Posts filed under 'Features'
The Spices of India
When it comes to mastering Indian cooking, the requirement is having a thorough knowledge of the properties of each spice and how it blends with other spices. It’s accurate to say that the characteristics of curry really depends on the balance of herbs and spices that go into its creations. Curries differ from one region to another based on each region’s unique spice blend for their curry.
Masala is a familiar word in the Indian kitchen and itliterally means a blend of several spices. Garam (hot) masala is the most important blend masala and an absolute essential to north Indian preparations, added just before serving the dish to enhance its flavour. The rational garam masala is a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Masala may be in dry, rosted ground or paste form Look below for an idea of the types of spices used in Indian cooking, but please note that these are just the tip of the iceberg.
Curry Leaf: Curry leaves originate from the Kari tree of Southwest Asia. They are mainly used as an aromatic and flavoring for most curries and soups. When starting a curry or soup dish, put the curry leaves into the oil to fry until crisp. For extended use, air dry them completely, and store in an airtight container.
Red Chili Powder: Red Chili Powder or Lal Mirch (Hindi) Indian chili powder is made from ground chilies. It is much hotter than the chili powder commonly found in most stores here in the US which is mostly a blend of red peppers and cumin, coriander etc. The ground product ranges from orange-red, to deep, dark red. Red pepper is a pungent, hot powder with a strong bite.
Cardamom Pods: These light green oval pods are known as elaichi in Hindi. Green cardamom pods are highly aromatic and very fragrant, with a sweet, nutty taste. Encased in the pod are 12-15 tiny black seeds that hold the flavor. Cardamom is often used in rices, puddings and simmered dishes. It is best to bruise the pod before adding to the dish to release flavor.
Cinnamon: In India cinnamon is commonly used in meat and rice dishes, and in Garam Masala. It is also one of the ingredients of commercially manufactured curry powder. It may also be used in stick or powder form in sweets, cakes and curries.
Clove: Cloves are the dried flower buds of the clove tree and are strong, pungent, and sweet. Cloves are used in many meat dishes, marinades, pickles and in many “garam masalas”. It is used whole or in powder form.
Black Peppercorns: Black peppercorns are sun-dried, fermented green berries from a pepper vine native to Southwestern India. This spice is ever so popular throughout the world. It has a pungent fragrance and spicy taste. Black pepper is evident in almost all curries, dals and numerous spice blends.
Ginger: This fresh, light-brown rhizome, is used extensively in all forms of Indian cooking. Peeled, mashed or cut, ginger has a clean and aromatic taste with a slightly spicy edge.
Tamarind: Tamarind pulp or juice is added to bring a touch of sourness in the curry and is extremely popular with South Indian cooking.
Fenugreek: This very powerful Indian spice plays an essential part in the flavor of curry powder. Its bitter and sweet flavor is used in soups, dals, bean and vegetable dishes, and fish and seafood dishes. It is also used in the sugary balls, ladoos. In North India, fenugreek is used in lamb stews. In the South it used in almost everything; breads, chutneys, curries and dals. In North Africa it is also used in bread.
Now that you’ve learned a little more about the types of spices used in Indian food, here’s a list of Indian restaurants so that you can let your tastebuds do some exploring.
Cafe Maharani
2509 S King St
Honolulu, HI 96826
(808) 951-7447
Ghareeb Nawaz Restaurant
2032 W Devon Ave
Chicago, IL 60659
(773) 761-5300
India Oven
2890 S Colorado Boulevard
Denver, CO 80222
(303) 756-5866
India’s Tandoori
5468 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(323) 936-2050
Madhuban Indian Cuisine
6930 W State St
Suite 200
Boise, ID 83714
(208) 853-8215
3 comments November 15, 2009
The Ins and Outs of Korean Snacks
Western snack culture consists of everything from potato chips to ice cream, which is a far cry from traditional Korean snacks, so let’s learn a little more about what Korean snacks are all about.
Tteok (Traditional Rice Cake): Korean cake is made steaming glutinous rice flour (also known as sweet rice or chapssal). Normal rice flour can be used for some kinds of tteok. In Korea it is customary to eat tteok guk (tteok soup) on New Year’s Day and sweet tteok at weddings and on birthdays. It is often considered a celebratory food and can range from rather elaborate versions with nuts and fruits down to the plain-flavored tteok used in home cooking. Some common ingredients for many kinds of tteok are mung bean, red bean, and sweet red bean paste, Korean mugwort, jujube and other dried fruits, sesame seeds and oil, sugar, and pine nuts.
- Patsirutteok: Rice powder and the pounded red beans are layered alternately in siru, an earthenware steamer, with a final layer of red beans, and the mixture is steamed. The red color of the red bean is believed to keep away evil spirits and bad luck, and this tteok is prepared for many occasions to bring good luck.
- Hwajeon: Small, sweet pancake or tteok (rice cake) made of any edible flower petals such as azalea or chrysanthemum, glutinous rice flour and sugar in Korean cuisine. Its name means “flower cake”
- Jeolpyeon: Pounded and steamed rice dough is pressed in a wooden pattern mold, cut into pieces, and coated with sesame oil.
- Injeolmi: Rice cake, made by steaming and pounding glutinous rice flour, shaped into small pieces and covered with steamed powdered dried beans or hulled red bean powder.
- Gyeongdan: Glutinous rice dough is formed into small balls, placed in boiling water and removed, and then coated with different-colored powders made from sesame seeds, beans, cinnamon, chestnut, etc.
Hangwa (Traditional Sweets and Cookies): Hangwa is appreciated for its artistic and decorative colors and patterns as well as for its pleasing sweet taste. Often taken along with traditional beverages, it is regarded as a healthful snack and classy dessert. Beautifully packaged baskets or boxes of hangwa also make excellent gifts, especially appropriate for the elderly. It is available at shops specializing in traditional cakes and sweets and special sections in department stores.
- Gangjeong: Light and fluffy, made from glutinous rice and honey. Deep-fried and coated with popped rice, cinnamon, sesame seeds, etc.
- Yakgwa: Soft cookie made by kneading sesame oil, honey, wine and ginger juice into flour. The dough is than patterned after a flower, fried and topped with honey.
- Dasik: Dasik is made from nongmal (which is starch made from potatoes, sweet potatoes or soaked mung beans), pine pollen (songhwa), black sesame, honey, flour from rice or other grains, nuts and/or herbs. Then it’s kneaded and pressed with decorative stamps.
Hwachae (Traditional Cold Beverage): Traditional cold beverages are called hwachae. They are usually made with fruits or grains, and water sweetened by either sugar or honey, or flavored and colored by omija (fruit of the “five-taste” tree, Schisandra chinensis). There are also hwachae made from Oriental medicinal foods, azalea or pine pollen.
- Sikhye: A traditional sweet Korean rice beverage, usually served as a dessert. In addition to its liquid ingredients, sikhye also contains grains of cooked rice, and in some cases pine nuts.
- Sujeonggwa: A traditional fruit punch is made from dried persimmons, cinnamon, and ginger, and is often garnished with pine nuts. The flavor of sujeonggwa is mildly hot and spicy, and at the same time sweet. It is served cold, often in a punch bowl, and is dark reddish brown in color.
- Fruit Hwachae: A fruit punch made from cherries, strawberries, peaches or watermelons. There are also hwachae with floating azalea petals, boiled barley, pine pollen, or slices of pear in omija-flavored water, sweetened with honey or sugar.
Popular Snacks: Any time you pass by shopping districts, traditional markets, back streets of areas bustling with crowds, tourist spots or college towns, you will come across street vendors, canopy wagons or flour food eateries offering snacks popular among a wide range of age groups. They often serve as an inexpensive meal for Koreans in a hurry or for tourists who want to partake of the local culture.
- Ramyeon: Korean-style ramen noodles. Besides classic ramyeon, there are a variety of others such as seafood-added (haemul ramyeon), kimchi-added, etc. Instant varieties in a Styrofoam bowl can be found at supermarkets or convenience stores; just add boiling water and it’s ready in a few minutes.
- Eomuk: Eomuk is sliced fish paste that is skewered before being boiled in broth. Enjoyed during the colder months of the year, eomuk usually accompanies soju or other beverages.
- Sundae: A Korean dish made generally by boiling or steaming cow or pig’s intestines that are stuffed with various ingredients. The most common type of sundae is made of pig’s intestines stuffed with cellophane noodles (dangmyeon), barley, and pork blood, although some variants also contain perilla leaves, scallions (pa), fermented soybean paste (doenjang), glutinous rice, kimchi and soybean sprouts.
- Gimbap: Made from steamed white rice (bap) and various other ingredients, rolled in gim (sheets of dried seaweed) and served cold in bite-size slices. Gimbap is often eaten during picnics or outdoor events, or as a light lunch, served with danmuji or kimchi. It is similar, but not identical, to norimaki, one of the many variants of the Japanese rice-based dish sushi.
- Twigim: Batter-dipped items that include vegetables of various kinds, meat, seafood, kimbap – just about anything that the cook can get the batter to adhere to. The same concept as tempura.
- Tteokbokgi: Rice powder is steamed and made into a long cylinder called garaetteok. It is cut finger-length and cooked in a spicy, sweet sauce. Vegetables, or ramyeon can be added depending on one’s taste.
So if you’re hankering for something other than a bag of chips, you might want to stop by a Korean bakery/supermarket or check the menu of your favorite Korean restaurant to see the availability of some of the food offerings above. Who knows? That bag of chips may soon be left by the wayside.
Add comment November 13, 2009
You Gotta Love Your Meat aka Dining at a Churrascaria
More than 400 years ago cattle ranching was introduced to the Rio Grande do Sul region of Brazil. Cowboys, called Gauchos herded these cattle, and like the cowboys of Texas created a new style of cooking. It is their way of cooking, churrasco (shoo-rhas’co), that has inspired traditions carried on worldwide today. Since they had no way of preserving food, the gauchos would gather together after butchering a cow, and skewer and cook the large portions of meat immediately over a wood burning fire. Originally the standard formula for Brazilian style barbecue was to coat meats in coarse salt.
The meat would then sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the salt before being cooked. Later a salt-water baste was used to keep meats moist during the open fire cooking process. Beef was typically never seasoned. The slow-cooked meat basted in its own juices and resulted in tender, flavorful steaks. Poultry and lamb, however are spiced with a rich marinade the night before cooking.
The popularity of Brazilian Barbecue has lead to the founding of dozens of restaurants, popping up all over the world. Churrasco, which is also referred to as Brazilian barbeque, is usually served “Rodizio” ou “espeto corrido” (all-you-can-eat). Waiters carry huge cuts of meat on steel spits from table to table, and carve off slices onto your plate (use the tongs to grab the meat slice and don’t touch the knife edge with your silverware to avoid dulling the edge).
Traditionally, you are given a small wooden block colored green on one side and red on the other. When you’re ready to eat, put the green side up. When you’re too stuffed to even tell the waiter you’ve had enough, put the red side up. Most churrasco restaurants (churrascarias) also serve other types of food, so it is safe to go there with a friend that is not really fond of meat. Churrascarias are definitely not vegetarian/vegan friendly restaurants and make sure that when you dine at a Brazilian BBQ steakhouse that you plan on eating lightly, if at all, before or after your meal. This is a protein fest that’s definitely going to knock you for a loop if you’re not prepared.
Ready to get your meat on? Take a look at a listing below of some Churrascarias to check out for yourself.
Churrascaria Riodizio Tribeca
221 W Broadway
New York, NY 10013
(212) 925-6969
Espetus Churrascaria
1686 Market St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 552-8792
Fogo de Chao
133 N. La Cienega Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(310) 289-7755
Picanha Brazilian Grill
501 Castor Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19149
(215) 743-4647
Tucanos Brazilian Grill
110 Central Ave SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 246-9900
1 comment November 3, 2009
A Little Byte of Cupcake History
According to the Food Timeline Web, food historians have yet to pinpoint exactly where the name of the cupcake originated. There are two theories. One, the cakes were originally cooked in cups. Cupcakes were convenient because they cooked much quicker than larger cakes. When baking was done in hearth ovens, it would take a long time to bake a cake, and the final product would often be burned. A practice soon developed where the cakes would be baked in a variety of small containers, including tea cups. Gem pans, early muffin tins, soon became common in households around the turn of the 20th Century and cupcakes were eventually baked directly in those as well.
The second theory is that the ingredients used to make the cupcakes were measured out by the cup. Some say that the first “cup cakes” weren’t even baked in cupcake pans — they were simply regular-sized cakes. It was all about the measuring, but there was a shift from weighing out ingredients when baking to measuring out ingredients. It has to do with the way ingredients were measured in late 19th century America.
Back then, most ingredients were measured by weight on a balance scale, but measuring ingredients by cups replaced that system when it was found that cup measurement saved time. A cup could just be dipped into the flour or sugar instead of having to go to the trouble of weighing each ingredient. Interestingly enough, cupcakes were sometimes called “number” cakes, because they were easy to remember by the measurements of ingredients it took to create them: One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, four eggs, one cup of milk, and one spoonful of soda.
Would a cupcake by any other name taste just as sweet? It would if it were called a fairy cake. In Great Britain however they are known as fairy cakes because they are the perfect size for a group of fairies to pleasantly enjoy. Since their creation, cupcakes have become a pop culture trend in the culinary world. They have spawned dozens of bakeries devoted entirely to them. While chocolate and vanilla remain classic favorites, fancy flavors such as raspberry meringue and espresso fudge can be found on menus. In the end, who cares who they came to be. We’re all just thankful that they are!
Looking to get your cupcake fix? Then check out some of these cupcake bakeries that will hopefully put a smile on your face.
2 Girls and a Cupcake
140 SE 1 Ave
Miami, FL 33131
(305) 373-8001
Little Cupcake Bakeshop
9102 Third Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11209
(718) 680-4465
Saint Cupcake
407 NW 17th Ave
Portland, OR 97209
(503) 473-8760
Sweet Pockets Cupcakes
4338 Paces Ferry Rd
Atlanta, GA 30339
(770) 431-6611
Vanilla Bake Shop
512 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 458-6644
1 comment October 29, 2009
The Seasonal Menu or Why Did My Favorite Dish Disappear?
Have you ever had an experience where you ate at a restaurant and really enjoyed a particular dish, returned and only to find it no longer on the menu? There could be a lot of reasons why that dish is MIA, but these days, more restaurants are focusing on creating seasonal menus. Simply, the dishes will change according to the time of the year due to the availability of certain ingredients. Although it is possible to get strawberries in the winter and squash in the spring, you really get the most flavor and nutritional value from foods that are in season; hence, winter strawberries will not be as sweet and enticing as during the spring/summer months.
If you really think about it, seasons form the natural backdrop for eating. Stop for a second and envision a vegetable garden in the dead of winter. Now imagine this same garden on a sunny, summer day. When looking at this side-by-side comparison of these two seasons, it’s quite clear that a delicate strawberry plant probably would suffer in colder temperatures, while the hearty squash may fare a little better. Today, it’s really easy for us to forget about seasons when we eat because modern food processing and worldwide distribution has made food available all year long. What we find on our grocery shelves in July would be the same things we’d find in December, but is that really that an advantage? For some yes, but not as much for those who enjoy savoring the season’s best at their peak of flavor.
Don’t despair if that favorite dish of yours is gone. It just means that the Chef really cares about the food that he or she wants to present to you and would rather please, than disappoint your palate. It doesn’t mean that the dish won’t return at a more opportune time. If a restaurant doesn’t have a seasonal menu, here are some things for you to keep in mind when ordering. The availability of any of the fruits and vegetables below are still quite dependent upon where in the world you live, and what is available at your own market. At least, it’s a good start and will hopefully, make you more aware of the quality of ingredients that show up on your plate.
Spring:
- Apricots (start)
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Carrots
- Chard and other greens (particularly in colder regions)
- Cherries (seasons starts some places at the end of spring)
- Fava beans
- Fennel
- Fiddleheads
- Garlic scapes/green garlic
- Grapefruit
- Green onions/scallions
- Greens (particularly in colder regions)
- Kohlrabi
- Kumquats (end)
- Leeks (end)
- Lemons
- Lettuce
- Morels
- Nettles
- Spring onions
- Navel oranges (end)
- Parsley
- Pea greens
- Peas (garden, snap, snow, etc.)
- Radishes
- Rhubarb
- Scallions/green onions
- Spinach
- Strawberries
- Turnips
Summer:
- Apples (late summer)
- Apricots (early summer)
- Avocados
- Basil
- Beets
- Blackberries
- Blueberries
- Boysenberries
- Cantaloupes
- Carrots
- Chard
- Cherries
- Chiles, fresh
- Corn
- Cucumbers
Autumn:
- Apples
- Artichokes (second crop)
- Arugula
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Broccoli raabe, rapini
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celeriac/celery root
- Celery
- Chard
- Cranberries
- Edamame
- Eggplant (early fall)
- Fennel
- Figs
- Garlic
- Grapes (early fall)
- Green beans (early fall)
- Horseradish
- Jerusalem artichokes/sunchokes
- Kale
- Kohlrabi (late fall)
- Leeks
- Lemongrass
- Lettuce
- Limes
- Mushrooms (wild)
- Okra (early fall)
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Pears
- Peppers (early fall)
- Persimmons
- Pomegranates
- Potatoes
- Pumpkins
- Quinces
- Radicchio
- Radishes (all types)
- Rapini
- Rutabaga
- Salsify
- Scallions
- Shallots
- Shelling beans (early fall)
- Sunchokes/Jerusalem artichokes
- Sweet potatoes
- Turnips
- Winter squash
Winter:
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cardoons
- Carrots (storage)
- Cauliflower
- Celeriac/celery root
- Celery
- Clementines
- Escarole
- Fennel
- Grapefruit
- Horseradish
- Jerusalem artichokes/sunchokes
- Kale
- Kiwi
- Kohlrabi
- Kumquats (late)
- Leeks
- Lemons
- Mandarins
- Onions (storage)
- Oranges
- Parsnips
- Pommelos
- Potatoes (storage)
- Radishes (large varieties)
- Rutabaga
- Salsify
- Shallots (storage)
- Sunchokes/Jerusalem artichokes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tangerines
- Winter squash
1 comment October 16, 2009
Funny Food Videos That Will Make You Giggle!
It’s easy to lose a sense of time on YouTube, especially when you run into some hilarious videos that revolve around food. Check out some of really funny finds below and enjoy!
2 comments October 15, 2009
Soups Around the World
With winter soon coming upon us, soup is going to be a popular dish to help warm us from the inside and out, so if you’re looking for a little variety beyond just chicken soup, here are some ethnic soup options that may just hit the spot.
You’ve already learned a little bit about ramen, but let’s get a little more souped up education. Even if the ones below don’t catch your fancy, hopefully, it’ll open your eyes to new possibilities.
Borscht from Russia and Poland [BOHR-sht]
Originally from Russia and Poland, borscht is a soup made with fresh beets. It can be prepared using an assortment of vegetables, or with meat and meat stock, or with a combination of both. Borscht can be served hot or cold; it should always be garnished with a dollop of sour cream.
Bouillabaisse from France [BOOL-yuh-BAYZ, BOOL-yuh-BEHZ]
A celebrated seafood stew from Provence, made with an assortment of fish and shellfish, onions, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, garlic, saffron and herbs. The stew is ladled over thick slices of French bread.
Congee from China [KON-jee]
A soup of boiled rice and water, which serves as a background for a host of other foods including fish, shrimp, chicken, peanuts, sesame seed and eggs. In China, where it’s also known as jook or juk , congee is particularly popular for breakfast
Menudo from Mexico [meh-NOO-doh, meh-NOO-thoh]
Long touted as a hangover cure, menudo is particularly popular in Mexico on New Year’s morning. It’s a hearty, spicy soup made with tripe, calf’s feet, green chiles, hominy and seasonings. It’s usually garnished with lime wedges, bowls of chopped chiles and onion and served with hot tortillas.
Mulligatawny Soup from India [muhl-ih-guh-TAW-nee]
The name derives from the Tamil, a people inhabiting southern India and the surrounding area, and means “pepper water.” This soup is based on a rich meat or vegetable broth highly seasoned with curry and other spices. It usually contains bits of chicken (sometimes other meats), and can also include rice, eggs, coconut shreds and even cream.
© Copyright Barron’s Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER’S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
Want to check out some of these more unusual soups? Then look below for some restaurant recommendations.
Borscht
Traktir
8151 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 654-3030
Bouillabaisse
Le Central
112 E 8th Ave
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 863-8094
Congee
Mike’s Noodle House
418 Maynard Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 389-7099
Menudo
Brothers Taco House
1604 Dowling St
Houston, TX 77003
(713) 223-0091
Mulligatawny
Gaylord India Restaurant
100 E Walton St
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 664-1700
Add comment October 8, 2009
The Not So Instant Ramen
Though of Chinese origin, it’s unclear how ramen was introduced to Japan. The only thing that is known is that in the early Meiji period, ramen was originally called shina soba which translated to “Chinese soba.” By 1900, the few Chinese restaurants in Japan had on their menu a simple ramen dish made of noodles, a few toppings and a broth flavored with salt and pork bones. Ramen evolved after World War II when cheap American flour flooded the Japanese market. Concurrently, Japanese troops were returning from China and East Asia and now familiar with Chinese cuisine, quite a few of the servicemen started opening even more Chinese restaurants. Even with the emergence of more Chinese restaurants, ramen was still more of a special occasion food.
In 1958, taking advantage of the availability of the American flour, instand noodles were invented by Momofuku Ando, the Founder and Chairman of Nissin Foods. This instant ramen was a hit and it was a dish that spread in popularity not just in Japan, but internationally as well. Who couldn’t fall in love with a dish that people could make just by adding boiling water?
While instant ramen is currently prevelant in most pantries and dorm rooms a like, dare I say that instant ramen is just a mere shadow of the real thing. So let’s learn more about ramen cooked the non-instant way. First and foremost, although a wide variety of ramen exists in Japan, ramen can be generally categorized by its three main ingredients: noodles, soup and toppings.
Ramen noodles are made from four basic ingredients: wheat flour, salt, water and kansui. They may be fat, thin, or even ribbon-like, as well as straight or wrinkled. It’s all about preference of the ramen noodle maker.
The soup is generally made from pork or chicken stock and combined with a variety of ingredients. These ingredients could be any one or more of the following: kelp, tuna flakes, dried baby sardines, beef bones and more and flavored with salt, miso or soy sauce. The resulting combination is generally divided into four flavors (though these are sometimes mixed together to produce new, original variations):
- Shio (“salt”) ramen is made with a simple chicken broth that is clear and almost transparent.
- Tonkotsu (“pork bone”) ramen has a thick broth made with crushed pork bones that have been boiled for hours.
- shoyu (“soy sauce”) ramen soup is made by adding a soy-based sauce to a stock usually made from chicken and various vegetables.
- Miso ramen is a relative newcomer, having reached national prominence around 1965. This uniquely Japanese ramen features a broth that combines chicken stock with a fermented soybean paste.
Standard toppings for ramen are boiled egg, fermented and pickled young bamboo, nori, spinach, finely chopped scallion and traditionally a thinly sliced boiled pork. Other toppings may include stewed egg, bean sprouts, wakame, deep fried scallion, or kimchi. Hokkaido-style miso ramen is often topped with sweetcorn. In most cases, toppings are added after having been already cooked so as to not change the flavor of the soup.
Instant ramen is what I refer to as a starter ramen. It’s a good way to give ramen a test drive, but once you’ve had the real thing, you may never look at instant ramen the same way again. Ready to check out real ramen for yourself? If so, look below for some restaurants suggestions.
Goma Ichi Ramen
631 Keeaumoku Street
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 951-6666
Hakata Ramen Shin-Sen-Gumi
8450 E Valley Blvd
Ste 103
Rosemead, CA 91770
(626) 572-8646
Halu
312 8th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 221-9165
Hashiguchi Jr.
3400 Around Lenox Rd NE # C520
Atlanta, GA 31132
(404) 841-9229
Yuzu
4130 SW 117th Avenue #H
Beaverton, OR 97005
(503) 350-1801
3 comments October 4, 2009
The Small, but Hearty Pupusa
At first glance, a pupusa may look like just a thick tortilla, but take a bite and you’ll get to experience the tasty treasures within. First, let’s talk a little history. Pupusas are a creation of the Pipil tribes from El Salvador.
In fact, the cooking tools used to make them were discovered after an excavation of the site of a two thousand year old native village. This particular village was buried in volcanic ash after an eruption, which meant that all household items and even food were preserved.
For the most part, pupusas stayed in El Salvador and primarily in the rural countryside, but it wasn’t until the 1950s and 1960s that Salvadorans started moving to the cities and taking the pupusa with them. Pupusas stands started to proliferate across the country and even in the neighboring areas of Honduras and Guatemala, sometimes with variations in shape, size or filling.
During the 1980s Salvadoran Civil War, Salvadorans started migrating up north and quickly established communities in major US and Canadian cities. From being just El Salvador’s national food, the pupusa is now well-known part of the the North American food landscape.
So enough history, right? Let’s talk now about what a pupusa is. Simply, a pupusa is a thick hand-made corn tortilla that is stuffed with one or more ingredients usually placed one on top of the other like cheese, fried pork meat, squash blossoms, refried beans, loroco (a vine flower) and more.
There’s also the Pupusas Revueltas where the ingredients are mixed together and for something completely different, there are the Pupusas de Arroz where the tortillas are made of rice flour instead of corn masa. Pupusas are traditionally served with a pickled cabbage relish and eaten by hand. This El Salvoran food isn’t very big, but a couple pupusas can be quite a hearty meal and even better, they’re fairly inexpensive. Interested in trying this tasty dish? Than check out some restaurants listed below.
Atlacatl Restaurant
301 N Berendo St
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 663-1404
Gloria’s Restaurant
5100 Belt Line Rd
Ste 852
Dallas, TX 75254
(972) 387-8847
Guanaco’s Tacos Pupuseria
4106 Brooklyn Ave NE
Ste 102A
Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 547-2369
La Pupusa Factory
1947 W Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33135
(305) 646-9922
Pupuseria El Salvador
3557 E. 106th St.
Chicago, IL 60617
(773) 374-0490
1 comment October 1, 2009
Fast Food Unwrapped: History and Behind the Scenes of Taco Bell
In late May, I got invited by Taco Bell along with other food bloggers for a behind the scenes look at a company that along with the McDonald’s Brothers, started in Downey in the 1960’s. 47 years later, it’s still going strong. Our visit was hosted by Deborah Bell, Lauren Lloyd and Will Bortz and while the primary goal was for us to preview their expanded Volcano Menu, what fascinated me more is how this company got its start and that’s where I want to start my post.
Our visit at the Taco Bell Headquarters really began in the lobby where the company history was literally on display. On one of the large side walls, there were light boards that showed the Taco Bell company time line. Each board represented a certain period and included dates, information, photos and even samples of the food packaging as well as plastic mockups of the food itself for that particular era.
That timeline was pretty helpful, but it wasn’t until I read the Taco Titan, the biography of Taco Bell Founder, Glen Bell, that I developed a better appreciation of what a dynamic man he was and how much influence he really had on the fast food scene in Southern California. Before I talk about the Volcano menu and what I saw, did and tasted while we are at the Taco Bell Headquarters, I wanted to give you a peek into the early history of Glen Bell and what it took for him to start Taco Bell.
1947-1949:
- Influenced by the MacDonald Brother’s success, Glen Bell opens Bell’s Hamburgers and Hot Dogs at the age of 24 in San Bernardino County.
- Built from the ground up by Glenn and his best friend, Neal Baker, even though they had no construction experience, Bell’s Hamburger is considered to be one of the first walk-up, take-out restaurants in existence. Even the MacDonald Brothers Drive-In at the time was built around car hop service.
- Giving into pressure from his wife to get a 9 to 5 job, Glenn sold Bell’s Hamburgers to his sister’s in-laws.
1950-1952:
- Best friend, Neal Baker and Glenn Bell, open competing burger stands. Baker Burgers are still around today.
- Bell builds a second restaurant and eventually sells that smaller burger stand to finance yet another restaurant.
- Worried about the saturation of burger stands in San Bernadino, Glen explores the idea of selling a different product.
- Inspired by soft tacos sold at Mexican restaurants, Glen comes up with the idea of a crispy taco that could be made and sold assembly-line style.
- Introduces his “fast service” Mexican food at his second restaurant with much success.
- Divorces first wife and to ensure the security of his son, Glen gives the two restaurants to his wife.
1953-1956
- Glen moves to Barstow and opens up two more restaurants and sells both tacos and hamburgers. Soon tacos outsold the hamburgers.
- With the success of the tacos, Glen contemplated opening up a Mexican only fast-food restaurant.
- Partnered with Al McDonald (no relation to the McDonald Brothers) to open up Taco Tia.
- Hired Ed Hackbarth to oversee Bell’s Hamburgers in Barstow, which he turned into a second Taco Tia location after the success of the first one. The Barstow location still sold burgers along with tacos with the addition of tostadas.
- Ed went on to become the founder of Del Taco.
- Neal Baker of Baker Burgers also added Mexican food to his American menu, which is still prevalent today.
- After opening two more Taco Tia locations as well as selling one franchise, Al wasn’t comfortable with expanding, so Glenn sold his share of the partnership to Al and moved to Los Angeles with his family.
1957-1961
- Glen opens Taco Tia location on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, but it wasn’t profitable.
- Celebrity partnership with football players, Charley Toogood and Harland Svare as well as Phil Crosby, son of Bing Crosby, resulted in a new chain of restaurants called El Taco, with the first location opening in Long Beach.
- Hired and then eventually fired due to a consultant’s recommendation, John Galardi to run the restaurant commissary. John eventually got hired to work for Baker Burgers and with the help of both Glen and Neal Baker, he founded Der Wienerschnitzel.
- Wishing to be independent and go out on his own, Glen eventually sold his interest in El Taco to his partners for what he put in, which was $10,000.00
1962-1964
- Glen started the Taco Bell chain with a $4,000 investment and the first Taco Bell opened in Downey, CA.
- By 1965, Glen owned 15 Taco Bells and in that same year, he sold the first Taco Bell franchise to Kermitt Bekke, who opened a Taco Bell in Torrance, CA.
Inside the Large Presentation Lab which included a Taco Bell kitchen, we were greeted by Kat, the Volcano Menu Product Manager and Meghan, who handled Food Innovations. The discussion started with a couple of points about spicy food in general.
- Research had indicated a trend more towards spicy foods, but that consumers didn’t want spiciness sacrificed for flavor or flavor sacrificed for spiciness. A balance needed to be reached.
- Fast food is not perceived as spicy.
The Volcano Taco which had launched initially on 05/18/2008 was quite successful with Taco Bell customers. Its key component was the Lava Sauce, which on the heat scale has 800 Scoville Heat Units. If you taste the Lava Sauce on its own, the heat will definitely hit your tastebuds. One thing to note about the Volcano Taco is that the red taco shell is red primarily to give you the visual cue that you will be eating a spicy food. Its redness is due to food coloring.
With the success of the Volcano Taco, it was decided to introduce it back to the Taco Bell menu and this time with the addition of the Volcano Burrito. There was also talk about a third Volcano menu item coming in August, so you’ll have to stay tuned for that. As for the Volcano Burrito, that is definitely a meal in itself. The ingredients consist of double the beef, double the lava sauce, Mexican rice, sour cream, red tortilla strips and wrapped in a 12 inch tortilla. Depending on your appetite or you could share with a friend, you could even order the Volcano Box and get a regular taco, a Volcano taco, a Volcano burrito, churros and a drink. Bon appetit!
Other interesting Taco Bell info include:
- 70% of their business is due to drive thru customers.
- Their Frutista Freeze drink line is modeled after the Mexican raspado. We sampled the Pina Colada Frutista, which is topped with pineapple.
- The original, in-house name for their Crunchwrap was the Origami Tostado.
- The calorie-conscious Fresco Menu features food where the cheese and sauces have been replaced by pico de gallo.
- Employees are sent a daily email inviting them for a free lunch and feedback on new products that are being tested in their test kitchen.
After the Volcano presentation, we were invited to go into the kitchen to try out some of the appliances, the kitchen tools and make our own food. One new addition is what they referred to as the Taco Tower where you could heat tortillas without frying them in 10 seconds, 5 seconds on each side.
What was interesting was the kitchen tools themselves. They were all manufactured to handle specific measurements of food, whether it’s a spoonful of exactly 1.5 ounces of product a one once squirt of sauce from a squirt bottle or pump. It’s almost no think food preparation. As long as you know what the exact measurements are for each food, you’re good. By the way, I did a soft taco with deep fried potatoes, cheese, red tortilla chips, pico de gallo, cheese and hot sauce.
Throughout our time there, we were allowed to ask questions. One question I had was that would they ever consider a Mexican sandwich like a torta as an addition to their menu. The reply was that they’re always trying new things and that a torta has been considered; however, there are a lot of factors going into introducing new products. Namely, is it a product that can be accepted nationally (e.g. Middle America) and also is it a food that can be prepared fast and in an assembly line. Testing the market is why they do Limited Time Only (LTOs) menu items to see if something could sell on a more permanent basis. Apparently, they do 25-30 LTOs a year. That’s how the Volcano Taco got its start, after all.
My time at the Taco Bell Headquarters was fun and interesting. While I’m not a Taco Bell regular, I can truly appreciate how one man’s single vision and determination created a fast food taco empire. I can also appreciate the hard work, testing and marketing that goes into launching a new product, from the food scientists all the way to the marketing department. So thanks Taco Bell for this informative behind-the-scenes look at your company. I definitely learned a lot.
Endless Simmer
Epic Portions
Fast Food News
Food Beast
Grub Grade
Scott Roberts
So Good
To see all the photos, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/la_addict/sets/72157619623731939/
6 comments September 20, 2009
Grab the RSS feed
