they give you the bonus half slice with each order. Go to the shop and bakery next door to sample any cheese you can think of a grab a cherry corn scone.

Chilaquiles Verdes from Picante

Best Place to Get Over a Hangover: Picante. When does good Mexican food not make one feel instantly better? And for the perfect pick me up, I have two words: chilequiles verdes. A tangy tomatillo sauce is scooped onto two fried eggs accompanied by rich black beans. Sop it all up with fresh tortillas. Wash it down with a cinnamon sweet cafe de olla. Heaven. Evidence of its excellence: Nathan and I ALWAYS order different dishes at restaurants in order to share and have more variety. When it comes to Picante’s chilaquiles verdes, we do not share. We each order our own.

ACME Bread

Best Place to Buy Bread: ACME. In a tiny little bakeshop on the corner of Cedar and San Pablo, the glory of good bread is celebrated. Everything is good here. Puts all other supermarket breads to shame.

Brazil Cafe

Tri-tip sandwich at Brazil Cafe

Best Place to Eat Al Fresco: Brazil Cafe. Walking past this cheery food stand with the Brazilian music blasting round the clock, it’s hard not to stop. They rope you in with lots of grilled goodies, either stuffed in sandwiches or on top of rice. And then they drizzle on a tangy green garlic sauce that takes it to a whole other level.

Yes, more pizza. This time at Gather

Best Place to be a Localvore: Gather. The inventive cuisine at Gather is already well known as it was one of the first to really push eating locally. And they do it in style, with plenty of great vegetarian and vegan options that are packed with flavor. Their pizzas are excellent and have these special crusts in which the dough is somehow pinched to create pearls of bread around the pie. Yum.

Bakesale Betty sandwich with a strawberry shortcake

Best Place to That Sells Only One Thing: Bakesale Betty. Ok fine, it sells maybe 5 things and is technically in Oakland. But you really only go there for one thing – the fried chicken sandwich. It’s perfectly crunchy and crispy and topped with well-dressed jalapeno coleslaw that rocks. Followed with a strawberry shortcake or cookie, it’s a decadent treat perfect for a sunny afternoon.

Salsas and tacos at Comal

Best Place to Feel Like You Are In SF: Comal. This restaurant opened in the 7 months that we were gone and we are already sad that it wasn’t here sooner. Berkeley has some great food but for that buzzing, urban cool ambiance we usually head across the Bay to SF. But this place was hopping on a Monday night, maybe because their sophisticated cocktails are hard to resist. As for the high-end Mexican food, we were pretty much licking the plate.

View of the Golden Gate from the Berkeley Hills

And of course there’s more. Phil’s Sliders for its perfectly proportioned gourmet mini-burgers. La Note for its scrumptious French style breakfasts. Ippuku for its awesomely authentic Japanese izakaya cuisine. La Mediterranee, for its completely addictive, savory sweet chicken filo rolls. Cafe Coulucci for its Ethiopian stews to be sopped up with the spongy, sour injera bread. I could never name all the places. All I can say is thank you, Berkeley, for supporting my eating habit with such good options!

Posted in Berkeley, California, United States and tagged Berkeley, Food, Friends, Markets, Pizza, Small Cities

20 Aug 2012

6 Comments

It Is Much Less Stress Going Car-Less (by Nathan)

Sunset over Donner Lake, made possible with my car.

Freedom. Finally I was free, sixteen years old and I had a driver’s license and a car. I could go anywhere and do anything. It took hard work, but after two years of dishwashing I had saved enough to buy a used pickup truck and the insurance and gas to keep it going. I did not realize it then, but this first purchase, this first attempt at freedom meant that I would be constrained and obligated to maintain, insure, fuel and protect my investment. Owning a car comes with baggage, too much baggage. I just sold my car and I am now more free than I ever was!

Owning and driving a car in the United States has become more than a privilege, but a right and a necessity. “I love public transit (for other people), but don’t take away my parking space” is a phrase that echoes in thousands of forms across the urban areas of the United States. With subsidized gasoline and smooth highways, GPS and music at your fingertips, who wouldn’t want to drive? For many, that act of driving is essential to their lives, maybe it is freedom, maybe it is easy, but I wish that everyone knew just how expensive driving a car can be.

American drivers Nathan Nat’l Average
Average miles per year: 6,700 mi 13,500 mi
Average cost per mile: $0.37 $0.64
Average cost per year: $2,500 $8,500
Average cost per day: $6.90 $24.20
Average hours per year: 192 hrs 386 hrs
*Sources AAA Driving Costs & FWHA Annual Driving Averages

Owning the same little pickup truck for twelve years has its perks. With my one and only car, my vehicle costs were almost a quarter of the national average. And I still spent almost $7 a day to keep my wheels ready to move when I wanted them. How did I keep the costs low? I bought a cheap truck for cash, insured it with bare minimums, I performed my own maintenance and a rarely drove. Over twelve years my vehicle related costs were over $30,000. Not anymore.

These are just personal costs; no one realizes the stress of just driving, the necessity to focus on the road, the anxiety from unpredictable traffic and the road rage that flows to and from all the drivers on the road. The infrastructure costs to create and maintain roadways and the environmental impact from personal car use is also not considered in these numbers, if people knew these numbers would they still be petitioning against that new train, BRT or subway line?

I will miss my little truck. We had some great memories together. My truck and I initiated my love of travel with trips to the mountains and canyons of the western United States. We camped under the stars, blasted our favorite tunes and for over a decade we had a life that was entwined and dependent on each other.

My last day with my truck

Dear little black truck:

I am breaking up with you. As you know, I am no longer working. I will be traveling for the next year and I cannot give you the attention you deserve. I find that I am much happier when I am on a subway train or bus. I think we would both be better if we had someone/something else in our lives.

This does not mean that I did not enjoy grabbing onto your hard steering wheel, pushing your gas pedal and driving you crazy through the day and night. Thank you for all those good times. I remember all of our wonderful hours together, the miles upon miles of open road and how you kept me safe. You will be missed.

To my four-banger, the little-truck-that-could and the Nissan Hardbody (oh wait that was your real name), I wish you the best life romping through the grassy hills of the Marin headlands.

Sincerely,

Nathan

Posted in Southwest, United States and tagged Car, Life, Minimal, Thoughts

12 Aug 2012

3 Comments

California Coast, Vineyards and Food For the Sol (by Carmen)

Four feet dangling over the sand

Point A: Home base in Los Angeles

Point B: Friend’s wedding in Sonoma

There are various ways to get from point A to B, but Nathan and I chose to take it slow. A mini road trip to enjoy the changing landscapes of the California coast was in order. As we pulled out of LA the hip beaches quickly gave way to rocky shores lined with oak trees. First stop: Santa Barbara.

Sunset in Santa Barbara

Rocky central coast beach

Nathan has fond memories of Santa Barbara based on the many family camping vacations that took place here in his youth. My family enjoyed Santa Barbara as well but since they aren’t exactly the camping sort, they had different reasons. One of them was La Super Rica. We happened upon this gem years ago after learning that it was one of Julia child’s favorites. We went and we fell in love. The love has since spread to Nathan and his family. Indeed, it has become Nathan’s favorite Mexican restaurant in California!

La Super Rica lunch (and dinner)

This little white and blue, divey looking shack is now a Santa Barbara institution. It is not a typical California burrito stand; it’s better than that. Instead it serves much more authentic and complexly flavored dishes, often on heavenly handmade tortillas. On this occasion, Nathan and I indulged in a veggie tamal (corn husk stuffed with maize dough) covered in crema, rich rajas (sautéed Anaheim pepper strips), delicious chicken sopes, and a queso fundido (melted cheese) studded with chorizo and onions. Add a Jamaica drink and our feast came in at under $30. Best deal ever.

Rolling Paso Robles hills

From Santa Barbara we made our way to Pismo Beach, a cute little town right on the water. Our mission here was to make our way to Sans Liege, a special little winery with vineyards around the Paso Robles area. In their tasting room we enjoyed smooth whites, reds and rosés poured by a winemaker with a heavy French accent.

Wildflowers at Tres Sabores

“Yeah…I’m standing in my food been. Your point is?”

We set up camp for the night and headed off the next morning through the rolling hills towards Napa. Nathan and I were lucky enough to be invited to the rehearsal dinner at our favorite winery, Tres Sabores. The wines, staff, ambiance of this special place are all cozy and laid back, somewhat rare qualities in Napa.

Spring Lake campground

View from Rockpile Winery in Sonoma

After dinner we set up camp again, this time at the charming Spring Lake. With all the wedding activities we didn’t have time to go tasting but just being in the area brought back nostalgic memories of wine tastings past.

Barrels of wine

Old truck

Finally we made it to point B, the beautiful wedding on a Sonoma winery. The vintage truck at the entrance set the easy going Sonoma chic tone for everything. After the touching ceremony we enjoyed delicious food, good people and a rocking dance floor. Really, what more could you ask for? Congratulations Julia and Jonathan!

The bright and shiny Sol Food

Pollo al horno at Sol Food

To finish off a great weekend we headed over to another amazing restaurant, Sol Food. Basically, the food at this Puerto Rican eatery is too good for words. My thoughts while eating here usually start with “how” as in, “How do they get this chicken soooo tender? How is this rice so wonderfully garlicky? How is this shrimp so perfectly fried? How is all their food just so damn good???” I love everything the chefs send out of the kitchen at Sol Food but the customer gets to put the finishing touch. On each table there is a bright orange, tangy hot sauce that is the perfect balance of spicy and sour. As soon as the plates touch the table Nathan excitedly douses everything and I happily let him.

Schwieger vineyard

Wine country was a wonderful part of our life per-year off. California is beautiful with its rolling hills green trees and vineyards. It was a great way to be reintroduced to the Bay Area as we spend the next couple weeks catching up with old friends and attending yet another wedding!

Posted in California, United States and tagged Beaches, Food, Travel, Wine

12 Aug 2012

6 Comments

Summer Satisfaction With Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (by Nathan)

Summer is here! Well, for us, summer has been ongoing for the last seven months. As the heat rises there is one food that I find essential. I find all sorts of excuses to eat it because it is my most favorite meal in the world, but this dish is particularly refreshing and perfect for a hot summer day. My favorite food is coctel de camarón, a Mexican shrimp cocktail packed with vegetables and shrimp and a cold broth that I can eat by the gallons at all hours of the day.

Summer Satisfaction in a bowl

This dish is perfect because it pulls together all of the wonderful qualities of every great meal. The shrimp broth provides an underlying savory and salty flavor that is made sour and fresh with lime juice. Jalapeños provide a spicy kick and the ketchup a touch of sweetness and a pink color to the broth. Together these flavors combine with a trilogy of textures with crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado and crisp tostadas. Simply put, it is perfection for the mouth.

My love for this dish began in April of 1992. My family traveled to Durango, Mexico to visit my stepdad’s family. It was so hot there that I remember much of the daytime was spent alternating between tamarindo paletas (tamarind popsicles) and shrimp cocktail. We would find pushcart vendors on the street and the four of us would enjoy huge, cold goblets full of the stuff to escape the roasting sun. Most recently I was inspired to prepare this dish for friends on a stiflingly hot day in New York. Taylor and Andrew let us use their Brooklyn apartment for a shrimp cocktail feast. We supplemented the cocktail with my much loved guacamole, aguachile shrimp ceviche and an epic game of Settlers of Catan for a fun evening. Good luck Andrew when you make this for your family in Australia this week!

I should note that there are many ways to enjoy coctel de camarón. My little brother bites into heaping mounds that are precariously laid on the crackers. My eldest brother and sister-in-law add extra hot sauce and spoonfuls of additional peppers, my step-dad more salt and my mom several extra limes. Whatever the style, we ultimately all sit laughing together and enjoying our favorite meal. Some families have a roast around the holidays, but every Christmas Eve you will find me consuming bowls and bowls of this delicious soup. There are restaurants that make it, but they shortcut and it will never turn out as good as I am going to share with you.

I love this stuff. Share it with family, friends or hoard it all to yourself. This dish is something to be enjoyed, savored and prized. ¡Buen provecho!

RECIPE FOR COCTEL DE CAMARÓN (Mexican Shrimp Cocktail)
Serves 6-8 bowls

Coctel de camarón ready to eat

For the shrimp and broth:
1lb shrimp (16ct/lb) – shelled, tails removed and deveined
1/4 onion, onion skin, and root end – kept whole
3 cloves garlic – smashed, skins left on
2 Tbs salt

For the cocktail solids:
2 large cucumbers – peeled, sliced lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch cubes
1-3/4 onions, red and white – finely diced
3 medium tomatoes
1/2 bunch cilantro – finely diced
1/2 celery stalk, minced
1/2 jalepeños or seranos – finely diced

For the broth:
Fruit sweetened ketchup – ¼ cup + several Tbs
Sea salt – several tsp
Lime juice – 6-10 limes

For the garnish
1 large avocado – halved and sliced into thin half-moons
1-1/2 jalepeños or seranos – finely diced
2 limes – halved and sliced into 6 wedges
Saltine Crackers
Tostada shells or tortilla chips

Vegetables for shrimp cocktail

1) Six hours ahead. Boil 3 quarts salted water in a large pot. Meanwhile, de-shell, remove tails and devein all the shrimp. Rinse and set aside. Quarter an onion and toss into the pot ¼ and the skins and the ends that usually end up in the compost. Add the smashed garlic and boil for five minutes. Grab a stopwatch and a spider strainer and drop in the shrimp. At 60 seconds taste a shrimp by biting it in half and looking at it. Pull them out at roughly 75 seconds or 85% cooked. The shrimp will continue to cook in the bowl, add a few ice cubes and stir.

Remove the boiled onion, skins and garlic from shrimp and discard; pour liquid into broth pot. Wrap shrimp bowl in plastic and store in refrigerator. Top the pot with the shrimp broth and move into refrigerator. If you are pushed on time, the broth may be cooled in the freezer over a couple hours or placed in the sink with cold water and a few pounds of ice.

Notes on shrimp: Gauge the boiling time based on size of shrimp, jumbo shrimp may need to be sliced lengthwise to equalize cooking time. The rubberiness of overcooked shrimp really comes out in the fresh soup, don’t do it.

Boiled shrimp with onions and garlic, strain and cool rapidly.

2) One hour ahead. Chop vegetables and add to a large bowl. Halve and squeeze at least 6 limes into a small bowl. If you are using the little key limes plan on 12. Use more if you have dry limes.

Remove pot of cooled broth from the refrigerator and place set 2 cups of the broth aside (this is in case you mess up). Toss in all the vegetables, some of the jalapeños, ¾ of the lime juice and a few tablespoons of ketchup. Stir to combine with a ladle. Look at color and taste.

Now is the time for iteration; we have three flavors to work with: salty, sweet and sour. The broth is going to taste a little bland at first, but gradually the favors start to come together. The iteration is necessary because we do not want to over-salt, over-sweeten or over-lime the cocktail. Add more salt and the flavors of the broth with start to become more prominent. Squeeze another half a lime or two and taste again as we bring out the brightness of the fresh vegetables. The ketchup will bring about a nice balance to the broth, but if too much is added then it is difficult to fix.

Repeat the iteration, tasting and observing the color. The addition of ketchup will transform the broth from murky translucency to a light pink (see picture). Red broth means you have too much ketchup, add the reserve broth and re-iterate. The lime, unfortunately takes a few minutes to meld with all the flavors, if you think you have too much lime, wait ten minutes and try again. Add more jalapeños to give it some kick.

When the broth has flavors that make your mouth want to explode, then it’s almost ready. Return it to the fridge to let the flavors mingle for 20-30 minutes.

Chopped vegetables, ready to add to broth

3) Fifteen minutes ahead. Assemble the garnish of jalapeño, avocado, limes, crackers and tostada shells on a plate accessible to everyone. Squeeze lime over the avocado to keep it from browning.

Remove the cocktail from the fridge and taste again. Add another lime and maybe some salt. Taste again and doctor to perfection.

Iteration of salt, lime and ketchup with breaks to eat guacamole

4) Serve in large glass goblets if you have them. Place a few slices of avocado on the top. Squeeze a fresh lime wedge and eat. From this point consumption becomes the style of the hungry eater, and in my house there always seems to be plenty.

Finished bowl of coctel de camarón

5) The day after. You will likely end up with too much broth. Chop up more onion, cucumber, tomato, cilantro and jalapeño and you can stretch it into a few more bowls.

Notes on additional and substitutions: Oftentimes octopus is added, but I find that it adds a whole other texture that takes away from all the vegetables. Lemon has a whole different flavor, don’t use it. Other chefs use clam juice as a shortcut, this is not necessary because you will have an excellent broth from cooking the shrimp.

Posted in Cooking and tagged Food, Recipes

09 Aug 2012

7 Comments

Nebraska Corn, Family and More Corn (by Nathan)

The rolling hills of corn

One of the best opportunities of taking a year off to travel is that we have the chance to visit so many places, and sometimes off the beaten track places that are part of few vacation plans. We wanted to go to the rural Midwest; we wanted to see some of the big agriculture that feeds the world, and most of all we wanted to see family.

The three of us enjoying a laugh

I last visited my Great Aunt Bea when I was sixteen years old; it had been too many years since I had seen her. My Aunt Bea is the most wonderful and inspirational woman. At ninety-two years old she is witty, funny and entertaining. She delighted us with conversation and guided us through the Nebraska countryside. She is an unstoppable woman, and very easily kept up with the two of us in the humid heat and all the activities we could fit into four short days.

Grand Island Women’s Club

So, we found ourselves in Grand Island Nebraska, the third largest city in the state with a population of 50,000 people. As expected with a town this size people tend to know one another; and everyone knows Aunt Bea. Bea taught elementary school for forty years. She devoted herself to the children, their families and the communities around Grand Island.

Everywhere we went, the people wanted to talk to Bea. My favorite was a woman walking with a cane through the local farmers market. She pauses, recognizes Bea, and then lights up with joy. They recount the story of the fourth grade class that they shared together with Bea as the teacher and then the woman informs us that she just had her eightieth birthday. Bea was teaching fourth grade in 1941!

Huge stalks of corn

Bea, Carmen and I explored the local farmlands with our informal historian as our guide. The little Fiat we rented stood out, but we had fun zipping around and between corn farms. Corn is king in Nebraska. The fields of corn extend for miles and to the horizon in all directions. The corn can get very tall too; at seven feet tall the irrigated farms already had what, to me, looked like an amazing crop. The farmers that were not irrigating, well, their three foot stalks were dwarfed by comparison. We meandered through the Grand Island county fair petting the sheep and calves. Bea took us for a walk in Cairo, a kolache in Dannebrog and a drive through St. Libory and Wood River. In each place we learned about the history of the town, the people she knew and the memories she had growing up and teaching in these areas.

Pizza at the Danish Baker in Dannebrog

My favorite of the small towns was Dannebrog. At three hundred people they have been named the Danish capital of Nebraska. The town is small and picturesque with hundred year old ranch homes, a mill and silos that tower on the town’s edge and people that are friendly and welcoming. We liked it so much that we came back for a second trip. One restaurant is named the Danish Baker. On Thursdays they put together a one-of-a-kind pizza. The pizza here is more of a pie, but not like a Chicago pizza, but a pie stuffed with inches of meat and veggies and encased in thick cheese as an attempt to hold it all together. On slower nights the owner will come out to the main dining room to play his guitar and sing folk and rock songs.

My great great grandparents and my great grandfather Lou on the left

One of the most exciting reasons for returning to Dannebrog was the chance to see another one of my Grandma’s sisters. Merna and Paul welcomed us into their home, enticed us with heaps of cookies and engaged us with family history that I never knew. It turns out my great great grandparents arrived from Scotland to start their family and farming in the fertile lands of Nebraska. My family tree is complicated, too complicated for me to even understand. A succession of divorces and re-marriages separated my grandmother from her roots in Nebraska. Decades went by without contact, but over the years we have reconnected and rejoined the relatives that have lived in Nebraska for five generations.

My ancestors

Our time with Bea passed by quickly. From early into the morning to late into the night we were locked into conversation. There was so much to learn from her and she continued to surround us with perfect life lessons:

Give back and help others, because no one got where they are at without receiving a helping hand.
I can handle it, I’m tough. I’m a country girl.
Oh, I could have stayed out later, but I saw that you were getting tired so I thought we better head back.
Find your passion and do what you love.

Camping at Hall County Park

At night we camped at a regional park on the edge of Grand Island. We were surrounded by swaying green trees and soft grass to place our tent. In the morning we were woken up by flocks of wild turkeys that weaved in out of the brush gobbling and pecking at one another for territory.

Fighting wild turkeys

The drive back to Omaha was sad. We found this beautiful church on the side of the road, but the architecture was less exciting because we missed Bea. We missed all of her stories and the cheeky, prudent and generous personality that we love so much. Who knows when we will be back in Nebraska. It is an emotional feeling to see family that we so deeply love. The memories here were different from other trips, but most of of I learned a little bit more about myself through the stories and experiences of my relatives.

Holy Family Shrine

Posted in Midwest, United States and tagged Family, Towns, Travel

05 Aug 2012

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Bringing the Heat to Chicago (by Carmen)

Me and Cloudsrest aka The Bean (2011)

Nathan in the Windy City (2011)

Chicago is a place of extremes, at least when it comes to weather. Nathan and I last ventured to the Windy City in March 2011. It was cold. Freezing cold. The kind that turns your nose bright red, makes your fingers ache despite the gloves, creeps up through your shoes to numb all your toes. This summer our 4th of July trip to Chicago coincided with a heat wave. It was hot. Sweltering hot. But I much prefer heat to ice so I was happy.

Beach off Oak Street

I have a ton of family in and around Chicago so most of my visits center around winter holidays. It was a treat to come during the warmer months and we tried to take advantage as much as possible. For example we went to the beach right in downtown. Lake Michigan might not have waves but it is refreshingly cool on a day that is over 100 degrees.

In front of the Monadnock Building

Model city at Chicago Architecture Foundation

Even without the beach downtown Chicago is one of my favorite places to be. I love the high rise buildings, which I appreciate even more after taking numerous walking tours over the years from the Architecture Foundation. On their skyscraper tour I learned that the elegant Monadnock Building, completed in 1891, was built using tried and true brick instead of new at the time steel construction methods. In order to reach 16 stories, the walls at the base are 6 feet thick!

Carbide and Carbon Building – my favorite

On another tour I found my absolute favorite high rise – the art deco Carbide and Carbon. It is simple and classy but stands out due to its unique colors. Grey granite, slate green, copper, gold, silver all come together beautifully.

View from the Chicago River

The Tribune Building

This time we took the Architecture Foundation’s boat cruise up the Chicago River. We learned about the huge mix of styles along the water; from early 20th century beaux arts to modern Greek revival; from the Sears Tower (once the world’s tallest) to the new Trump Tower.

Frontera Grill

But let’s be honest. The real reason we are in downtown is to kill time between meals. Particularly meals at Frontera Grill. This is Nathan’s all-time favorite Mexican restaurant. Owned by the Top Chef Masters winner Rick Bayliss it serves up some scrumptious Mexican fare. This time we ate sopes, queso fundido, grilled spring onions, and stuffed jalapeños. As usual, it was all delicious.

Xoco

Bayliss’ food is so popular he has three restaurants on the same block! For a more casual experience than Frontera we head to Xoco. It offers sopas y tortas (soups and sandwiches) that are to die for. Nathan and I shared a cochinita pibil (slow cooked pork) sandwich and pickled pork knuckle sopes. Another specialty of Xoco is thick hot chocolate – you can watch them grind the cocoa beans right in the front of the shop.

Deep dish Chicago pizza

Another regular stop for Nathan and me is Pizzeria Due. Deep dish pizza is a very personal choice for any Chicagoan. Everyone has their favorite. Pizzeria Due wins points in my book for the crumbly cornmeal crust. But while their sauce is good, I think certain San Francisco pizzerias have them beat.

Pierogies at Staropolska

Moving out of downtown gets you to some of Chicago’s ethnic neighborhoods. The city has the largest Polish population outside Poland. This means some damn good pierogies (potato, cheese, meat and/or cabbage dumplings) are to be had.

Smoked pork butt at Laschet’s

Over in the German neighborhood, my cousin introduced us to Laschet’s. This is what you think of as a homey Midwest beer hall – fake wood paneling on the walls, old fashioned stained glass dome lights, thick dark carpeting. We had a feast of traditional German foods such as schnitzel, spatzle, potatoes, sauerkraut, etc. We washed all this down with some smooth pilsners. Fortunately, none of us came down with what the restaurant name indicated. Even when Nathan ordered the smoked pork butt.

Bread pudding at Floriole

Chicago has more than just heavy meals. Over in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, we found a sweet little cafe serving light sandwiches and salads. We treated ourselves to a tasty bread pudding. It tasted very familiar to us. Turns out that the owners used to work at our favorite San Francisco bakery, Tartine!

Goose Island Brewery flight

Another treat was a brewery tour of Goose Island. This company makes some delicious custom brews for Frontera Grill so we knew we were in for some good stuff. Their actual facility is rather small, so after the 15 minute explanation of the brewing process, I was wondering why the tour cost me $10. Then we walked into the banquet room. Two long tables were lined with 5 tasting glasses at each seat. It was great to taste a range of their beers, from pilsner to IPA. The most interesting was a gluten-free beer that was made from quinoa, resulting in a pinkish color. It tasted something like a cross between beer and sparkling wine.

The best hot dog

I made you wait for this last food picture. That’s because we always have to wait for it. The line for Hot Doug’s seems to always be minimum 1 hour. We’ve done the wait twice, once in 20 degree weather! So is it worth it? The answer is yes. Their version of the classic Chicago hot dog is sublime. The dog, poppyseed bun, mustard, relish, spear pickle, onions, sport peppers and celery salt all come together in a beautiful medley. Feeling adventurous, like we always are, then try a foie gras hot dog or one from alligator meat! Add duck fat fries and a variety of sausage alternatives to choose from and you understand why it’s worth the wait.

Nathan, Lucy and Albert

This trip to Chicago is made possible through generosity of my cousin, Tracy, in hosting us in her home. Also, special thanks to Lucy and Albert for making room on the couch for us. Until next time, Chicago!

Chicago sign at hip salvage store

Posted in Midwest, United States and tagged Architecture, Big Cities, Chicago, Family, Food

01 Aug 2012

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Putting the Fork to the Pork in New York (by Nathan)

Did you hear that? Of course you didn’t, my stomach just grumbled. And my stomach always grumbles at the thought of New York City. If you have not eaten yet, then I suggest grabbing a snack because our recent trip to New York had the objective of FOOD. New York has it all: wonderful international restaurants, majestic sights and an accessible urban landscape; there is everything to satisfy any insatiable appetite.

All this walking around is hard work and all this eating takes some serious coordination. Our first trip to New York made a minor dent into a long list of places we wanted to try. This trip we needed progress, so Carmen got to work weeks ahead to make a map of all the restaurants. The days were planned to visit the sights nearest the places we wanted to eat, simple right? To make this trip successful we needed to create more meals, and thus, the addition of “pre” and “li” into our vocabulary. For example, preakfast=pre-breakfast and linner=late dinner.

Brooklyn Bridge

As a repeat of our last trip we stayed with our good friends Taylor and Andrew in Brooklyn. Their apartment is perfectly placed between multiple subway lines and the Brooklyn Bridge is just a jog away. They are amazing hosts are an enticing reason for Carmen and I to Move to New York after the trip.

Court Street Bagels

The classic New York Bagel is an essential start to any day. The bagels are pillowy and bulbous and the typical shop has an overwhelming number of spreads to choose from. We grabbed a few for preakfast on our early morning arrival. I am still of the opinion that Montreal has the best bagels that are baked over a fire and served to you crispy and hot. But to avoid a fist fight I held my lips tight.

Doughnut Plant’s PB&J, Banana Cream, Blueberry and Crème Brûlée

The lower east-side of Manhattan contains a plethora, yes, a plethora of restaurants. We find ourselves in this area for meals and drinks throughout all hours of the day and night. For breakfast we hopped over to Doughnut Plant. We ordered up peanut butter glazed and boysenberry jam filled square monster and a few smaller delights. A few blocks away was BabyCakes, the unmatched delicious and vegan bakery. We had to visit it on a separate morning.

Magnolia Cupcakes

For lickfast (late-breakfast or lick-fest) a few cupcakes are essential. Time it right and a trip to Magnolia Bakery is smooth like frosting. Time it wrong and the packed counter is a scene of elbow-throwing cupcake-grabbing madness. Unscarred, we made it out with some treats to bring back to Brooklyn.

Best Street: Kati Roll, Bao-B-Q and Mamoun’s Mabrumeh + Falafel

Walk to the east and there exists the best street in Manhattan! MacDougal between 3^rd and Bleeker in Greenwich Village has everything and more so arrive hungry. We came here on our last trip because of a recommendation from our friend Manish. The food is so good that it was the first stop on the agenda when we arrived in New York. First off there is Mamoun’s Falafel dishing out pita falafel sandwiches for $2.50. A few doors down is a hopping NYC pizza joint named Artichoke; further on Kati Roll assembles phenomenal street wraps. Across the street Bao-B-Q puts together a sweet and spicy pork sandwich on a steamed bun. I am sure there other delicious restaurants within five steps in any direction, but we were excessively full and needed to waddle our way to another area of Manhattan.

Carmen relaxing on High Line Park

A beautiful day from High Line Park

Typically, we then walk of our large prunch from MacDougal St. at High Line Park. I say “typically” because I have successfully accomplished this twice. High Line Park is one of the perfect gems of New York City. The abandoned elevated rail line was converted into a meandering vibrant pathway for strolling, people watching and enjoying the fresh air. We walked through the flower gardens; we stopped to relax, talk and gaze out into New York’s colorful architecture.

Szechuan Gourmet

One thing that I loved about China, and a reason why I am going back, is the food. The cuisines across China vary as much as those across Europe and Sichuan Chinese food is the cuisine that most tingles my tongue. The food is smoky and spicy and they use small peppercorns that physically numb the tongue and mouth. Since we were feeling snacking, our love of those flavors brought us to Szechuan Gourmet. We ordered two classics – dan dan noodles and home-style tofu. We left the restaurant with our mouths still sizzling and a deeper craving to travel to Asia.

BBQ Pork Belly Bun at Momufuku

An essential restaurant for every visit to New York is Momufuku. There are three different Momofukus, try them all, but do not escape without eating in at least one. The Korean fusion fare is succulent and bursting with flavors no matter what is ordered. This time we went to Ssam Bar. We ordered up an array of deliciously simple roasted pork belly buns and spicy noodles. The juices subtly squirt out with each bite and the indulgence is completed with a sucking of the fingertips.

Statue of liberty from Staten Island ferry

Hundred year old house of my grandparents

We did see more than just restaurants. Alongside thousands of other tourists we boarded the Staten Island ferry. We said our “hellos” to the statue of liberty and grabbed a bus to get us into the interior part of the island. Walking through the historic neighborhoods we found the house where my mom was born. It is fun being in a place where my relatives played in the streets. I imagine my grandparents, whom I never met, and their little German community sixty years ago.

Nathan enjoying a “cococone”

New York is hot in the summertime, ice cream is cold. And what is cool is a saucy man driving around in his big gay ice cream truck. We first heard about this truck while at a street food convention in San Francisco. The owner described how and why he started his business and when in New York we had to try some. He serves up basic soft serve with a twist. He creates his own toppings, such as salted caramel then dipped in chocolate or wasabi pea dust. We ordered a toasted curried coconut, a unique flavor combination with soft serve but it really worked.

Spaniards frolicking in the fountain

We slipped into a bar for drinks and the final match of the Euro Cup. Hundreds of Spaniards and hispanophiles descended onto Washington Square to jump cheer and celebrate in the fountain.

$3.50 at Prosperity Dumpling

For prinner we headed to a dumpling shop in Chinatown. At Prosperity Dumpling we ordered pork and chive pan-fried dumplings and veggie soup dumplings. We made the mistake thinking that the dumplings would be Shanghai style, with soup inside, but in fact they arrived to us in a soup broth. At $2 for 10, this restaurant turns out thousands of these delicious pot stickers.

Xi’an Famous Foods

Dinnertime: a few blocks away is a restaurant that we had to return to for a 2nd meal. Xi’an Famous Foods serves Muslim Chinese food. They hand-pull all their noodles and their cumin-rich lamb burger is exceptional.

Pudding at Rice to Riches

Everything you can imagine exists in New York. Case in point: a restaurant that only makes rice pudding. There are twenty-five flavors, toppings and cheeky quotes that make up a fun atmosphere. Next time you are in New York try Rice to Riches and as stated on the wall “order the large, you are fat anyway!”

Reuben at Katz’s Deli

Next we strolled over to an institution that has perfected the pastrami sandwich. Yes, Katz’s Deli smokes and carves a meat that is really special and celebrated by the world. This trip we ordered it as a Reuben that adds Swiss cheese and sauerkraut to an already great thing. The sandwich is huge, bring a friend and split it.

Spicy Totto Ramen

Still hungry? Ramen is the perfect late night supper. Toto Ramen served up a spicy and rich broth that is some of the best we have ever had. The wait was well over an hour, but worth it.

Typical eye-pleasing NYC street

One thing that every tourist can agree on in New York is that there is too much to do. There are many sights and neighborhoods to explore. A day can be filled wondering the streets and peeking around the brick and mortar buildings. Every block has something special to see and every building has character and history to its presence. New York is calling us, inviting us to live and explore more intimately, but now is a time for travel. Goodbye NYC until next time.

Carmen and Nathan at Clove Lake Park

(Note: Ok, we didn’t actually consume all of these dishes in one day – it took about a week! But what an epic day that would be. Talk about food coma)

Posted in East Coast, United States and tagged Big Cities, Food, Friends, New York, Travel

30 Jul 2012

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Remembering NYC 2011 (by Carmen)

Chrysler Building

I had to go back to New York City. After having visited many of the major cities of Europe and Asia, it was a shame to have missed out on New York. So last August, Nathan and I made time to visit friends and family there. And it was awesome. This post is about remembering the good times we had last year and naming the reasons why we simply had to return during our year off.

Grand Central Station

Beautiful Brooklyn Bridge by night

First of all, there’s the transportation. Most of the United States is fully reliant on their cars to get anywhere. But NYC is one of the few places where transit takes over. It’s wonderful to see the diversity of people on the subway and buses. Another great thing is that all of these people are unafraid to walk. In the US people generally don’t like walking more than 5-8 minutes to get anywhere. New Yorkers walk for miles, and quickly too. Nathan was loving the famously fast pace of New York sidewalks – which is really what he considers to be his relaxed stroll. Together we joined the walking masses, from Lower Manhattan to Midtown, from Chelsea to Lower East Side. One of our favorite walks, though, is across the Brooklyn Bridge.

A classic lox bagel

Awesome burger at Prune

Handmade noodles at Xi’an Famous Foods

Nathan enjoying his paleta at High Line Park

Then there’s the delicious food. New York is known for having any cuisine you can imagine being served within its limits. We hit just a small sampling of its restaurants and street snacks. Some of the best eats are highlighted in these pictures: 1) a lox bagel at Russ and Daughters, which Anthony Bourdain recommended as an absolute must try in New York (we agree); 2) a perfectly cooked burger and sandwich at Prune, owned by the author of the great memoir Blood, Bones and Butter; 3) eastern Chinese style handmade noodles in a spicy beef broth at Xi’an Famous Foods; 4) Nathan relaxing with his mango and chile paleta (popsicle) served by the La Newyorkina in High Line Park. There were many more great things we ate but we knew we were only scratching the surface.

Times Square at dawn

Car free Park Avenue on a Summer Streets day

Flatiron Building – one of Nathan’s favorites

And, of course, the architecture was everything we hoped for. The famous high rises stacked against one another. This density of brick, iron and cement opens up into little breathing pockets in the vibrant plazas and parks dotted around the city. Every other block had some interesting building to look at.

The new $10 bill

On top of all that, New York offers a ton of cultural experiences – music, theater, galleries, museums. On this trip, Nathan and I took advantage of the museums with visits to the Guggenheim, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of the American Indian, and even small exhibits such as that of Trinity Church on Wall Street. At the last one, they had this ten dollar bill cut out that Nathan proudly took his portrait with. This picture just hit my funny bone. I could not stop laughing! So much so that the security guard came over to check things out. It still makes me giggle – I think it’s the ‘stache : )

Andrew and Taylor showing us Central Park

Sheep Meadow in Central Park

Bethesda Fountain in Central Park

Biding time during a tough game of Settlers of Catan

But the best part about New York is the friends and family who live there and welcome us with open arms. Andrew and Taylor showed us such a great time with a walk though Central Park, drinks at cool bars and chill nights in playing boardgames. The trip would not have been the same without them!

Coney Island

Me and Adri on High Line Park

And my dear cousin Adri, who is teaching while getting her master’s degree (wow!) was game enough to travel all the way to Coney Island to dip our toes in the water and eat Russian dumplings. She even shared her mango flower she bought on the boardwalk. That’s love.

the bottom line

So what I’m really trying to say here is that last summer Nathan and I joined the millions in saying, “I ♥ NY.” We couldn’t resist a second trip, which Nathan will cover in the next post.

Posted in East Coast, United States and tagged Big Cities, Food, New York, Travel