rancho_gordo

So I'm still cleaning up the mess and trying to figure out what to do with gallons of aguas frescas, but the event was really fine. I'm no tanabutler, but some of my pics are here. It was a great crowd and I think everyone had a gas. I think Pilar is terrific!

I hear this argument a lot but in San Francisco, you could always get good coffee in North Beach and the mission and also in many other parts of town. A latte was correctly aglass of milk. Espresso was thick, dark and luxurious. Now with Starbucks, espressos are watery and the general level of coffee conciousness has been reduced. Maybe it's better for the country as a whole but San Francisco has suffered.

I can't believe that! I thought I was being somewhat original! Not even close.... Yet another reason why I love Oakland so much! Hello, Uncle! Was I nice to you when I sold you cactus paddles? Sometimes I can be a bit grumpy and now with customers on eGullet, my moody personality is going to come back to haunt me!

Mulcahy says: There used to be a farmers market outside Compadres on Wed nights. It was pretty slow but we all went because Compadres gave us a good price break and occasionally would send out margaritas on hot nights. I am very cynical about fake cantinas but Compadres is much better than it needs to be. It's not so authentic but there's a level of integrity that always suprises me. Sometimes, you just don't want to eat on the curb and fight off the yellow jackets. I like Compadres just fine. It's scary when the best Chinese food is in the Raleys grocery store- and it sucks (a word I rarely use)! There's a great neon sign downtown that proclaims: CHOP SUEY. I imagine it's horrible but I hope the sign stays up forever. Wine Garden is going in where the old Diner used to be. The building is unrecognizable

Brix always strikes me as an "also-ran" in the valley. Pinot Blanc, too. They just don't seem to make an impact. Wine Garden is about open in Yountville. I spoke with the chef and he seems to really have a clear idea what he's doing and I was excited hearing about it. Also you'll hear many raves for Pilar. I haven't eaten there but in planning a menu for an event she's cooking (I'm supplying some of the food) I can tell you I would let her boss me around in the kitchen any day. Last time I ate at Mustards it seemed kind of dated, if that makes any sense. I think it was innovative in the 1980s. It was fine but I doubt I'd go again. I've had great meals at both Celedon and Cole's Chop House, neither of which have that "it" factor but remain the choices of lots of locals.

XtraMSG: No, but everything is coming up early this year. Warm, dry Spring! Caoline asked: It's not so hard as much as everything else pretty much grows itself. It takes more fertilizer and water and it gets worms. We have no rain here from early May to October so it has to be irrigated. After tomatoes start fruiting you drastically cut the water and chiles can take a certain amount of abuse, some think get hotter with neglect. And the yield per square foot is low. There are regions in the delta, below the levees where the grow the corn and never have to water it because it's below sea level. My mother lives there and never has to water her vegetables but I'll take my tomatoes over hers.

Carrying on.... Today was La Playita. Everyone in town will tell you this is their favorite taco truck. My cop friend swears by it. They've raised the prices making it the most costly burrito in town but on some level, it's Napa and everyone deserves to make a living. Today Melkor got over his anxiety and joined MsMelkor and me for a fine dining experience. He ordered two chicken tacos: LadyMelkor chose cabeza to compare it to Dos Hermanos. Notice her completely exposed burrito stratgey. I like to unwrap as I go, tearing the foil in a spiral. Ms Melkor likes to see her challenge head on and tackle the beast knowing its strengths and weaknesses. There are no rights or wrongs- only choices! La Playita is known for it's Carne Asada so I had tacos to really taste the meat: I'll let the Melkors speak for themselves, should they want to, but I'll go on record that this place is no big woop. The meat is dry so they douse it with Taptio-style hot sauce. It's fine and I don't dislike it but I don't find anything special about it. The lovely curbside setting is worse than Dos Hermanos (full on picnic table) but much better than Michoacan (Wal-Mart parking lot). It's right outside the wine train "station" so you can watch teens flip the bird at "passengers" on the "unique wine country dining experience" if you walk just a few feet away from La Playita. I PM'd all the locals I thought might be interested for this last-minute meal. PM me if you want to know about our next excursion.

I think good company and "trying something new" made it a worthwhile meal. Plus it was kooky fun. I didn't know what to expect, I didn't quite understand what I was eating and still, I'd go again in a heartbeat should La Tillie and Sean (Shawn?) invite me.

My Italian friends were fairly loose except they always said, "Sopratutto- Il cafe!"

Gee, a fellow leaves for a few hours to spend a day at the beach and look at the conversation he misses! Says Fifi: plus, the original seed is from Mexico, so it should be great. The kernels are green but maybe the slaked corn will be another color or some shade of white. We'll see! If it's unslaked and used fresh, it may also be another color. I know the red pozole isn't so pretty once it's cooked. XtraMSG says: I hope you have better luck than here. One of the reasons I grew it (and really, almost everything I grow) is because I couldn't find it from someone else. At least here in California, corn is very taxing and expensive to grow and the customers expect it to be cheap. Market farmers grow it to attract customers but often write it off as a loss leader. It's much fussier than a lot of other things. So when I asked a few years ago about getting a less sweet corn, the farmers would laugh. They had no interest in doing anything other than the bland candy that people seem to want. Even the heirloom sweets were of little interest. Several stalks have ears (they seem to be two to a stalk) and are in the process of pollinating. I have my bag of cal and a big appetite waiting for them! I'll keep you posted.

Esperanza- that sounds KILLER! I think there may be some confusion on the term "green corn". My corn is literally emerald green. from the Univ of AZ: I found a few other references on the web and green seems to mean fresh corn. So-- I'm going to make some fresh, dry some and make a masa with some more (most of it) and save some for seed in case it's as tasty as it is pretty.

Thanks! I guess I got some bad information. I almost hate to ask, but had your friends ever heard of this green corn?

La Fifi is right about the dent corn. It has cute little dimples and tends to be starchier than sweet corn. Fifi is also right in that I'm not asking how to make traditional masa. My understanding is that in Oxaca the corn is not ever dried and a masa is made from the fresh corn. That is why I am concerned that I have so much, all of which will be ready in about the same time. I suppose I could freeze the fresh masa but I might try and dry it and save the seed instead. Please ask your Oxacan friends!

I love runny fried eggs and a good Caesar salad and now I'm the proud parent of six chicks, nearly hens. I call them "the girls". They seem to like it. I've been doing a lot of reading about eggs and rasing them. Someone mentioned washing the eggs and that isn't a good idea because there's a protective film on the eggs you will wash off, making them more exposed. Apparently regular strore bought grade double A treats can be over six months old! They send back old eggs for some kind of funky wash and they're as good as new, ready to be resold and rotated. America vs Europe is won easily by Europe. Instead of raising humane, fresh healthy chickens and eggs, we wash them and give up the luxury of eating eggs the way we like them. We zap the pork with rays and raise the pigs like they're brussel sprouts. If we did things right in the first place, we wouldn't have to clean up the back end. I want better, not more!

I've planted an extensive field of Oaxacan green dent corn. I thought it would be could to dry and use later but I was told that normally it's used fresh to make a fresh corn masa tamal. This sounds good but I grew way too much of it. I suppose I could dry it and save the kernals for seed but do any of my fellow eGulleters know what else I could do with such pretty corn???? And can you point me in the direction of a fresh tamal recipe using Oaxacan corn?

I follow my nose!!!

Let's go for La Playita next week. I promise to keep an open mind even though I think $5 is a little steep and the last time I went it seemed like they used an awful lot of rice and it seemed like filler. But after that we need to try Michoacan which has become my favorite for al pastor, even though it's right next to WalMart. Let's not forget the big side of 707- Sonoma county. Winesonoma and others- I know you have some pretty good taco joints, but how about taco wagons? I'm guessing there are some good ones in Petaluma.

Quite casually, the delightful Ms Melkor and I have decided to visit and make notes on as many taco trucks in the 707 area code that we can find. The next review may be our last or this thread may continue as long as Tommy's Bio. The taco truck is a brave new frontier in Mexican cooking. I think some of the best Mexican food I've had in Northern California not made in the home is from these trucks. Please add your own reviews if they are from the 707 area code and are actual trucks. Really good taco stands or trucks in Davis belong on another thread. This is serious, gente! We started with 2 Hermanos on the north side of Vallejo. It is in the parking lot of a very tacky furniture store and the busy traffic on Sonoma Ave will not remind you of a chic Parisian cafe in any way. I don't remember how much the tacos were, but the regular burrito includes cheese and sour cream for $3.50 and it's huge, although not too huge for the mighty Ms Melkor. She had a cabeza and I had three tacos al pastor. I forgot to ask many details but my companion said the burrito was very good. I eat one every Saturday on the way back from the market in OAK so I know of which she speaks. Lots of meat and just enough beans and rice to taste great, not to use as filler. They steam the tortillas rather than grill them, which I think is a negative but the extras like cheese and cream are bonus treats, as are the salsas, the de Arbol in particular. My tacos were rather artfully displayed. To be honest, the meat as a little dry but otherwise it was a fine snack. For the 3 tacos, burrito and 2 horchatas (kind of watery but not too sweet) it was $9. I have to admit part of the appeal is knowing these mobile restaurtants make Mr Melkor squeemish. She didn't say but I'd bet Ms Melkor gets a little thrill from that too. Let us know if you want to go on our next little adventure or add your own. VIVA 707!!!!!!

Zucchini fritters!

I don't have anything to do with that part but my impression is you need to be a Slow Foods member. I'm pretty much a guest at this thing myself. Here is the member invite: This is the official invite for our next event on August 7th at the home of Ranch Gordo. Slow Food Napa Valley invites you to a celebration of summer, farmers markets, the rich native and latino heritage of our California cuisine and three of the entreprenuers that highlight these aspects in their chosen life path. We'll enjoy the results of food exploration and farming of Steve Sando, who grows what he refers to as indigenous vegetables and herbs, including beans, masa, tomatillo's, and tomatoes. Many of you may have seen his colorful display of the many bean varities he grows at farmers markets here in Napa Valley or elsewhere in the bay. We'll tour his small farm in Napa, and then sit down to a meal as prepared by Pilar Sanchez of Pilar, the new hip spot in downtown Napa. Pilar's cooking styles and influences make this a perfect match for the Rancho Gordo fare. We'll also enjoy adult beverages as provided by Pam Hunter, 100 percent agave, organic Mezcal de Oaxaca, better known under the brand Encantado, including; Donaje--Fresh squeezed orange juice and mezcal named for the last Aztec princess. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the St Helena Farmers Mkt. Time: 12:00 - 3:00 pm Cost: $50.00 - Slow Food Members $60.00 - non-members ( if you are expired I'll have forms for you to fill out to resign up at the event) We are limiting, due to space, the attendees to 40 in total. If you sign up and change your mind please let me know in that I will be running a waiting list. Dress - casual, it will be an outdoor event, we will have coverage but be prepared The mezcal sounds pretty great!

Carolyn It is Napkins, not Napans, for those of us here in the wonderful Napa Valley. And for those of us who drink hard likker, we're Cocktail Napkins!

For you Pilar fans (and who isn't- she's the vallley's IT GIRL of the moment), she's cooking a Slow Food event at my place on August 7th, using a lot of my product. I don't quite know how these Slow Food things work, but the Napa Valley chapter will have all the poop.

and the use of non-english words for foods that have a perfectly good english word all set up already and ready to use is a bit strange as well. probably done for the same reasons. How is Turin easier to say than Torino? Milan is easier than Milano? I HATE the English versions! I think in the states we have so many immigrants that we never learn the pretend English versions, excepting a few. I find that the English almost intentionally mispronounce foreign words. Pasta, cilantro come to mind. On the other hand, I do not like that rocket has become arugula, celerey root is now celeraic and there must be more. Being two faced, I don't mind that fresh coriander is cilantro. Can I add a new word? Jalapeño. How come hal-i-pain-yo is now hal-i-pee-no?

I have a friend who broke up with a guy after he said "Yummers!" while eating something. I think it was a wise desicion, really. I can't stand Yum, Yummy or Yummers except when coming out of the mouths of toddlers. Grown ups should learn better words.

I've always heard it's good to use in things like creme brulee (sp), flan and other things that would otherwise curdle with the addition of lemons.