Sabor a Mexico

Too much rice, too many beans, too much cheese "product" (that slab of melted orange stuff). These are some of the faults of some inexpensive Mexican places nearby, where the food comes
overcooked, obscured by sauces, out of proportion and shining with grease with nary a vegetable to be seen. On the other hand, many sit-down Mexican restaurants in West Los Angeles have overly long waits for $10 mediocre burritos and crowds of hipsters.
Faced with this problem, and wanting something new, I went to www.chowhound.com. Various posters extolled the virtues of Sabor a Mexico, at 8940 National near the intersection with Venice, so I decided to give it a try.
While walking into this small and very clean restaurant, I saw a woman making fresh tortillas. The large menu, written in neat, colored chalk, overwhelmed me as my mind swam with decisions. Forget the diet, I thought, as I ordered a quesadilla "en estilo DF" (distrito federal or Mexico City-style) with zucchini flowers ($2.75) and a tostada with beef picadillo ($3.50). We asked for water, and the cashier apologized for the different sized cups of water she gave us. The next stop was the salsa bar, which contained the following salsas: tomato, tomatillo, chipotle cream, avocado, pico de gallo, and hot (red), along with cilantro, onions, cucumber, and pickled carrots and jalapenos. With a few chips, I felt like that could be a meal alone. Sitting in the comfortable wicker seats outside on the fairly quiet street near the 10 freeway, I almost forgot I was in Los Angeles.
The cashier brought the food out on blue ceramic plates. My quesadilla was folded and about the size of a hard taco shell, with shredded iceberg lettuce piled on top with a smattering of queso fresco. The tortilla was fresh and lightly fried, but the best part was the flavor and the perfectly cooked texture of the zucchini blossoms inside. The tostada had a shell with a light spread of black beans, followed by juicy, lightly spiced ground beef, a lot of lettuce, some fresh cream, and a few small slices of avocado. Jack got a carne asada burrito (around $5), which had tender and flavorful beef with a reasonable--but not excessive--amount of rice and beans.
I felt that the cook had high standards for her cooking, since none of the food was too salty or spicy, but was seasoned enough and her presentation was picture worthy--something I may capture with a camera at a repeat visit.

Frozen banana

Today I had a half a banana for a snack and froze the other half, not knowing what to expect. Just a few minutes ago I took it out of the freezer and discovered a sweet, cold, and creamy treat, reminiscent of banana-flavored frozen yogurt. Now I know what to do with over-ripe bananas (besides throw them away)...

Salad daze

I've been having lots of salads lately. Although I can't quite give up my crouton addiction, I've learned how to make salads taste decent without adding too much oil--something my mother has been trying to get me to do for years. First, I've added to my vinegar collection, adding red wine vinegar to my balsamic, rice wine and white vinegars. Perhaps I'll try champagne or apple cider vinegar next. Trader Joe's seems to be a good place to buy these.

Another thing I've been doing to my salads is adding finely chopped garlic or herbs like oregano or cilantro. These seasonings really add flavor. I've also been putting in lots of fresh, crunchy vegetables like red bell peppers and little cucumbers, along with using mixed lettuces and ripe tomatoes from the farmer's market. Finally, when all else failed, the addition of lemon juice has improved my salads.

This Week's Menu

What I plan to make this week for dinner, after visiting the Santa Monica Farmer's Market on Pico yesterday and going to Trader Joe's...
Sun: Whole wheat pizza with low fat mozzarella and various toppings
Mesclun with heirloom tomatoes, balsamic vinegar with a touch of olive oil
Mon: Ground turkey spiced with cumin, garlic, and ancho chili powder
Served with small corn tortillas, cilantro, onion, and avocado
"Spicy mix" salad with tomato and yellow pepper, red wine vinegar and garlic dressing
Tues or Weds:Baked ginger scallion salmon
Fingerling potatoes and zucchini
Avocado, cucumber, and red pepper salad with lemon garlic dressing
Weds or Thu: Ginger chicken
Jasmine rice
Broccoli, zucchini, red pepper and onion saute

Update

After a short hiatus, I am back. While I was away from the blog, I went on vacation to Cozumel and Tulum, Mexico, and started a new job in a field somewhat related to gourmet food, specifically nutritional clinical trials. So far, I have learned that I need to eat many more servings of fruits and vegetables than I do now, and that I am eating too many starchy foods. I am making an effort to incorporate more lean protein in my meals, whether it be chicken breast or egg whites or non-fat Greek yogurt, to wear a pedometer, and to eat more frequent, small meals. I will keep you updated on my progress, along with bringing the regular features of "The Gourmet Gazette."

Local places to try, and a couple to return to: a list

To try:
Tender Greens in Culver City, because they might (key word) have decent salads.
Kiriko on Sawtelle-the appetizers look intriguing, especially the Ume Shisho Shirazu pasta salad.
The Calabasas farmer's market, and the Tuesday Culver City farmer's market.
Guelaguetza on Sepulveda and Palms, since it's right around the corner and word of mouth says they have really good Oaxacan food.
El Tarasco in Manhattan Beach-hole in the wall Mexican.
Indo Cafe on National; I can't remember the last time I had Indonesian food.
Musha in Santa Monica, because I love small plates.

To go back:
Sushi Zo on National, because I never thought I would crave uni or monkfish liver, and I can't stop thinking about the blue crab handroll.
To be honest, the only reason why I included this "to go back" category is my daily desire to go back to Sushi Zo. Every sad piece of fish I've had since hasn't held a candle to this place.

Sunday afternoon project-Creme Brulee

What I've been eating--Homemade pho...

A tortilla trick courtesy of Jack

While I used to warm flour tortillas in the microwave, yielding gummy tortillas that fell apart when I added fillings, I've since learned a new trick from Jack, who is full of tricks. Heating flour tortillas directly on the gas stove toasts the tortilla so that it is warm, slightly burnt, and delicious. Today I heated a flour tortilla using this method and ate it with hummus and some carrots on the side for lunch. Note that this technique doesn't work as well for corn tortillas, and that it is important to turn the tortilla over for even heating. I recommend using tongs to avoid toasted fingers.

From the Archives: 8/23/02

Since I have come across the archives of The Gourmet Gazette, back when it was an emailed newletter and before it became a blog, I will occasionally re-post archived editions. Below is the inaugural Gourmet Gazette.

The Gourmet Gazette Friday, August 23, 2002

Note from Editor:
This is the first issue of a weekly newsletter about food. I love cooking and eating, and I wanted to share some of my recipes with you. I’ll try to focus on quick, easy recipes that are healthy and use easy-to-find ingredients, and add occasional interviews or restaurant reviews. Tell me what you think about this premier issue at [old email address], and send me your recipes, comments, or suggestions.
Regards,
Christine T. Nguyen
***
Food of the Week
Honeydew melon is a perfect fruit for late summer. The cool, sweet, tangy fruit satisfies the hunger and thirst of late August afternoons, with its buttery and moist texture. Perfect with piquant goat cheese or prosciutto for a snack, or toss it with purple grapes, a chopped apple, a chopped orange, and lime juice for a refreshing fruit salad.
***
Recipes

Tomato Garlic Angel Hair
Boil a pot of water, then add desired amount of angel hair pasta. When cooked, add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove of finely chopped garlic, two finely chopped small-to-medium tomatoes, a handful of finely chopped spinach, and 2 tbsp dried or 4 tbsp fresh parsley to pot. Toss well, salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a more mellow garlic flavor, cook on stove for 5 more minutes on medium heat. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Spicy Basmati Rice
Sauté cumin seeds with 1 tbsp olive oil in pot until lightly toasted, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup basmati rice (brown or white), sauté for 2 more minutes, then add ½ red bell pepper, chopped, and enough water so that ½ inch of water lies over the rice. Bring to a boil, then simmer and cover for twenty minutes or until cooked. Add more water if necessary. Toss, season with salt and dash of cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp light margarine if desired. Variation: Add frozen peas instead of bell pepper.

Fast Chicken (or Tofu) Salad
Wash desired amount romaine or butter lettuce, tear pieces and drain well. Add 2 chopped Roma tomatoes and ½ chopped bell pepper. Toss with small amount of oil-vinegar or Ranch dressing. Top with sliced pre-grilled chicken (available in most supermarkets in the frozen section) or sliced marinated or Age tofu. Throw desired amount of crunchy croutons on top, or serve with toasted baguette or wheat toast.