fruti's Profile
Food Scars - Things you will never eat again.
I love zucchini - recently made homemade veg stock And addeded lots of sautéed onions and garlic then barley, quinoa and at the end some lightly sautéed zucchini. However it was not the tough, woody mammoth zucchini you mention.
In the neighborhood where I grew up many people had gardens are we're frequently giving away lemons, peaches, apples, chard, etc. people could not get rid of the humongous zucchini - my mother tried it ONCE then turned it down. I thought I didn't like it until I had the common-sized one. I think my neighbors (several of them) thought it should be jumbo like that.
Art from Food
Food art http://www.margoriveraweiss.com
Also local food mag that uses great local artists - Edible East Bay
Are Chinese Restaurants the most intimidating ethnic establishments?
Love your post RR.
Intimidated not a word I would use. First times I went I didn't know what things were by name of dish - e.g. General Tso's chicken, Kung pao chicken, ant climb Hill, etc. but I asked and tried and enjoyed. Also loved going with Chinese friends and trying everything they ordered. Did not always like everything but enjoyed trying new dishes.
Sad that many people only want the familiar and that they freak out if they aren't being catered to with translations, etc. some of my best food adventures have been in places where communication left a bit to be desired.
You know you're a foodie ("food nerd", "chow-der", etc.) when.....
I love in soup and roasted. Also wonderful in salads.
You know you're a foodie ("food nerd", "chow-der", etc.) when.....
You wife asks "when was the last time you read a book that didn't involve food?"
You have two different food trivia games when another couple comes over they gang up and all three play against you and you still win.
You've written restaurant reviews and had your art on the cover of a local food mag.
you cultivate new friends based on their cooking knowledge, kitchen skills, etc. bonus points if the can speak Cantonese/Mandarin and order things you've never heard of.
You bring back 100 bags of paprika for your friends
You know you're a foodie ("food nerd", "chow-der", etc.) when.....
Ding ding. I have a menu diary noting menu, date and guests. Very useful - made Edgar and Rodney wild mushroom empanadas 3 years ago and made Max oxtails and lemon lime meringue pie last time.
The utensil drawer bare closes and it a huge drawer. Never mind there is a huge knife block and two crocks for wooden spoons, etc want to install peg board ala Julia to make more room.
Win free tix to Julie and Julia writing about biggest cooking disaster.
Always go to marketplaces in new cities/countries.
Track down as many fruits as possible in Hawaii and paint them before eating if possible - breadfruit, black sapote, lychees, papayas, Chico sapote, dragon fruit, jaboticaba (tree grapes), rambutan, longon, etc. I think I've painted 10 varieties of bananas.
Get obsessed with making or find the best - tamales, raviolis, pizza, etc
Spices alphabetized and color coded.
20 kinds of tea.
20 kinds of hot sauce, each with a purpose.
Cookbooks by region and even in several languages. We do have functionality in at least 5 all together
Have a knife that belonged to the baker who taught md how to bake. Knives with sentimental
Subscriptions to several food mags. Shed a tear when gourmet went defunct. Make collages out of food photos after evicerating food mags for recipes.
Could go on for days.
"Hitting" on the Waitress (server) Is it OK?
Tred carefully and I agree with the returning and sitting at bar strategy.
I had an older gentleman interested in me. I met him at a produce market near where I worked. I was married and thought he was sweet and harmless. I was totally not interested. He asked if I worked in the neighborhood and I did so I named the bakery where I worked. It so happened that I switched jobs a couple weeks after and when he came to "visit" I was gone. People who worked there let him know where I went and one day he showed up at my new job with a huge bouquet of flowers.
Just so happened it was my day off. He gave them to a co-worker to give to me - who just so happened to be my wife of ten years. She came home with the flowers wanting to know why some old guy was giving me flowers. I called him (he left his number) to thank him for the flowers and set him "straight" - unbelievably he didn't "mind" that I was someone and still wanted to go out. Had to be a bit more firm and that was the end of that.
Glass storage containers? Esp. tiny ones?
I use a grease pen on lids comes off with soap and hot water.
Where to find Top Notch Container Stores in San Francisco and (Northern) San Mateo Counties
I'm with you. Good quality glass containers canbe used in freezer. Have to defrost gently - not submerge in warm water, e.g.
I get some at Pyrex outlet, online at reuse.com. Second Crate and Barrel and I think Bed and Bath carries some glass too. Got some at Ikea but Luke many of their products - lids weren't the best fit.
Did you ever work at a fast food restaurant? [moved from Food Media and News]
I worked at Jack in the box part of my senior year in high school and my first quarter at UC Berkeley. We would make crazy concoctions - whopper bun with fish patty, burger party, all the sauces, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles. Soda with at least two flavors.
Brown polyester pants with a yellow and orange tunic and yellow kerchief - all polyester. The grease smell was awful. Hated working the drive through window - worse was wearing the clown suit and taking orders outside. We were open 24 hours so drunk folks would come through and order a Moby Dick (instead of Jack) and laugh. One guy drove through while his gf was , ER, ah, you know.
On grave yard shift there were 2 people working. One pair always went upstairs and had relations. I worked with someone and we'd work really hard and get everything done and take turns napping because someone had to awake for drive through.
One guy I worked with hated "high-riders", one guy in particular and when guy came through drive through in his high rider co-worker made tacos, spat in them, stomped on them and bagged them. Another guy took a fifteen minute break and was gone for over an hour. The manager made me fire him and his mother called and threatened to kill me.
The manager had been fired from his teaching job because he was having sex with and living with a teenage student.
I actually like their super tacos and ate them after I stopped working there. Even after hearing about the horse meat issue. I didn't eat the burgers though. They had us fry them ahead of time and keep them in a pan with warm broth so we could assemble orders faster. We were supposed to discard them after 30 or 40 minutes - I forget- but, of course, they sat there for hours and hours. Surprised no one got sick.
After I left there worked about and a half at a burger place in North Berkeley. The store manager loved me. The district manager popped in and overheard me say something to another student who was a customer about my new gf. This was over 30 years ago and the dude must have been homophobic. He forced the manager to fire me. Ostensibly because I was wearing jeans which all the guys did. There were no anti-discrimination laws in Berkeley at the time so I didn't fight it.
Haven't had fast food in several years now. Unless you count tacquerias.
Ethiopean - Berkeley/Oakland?
Cafe Eritrea is also my favorite and I've tried almost all of the others mentioned. Also enjoy Finfine and Colucci but Eritrea stands out with their amazing veggie combo. They serve humus and ful along with other standards like collard greens. Service can be slow but it is so worth it to me.
Arts and crafts vendors at farmers markets
I adore farmers' markets and buy lots of fresh produce, cheese, smoked fish, spices, juice, pasta, bread, etc. I enjoy seeing food-related products like cutting boards, food-related greeting cards, etc. I also enjoy looking at the high-quality crafts like earrings, pottery, etc.
If there is something I'm not interested in (like the dozen plus bakeries) - I keep walking, no big deal. If the produce market doesn't please me - I prefer buying organic produce for instance - and if a market, Jack London in Oakland for example, doesn't have much I won't go there when I need a lot of produce. They do have a great view, fantastic sauerkraut juice, fresh nettle bucatini and other treats. We are very lucky in Northern Calif to have a plethora of farmers' markets and I like rotating where I go. Some folks rave about the Alemany one in SF - I thought there were too many prepared food vendors and barely anything organic. I enjoyed a tamal and hit another market.
Server leaving a pitcher of water at your table without your asking...
I love drinking water and iced tea and am happy when left with a pitcher. I also know what it is like to have a bad day and take something innocent and worst and kind at best the wrong way. I admire you for seeing that you overreacted and attempting to make it better. May I be so reasonable the next time I do that.
B Side BBQ in Oakland
Just went to B side for the first time. Thought it was great. Got the Dark and Stormy ribs - tasty, complex spicing rub with most sauce on side. Juicy and well cooked. The green salad was good with a refreshing dressing. The Mac and cheese was solidly good. Service was super friendly especially when I came back within 15 minutes to get some to go for my wife's dinner. She got same ribs plus cornbread and greens which she enjoyed.
I'm an old Flints fan and while this is totally different I really like it and look forward to my next visit.
Starving for BBQ
Just went to B side for the first time. Thought it was great. Got the Dark and Stormy ribs - tasty, complex spicing rub with most sauce on side. Juicy and well cooked. The green salad was good with a refreshing dressing. The Mac and cheese was solidly good. Service was super friendly especially when I came back within 15 minutes to get some to go for my wife's dinner. She got same ribs plus cornbread and greens which she enjoyed.
I'm an old Flints fan and while this is totally different I really like it and look forward to my next visit.
Berkeley - Best Burrito/Tacos?
Just had a fantastic burrito from Cancun and even got it to go. Housemade chicken chorizo and it was very good. In fact the best chorizo I've ever had. Got two little containers of salsa - hot tomatillo and medium mango. Perfect dinner. Have to restrain from returning tomorrow.
Mexican Restaurant Suggestions in Oakland/Berkeley..
I adore chiles rellenos and my favorite version is at Tacubaya. The fillings seem to change and usually involve goat or other cheese and some vegetables. It is in a big poblano chile and the batter is crisp - none of the grease laden scrambled egg coating drowned in Campbell's tomato soup business here. Only gripe is their food is overpriced but it is delicious.
Really like the wild shrimp tacos (Fridays only do far) at Cosecha as well as the pork belly tacos. The quesadillas are also good. I'd skip the posole, Taco Grill is superior - better flavor, bigger bowl, better price, more varieties.
Posole at Taco grill. I usually get the green chicken. Red chicken is also delicious. Haven't tried the white or pork yet. Love that they use better meats.
Burritos and other stuff at Cancun who has the best salsa bar around. They use good meat too and much of their vegetables are organic and grown on their own farm. Pollo asado is very good.
Enjoy the tamales at La Borinqueña, especially the pork and be sure to get it with "gravy."
The nacatamales at Casa Latina in Berkeley are delicious and moist. Full of pork, capers, raisins,etc.
The whole fried fish at Taco Zamorano is great. You see mostly guys in their Sunday best and cowboy hats getting these. The vegetable soup is a great bargain and very home style if a bit bland.
Enjoy tacos at El Ojo de Agua truck. Like that they come with nopales.
Guadalajara, Otaez and Juan's are good for big sloppy combo plates. Nothing fancy or special but delicious and reasonable. The former can be a cop hangout which unfortunately changes the atmosphere.
Been disappointed with last couple of meals at Doña Tomás - nothing was very good (especially for the wait, price, noise) except their complimentary salsa which is always fabulous.
El Huarache Azteca is great for different masa specialties. Warm friendly folks.
Picante can be good. Setting and clientele are very North Berkeley with tons of shrieking children, especially in weekends.
Not a fan of cactus - big lack of flavor IMHO.
And if you're in the Fruitvale don't skip the vendors with cut up fruit - pineapple, watermelon, jicama, pineapple, coconut, mango, etc served with lime juice, salt and chile. Love getting the mixto which is the combo.
¡Buen provecho!
Best sweet and sour pork - Oakland/Berkeley
Yes, the conversation strayed.
I ended up going to Ark in Alameda and the SSP was only OK. I think they are more know for handmade noodles. When the friend is mobile we will try the cherry pork at one of Chu's restaurants.
And btw Rockridge Nan Yang does still have the curry chicken noodle soup on the menu - at least the last time I was there.
Best sweet and sour pork - Oakland/Berkeley
Also one of their sons has/had a Burmese restaurant in the Castro - not sure if it is still there and another son has an ice cream store in Walnut Creek or Concord.
Best sweet and sour pork - Oakland/Berkeley
Interesting. While I mostly like the food at Shen Hua and Chu I found the service downright haughty on several ocassions. Thanks for the info.
Best sweet and sour pork - Oakland/Berkeley
Thanks Robert. I see they have Cherry Pork - I've had that at Shen Hua - a more adult version of Sweet and Sour. I noticed the owner and chef is Phillip Chu. Might be a common name but he is the person who used to cook at Nan Yang - since he stopped cooking their food has really taken a dive. Often inedible. Do you know if this is the same person? If so he is an amazing chef, especially creative with vegetarian dishes.
Best restaurant desserts?
I adore that dessert and was able to recreate except for the pistachio brittle- will give it another try
Best sweet and sour pork - Oakland/Berkeley
A friend just had knee surgery and I offered to bring over lunch. Her first choice is sweet and sour pork. I have to admit that I love it too but rarely get it. Would love any suggestions. Super bonus points if there is a place that uses Niman or other better quality pork. Thanks much.
Authentic Bagel Company - only 90 perfect bagels made daily
And no one loves bacon like us of the Jewish faith. Yeah, some of us are still kosher but most of the rest of us adore bacon. I think some bagel flavors are nasty and non-traditional but my main beef with west coast bagels is the awful non-authentic texture. I appreciate the mention of these and will try them for myself. Thanks
Behind the Counter @ Berkeley Bowl
We have gotten TONS of salmon skin. My dear departed dog and I hung around the oven as my wife broiled several baking sheets of it. One piece for him, one for me. Didn't have it for a while after that. One time it was free, next time they charged a little. Asked for it, did shopping, then returned.
Dissapointing Dinner at Friends House
Sf bay area - oh well. Maybe you can ship your step daughter out this way any way. So hard to negotiate these relationships. I'm in my fifties, my dad and step mother in mid-80's and my dad and I are fairly close but I have no hope for me and SM. we are just too different and just basically do not like each other, food tastes aside.
Good luck with everything - and at least you can prepare delicious food. Bet she feels threatened by you. Oh, well - at least you and you husband eat well thanks to you.
Food Scars - Things you will never eat again.
As a teen drank 2 bottles of champagne after a Wendy's hamburger. Also had some maraschino cherries. Nix on all three though I have eaten other (better) burgers.
Food poisoning - was either scallops or a chorizo taco. Have eaten both again but not with much enjoyment.
Hot tuna - casserole or melt. Makes me run outta the room. Must have been a past life trauma - ha ha.
Dissapointing Dinner at Friends House
Perhaps we can arrange a little switch. My stepmother served "leftovers" the last time I was there - a little turkey, some packaged stuffing, gravy and canned green beans all mixed together. Aside from being really salty it didn't taste horrible but looked disgusting. For dessert there was a layer cake from a mix with some marshmallow stuff from a jar in between and on top but she licked her fingers between every swipe of the knife.
I didn't have boxed Mac and cheese until she showed up. My dad is actually quite a decent cook as was my dear late mother. For a recent birthday I brought a 7 course Italian meal - some of which we finished cooking there. He loved my arancini di riso.
If we traded I'd make the tortillas to go with your carnitas, a couple kinds of homemade salsas, maybe a tamarindo pomegranate agua fresca and a cucumber lime one too. No hot dog tacos, promise.
Your mom's weird cooking ... and other stories? (recipes encouraged)
Me too. Migraines and worse. Ate soy daily - soy milk, tofu, fake meat…
