I Keep On Striving, Reiventing, Keepin' It Off the Cuff

Taco Talk - Lets chat briefly on the subject of tacos

Tacos have evolved into specialty food, therefore can be made and enjoyed in many different ways. 

Leftover roasted chicken thighs were put to good use by shredding and adding my homemade hot sauce to make a stewie moist filling for tacos.  I'm obviously not a traditionalist, although I come from a family of cooks who make dishes correctly.  Those who can't, get creative.  I am a believer in having fun with food, and if it's tasty, all the rules go down the drain.  Grilling the corn tortilla on a comal or griddle first before filling and folding over is one of my favorite ways, because you can do them all at once and it's quick. I appreciate the minimal taco when the meat is on point (see below).  In that case, just onion and cilantro are needed, with a squeeze of lime. 

Taco's can go wrong ...

I don't want to shame anyone, so I won't name the establishment but these tacos were recently purchased  from a small town restaurant in Kentucky. Firstly, the chicken is cubed, not shredded for easy tacoing.  It looks unseasoned and on a flour tortilla but it does appear to have some sauce.  The cheese is most likely pre shredded.  It's not horrible but I'm told it was not good.  You can screw up a taco is what I'm saying, but it's hard.  

Tacos from Walter's in Brooklyn - So, my bud ate these and said the shrimp was plump and tasty, but I couldn't get over that ugly brown sauce, which was supposed to be Verde.  The lemon, although makes sense with the shrimp, just feels wrong.  We need limes here. And I said it before but french fries as a side??  What world are we living in??  That being said, I could get down with a side of fries personally, but it doesn't make sense for their hoity menu.  We both agreed, you can take the traditional second tortilla and make 4 tacos or you can use the second to scoop all of your droppings.  If you just give one, we feel cheated.

Here is a great example of correct, perfectly made, goldilocks factor tacos from Truck and Trowel in Los Angeles, CA, owned and operated by my incredible, talented nephew.  Ty is famous for his burgers but has branched out to tacos this year.  When the meat is on point, then I believe going with two fresh, soft, warmed corn tortillas is best. 

 For more homestyle designs, I like to add the extras like cabbage, jalapeno, radish, cilantro, onion, etc.  Crema and crumbly mexican cheese are the best finishers but I'm not opposed to melting cheese on the tort either, or freshly shredded cheddar.  Iceberg lettuce also has it's place for crispy tacos. 

In the end, I like freestyle taco making, but you must include well spiced meat, fresh crispy toppings, a complimentary sauce, and lime for squeezing being conscious of your style of taco, meaning soft or crispy.

Enjoying the last moments of freedom in bed before going back to work from my shoulder injury.  

It'll Be Just Like Starting Over

Broccolini with Shrimp Carbonara 

I could eat the vat of pasta I made the day before, but instead pulled myself away like the cat from the nip.  Today I forced a big serving of green veg before allowing more carbs. Baby Broccoli, or broccolini is sweet and tender, it's as fun as eating a cartoon tree and less bitter than my other fave, Broccoli rabe.  

If you're wondering, yes, I basically took the spaghetti carbonara from yesterday and added grilled shrimp for more protein.  Repurposing food is a fun way to use up leftovers.

Sometimes you try a new thing because it's on sale at the green market and you think it's gonna be great but instead it sucks!  

How could Watermelon-Lime anything taste this bad?

Granola, yogurt and strawberries for breakfast

A long morning walk amongst tree and flower friends.

Making Your Passion Play, Little Queen

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I was savoring my last days of freedom, meaning worker's comp time, before I was thrown back to the wolves of retail.  This entails watching sappy movies from decades past and making foods that make me feel safe and loved.  Pasta, the food, and Heartburn the movie.  I like revisiting old films again and again.  Putting them on, they become like familiar friends in the room, where I don't have to pay attention but they help make the world feel A-okay for the right now.  

If you're familiar with the movie, Meryl Streep whips up a Spaghetti Carbonara bowl after her tryst with Jack Nicholson and presents it in bed, with two forks.  It is an inspiring classic scene that drove me straight into the kitchen to make my own.  No guanciale on hand, surprise, surprise, so I used bacon.  It was so delicious and creamy.  This is one of my all time favorite pastas.   I served it with a side salad. 

* as a side note, a friend sent an article that questioned the origin of this dish and there is good argument that it may have been born out of the US, using eggs and bacon.  

Heading Out This morning, Into the Sun

Freshly made guacamole

Homemade hot sauce, or salsa as the locals say

My own invention of a fresh green apple, tomatillo, jalapeno, avocado sauce for dipping, salad dressing or over meats.

My visiting buddy left.  I put her in an Uber and waved goodbye and she drove off into the sun.  I rushed to a much needed physical therapy session but when I came back, I realized I had a fridge full of fun food to play with.  I bought all of this to entertain and delight her but we never got to it. 

Having this bounty, it became necessary to create a worthy salad.  I grilled up some shrimp over an arugula and cilantro mix and turned it into a taco bowl. 

You know it's spring when your dinner plates become as colorful as the outdoors

For breakfast, yogurt, granola and berries 

Such a Classic Girl

You can't measure the benefits of a good friend. Sitting and talking in person, in the flesh.  Being free to say how you feel with no laws, rules, or judgement.  And with that, being open to hearing how they might disagree. A genuine civilized conversation! This is something we've lost with becoming more closed mouth (by law at work) and socially isolated in general.  I was lucky to have that chance with a dear friend visiting from Los Angeles.  One of the many bonuses is that this gal is a foodie.  One that not only can articulate what is good, but what is wrong with a dish preparation and presentation in an appreciative manner.  She could teach a MasterClass.  The best part is she respects food and people, so even though I could not wow her with my choices of dining spots, she found the good in every dish.

Forma Pasta Factory

This appetizer of shishito peppers, garlic, lemon and possibly anchovies was for me, spectacular.  I am a cheap date and easy to please but that may be because I mainly eat my own cooking.  

Pipette ragu

italian pork sausage, creamy herb sauce, parmigiano reggiano

Another benefit of a visiting friend is trying places you've passed with wonder but never tried.  This was one, the Forma Pasta Factory.  I was curious about this neighborhood eatery but my mate is not a pasta lover.  I watched young school kids going in groups and yet, there were people rolling out pasta in the windows in white hats.  Was it fancy? or casual?  Turns out it's a little of both.  You order in a line, and they bring it. The back patio area is dimly lit with fairy lights and is welcoming for a date night.  The pasta is all made in house and is inexpensive.  My eyes rolled back in my head with my amazing spaghetti pomodoro and for a moment, I detached from reality.  The meatballs were not as tender as you might expect, although after eating 5 of them (some hidden), I appreciated the whole dish so much and the pasta was perfectly dressed and al dente. My pals dish was not the creamy dream advertised and we agreed, it needed something to cut the richness.

• spaghetti pomodoro

  san marzano tomatoes, basil, and parmigiano reggiano
  added meatballs

• limoncello tart

  meyer lemon, limoncello custard and short bread cookie &

• budino

  valrhona dark chocolate pudding w/ salted caramel

  gluten free

She is a fellow lover of trees, dogs and flowers

This was Walter's, a place across from Fort Greene park that P and I walk by and say, nah, but in my head I say, hmmm, maybe yes, for another time.  This was that time.  Unfortunately, her Shrimp tacos with what was supposed to be salsa verde, looked sad and Not vibrant! WTH Brooklyn! You're embarrassing me!  Plus, the side choice was fries or salad.  Um...that's not cool, (although they were good, I had many).  If you're going to serve tacos I think you need to have either rice or beans, or make it three tacos.  Just sayin' Walters!

SHRIMP TACOS

grilled shrimp, salsa verde, radish, onion, cilantro, crema

SOFT SCRAMBLE

grilled sourdough, soft scrambled eggs, prosciutto, parmesan, mixed greens

We both wrestled with this choice but I took my shot and it was absolutely delicious!  The salad dressing was on point and those eggs were soft and luscious. 

LITTLE GEM

fennel, celery, oregano vinaigrette, za'atar, pumpkin seeds

I still don't know if I like fennel after this but I did love this salad as well as the beet salad below.  

ROASTED BEETS

herbed ricotta, citrus vinaigrette, pumpkin seeds, house chili oil

Junior's Original Restaurant Brooklyn

I should mention had I made actual food plans, and we didn't talk our way through the morning, better eateries would have been visited.  But there were reasons for visiting the original location of Junior's.  On a previous visit, she ate at the Times Square revamp, which for me is like trying to reinvent Katz diner.  You couldn't.  Plus the clientele and workers are key.  She had an adorable, kind server that took time to answer all questions in her sweet way.  Her brisket melt looked like a winner but she was more impressed with the coleslaw, which is great here.  I stuck to a traditional grilled cheese with bacon and tomato.  Comfort food that needs no introduction and seldom disappoints. 

She had an ongoing argument with a beloved colleague about the value of Chicken and Waffles.  She was not convinced of their wonder.  She felt as though sweet and savory should never mix, nor breakfasty foods with dinner items.  I'm a lover of mixing, and my Chicken and Waffle experience in LA will never be forgotten as one of the best meals I've had.  Coincidentally, I was also leery of this coupling so many years ago.  I insisted she order the fried chicken on the bone and not as tenders, but again, she was not impressed and stays with her original belief that C&W is not a thing. 

Loaded fries (btw called Disco fries at Junior's which is genius!) from Sweet Chick, a Chicken and Waffles joint.  Another major after school hangout.  Super loud and crowded but with the most delightful staff of young men that made the experience special.   

I loved this and hope to revisit although my only complaint but understand why it wouldn't be affordable is you need real maple syrup and it should be warm, and soft butter which these were not.  However, for the price, and the time we live in, you can't have these nice things anymore unless you pay big bucks. 

All in all the visit was a dream and it didn't matter that the food was subpar in all cases.  The most important thing was to spend the time to share those more intimate ideas and thoughts, take walks, enjoy laughs and discover new ways of looking at the world.  

A side note, once she left my humble abode (I was the opening act) where my biggest amenity was plush bath towels, she was treated to a stay at the Carlyle in Manhattan, in a two bedroom suite featuring 4 decks!  A version of New York that many included me have not seen.  Here are some pics to admire of her room.

side note: as a seller of kitchens, I love how even thousands of dollars still gets you a drop-in sink and no frills fridge in New York, nor was the bathroom impressive.