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eG Foodblog: eje - A Week of Porridge


eje

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[Mitchell's is absolutely on the list, though I prefer their Dulce de Leche.

This time of year they will likely have Pumpkin ice cream as the special flavor of the month. Then as we move into December, I believe they do a pretty good Eggnog.

However, my all time favorite is Avocado, second runner up is the Mango, but those flavors are more appealing in summertime.

Pamela Fanstill aka "PamelaF"
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Hi Erik:

Great to see you blogging!  I too, would like to see some cocktails!  Please...

[...]

Thanks Katie!

Sheesh! You guys are such enablers!

:raz:

A guy can't even give his liver a break for a few days...

I've been meaning to try the Flaming Orange Gully for a while now, so will be making something like those tonight.

Any requests?

A particular cocktail anyone has had problems with? Cocktail questions?

Left to my own devices, I would probably just make Manhattans or Red Hooks every night.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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So close yet so far. I rarely get to San Francisco any more. It's been over I year although I have been to the South Bay several times thanks to medical trips to Stanford for my daughter and myself.

I adore Andronico's. I stop every time we get near one.

When I was young it was my ambition to live in The City but it didn't work out that way so I will enjoy it vicariously.

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This time of year they will likely have Pumpkin ice cream as the special flavor of the month. Then as we move into December, I believe they do a pretty good Eggnog.

However, my all time favorite is Avocado, second runner up is the Mango, but those flavors are more appealing in summertime.

Hi Pam,

We're big fans of Mitchell's pumpkin. Tried the Eggnog last week; but, as my wife said, "You don't even like Eggnog." And it's true, I don't like (most) Eggnog, so I did not really care for it.

Sometimes I just feel like I have to try something I haven't had before when I'm there. Usually, it works out to be tasty (Calamansi, Macapuno, Buko...); but, somtimes I don't like it (Eggnog).

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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[...]

Driving in San Francisco is really tough.  The MUNI and BART are great ways to get around.  Look forward to read more on life in the city.

My public transit commute takes between 35-45 minutes most mornings.

I could drive to work; but, it would really only save me about 10-15 minutes.

The roads over or around the hill are full of traffic in the AM. It's all stop and go. Even on days when MUNI or BART are delayed, I'd rather be able to spend that time reading than just sitting in my car fuming.

Also, once I got to work, I'd have to park. Street parking in the areas near work is an enormous pain. No spots, and most areas are metered or time limited. Parking in the campus lot is prohibitively expensive, at least to me.

Or, well, I'd rather take the time to take MUNI, and spend the $40 dollar difference between a monthly FASTPASS and the monthly parking fees on something else.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Hi Erik:

Great to see you blogging!  I too, would like to see some cocktails!  Please...

[...]

Thanks Katie!

Sheesh! You guys are such enablers!

:raz:

A guy can't even give his liver a break for a few days...

You should take Milk Thistle for your liver. It will definitely help with all the drinking. Trust me.

If you have any Apry I had the Pendennis cocktail last night which was by far the best Apry based cocktail I have tasted recently. It doesn't have that awful Jolly Rancher like sweetness to it.

John Deragon

foodblog 1 / 2

--

I feel sorry for people that don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day -- Dean Martin

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I do love SF

IF you want a cocktail challenge how far can you push a pousse cafe (pun intended) and still make it drinaable. Seven layers is known, but 10 or more? Can you make one that will reform if stirred? I can think of four layers (solid, water based, oil based,float like ice or marshmallow or the like), but more?

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Today's porridge is old-fashioned rolled oats again. Fruit garnish is mixed dried fruit from a farmers' market vendor. Cherries, pears, apricots, plums, white raisins, regular raisins. I know it's probably the stuff that didn't quite make it for whole fruit; but, it's a nice change all the same. Same Mesquite Honey and Pavel's lowfat yoghurt as yesterday.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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[...]

We need a fridge shot and a better portrait of the kitties please.  :wub:

Fridge shot coming.

This is my favorite picture from when they were kittens.

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---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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...

Tonight is what we call "Taco Tuesday".

I take the MUNI and the BART and get off at 24th street.

The 24th Street BART station is at Mission and 24th.  It is surrounded by the taquerias that create the cream of the San Francisco style mission Burrito.

Taqueria San Jose, La Taqueria, Taqueria Cancun, La Coroneta and Papalote are the true giants of the field.

My wife and I have been on a Paplote jag for a while now.

...

Have you tried Taqueria San Francisco way on the east end of the 24th st. strip?

It's a bit far for me, but they make a good burrito.

I tend to stick with either El Castillito because it's close and good or Papalote if we feel like jumping on the J or bart.

Have you tried the fish burrito at Papalote? A couple of my friends swear by it. And they tell me it has to be super.

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Have you tried Taqueria San Francisco way on the east end of the 24th st. strip?

It's a bit far for me, but they make a good burrito.

I tend to stick with either El Castillito because it's close and good or Papalote if we feel like jumping on the J or bart.

Have you tried the fish burrito at Papalote?  A couple of my friends swear by it.  And they tell me it has to be super.

I need to get to Taqueria San Francisco based on their mustache reviews at Burrito Eater; but, haven't yet. It's just kind of out of the way.

My wife gets the fish tacos at Papalote something like 3 out of 4 weeks a month. I've gotten their shrimp sometimes; but, never fish in a burrito.

I usually go with their grilled or mole chicken burrito. I can't believe I'm admitting this; but, I also like their SoyRizo. It's good! They don't do Carnitas or Al Pastor, which is kind of a let down. I'm ambivalent about their chile verde pork. It's OK, and probably as good as the chile verde pork anywhere else.

I gave up the Super Burritos a few years ago; but, sometimes still get avocado or guac as an addition. I just didn't need the goopy cheese and crema.

But always "sin lechuga"!

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Mitchell's is absolutely on the list, though I prefer their Dulce de Leche.

Since when has Mitchell's gotten so much play on the Internet, I wonder? :cool:

What else I wonder relates to food history. I might have tried the Halo Halo or whatever but Dulce de Leche never even came up on my radar as a flavor until it got national recognition about five years ago. Was it a local flavor before the trend? Is Mitchell's the originator or a participator?

I don't need my burritos to be the size of my neck, but I did really love the way they made chorizo in SF. And to try to find a way to not make this about me...how about a visual cocktail challenge? You pick the drink, we get a pretty view as garnish. Wherever that may lead.

To hell with poverty! We'll get drunk on cheap wine - Gang of Four

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The 24th Street BART station is at Mission and 24th.  It is surrounded by the taquerias that create the cream of the San Francisco style mission Burrito.

Taqueria San Jose, La Taqueria, Taqueria Cancun, La Coroneta and Papalote are the true giants of the field.

i'm sad that el farolito right next to the bart station doesn't get any props. it is a bit seedy, but definitely flavorful.

i introduced my husband to their al pastor super burrito on our first wedding anniversary (two weekends ago) and he's a convert...not that he had anything to convert from...new york is notoriously bad for good mexican food (not that a burrito is very mexican per se...but we could go on and on).

i'll have to try out some of the other taquerias you've mentioned, but we live in silicon valley so don't get up to the city often enough.

great blog so far. love the friend you made at lunch the other day.

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What's San Franciscan for "Reading Terminal Market"?

I've seen the Reading Terminal Market on TV shows and in your blog and am not sure we really have an equivalent. The closest is probably going to be the recently constructed Ferry Building Marketplace. But, the Ferry Building, being recently constructed, seems to me to be much more concentrated on "upscale" stores and patrons. As it seems like it has already been covered multiple times on eGullet, I won't be going there this week. I will instead take you on a tour of the Alemany Farmers' Market, (and perhaps the Daly City 99 Ranch,) on Saturday.

That's a very interesting history the Alemany Farmers' Market has, and it has an only-in-San-Francisco quality about it.

I believe that municipally owned farmers' markets historically have been the exception rather than the rule, but both have been around for a while: my hometown, Kansas City, Mo., has a municipal farmers' market that dates to the early 1930s, when the Pendergast machine sponsored a massive program of municipal improvements that included new parks, new boulevards and trafficways, and this market. I don't know whether Seattle's famed Pike Place Market has always been a publicly run facility, but it began with a proposal for a public street market by a Seattle city councilman.

The Reading Terminal Market, by contrast, was a privately run enterprise up until the building that houses it was acquired by a public authority for incorporation into the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

The last part of my commute is on foot.  I like to think of it as my aerobic exercise.

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But, this is the view I have to look forward to from our building on a clear day.

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I'd say the view is very much worth the climb! Certainly much more pleasing than what I see in much of Chester (again, see my first foodblog).

[...]

We need a fridge shot and a better portrait of the kitties please.  :wub:

Fridge shot coming.

This is my favorite picture from when they were kittens.

gallery_27569_3867_8096.jpg

Awwwwwwwww.... :wub::wub::wub::wub:

BTW, that's a very delicious-looking sandwich you had in the post following this one. Maybe it'll be a hoagie when it grows up! :raz::smile:

Sandy Smith, Exile on Oxford Circle, Philadelphia

"95% of success in life is showing up." --Woody Allen

My foodblogs: 1 | 2 | 3

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[...]

i'm sad that el farolito right next to the bart station doesn't get any props.  it is a bit seedy, but definitely flavorful.

[...]

I'm not really huge fan of Cancun or La Taqueria. But, La Taqueria always gets written up in the 50 best restaurants or whatever.

My current favorites, in order, would be Papalote, El Toro, and La Coroneta.

La Fonda, near where I work in the Sunset, is also very good. They have a most excellent chicken tinga filling.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Obligatory Work Post...

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As you can see, like all IT workers, I am a pack rat. "What, you're going to throw those bar code scanners away? Surely, I can think of something to do with them one day."

One of my co-workers is a tea fancier, so at least we have good tea to drink.

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Break Room kitchen...

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We have a few choices on campus. The inexplicable appeal of Panda Express has always puzzled me.

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Then there's the Courtyard Cafe in the Nursing Building, or Nurseteria. If you get there early enough, they prepare a few vietnamese style sandwiches every day. Otherwise it is Cafeteria style Chinese.

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The Moffit Cafeteria in the Hospital is good, if you are fond of the sort of food you might get in a Stouffer's TV dinner served to you on a paper plate.

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---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Lunch today is at Cafe Gratitude.

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I splurge and get a fresh squeezed juice drink called "I am Succulent" (Grapefruit, apple, celery, fennel and mint).

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And the daily enchilada special called, "I am Elated". I can never remember all the things in the enchilada. Sprouted suflower seed pate and chipotles figured somewhere.

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Not only is Cafe Gratitude vegan; but, it is raw. None of the food is cooked above a certain temperature.

But, the problem is, it's really good.

I really wanted to dislike them with their goofy hippy attitude and no cheese.

But, the proof is in the food. And it is darn good. Even my co-worker who is a card carrying carnivore sez so.

So, is it really so bad to ask, "What are you grateful for?"

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Wednesday in our house is traditionally "spaghetti night".

A lot of times we'll cheat and tart up some Muir Glen sauce with extra vegetables and Aidell's sausage. Sure, that's fine for regular weeks.

This week, the idea was winter squash and chard.

I asked my wife to pick up the stuff.

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Once I got home I dissected it.

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Sorry, the squash baton are a little sloppy. I'm not a professional any more. But, yes, I do divide everything up like this every time I cook. Oh, and yes, I like my crappy 8" Chicago Cutlery pressed steel knife. It's light and always sharpens up quickly and without complaint.

Once the vegetables had been cut up it was time for a cocktail.

The idea was to start with the Flaming Gully created by Mr. Dale DeGroff for eGullet.

Introducing: The Flaming Orange Gully

There were issues, however. I had no citrus vodka and after a small credit card, ahem, incident, certain persons have been strongly discouraged from purchasing additional spirits.

Not wanting to let a mere lack of infused flavorless spirits to prevent me from flaming my gully, I proceeded as follows.

From one orange half I removed two long zests and two broad zests. I then used a micro plane grater to add the rest of the orange zest to approx 4 oz of white rum. To that I added the juice from two key limes, a few dashes of angostura bitters, 1 1/2 oz Velvet Falernum, and the juice of 1/2 orange.

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I curled the two long orange zests and added them to the cocktail glasses. I shook the above with ice until very cold and stained it into the glasses. Flamed wide zests over glasses and garnished with fresh grated nutmeg.

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Sheesh, that was a lot of work! Fortunately, it met with approval on all fronts.

Sweated onions and garlic with herbs.

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Added my spastic squash baton and covered to cook. After a period added Chard.

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Arizmendi "City Bread".

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Boiled pasta and added to squash "sauce".

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Dinner...

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Wine...

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I love Wednesdays.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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As I said we really like Mitchell's Pumpkin ice cream.

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Enough to buy our own half gallon.

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It was very tasty on some of the Arizmendi Pumpkin Raisin Tea Bread.

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:smile:

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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Hey, who put the good tea in our break room, and what are you doing with my knife? I had that same Chicago Cutlery knife for 20 years, but recently replaced it with a Hattori HD (also very light, but much sharper).

I envy your taco selection. More Salvadorans and fewer Mexicans have settled here, so we see more pupusas than tacos. I find pupusas a bit heavy - do you have them in your area?

Mmm, pumpkin ice cream.

Edited by C. sapidus (log)
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Wow the Flaming Gully looked good. And the pasta--Wednesday spaghetti night, now that's something to look forward to. Not to slight Taco Tuesday.

Your kitties are giant, esp. for being girls. Very very pretty.

Do you know Naomi's Antiques to Go, on Polk? Not too far from Swann Oyser Depot. I feel certain Naomi would have a vintage American dinnerware pattern that would be perfect for your kitchen.

Priscilla

Writer, cook, & c. ●  Twitter

 

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Hey, who put the good tea in our break room, and what are you doing with my knife? I had that same Chicago Cutlery knife for 20 years, but recently replaced it with a Hattori HD (also very light, but much sharper).

I envy your taco selection. More Salvadorans and fewer Mexicans have settled here, so we see more pupusas than tacos. I find pupusas a bit heavy - do you have them in your area?

Mmm, pumpkin ice cream.

Hah! Funny.

Yes, I've had this knife since I was in college, ack, probably more than 20 years now. For some reason I really like it, despite the fact that I have "nicer" ones. Maybe it's because it's never bitten me.

There are actually a lot of Salvadorean restaurants here in San Francisco, as well.

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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[...]

Do you know Naomi's Antiques to Go, on Polk?  Not too far from Swann Oyser Depot.  I feel certain Naomi would have a vintage American dinnerware pattern that would be perfect for your kitchen.

Huh, no, I'm not familiar with Naomi's. We'll have to check it out the next time we're over there.

Thanks for the suggestion!

---

Erik Ellestad

If the ocean was whiskey and I was a duck...

Bernal Heights, SF, CA

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