Make it Simple, to Last Your Whole Life Long

Bacon Cheeseburger and onion rings from La Bagel Delight!

It's better that one does not comprehend how much better they could be living and eating in order to stay grateful for the little things, like hamburgers from a deli.  I choose to celebrate ground beef.  Its versatile and what could be more American than hamburgers?  I would argue even more than hotdogs in some ways.  No matter the level of wealth or breeding, everyone admits to being a sucker for a good burger. 

Coincidentally, my nephew has discovered and is recreating a famous street food item in Mexico called Tacos de hamberguesa 'Don Tono' to sell at his burger joint.  A hamburger patty with onions on the grill between two warmed corn tortillas and a very hot salsa molcajete.  For cooling relief, a squirt of lime and guacamole is recommended.  So simple, but he says they are delicious.  I believe him because his pictures alone have inspired me from his burger pop-up, Truck and Trowel.  And it makes sense because one of the best things in life is a charred weiner between a warm flour tortilla. No cheese, no condiments.  It remains true that the simplest pleasures are the best.

Think San Francisco, I Know You Are Stoned

Original Joe's 144 Taylor Street - now gone

I remembered an old Italian restaurant, Original Joe's on Taylor Street in San Francisco.  Fine Italian food said the sign, with a charcoal broiler.  People frequented late at night languishing in giant booths and equally old clientele mixed in with drunken hipsters partaking in the cocktail lounge.  I believe they served calves liver and steak but the bonus that impressed me most was that you could order spaghetti as a side, which at the time, I thought was revolutionary.   I know it now to be a staple of restaurant sides but culinary naivety fades slowly. 

I recreated the dish for a carnivorous biggie girl supper.

My husband's record, Kingbird is playing right next to a display of Taylor Swift air-freshener at Amoeba Records in LA.  An honor given to us by a good friend that I also coincidentally met in San Francisco and believe is revolutionary. 

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.