Hunicsz's Profile
Asian supermarket mystery purchase: honey dates
I just bought a bunch of these at the farmers' market, after being intrigued by the large mounds of brown-yellow mottled balls the size of ping pong balls being sold by many of the asian vendors.
I think they're delcious, although the texture is exactly like styrofoam or a sponge. The flavor is mild, but to me tastes a little like tart granny smith apple with a little lychee flavor and an almost floral aftertaste. If it's the texture that's throwing you off, maybe they aren't for you, since it seems like the "good" ones (ie the twenty or so I sampled from different vendors) are all foamy and dry. While the flavor was rather mild, I definitely wouldn't call them "tasteless, so maybe yours weren't a good batch. If you're interested in trying them again, maybe you could seek them out at a farmers' market where you could sample them first.
What to make for a vegan & very picky new mom?
Ooh, that teriyaki tofu salad sounds good, and I have all the ingredients. Thanks, GG. I might just do that.
Good ideas, Maxie. I'll keep those in mind for next time.
Chowser---gazpacho would be *way* too exotic for these folks; that's how limited they are. The husband wouldn't go for guac, but the wife might. Many nights they eat chips & salsa for dinner. Seriously.
Small h---yes, I know all about breastfeeding and food, having breastfed two in the last three years:) Chocolate was the one thing she requested.
eta: didn't mean to post this here; meant for it to be after small h's response. Whoops.
What to make for a vegan & very picky new mom?
One of my very best friends just gave birth to her second son and I've volunteered to bring her family dinner tomorrow. I asked her what she might want, and she didn't really have any ideas (having experienced the overwhelming postpartum period not so long ago myself, I can understand).
I have no problems cooking a vegan meal. My issue is that my friend and her husband are exceedingly picky. Basically, they do not like vegetables. Yes, I know that doesn't sound compatible with a vegan diet, and it really isn't. They have a very limited and not altogether healthy diet, and so be it, it's their choice. But it does make cooking for them difficult.
The new mom loves chocolate, and I have a great chocolate orange cake recipe, so that's covered. She also likes salads, so I was going to make a big salad with avocado and tomatoes (two vegetables that I know are OK). I'm stuck on a main course. I'm thinking of some kind of casserole that would provide good leftovers. Maybe rice or potato based? It also should be pretty cheap and easy for me to make. In short, no "weird" veggies (like the jicama I put in the salad when they first came over for dinner) and no "exotic" or unfamilar spices (ie, oregano probably OK, curry powder not). Something they can eat for a couple of days, and relatively healthy so maybe I can make extra for my family, too. Any chowhounds out there with great, unchallenging (for both cook & diner) vegan entrees? Thanks!
Nasty Little Treats
Actually, it's pica with a "c". I was severely anemic when pregnant with my first, and I had incredibly intense cravings for both dirt and laundry detergent.
Flora or Mua? Or something else?
Well, that was a bust. We decided on Flora, only to get there and discover it was closed. It never even occured to me that any of these restaurants would be closed because it was Monday. Duh. Rather than give up our prime parking spot, we stayed put & had some drinks and crummy concession food at the venue.
Thanks for the advice, though! Hopefully one day in that not too distant future we'll get a babysitter and try some of your suggestions. I still want to try Flora and Mua, and that Camino paella dinner is intriguing, too.
Flora or Mua? Or something else?
My husband and I are going to see the Pixies tonight at the Fox and are going out to dinner prior. It's sort of a big deal, because we have a two year old and a two month old and this is our first night out in. . .I don't know, maybe a year? Anyway, looking for a place with excellent drinks and food and ideally an interesting ambience. I've never been to Flora, but I've heard good things and the drink list looks great. My DH is a former bartender so interesting drinks are definitely a plus(I met him when he was bartending ten years ago, and he's still my favorite drinking buddy). It's a bit pricy for us, but if you guys tell me the food is great I'm willing to do it.
I was also looking at the menu for Mua, which looks good and the prices are a little lower. I'm thinking the ambience might not be as "special", though. I considered Binh Minh Quan, which I used to love, but it's a little far and I recall some downhill reports. Also, might not quite be what we want for tonight. I was also thinking about that newish bar, Penelope. Is the food substantial enough and interesting enough for a light dinner?
So, opinions? Other places we should try? Thanks for any advice!
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Binh Minh Quan
338 12th St, Oakland, CA 94607
Mua
2442A Webster Street, Oakland, CA 94612
Got a good salad dressing recipe?
I've recently discovered Annie's Woodstock dressing, and man, is that stuff good. No way am I paying $4 for a little bottle, though. I found this knockoff recipe, which seems pretty right on. I'm going to try it tomorrow. This really is a fantastic dressing, for those who haven't tried it. Don't be put off by the "crunchiness" of the ingredients. It's got great creaminess and nuttiness from the tahini, acid from the tomatoes,and the nutritional yeast adds that great, savory umami kick.
http://leadenhallshire.blogspot.com/2007/05/mamas-recipe-fakes-annies-woodstock.html
Vietnamese! Chinese! Ducks in the Window! Pho ga! Multiple menus! Delivery! New in Alameda!
Thanks for the report, Ruth. I drive by this place all the time and have been intrigued by the hanging ducks, but a delivery menu we got didn't sound promising. Good to hear there are multiple menus!
Need a new Ethiopian Restaurant
Just wanted to third Enssaro. By far the best Ethiopian in Oakland IMO.
Caldo Tlalpeno
Since this has been revived, I'll add my favorite. I love the caldo tlalpeno at Guadalajara near the Fruitvale bart station. Rice and avocado on the side, nice big chunks of chayote and other veggies, and a nice chipotle punch. It's got a kick, but I wouldn't call it particularly spicy. There's a lot of so-so typical American-Mex food on their menu, but I think they do a few things (namely the caldo tlalpeno, carnitas, and whole fried snapper) really well.
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Guadalajara Restaurant
1001 Fruitvale Ave, Oakland, CA 94601
Olive and Cream Cheese Sandwiches a Baltimore Only Treat?
My dad made these for my lunches a lot. This was the early 80's, Northern Cal. I don't recall anyone else eating them, though. And it was always black olives.
July 2009 Grocery Outlet - Buck-o-rama
About those pies. . . I bought one a couple weeks ago that was pretty darn good, if not exciting. Very banana-y flavor and quite pleasant. I bought another last week, and it didn't taste like anything. The filling was mushy and bland. So quality appears to be variable. I agree, even the better of the two was definitely not worth a special trip.
July 2009 Grocery Outlet - Buck-o-rama
A few good things today at Oakland:
-I ADORE that Snowfisk cheese spread ($1.49 for 4.4 oz container). I've been waiting for this stuff to reappear for over a year. It's like a very creamy, slightly goaty cream cheese.
-$1.99 dole pineapples. The one I got looks and smells great.
-$0.99 cantaloupes from Mexico. Looks fine.
-$2.99 Whole Foods brand Banana Cream pie (located by ice cream). Very good, super banana-ey with a nice buttery crust.
-$1.29 bacon crackers. I'm not a huge fan, but DH is, so I stocked up. They also have chicken flavor.
The best place to beat the heat?
Mmm. . .mint chip sounds great. I love, love, love their black sesame ice cream.
June 2009 Grocery Outlet
Yesterday at the Oakland GO:
-30 pack of Fiber One bars, $3.99 (much cheaper than they've had them in the past)
-2 pack of Kashi Go Lean Crunch, $3.99
-Gertie's Artichoke Tapenade (33.5 oz), $3.99---I love this stuff. Not sure I would call it tapenade, though. Ingredients: artichokes, olive oil, green olive, key lime, vinegar, salt. Very nice in scrambled eggs or omelettes, or on a sandwhich.
-Sabra supremely spicy and classic hummus, $2.99
-Naked brand "mango madness" smoothie, 32 oz, $1.99---pretty good, but not super-mango-y. Also contains banana and apple. Expiration dates end of June.
-California Pizza Kitchen Ham & Swiss pizza, $2.99--- tasty. Lots of caramelized onions and ham. The swiss is a little odd, though.
Looking for cuy in SF Bay Area
Yeah, I'm not sure that you'll find cuy in the Bay Area. I had it several times in Ecuador, and while I liked it just fine, I'm not sure it's worth going to great lengths to find it. It's not unlike rabbit.
Suggestions for a Non-Dairy Cake in Berkeley
Yeah, I think Mariposa would probably be a good bet.
And as Robert said, avoid Nabolom. Really.
Fresh uncooked Frog legs in the Eastbay?
Unfortunately, most of the stuff they have on the signs is not available inside, including frog legs last I was there. I've been disappointed several times (although, what they do have is good quality and fairly priced). Presumably they could get them for you, though.
I always wanted to try **** but have never worked up the nerve because I am afraid I won't like it.
Funny that you mention the fish eye thing, because we ordered a whole fish at a Mexican restuarant a couple nights ago and I felt compelled to try the eye. I just wanted to see if I liked it. Well, not so much. It skeeved me out a little as I was eating it. For me, it was more a textural issue than a taste one. Hey, but now I know, right?
Toddler food ideas
I have an almost two year old, and am constantly looking for ways to get more veggies into him. I would second the idea of dips; many toddlers really enjoy that. My kid also really likes salsa (he eats spicy, which makes his Mexican-American daddy proud, but you could certainly do mild). We also do a lot of whole grains (brown rice, barley, quinoa) with small diced up veggies. Another thing he likes are veggie soups, either pureed or with veggie chunks. I also add pureed carrot and/or squash to his mac n cheese. I also find that finely chopped spinach or other greens can easily hide in various dishes.
Oh, he also really, really likes these Snap Pea Crisp things. They're crispy little cracker things made from green peas. Not as good as the real thing, but better than most crackers/chips. Here's the info: http://www.snacksalad.com/products.html
We buy them at Trader Joe's.
Bakesale Betty- Fried chicken sandwich, am I missing something?
Add me to the list of people who don't think it's the best sandwhich other. I've had it several times over the last few years and always been underwhelmed, so it isn't a declining quality issue for me. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly not bad, just nothing I would go out of my way for. Now, the ginger cookies, on the other hand. . .
Where can I buy alphabet pasta?
In my Lucky's (Alameda) it's in the Mexican foods aisle.
What is your favorite rhubarb recipe?
Katecm: I made this a couple days ago, and it was great. Somewhere in between a cake and a crisp. The only thing I would do differently next time would be to increase the rhubarb (I actually used rhubarb and strawberries). I found the layer of cake to be too much for the amount of fruit. Thanks for the great recipe!
What to do with sumac?
Oooh, I love this idea. The unique, sour, tangy taste of sumac would work perfectly this way. I'm totally going to try this. It would look great, too.
What to do with sumac?
I love sumac in most anything. I agree with all the suggestions here, and I also love it on top of fried eggs.
Zen - Alameda, great lunch
I had a very pleasant dinner here not long ago. The pork belly dish was great, as were the Asian fries (although my almost two year old ended up with most of those). We had a couple other dishes that were fine, but forgettable. I've been meaning to get over there for lunch; I guess I missed my chance.
Foods to enjoy at room temp/slightly warm
I'm surprised that you consider tabbouli an exception. I've always eaten it room temperature. Do you eat it chilled? Not heated, right?
Sushi Platters in Berkeley/Oakland?
A second on Musashi. I've always had good food from them, including trays. And they're very helpful and reasonably priced.
Rhubarb?
I bought some at my local Safeway last week (Alameda). I think it was $2.50/lb. I haven't yet seen it at Farmers' markets in the East Bay.
Berkeley - Jimmy Bean's $12 three-course dinner - fried chicken Friday?
We went last night hoping for meatloaf, but it looks like there have been some changes. Sat is now Paella Valenciana, and Sunday is "Mexican fiesta". I'll echo many of the others here and say that for the price I was quite pleased.
We started with a mixed green salad with some cucumbers and shaved carrots that was dressed judiciously in a well-balanced vinaigrette. The main course was pretty good, although not really a traditional paella as I understand it (not that I'm an expert by any means). It was more like slightly seasoned rice with a lot of seafood and a chicken thigh. No shrimp or chorizo or anything, but a very generous portion of fresh-tasting clams, mussels, and halibut. It was pretty good, although not something I would necessarily pick normally. The pistachio-cherry coffee cake had a lovely texture, but suffered from being waaaay too sweet. The few somewhat tart cherries were no match for the sheer sugar overload. The unsweetened whipped cream helped a bit. The wine was a nice little bonus, although the mister got most of mine (I'm pregnant).
It was by no means a great meal, but on our budget it's a god send. Sometimes it's nice to go out for a "real dinner" (rather than, say, burritos), and this kind of deal allows us to do that. We'll definitely be back to try some of the other specials. The mezza plate as described by RW sounds intriguing, and chicken pot pie could be good too.
