Pepperoni is a joke

[zinfamous]

Alright dude, dig the grease, I won't put down what you do but I won't put that down my throat. Like I say, IMO I make the best burrito in town. And it is lean. How do I do it? Years and years of evolution in my kitchen. There are all kinds of Mexican food places around here. Not a one serves a burrito that's had the attention I've given to mine. I dig good carnitas. I discovered it back in the 1960's at a fantastic stand in west L.A. I had a carnitas burrito at Chipotle a month ago. It was good, but compared to my burritos, no contest. Yea, I know, they are a chain. I don't do chains a lot, but I've done the independents too. My favorite closed down over a year ago. I hit them once in a while, but they didn't have anything as tasty as what I can make, and in terms of healthy, also no contest. You might think that's an oxymoron, but that's your problem.

Berkeley, eh?

Have you tried the Taco Truck that hangs outside of Hotsy Totsy in Albany?

Berkeley is pretty terrible for Mexican food, but that truck is the bomb. I think they have a restaurant in Oakland--"Tacos Autelense" or something something.

 

[NetWareHead]

How embarassing. :\

 

[Dirigible]

Berkeley, eh?

Have you tried the Taco Truck that hangs outside of Hotsy Totsy in Albany?

Berkeley is pretty terrible for Mexican food, but that truck is the bomb. I think they have a restaurant in Oakland--"Tacos Autelense" or something something.

I miss the days when the Totsy was a dive bar. Now it's gotten all fancified. :\

 

[zinfamous]

I miss the days when the Totsy was a dive bar. Now it's gotten all fancified. :\

true true. And it gets fancier by the month. But they still make excellent drinks (well, just drags in more hipsters), and on Fridays, usually, the cracked TV still plays weird vampire-sploitation porn from the 70s.

So, it is not without some of its old charm.

 

[Dirigible]

Yeah, I'm glad it still exists.

But the change was a surprise. I used to go there and it was a great dive bar. Then I had kids. And life sucked. And I never got any sleep. And I never went out. Then the kids got old enough that I got sleep and and life didn't suck so much anymore and I wanted to go out again and I went to the Totsy and it was a nasty shock both because of the Totsy's changes and because the world didn't fucking stay the same while I was incommunicado for a few years and that kinda was an unpleasant realization. But it's still a decent place.

 

[Gibsons]

I love Molinari. I love that I can get a big Molinari salami at Costco these days.

For SF produced stuff, I'd say Columbus is usually better. The Crespone and Felino are fantastic.

 

[zinfamous]

Fra'Mani pancetta is the greatest of all local cured (or uncured) Italian meat products, I must say

http://www.framani.com/

I actually haven't tried any of their dry cured meats, though. That pancetta is ridiculous, though.

 

[Ns1]

Fra'Mani pancetta is the greatest of all local cured (or uncured) Italian meat products, I must say

http://www.framani.com/

I actually haven't tried any of their dry cured meats, though. That pancetta is ridiculous, though.

What do you do with it?

 

[zinfamous]

What do you do with it?

I either cut it thick and fry it and eat for breakfast--put this baby on top of two eggs, over easy, and you are in cardiac heaven. Very easy to get a nice, crispy outer crust with a soft, succulent center.


Or, typically, I use it in my own Arrabiatta. granted, that is a bit of a waste for this kind of meat, but it's delicious. The arrbiatta's that I grew to love in various restaurants in Tuscany tended to use pancetta, so I just continue to do it that way.

The diced pancetta bits that one can typically find in Trader Joe's or wherever are not worth consuming, imo.

 

[NetWareHead]

Fra'Mani pancetta is the greatest of all local cured (or uncured) Italian meat products, I must say

http://www.framani.com/

I actually haven't tried any of their dry cured meats, though. That pancetta is ridiculous, though.

Thanks for the link. Even though I just ate lunch, reading the descriptions on this site made me starving all over again. Its salumi like these that make me glad to have a deli slicer...

 

[Ns1]

I either cut it thick and fry it and eat for breakfast--put this baby on top of two eggs, over easy, and you are in cardiac heaven. Very easy to get a nice, crispy outer crust with a soft, succulent center.

so pretty much a replacement for bacon?

I can find that product in LA, I just gotta drive for it...

 

[NetWareHead]

I either cut it thick and fry it and eat for breakfast--put this baby on top of two eggs, over easy, and you are in cardiac heaven. Very easy to get a nice, crispy outer crust with a soft, succulent center.


Or, typically, I use it in my own Arrabiatta. granted, that is a bit of a waste for this kind of meat, but it's delicious. The arrbiatta's that I grew to love in various restaurants in Tuscany tended to use pancetta, so I just continue to do it that way.

The diced pancetta bits that one can typically find in Trader Joe's or wherever are not worth consuming, imo.

Make a carbonara sauce with this!

 

[zinfamous]

so pretty much a replacement for bacon?

I can find that product in LA, I just gotta drive for it...

yeah, pancetta is basically Italian bacon. the pancetta fumari (smoked) that I typically got from the local salumari when I was living in Florence was not this type of rolled pancetta, however. It looked more like our type of bacon--a slab of belly, or back...whatever the fuck bacon is. I guess that is the difference between Northern and Central Italy.

I've yet to see Fra'mani pancetta fumari in my regular haunts, but now I have to look out for it, as well as the various salamis.

 

[zinfamous]

Make a carbonara sauce with this!

oh yeah, perfect! I never really enjoyed carbonara--mainly because I never liked runny eggs. I've long been a fan of over easy, now, however...so I suppose I should explore that again.

 

[NetWareHead]

so pretty much a replacement for bacon?

I can find that product in LA, I just gotta drive for it...

Its pork belly, but not with that smoky cured taste. It is fatty and has a strong pork flavor. It is a great source of fat, typically you add diced pancetta to a hot pan and the fat renders and gives u a nice base on which to sautee onions etc... so you can begin your dish. Whereas american bacon is strong smoky and boldly flavored, pancetta is more suited for cooking and won;t overpower your dish with bacon flavor. note: I like bacon too, just pancetta is sometimes more appropriate for different cuisines.

 

[NetWareHead]

oh yeah, perfect! I never really enjoyed carbonara--mainly because I never liked runny eggs. I've long been a fan of over easy, now, however...so I suppose I should explore that again.

The trick is to lightly beat the eggs in a bowl first and set aside. When the pasta is al dente, drain the pasta in a colander (no rinsing) and return it to the same boiling pot. Add the carbonara sauce and then the beaten eggs. Mix so all of the pasta gets coated with the sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl.

The residual heat of the pasta and sauce is enough to cook the eggs and incorporate them into the entire dish and you shouldn't see runny eggs.

 

[marincounty]

^^

Yeah there is pretty much no way to make a healthy carnitas. It's an oxy moron.


And if you don't make refried beans with lard, why bother?

I make healthier carnitas, they're just fine. I found this recipe somewhere-it's good.

Pork Roast Carnitas with Pico de Gallo

A braised pork roast, cooked until it practically falls apart, with an incredibly intense and delicious flavor.

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon beef base
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 (4-pound) pork loin roast
1/2 cup water
Juice of 1 fresh orange
Juice of 1 fresh lime
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or 1 tablespoon dried
Condiments:
Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)
Fresh corn or flour tortillas (warm before serving)
1 large white onion, chopped
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Lime wedges

In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, garlic powdered, onion powder, oregano leaves, beef base, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Brown pork roast on all sides in large cooking pot over medium heat.
Reduce heat and evenly coat the roast on all sides with spice mixture.
Add the water, orange juice, lime juice, soy sauce and the fresh cilantro. Heat to boiling; reduce heat; cover and simmer over low heat for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until roast is so tender, it falls apart.
Discard any fat and "shred" roast with a fork, allowing meat to absorb any juices left in the pan.

 

[Nebor]

So a bistec taco is the same as ground beef from a calking gun? A hand made corn tortilla is the same as pre-processed cardboard-shells? You're just being dumb ass to troll.

Good job mate, worked for a moment.

Ugh, Dallas is inundated with fancy taco places. Within 2 miles of my house, we've got Urban Taco, Torchy's Tacos, Rusty's Tacos, and Velvet Taco serving up $6 tacos with "high quality" ingredients. I go to Taco Bell more than all of them combined because I like the way it tastes. Even if they were priced the same, I'd still choose Taco Bell.

Not even trollin'.

 

[CZroe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5AZhjhbxf8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Note: This is probably the only time I have ever disagreed with Maddox.

 

[Dirigible]

For SF produced stuff, I'd say Columbus is usually better. The Crespone and Felino are fantastic.

For a basic dry salami, I prefer Molinari. Not gonna turn up my nose at Columbus though.

Bottom line is I am very happy to have so many good meat products available in the Bay Area. And I believe I may have to spend far too much money on some of them today, because this thread is totally making me drool.

 

[Muse]

Berkeley, eh?

Have you tried the Taco Truck that hangs outside of Hotsy Totsy in Albany?

Berkeley is pretty terrible for Mexican food, but that truck is the bomb. I think they have a restaurant in Oakland--"Tacos Autelense" or something something.

Thanks, I'll try to check it out. Where's Hotsy Totsy? Suggest something to get from that taco truck?

 

[Muse]

I make healthier carnitas, they're just fine. I found this recipe somewhere-it's good.
-snip-

Here's a recipe I saved for carnitas:
(BTW, I get my pork butt at Costco, economical and very lean, leak proof stored in plastic, I pop them in the freezer. Usually make chorizo with it)
- - - -
Top Recipe 2001: Tacos de Carnitas
-
Wednesday, October 4, 2006

This recipe from staff writer Tara Duggan was an across-the-board favorite of our tasters. This is perfect casual party fare; sure to please the Sunday sports crowd, or the kids coming home from college with a houseful of friends in tow. "This is one of the best recipes we've run in the 10 years I've worked here," said Food Editor Miriam Morgan. Duggan started working for The Chronicle in 1999 and writes the Working Cook column and is the author of "The Working Cook" (The San Francisco Chronicle Press).


INGREDIENTS:
4 1/2 pounds pork butt
6 cups water
7 strips orange zest
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 onions, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cinnamon sticks, preferably Mexican (see Note)
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano leaves, crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt + salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
24 small corn tortillas, warmed
Chopped cilantro
Finely chopped onion
Fresh salsa verde or hot sauce

INSTRUCTIONS: Trim any thick fat from the outside of the pork butt. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. Discard any cubes that are pure fat, but don't try to trim all of the fat out of the meat.

Put the pork in a large pot. Add the water, orange zest, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, bay leaves, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cloves. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Skim off any scum that forms on the surface. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until the pork is very soft, adding more water if necessary to keep the meat submerged. Season with salt. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the water has evaporated about 30 minutes. Cook a little longer to fry the meat slightly. (Note: if you want extra-crispy carnitas, fry approximately 25 minutes.) Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Put the meat in a fine strainer and push gently with a wooden spoon to remove any excess fat. Discard the fat.

Fold a few tablespoons of carnitas inside each tortilla and top each taco with cilantro, onion and salsa.

Note: Mexican cinnamon (canela) is found at Latin American markets.

Serves 12

Per serving: 390 calories, 37 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat (4 g saturated), 114 mg cholesterol, 481 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.

Page F - 7
URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/10/04/FDG83LGQEA1.DTL

 

[zinfamous]

Thanks, I'll try to check it out. Where's Hotsy Totsy? Suggest something to get from that taco truck?

The Hotsy Totsy is a re-imagined neo-hipster bar on San Pablo, in Albany. about a block south of the Bowling Alley.

Everything is good there, tbh. The tacos at 1.50 each are fantastic. Burritos will put you back 5 dollars. They do carnitas, al pastor, cabeza, lingua, all the nasty stuff.

The ceviche is also surprisingly good (it's great--but surprising that it wont' kill you...coming from a filthy truck). They also do tripe and various other dishes in Mexican that I dont' understand, but I doubt you will find fail with anything. You can grab it and eat at the bar if you wish. They are there almost every day, I think only Monday or Tuesday they are not to be found.

 

[zinfamous]

I've also used the Costco pork-butt to make pulled pork a'la zinfamous, but it is not my favorite for two reasons: way too lean for good pulled pork, and it is boneless. Screw that nonsense!

but man, that is way too much prep for pork. brine it, rub that shit with something tasty, and smoke it for hours.

yum.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Ugh, Dallas is inundated with fancy taco places. Within 2 miles of my house, we've got Urban Taco, Torchy's Tacos, Rusty's Tacos, and Velvet Taco serving up $6 tacos with "high quality" ingredients. I go to Taco Bell more than all of them combined because I like the way it tastes. Even if they were priced the same, I'd still choose Taco Bell.

Not even trollin'.

We are speaking across purposes. High quality, as you said, is not what Mexican food is about. Mexican is about making regular food amazing. Chicken carbon, Posole, reynosa bistec taco, a proper salsa verde (so creamy you'll aware there's milk in it), all made by some guys grandmother working for $2 an hour in the back.

Also, since you've been to the valley, botana!