Poke & Prod: Matcha Green Tea

Each week in Poke & Prod, Ms. "I Want Seconds" explores a theme ingredient and reports to us her culinary experiments. The cooking is spontaneous using ingredients found in her fridge and pantry, and thus, he he - her recipes are original. For the second week in a row, she celebrates a green food: Matcha Green Tea.


Cleopatra:
Now I feed myself
With most delicious poison.
In Shakespeare's play, Antony and Cleopatra, the ruling lady of Egypt utters these dying words as she poisons herself and imagines rejoining her love, Antony, in the afterlife. Antony had just died in her arms and she is forced to cede her throne after losing an epic battle at sea.

Okay, okay - I admit it. My experiences with matcha green tea pale in comparison to this Shakespearean heartwrencher. But wait, there is tragedy to my story too! I LOVE green tea, especially matcha green tea. But, I am very allergic to it! Matcha is my "most delicious poison." To fill my matcha void, I've decided to do two things. First, I am naming my first born child or my next pet dog, whichever comes first, "Matcha" (which will be pronounced "MA...(pause)...CHaaaaa", in the same tone and manner that the hyenas made each other shudder with "MuFASSaaaa, MuFASSaaa, MuFASSaaa" in The Lion King. Second, I am dedicating this week's Poke & Prod to Matcha Green Tea.

Matcha is a very concentrated Japanese green tea that comes in the form of a fine green powder. If you've ever had green tea icecream or green tea mochi or green tea mochi icecream, chances are that you've had matcha. Matcha has a distinct malty, slightly bitter, bold green tea taste that combines wonderfully with milk or cream. You can prepare a simple traditional tea drink by whisking it into hot water. Or, you can use it to make delicious frapps, lattees and desserts.

Recipe 1: Matcha Mallows(this recipe is for mature audiences)

• Using a fork, blend a heaping teaspoon of matcha powder with 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Melt the green butter and 30 regular marshmallows in a big pot over low heat.
• Take pot off heat.
• Add 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal, a handful of sliced almonds and fold it all together.
• Pour mixture into greased pan that is at least an inch deep.
• Cover mixture with wax paper and press down firmly.
• Let it cool. Then divide and conquer!

Recipe 2: Green Tea Infused Jasmine Rice with Fresh Papaya Chunks, Plump Raisins & Toasted Almonds

• Step One: Infuse Rice With Green Tea
• Dissolve heaping teaspoon of matcha powder with water. Keep it clump-free
• Add desired amount of rice to pot.
• Put green tea mixture in pot and add water until you have twice as much liquid as rice.
• Cover and cook over low/medium heat.
• When pot comes to a boil, stir rice and cover again.
• Put rice in container and refrigerate overnight.


• Step Two: Put it Together
• In large pan, add good amount of oil and stirfry sliced almonds, raisins (and whatever bits of veggies/meat/tofu you'd like).
• Add green tea infused rice using spatula to break up rice clumps.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Add cubed papaya and cook for another couple of minutes.
• Serve.

Recipe 3: Zen Inspired Panna Cotta(makes 8 yummy desserts!)

• Dissolve teaspoon of matcha powder and 2 small packets of unflavoured gelatin into half cup milk
• Over low heat, bring 2 cups heavy cream, 2 cups milk and 1/2 cup sugar to a simmer.
• Add gelatin/green tea mix to pot.
• Pour into small dessert cups.
• Chill in fridge for 3 hours.
• Serve with evaporated milk.

Now, I'm curious - what's YOUR "delicious poison?" E-mail me and I'll report your answers (anonymously) in a subsequent posting.

Extra Credit: The Los Angeles International Tamale Festival

Ms. L. "Where's My Burrito?" W. woke up late Sunday morning and couldn't decide on whether she wanted dim sum, wontons, dumplings, eggs, burgers, or leftover chili verde for brunch. After a prolonged internal debate about what to eat, she decided to venture out to the Los Angeles International Tamale Festival with Mr. Chris ("C Mo") in search of tamales.

Our first stop was Coronado's Fresh Mexican Kitchen where we ordered a fresh bowl of menudo and a large cup of horchata. The menudo came with a side of warm corn tortillas. Menudo is basically a stew with hominy, tripe and other beef parts, flavored with chili and other spices. C Mo found the menudo authentic, but definitely not the best. Ms. L.W. found the menudo a bit too spicy but nonetheless, thought it was overall a very tasty stew.

The next booth caught our attention with its rows of bunuelos (fried tortilla dough). Even though bunuelos are traditionally eaten during Xmas, we had to get one now!! We also ordered 2 tamales, one with spicy beef, and the other with beef in pasilla sauce.



The bunuelo had sprinkles of brown sugar, cinnamon, and a healthy drenching of a caramel-ish sauce. They were fried to perfection, with pockets of air bubbles that gave it an interesting texture. These babies were soooo good, I must have inhaled half of one in under 45 seconds. We found the beef in the tamales dry and bland. Most of the flavoring came from the red and green salsas and not the meat, so we were a bit disappointed with the tamales.



We finished off with a pork and a beef tamale from Nini's Tamales. We picked this booth because Nini's beef tamale supposedly won 1st place in the tamale contest. Although Coronado's had bigger tamales, Nini's tamales tasted slightly better. Nini's tamales had very tender and moist meat. The corn "masa" covering was softer and less "crumbly" than the Coronado ones. However, like the Coronado ones, we found that both the pork and the award-winning beef tamale lacked in flavor.

Overall, we were quite disappointed with the quality of tamales at the festival. We know one can find much better tamales in LA, and the ones at the festival were definitely not representative of what LA has to offer. Better hunting next time!! :)

Global Quotient: Nepal

At this past Thursday night's meeting, DEP sisters eagerly anticipated next week's hike to the Himalayas as they debated whether Nepalese food would be more akin to Indian or Chinese food. Ms. C. "Are We Still Getting Our Food?" P. even remarked,"The Nepalese have their own food?" The confusion was merited: Nepal is a small South Asian country landlocked by Tibet to the north and India to the east, south and west. This week, we hope to demystify Nepal before we plunge our taste buds into Nepalese cuisine. So, What's your GQ? Today's subject is Nepal. All images in this posting link to articles so feel free to explore.

1. What is the official language of Nepal?
   (a) English
   (b) Nepali
   (c) Urdu
   (d) Hindi



2. True or False: Nepal is currently a politically stable country.



3. Which famous mountain is located between Nepal and Tibet?
   (a) The Matterhorn
   (b) Mount Everest
   (c) Mount Fuji
   (d) Mount Kilimanjaro



4. True or False: The Nepalese flag is not a rectangle.



5. What is the most common religion in Nepal?
   (a) Buddhism
   (b) Islam
   (c) Christianity
   (d) Hinduism



6. What is the official name of Nepal?
   (a) The Kingdom of Nepal
   (b) The Republic of Nepal
   (c) The United States of Nepal
   (d) Nepal IS the official name!

How Did You Do?

1. B. The Nepalese speak Nepali, an Indo-Aryan language with an estimated 35 million speakers.



2. False. The Nepalese Civil War began on February 13, 1996 between Government forces and Maoist rebels (Communist Party of Nepal). Only recently has there been any hope of peace. As a result of the conflict, an estimated 13,000 Nepalese have died and another 100,000 to 150,000 citizens have been internally displaced. In an attempt to snuff out the Maoist insurgency, on February 1, 2005, King Gyanendra took over rule of the country: he appointed a government led by himself, enforced martial law, and ignored numerous pleas for cease fire by opposition parties. Civil unrest and the organization of political alliances to dethrone the King resulted in Loktantra Andolan, the 2006 Nepalese Democracy Movement. When more than 300,000 citizens protested in Kathmandu against King Gyanendra, the King announced that he would return power to the people. A rewrite of the country's constitution is currently underway.



3. B. Mount Everest, the tallest peak in the world, is located in between Tibet and Nepal. Mount Kilimanjaro is an African stratovolcano in Tanzania. Mount Fuji is in Japan. The Matterhorn is in the European Alps, on the border between Switzerland and Italy.



4. True. Nepal is the only country with a flag that is NOT rectangular. By the way, the flag posted at the beginning of this posting was a huge hint!! Read more about the Nepalese Flag.



5. D. Hinduisim is the most popular religion in Nepal. 81% of Nepalese are Hindu, 11% are Buddhist, 4% are Muslim and 4% are Kirant.



6. A. The official name for Nepal is The Kingdom of Nepal. The population is 27 million and the capital is Kathmandu. The official currency is the Nepalese rupee.
   

Week 6: Ethiopian - Rosalind's

This week, the sisterhood ventured out to Little Ethiopia for a little hands-on experience of East African cuisine at Rosalind's Ethiopian Restaurant. This find was tucked neatly among several other Ethiopian restaurants and convenience stores on "Ethiopian Row" near La Cienega and Fairfax. The decor of straw huts and African art provided for a warm ambience. The restaurant was neatly partitioned into two sitting areas that included a small performance floor for live musicians to perform on Friday and Saturday nights.

Our evening began over a tasty combination plate of appetizers and authentic Ethiopian beer. The Gold Label Bedele Special Beer was pale and hoppy with a bitter and sharp after-taste. Appetizers included Kelewele (sweet fried plantains), lamb and fish cakes (ground lamb and fish rolled into balls with onions, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, garlic), yam ball (mashed yams seasoned with nutmeg and fried), O Jo Jo (beef and vegetable meat balls made with ground beef, sweet potato, irish potato, green bell peppers, garlic), Akara (finely ground black eye peas seasoned with African spices and herbs and fried) and grilled shrimp, all served with a healthy helping of Pilli Pilli Sauce (traditional West African pepper sauce of onions mixed with pilli pilli). Appetizers were followed by a simple but refreshing salad of crisp iceberg lettuce and ripe tomatoes dressed with lemon juice vinaigrette.

For our main course, we had troubling narrowing down our choices so we settled on two more Combination dishes. The Vegetarian Combination included Collard Greens, Stewed Lentils and Vegetable Alicha. The Meat Combination included Yedoro Wot (chicken in spicy red pepper sauce), Yebeg Siga Alicha (mild lamb stew with garlic and other spices) and Awaze Tibs (beef cooked with spicy red pepper paste). The waitress set a large platter in the middle of the table and proceeded to pour all our different dishes onto it, creating a beautiful mosaic of red, green and yellow (which are in fact the colors of the Ethiopian flag!).

A large plate of cold injera pancakes was brought out for us to use in place of utensils to grasp food from the platter. These were thin, spongy, slightly chewy pancakes with a sourdough taste that filled our bellies quite quickly. After only her second pancake, Ms. L. "Where's My Burrito?" W. exclaimed that her first of four stomachs was already full (she claims to be bovine and have four of them). Nearly all the dishes were akin to Indian curries but with onions and peppers and a slightly more tart taste. The favourites of the evening were the chicken, lamb, and lentil dishes.

Everyone enjoyed the interactive experience of eating the food with our hands. We were laughing and giggling each time we dug into the community platter with our injera and reached for a bite. This way of eating engaged all our senses (touch, smell, sight, taste) and it felt so natural and right. You can certainly say that we were "in touch" with our food.

1044 South Fairfax
Los Angeles, CA 90019
Tel: 323-936-2486
http://www.rosalindsrestaurant.com

Vegetarian friendly? Yes.
Parking: Street parking.
Entree pricing: $8-14 before 10% off coupon

THE SISTERHOOD HAS DELIBERATED: 7 ROSES OUT OF 10.

Poke & Prod: a Brussel Sprout

DEP would like to introduce a new segment to our blog, "Poke and Prod" with Ms. J. "I Want Seconds" H. For each posting, Ms. "I Want Seconds" explores a theme ingredient and charts her culinary experiments. All recipes are spontaneous using whatever ingredients are found in the fridge - and thus, he he - all recipes are original. Recipes are kept simple because Ms. "I Want Seconds" hates following them herself. As Derek Zoolander would have said, "These are Recipes for Cooks Who Can't Read Good." This week, we pay tribute to the infamous Brussel Sprout.

Lately, I have been fascinated with brussel sprouts - yeah, those tiny littly brainy looking green vegetables. Does this make me old? Regardless, this fascination began a couple weeks ago when one of these baby brains, just one, showed up on my plate at a restaurant, Real Food Daily in Santa Monica, to be exact. It was a tiny ball of tightly wrapped shiny green leaves, seemingly struggling (it was wriggling) to stand up to her big brother, the cabbage. It looked so silly in all its teenyness that it made me giggle. My friend at dinner would attest - it made me giggle all night. But I swear -- that baby green bobbler was a giggler too. I got the last laugh though when I gobbled it up. So, with that as a backdrop, I decided to pick up a bag of 'em at Trader Joe's today (which is, of course, the best grocery store in the world).

Caution: Preparing brussel sprouts (cutting through their heads) can sometimes bring on strong feelings of guilt (as in my case). Some even say that cooking brussel sprouts is likened to infanticide. I once heard a Buddhist monk say, "Every human being kills. Oh, all you vegetarians in this room think you're an exception - but you just don't hear the broccoli scream." I could not agree with him more.


Recipe 1: Carmelized Brussel Sprout and Butternut Squash Toss
(Please do not mind the legal pad in the background.)

• Halve brussel sprouts lengthwise.
• Cut butternut squash into half inch cubes.
• Poach sprouts and squash into a concentrated vegetable stock and choice of herbs (rosemary, thyme) for a couple minutes.
• Drain.
• Toss sprouts and squash in olive oil.
• Finish off by roasting in oven or pan frying for a few minutes until caramelized.
• Season with salt (be careful since salt was in stock already) and pepper to taste.

Recipe 2: Spicy Szechuan Sprouts On a Bed of Angel Hair Pasta

• Boil pasta in pot of salted water until al dente. Drain.
• Quarter brussel sprouts lengthwise.
• Place sprouts in plastic bag, seal with a knot and stick in microwave for 1 minute (great trick to steam veggies).
• Toss sprouts in olive oil.
• Pan fry sprouts for a few minutes.
• Add a dash of each: Vietnamese chili garlic sauce, Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar.
• Add pasta back to pan.
• Toss and serve with a squeeze of lime

Recipe 3: Creamy Veggie Brussserole

• Cut brussel sprouts, mushrooms and tomato into hearty bite size pieces.
• Sautee onion and garlic in olive oil in oven-safe pot.
• Add handful of rice, then brussel sprouts, mushrooms and broccoli.
• Add equal parts cream of mushroom soup and milk until veggies covered. Stir.
• Cover and simmer until veggies tender and mixture thick.
• Add tomatoes. Cover pot for 5 more minutes.
• Season with salt (be careful - soup was salty already) and pepper.
• Pat down flat with a spoon.
• Top off with mixture of melted butter, bread crumbs and shredded cheese.
• Stick pot in oven (only if oven safe) to broil until top is golden brown.
• Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Now, I'm sure Derek Zoolander himself would have said, "These brussel sprouts are re(e)lly, re(e)lly good-tasting."

Spotlight: Ms. "Where's My Burrito?"

This week, it is our pleasure to spotlight Ms. L. "Where's My Burrito?" W. She is the co-founder of the Los Angeles Chapter of Delta Eta Pie and served on the 2006 DEP Planning Committee. We pulled Ms. "Where's My Burrito?" away from her law books long enough to ask her a few questions central in the minds of all food lovers. Please enjoy our interview with Ms. "Where's My Burrito?" All images link to interesting articles so happy reading.

What did you have for breakfast this morning?
Ah! This was a bad day to ask me that. I had a Chocolate Peppermint Stick Luna Bar.

How do you like your eggs?
I like to crack an egg into the frying pan, wait until it solidifies a bit and then pop the yolk so that you get a marbelized effect. Then, I eat it with Maggi Seasoning Sauce.

Would you like fries with that?
Yes! Cottage fries please!
(Editor's Note: That's Texan for Tator Tots)

What is in your refrigerator and freezer today?
Fridge: Tab energy drink, eggs, Tropicana orange juice, Coke Zero, ground turkey leftovers, taco truck salsa, canned Guinness draught beer, Hormel natural choice chicken breast, organic soy milk, shredded carrots, leafy salad greens, muenster cheese.

Freezer: 15 boxes of Lean Cuisine and Hot Pockets, edamame.

Your all-time favourite place to eat in Los Angeles?
Father's Office.

What would you like to have for your last meal on earth?
Keg of Guinness Beer, bottle of red wine - either a good Syrah or Pinot Noir, The Office Burger (carmelized onion, applewood bacon compote, gruyere, matag blue cheese and arugula), Office's sweet potato fries (roasted garlic, cabrales, blue cheese aioli, spicy buffalo wings, tender kobe beef.

Name the 3 most daring foods you have eaten.

• Steamed silk worm at a buffet in China. It measured about an inch and a half and was still in the cocoon. It was tough on the outside, mushy inside and unseasoned.
  
• Chicken and turkey necks and tails. Tails were fatty. Necks were tasty.
  
• Fried alligator gar. It was snuck into my sandwiches when I was younger.
• Monk fish liver.

What symptoms do you experience when you haven eaten all day?
Extreme grumpiness, irritability, snappiness. Whereas PMS is more of a mood swing thing, lovey dovey to angry to upset to sentimental to hyperactive, not eating all day is pure evil.
(Editor's Note: this question was answered by Ms. Burrito's fiance.)

If you were a flavour of ice cream (click here for quiz), which would you be and why? PG answers only.
Durian/green tea ice cream. It has a little edge, is a little bit rough, isn't super sweet, is an acquired taste, and is stinky until you get to know it.

Is your plate half empty or half full?
Half empty – there’s never enough!

G*d forbidden, for dessert, you must choose between fruity and chocolaty. Your choice?
Chocolaty.

Your cooking style: Do you Iron Chef or are you Recipe Retentive?
Recipe retentive. I get my recipes online from the Food Network.

Which came to cuisine first, the chicken . . . or . . . the egg?
Definitely the egg because the chicken came from the egg. In any case, I just buy chicken 'cause when I cook it, it always comes out dry.

Your favourite non-alcoholic drink?
Home-brewed matcha green tea with a bit of soymilk; Jamba Juice smoothies.

Your favourite alcoholic drink?
Beers: Depending on my mood - Guinness, Shiner Bock, Miller Lite.
Drink: Jack and Diet Coke, Scotch on the rocks, Vodka tonics.
Wine: Red, mostly CA varieties.

What do you do to stay in shape?
I run like crazy, play DDR like a maniac (it can burn 25+ calories per song!), snowboard in the winter, do triathlons and Thai kickbox.
Check out this DDR demo by a 5-year old. Trust me - it's tougher to jump up and down when you're over the age of 20.

Word of advice to a fledgling foodie?
Try everything in sight at least once!
(Editor's Note: This advice may be harmful to your health. Please use your common sense.)

Take a look at the ink blot to the right: what do you see?
Mouth with a tongue sticking out. Or actually, I also see two hands flicking off at me. How offensive!

If you were in the forest, holding an iron skillet with tender kobe beef sirloin cooked in a rich peppercorn sauce with buttery mashed fingerling potatoes on the side and a ravenous pack of wolves was chasing you, what would you do?
I would leave the potatoes and then try to eat the steak while running away. If I didn't, and instead ran away first, my steak might cool down too much! I guess the wolves would probably catch up to me but that's a chance I'd take.

Global Quotient: Ethiopia

To prepare us for our adventure into Ethiopian cuisine next week, we're teasing you with five quick questions about this beloved country. So, What's your GQ? Today's subject is Ethiopia. (All images in this post link to articles so click to your heart's content).

1. Ethiopia's main commodity is:
   (a) Flowers
   (b) Oil
   (c) Coffee
   (d) Grain
   


2. True or False: Ethiopians eat pork.
   
   
3. What is the estimated rate of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopian adults?
   (a) 0.5%
   (b) 4%
   (c) 10%
   (d) 20%
   
   
4. The official language of Ethiopia is:
   (a) Rasyi
   (b) Amharic
   (c) Urdu
   (d) Tagalog
   


5. Ethiopians are most known for what sport?
   (a) Soccer
   (b) Basketball
   (c) Running
   (d) Bobsled
   

How Did You Do?

1. C. Ethiopia is the oldest coffee exporter in the world. It is the original home to the coffee plant, coffea arabica, and has had established agricultural practices that date back some 2000 years ago.



2. False. Ethiopian cuisine does not include pork because most Ethiopians are either Muslim (33%) or Ethiopian Orthodox Christians (62%) who fast nearly 200 days a year (no chicken, meat and dairy). See Discussion on Islam in Ethiopia.
   
   
3. B. Estimated rate of prevelance was 4.4% as of 2003 with a 12.6% urban rate and a 2.6% rural rate. It is estimated that 1.5 million Ethiopians have HIV/Aids and 900,000 total have died as of 2003. AIDS accounts for one-third of young adult deaths in Ethiopia. See Discussion on AIDS in Ethiopia.
   


4. B. The official language of Ethiopia is Amharic, the second most spoken semitic language in the world, after Arabic. The second most popular language in Ethiopia is Oromo. The most popular foreign language is English.
   


5. C. Two Ethiopians are currently dominating the running world: Haile Gebreselassie and Kenenisa Bekele. Haile has broken more than 22 World records and holds the 20 km, Half Marathon and 25 km world record. Kenenisa holds the 5,000 m and 10,000 m world records.
   
   

Week 5: Mexican - Taco Bandits

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: The Taco Bandits have struck again. On Thursday, November 2, 2006, between the hours of 8 and 10 p.m., five taco trucks and stands all located in the Palms neighbourhood of Los Angeles were attacked by the Taco Bandits, a group comprised of four mysterious women and one man. The Bandits were armed with inhuman appetites and a cache of beer. The Bandits are known for their modus operandi of stealthy movement, no-nonsense handywork and the leaving behind of substantial evidence at the scene of each crime, including detailed taco critiques and Poloroid photos documenting their work (see below).

They were last seen on the corner of Venice & Sepulveda, holding onto their stomachs and ducking into a silver getaway vehicle. A handsome bounty will be provided for anyone that provides information leading to their arrest or conviction.

Evidence recovered at the scene of the crime is reproduced below:

---

Exhibit A: Don Felix Meat Market
Washington Pl. & Sawtelle

Soft Tortilla Shells: stale, cold and bland.

Fillings: Carnitas was authentic; Pollo a bit salty but moist and nicely shredded; Lengua bland; Barbacoa did not taste like beef; Asada was chewy but had good flavor; Pastor was extremely overcooked and dry.

Perks: Small tables and chairs provided. Conjoining small grocery store sold a variety of snacks and a variety of quality beer at low prices (a big plus in our books).

THE SISTERHOOD AND GUEST MR. CHRIS HAVE DELIBERATED: 5 ROSES OUT OF 10.

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Exhibit B:Tito's Tacos
Sepulveda & Washington

Hard Tortilla Shells: Extremely thick, rock hard, crunchy and difficult to bite into.

Fillings: "Meat blend" was a mushy shred and unidentifiable (beef, pork, chicken or "other stuff").

Other menu items: Chicken tamale was very skinny w/ bland corn meal and a small amount of "unidentifiable" filling; Nachos were hard, crunchy and stale; Guacamole was runny & tasted like green processed goop; Fresh (or so we think) tomato salsa was mild and the most consumable item on the menu.

Perks: Parking lot with several spaces; seating available.

Drawbacks: Wait after having placed order was unreasonably long; no choice in taco fillings.

THE SISTERHOOD AND GUEST MR. CHRIS HAVE DELIBERATED: 3 ROSES OUT OF 10.

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Exhibit C: Garcia's Bros.
Venice & La Cienega

Soft Tortilla Shells: Warm and soft.

Fillings: Asada, Carnitas and Pollo were all fresh, tender, moist and well-seasoned. Green guacamole sauce was painfully spicy and had us all hopping (literally) and punching ourselves like maniacs for 5 minutes.

Perks: The spice probably killed any bacteria in the tacos not to mention clean our eyes, ears, noses and throat for a week (Note: it was even more effective than wasabe in clearing out the sinuses).

Drawbacks: WARNING!! EXTREMELY SPICY! This place is recommended only for masochists, individuals with damaged taste buds or individuals who would like to damage their taste buds.

THE SISTERHOOD AND GUEST MR. CHRIS HAVE DELIBERATED: 8 ROSES OUT OF 10.

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Exhibit D: Rico's Tacos a.k.a. Royal Catering
Venice & Cattaraugus

Soft Tortilla Shells: Very fresh and soft.

Fillings: Carnitas, Asada and Lengua were deliciously moist and perfectly complimented by a rich and messy sauce brown sauce and fresh, crisp onion slices.

Perks: Tacos are piled high with lightly pickled onions.

Drawbacks: Potential for onion breath. Not recommended for a first date.


THE SISTERHOOD AND GUEST MR. CHRIS HAVE DELIBERATED: 7.5 ROSES OUT OF 10.

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Exhibit E: Tacos Chatos
Venice & Sepulveda

Soft Tortilla Shells: Bland.

Fillings: Pollo good; Cabesa outstanding because it was not fatty nor grisly but still had deep beefy flavour; Carnitas above average. Something in the filling had an extra sour kick (or perhaps it was the lime).

Perks: Located next to a Baskin Robbins; 4 chairs available for seating; each taco served in an individual basket with a wedge of lime.

THE SISTERHOOD AND GUEST MR. CHRIS HAVE DELIBERATED: 7 ROSES OUT OF 10.

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Glossary of Taco Terms

• Asada: Steak
• Barbacoa: BBQ Spicy Beef
• Cabezas: Cow cheek
• Carnitas: Pork
• Lengua: Cow tongue
• Pastor: Pork
• Pollo: Chicken
• Tamale: Corn meal dough w/ meat filling wrapped in corn husk and steamed
  

FOR MORE HISTORY AND INFORMATION ABOUT TACOS!!!

FUN BLOG ON TACO TRUCK HUNTING IN LOS ANGELES

Spotlight: Ms. "I Want Seconds"

This week, we are delighted to spotlight Ms. J. "I Want Seconds" H. She is the co-founder and CEO (Chief Eating Officer) of the Los Angeles Chapter of Delta Eta Pie as well as the Managing Editor of the DEP blog. We sat down with Ms. J.H. over a cup of tea to ask her a few questions central in the minds of all food lovers. Now without further ado, we present to you Ms. "I Want Seconds."

What did you have for breakfast this morning?
Cheese bagel w/ cream cheese, steamed nonfat milk, daily multivitamin, 2 berry flavored chewable fiber tablets (hey, prevention is the best medicine!). Real healthy, eh? What can I say, I'm a sucker for cheese, both literally and figuratively.

How do you like your eggs?
Poached until yolk becomes thick and creamy served with salsa and ground pepper.

Would you like fries with that?
Yes, McDonald’s fries w/ ketchup, an apple pie and non-fat skimmed milk pleez.

What is in your refrigerator and freezer today?
Fridge: canned beans - pinto, kidney & garbanzo, artichokes, greek-style yogurt, oranges, feta cheese, whole wheat hamburger buns, Rice Dream, pitcher of iced Japanese green tea, eggs, 4 varieties of salsa (jicama with roasted chilis, roasted sweet corn, fresh tomatoes, Pace).
Freezer: caught fillets, homemade vanilla w/ candied ginger and strawberry bits ice cream, sweet corn, bell pepper strips, edamame, veggie burgers, steel cut oatmeal, whole wheat waffles.

Your all-time favourite place to eat in Los Angeles?
Amandine Patissiere in Brentwood.

What would you like to have for your last meal on earth?
Lobster tail w/ melted butter, oysters steamed in shell with green onion and ginger, deep dish Chicago-style veggie pizza, steamed hot dog on toasted bun w/ fixings + sauerkraut, xiao long bao (Shanghai-style steamed pork dumplings), xian dou jiang (savory soy milk soup), hot and sour soup, steamed white rice, crème brulee, chocolate torte, fresh assorted berries, McD’s fries with extra salt, fresh tomato salsa, Manhattan clam chowder, hot black tea, fried green tea ice cream ball sprinkled with cinnamon sugary streusel mix topped off with bananas foster sauce of rum and brown sugar.

Name the 3 most daring foods you have eaten.
I'm ashamed to admit:

• Curried crocodile in Bangkok, Thailand (very bony)
• Ground kangaroo burger in Frankfurt, Germany (like tough ground beef)
• Rabbit poached with sweet plums in Toulouse, France (like gamey chicken)

What symptoms do you experience when you haven eaten all day?
Delirium, hypochondria, psychokinesis.

If you were a flavour of ice cream (see quiz), which would you be and why? PG answers only.
Without having taken the quiz, I'd have to say I'm half baked - I'm a work in progress.

Is your plate half empty or half full.
Have full 'cause I always make sure I have food!

G*d forbidden, for dessert, you must choose between fruity and chocolaty. Your choice?
Chocolate, hands down.

Your cooking style: Do you Iron Chef or are you Recipe Retentive?
I have trouble following directions so I Iron Chef. My dishes are always tasty but gigantic since I keep on adding ingredients to fix my problem with proportions.

Which came to cuisine first, the chicken . . . or . . . the egg?
Chicken! Who ever came up with the idea of eating a calcified round oval? Then again, who came up with the idea of eating the feathered clucker? Food for thought.

Your favourite non-alcoholic drink?
Iced japanese green tea with a spoonful of sugar - although the caffeine makes me hit the ceiling so I've sworn off it and anything caffeinated (except of course for dark chocolate).

Your favourite alcoholic drink?
Umm . . . to be honest, I don't like the taste of alcohol. On rare occasions, you'll see me with a lite beer - I know, nasty!

What do you do to stay in shape?
I practice yoga every day, bike to school, play tennis, walk my dog and in the winter, I snowboard!

Word of advice to a fledgling foodie?
Get fresh ingredients, prepare them with care and pay attention when you’re eating! Your body and spirit will thank you.

Take a look at the ink blot to the right: what do you see?
Neopolitan ice cream.

If you were in the forest, holding an iron skillet with tender kobe beef sirloin cooked in a rich peppercorn sauce with buttery mashed fingerling potatoes on the side and a ravenous pack of wolves was chasing you, what would you do?
I subscribe to a school of thought called self preservation. So, in these circumstances, I admit that my love for food is outweighed by my love for myself and my fear of pain. I'd throw the steak and potatoes at the wolves to buy myself time and then knock each wolf dizzy with my iron skillet. If I hit them fast enough (bap, bap, bap, bap!! somewhat like the gopher carnival game where you bonk the heads that pop up), perhaps I could recover a lone fingerling potato or two. Oh, I forgot to mention: it helps that I don't care for meat (well, at least 6.7 days out of the week).

Week 4: Polish - Warszawa

All Hallow's Eve arrived early for DEP this year when six sisters gathered to dine by candlelight, or shall we say, to dine by a candle light at Warszawa. Only moments after appetizers were served, we experienced a haunting power outage. Ms. C.P.'s immediate reaction was appropriate. "So, are we still getting our food!?!?" she exclaimed to the waiter. Although other DEP members were noticably flushed at Ms. C.P.'s apparent brashness, deep down they knew that Ms. C.P. had perfectly captured their inner turmoil. Ms. J. "I Want Seconds" H. was the lone exception: her primary concern was safe access to the facilities during the outage. Ms. J.H. assures us that the facilities are emergency-friendly at Warszawa.

Our evening began with two types of Pierogi. The braised beef, carrots and onions filling made for a standard meat-filled dumpling. The white cheese, potato puree and caramelized onions filling was a welcome contrast to the beef filling. The "melt-in-your-mouth" creamy inside was enveloped in a thin and crusty pasta shell. Polish grilled sausage was a disappointment because it tasted like "well, it tasted like grilled sausage" although Ms. L.W. noted that the horseradish sauce was uniquely flavorful. Crispy Potato Pancakes with cinnamon apples and dried plums were a hit. The small round discs of mashed potatoes were fried to a delicate golden crisp creating a creamy texture that was perfectly cut by the tartness from the apples and plums. Ms. S.R. contrasted the potato pancakes with traditional Jewish latkes which are generally thicker and more robust with its shredded rather than mashed potatoes. Cucumber salad in a lemon and dill yogurt dressing received mixed reviews, ranging from average to outstanding.

Angel hair pasta with sauteed leeks, roma tomatoes and smoked trout was perhaps the least popular dish of the night. The pasta itself was fine but was overpowered by the strong fishy taste of smoked trout and weighed down by a heavy tomato cream sauce. Breaded chicken breast with garlic and herbs was likened to standard breaded chicken in American cuisine but the accompanying vegetables were well-seasoned and the plate was consumed quickly. Beef Stroganoff with wild mushrooms and egg-drop dumplings was the clear crowd favourite with its creamy sauce and tender pieces of beef.

Despite the lack of electricty, we had a wonderful meal and found the food delicious. Unfortunately, our rating takes into account value so Warszawa's slightly pricier menu worked to its disadvantage.

1414 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA
Tel: 310-393-8831
http://www.warszawarestaurant.com

Vegetarian friendly? Yes.
Parking: Small lot behind restaurant; spaces alongside building available in evenings; street parking.
Entree pricing: $13-24

THE SISTERHOOD HAS DELIBERATED: 7 ROSES OUT OF 10.

Update: Crest, Int'l Visitors & Google

DEP would like to extend its gratitude to Ms. L "I out eat grown men" S for her outstanding work in creating a crest for Delta Eta Pie. After careful thought and much deliberation, Ms. L.S. helped DEP decide on the four following symbols: a cornucopia, a wine goblet, the scales of justice and an English rose. It is our hope that this crest will serve to remind us of the goals to which we aspired when we founded this society 19 days ago: (1) to keep an open mind and open belly as we pursue our mission to survey a "cornucopia", if you will, of food & drink; and (2) to approach our role as food critics with the professionalism, objectivity and scrutiny as would judges in a court of justice. A globe enrobed with the flags of the world sits atop our banner to represent our international cuisine and our diverse membership.

On the topic of internationalism, DEP would like to note the diversity of visitors to our blog. We have already seen folks visit us from the following countries: Canada, India, Argentina, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore. Scroll over the flag of each country on the right panel to see an image of the various countries. Welcome everyone! May good food unite us all:o)

Lastly, DEP celebrates its debut on the Google pages as Google's spider recently "crawled" our blog. This means the DEP blog now shows up as a result to relevant searches on Google. We hope that our web presence continues to grow at this rapid rate and we become a real resource to other food lovers in Los Angeles who are on a modest budget.

Week 3: Indonesian - Ramayani

Ms. L.W., Ms. L.S. and Ms. J.H. were in attendance this week as well as new member, Ms. S. "Yucca is Yucky" R.

Although Ramayani looked dingy from the outside, sitting on a bustling Westwood Blvd. corner with a tacky mustard, yellow sign, the restaurant was quite cozy and clean inside. When we arrived, we were greeted and served by a sweet and gentle elderly couple, quite likely the owners. To the right hand side of the entrance was a small store with an eclectic collection of exotic breads, sauces, beers, snacks and spreads.

Several delicious dishes were slotted on the menu tonight. The evening began with a refreshing Fresh Lime Soda that was tangy with just a delicate dash of sweetness. Ayam Bakar (fire-grilled chicken breast dish basted with sweet soy sauce served with kafir limes) was juicy and tender, and complimented perfectly by a sauce of sweet and tart. Vegetarian Cah Kangkung (Hawaiian Watercress stir-fried with garlic and chili) was cooked to an appetizing bright green, but some members found it to be a bit too salty unless eaten along with the plain rice. Belado Tahu (fried tofu in tangy sweet red bell pepper sauce), on the other hand, was a disappointment: the tofu did not hold its own in freshness and texture and was drowned in the spicy, sweet sauce. Nasi Goreng (Indonesian-style fried rice) was popular with the crowd as a slightly sweeter and chewier variation on the traditional Chinese fried rice.

The sisterhood was adventurous in their dessert choices. Bubur Ketan Hitam (warm, sweet black wild rice pudding topped with coconut milk) was a hit. What it lacked in presentation, it made up in creamy yumminess. Ms. S.R. noted that she preferred the softer texture of traditional western rice pudding to chewy wild rice but Ms. J.H. enjoyed the exotic departure. All agreed that Iced Doger/Tape (sweet fermented yucca root with young coconut and vanilla syrup) was an acquired taste. Ms. L.S. deftly fooled others into trading their delicious desserts for the pink yucca when she declared that the yucca "actually starts tasting good after about 10 bites!!" Ms. L.W. fell for the bait and took the advice to heart; after 10 bites, she concurred, convincing herself that the trade was worthwhile. The yucca had an indescribable savoury taste of sweet, salty and fermented. DEP recommends it to only the brave and unabashed.

1777 Westwood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tel: 310-477-3315
Fax: 818-892-4811
http://www.ramayani.com/

Vegetarian friendly? Generally.
Parking: Small lot next to restaurant and street parking.
Entree pricing: $7-14

THE SISTERHOOD HAS DELIBERATED: 7.5 ROSES OUT OF 10.

For a Discussion on Indonesian Cuisine
For a Discussion on Indonesia

Week 2: Indian - Jaipur

Tonight we had record attendance:) DEP would like to formally initiate three new members: Ms. C "Should we order more?" P, Ms. J "Can I have fries with that?" C and Ms. L "I out eat grown men" S.

Jaipur was a clean and quaint restaurant tucked in on Pico Blvd. with a pleasant setting and friendly service. The Naan and Samosas were good starters but pretty standard Indian fare. The Papri Chat (fried flour crisps with cilantro, yogurt and sweet and sour sauce) did have a unique flavor but the flour crisps were a tad stale. Chicken Tikka (boneless white meat marinated in spices, tandoor broiled on skewers) had generally good reviews. The Chicken Tikka Masala (bbq'd chicken pieces cooked with tomato & cream sauce) and Paneer Makhni (homemade Indian cheese cooked with spices, cream & tomato sauce) were tasty but quite similar in flavor to each other. The rice dish, Chicken Biryani (basmati rice with chicken, spices, nuts and raisins) was colorful but nothing unusual in taste.

10916 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064 (just west of the Westside Pavilion)
Tel: 310-470-4994
Fax: 310-470-8004
http://jaipurcuisineofindia.com

Vegetarian friendly? Yes.
Parking: Finding street parking was a pain; but valet parking available at $4.50
Entree pricing: $7-15 before 10% coupon.

THE SISTERHOOD HAS DELIBERATED: 6 ROSES OUT OF 10.

Week 1: Persian - Shaherzad

This week, the sisterhood, or rather, Ms. J. "I Want Seconds" H. and Ms. L. "Where's my Burrito?" W. ventured down Westwood Blvd. to try out some Persian cuisine at Shaherzad.

The flatbread was freshly baked in an warm, glowing oven. The creamy eggplant dip appetizer was excellent along with the bread, albeit a bit too rich and heavy for only 2 people. Portions were ginormous and delicious. Leg of lamb was genuinely giant's fare, while the rice flavored with rosewater, orange rind and almonds was fragrant and unique. Drawback was that there were only a couple vegetarian options on the main menu. The kidney bean stew was flavourful but really lacked in substance when prepared sans meat.

1422 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles 90024
Phone: 310-470-3242
Fax: 310-470-2040

Vegetarian friendly? No.
Parking: Street parking not tough to find
Entree pricing: $10-15

THE SISTERHOOD HAS DELIBERATED: 8 ROSES OUT OF 10