Nestled in a monstrous outdoor shopping mall called The District, snuggled in next to a multiplex cinema and a clothing store is a little place called Native Foods Cafe. This seems to be the most unlikely of places for a vegan restaurant, let alone one that focuses on Southwestern food., but it is a great restaurant in Tustin, California.
Want something to do with all those fresh herbs that are available now that springtime is here? I'm a fan of Vinaigrettes. They make great salad dressings, and awesome marinades. I love the play between the tang of a good vinegar, and the earthiness of herbs, or sweetness of citrus. So try this out the next time you are at your local Farmer's Market salivating over parsley, basil, and thyme.
The second in a series of Restaurant Reviews On My Trip to Orange County, and Los Angeles, CA. The first in the series was Is Gluten-Free Dairy Free Worth It.
I briefly resided in Tustin, CA at the tender age of 18. I worked at a donut shop and a drugstore respectively. I remember the food being passable, something about all the farms in and around Orange County. But I never looked for vegan food because, though I had been exposed to the idea of Veganism, I could never, ever, ever give up meat.
I’ve been all over the place. Local markets, Asian Markets, big stores, small stores, farmers markets. I’m looking for a local source for curry leaves and I can’t seem to find one. I was especially frustrated when I was told that they are an “oddity” and “exotic”.
Yes, the curry plant (Murraya Koenigii) is indigenous to India, and an essential ingredient in South Indian cooking . Why would I think any market in Phoenix would have them? Well, because I have found them here before. And we have a population of Indians, and a great South Indian Restaurant, Udapi Cafe. Wouldn’t there be a good local source for curry leaves?
I just started an extreme change in diet, and am looking towards weight loss. I’m 165 lbs, and have a 39.5 inch waist. I had started a juice diet back in the beginning of February, but when my cat got really sick, I became stressed, and started eating junk at work again, cheese, pastries, cookies, lots of bread.* When I went to the doctor and stepped on the scale, I had gained everything back that I lost over the few weeks I was juicing.
Don’t be fooled. Juicing is a lot of work. Cutting raw vegetables isn’t. For every meal I have to juice carrots and apples. I have to clean and chop the vegetables I am going to eat. I have to think about the process of putting together the food. I have to plan my juice menu for work, and take it with me, so my hands don’t get stuck in the wrong food. And here’s the best part, I need to keep a food log of what I eat. That includes the junk food.
It took five minutes, a 1 lb package of tofu, paprika, chili powder, and a food processor to make soy chorizo at home. So, why I am I spending double the money on something I can make?
In order to bring you the Food knowledge and History section of this blog, I have had to become part food anthropologist, part researcher, and part historian. Not to mention a bit of a botanist to keep track of all the genus of plant life I am reading about.
It boils down to this: the world is only so big, there’s only so many plant foods humans can consume without being poisoned. However, at least in America, our palates were watered down, and left bland, until the Food Revolution of the late 1980’s through the mid-1990’s. Food was brought back to life by the discovery that cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice weren’t just for desserts. We found out there’s more grain than just wheat, and there is more fruit out there besides bananas and oranges.
The First in a series of Restaurant Reviews on my trip to Orange County, and Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, Downtown, Sunday, mid-morning. The streets are crowded, and we are driving in circles, looking for a parking place. Around, and around. I’m seriously getting dizzy. I didn’t know there would be that much foot traffic in Downtown L.A. on a Sunday morning, blocking my ability to make a right turn before the light changes and the oncoming traffic starts. Half an hour of this.
Waiting for lights, waiting for cars. I wonder, is a gluten-free, dairy-free pastry worth this much trouble? Apparently I used my out-loud voice without realizing it. The partner glares at me. “Yes.” She growls.
Here’s the culinary reading list so far this month…
Salt: A World History
Food Plants of the World: An Illustrated Guide
Seeds of Change: Five Plants That Transformed Mankind
Annatto, or, in spanish, Achiote, is a well-loved spice in Central and South American cuisines. Unlike some of the other herbs and spices I’ve researched, there are many recipes, descriptions and uses listed for annatto seeds, achiote paste, and annatto oil. The trick to using this spice is figuring out what you want to do with it.
Annatto (achiote in Spanish) hails from the Caribbean, Central America, and the warmer parts of South America. Along with chocolate and tomatoes, Annatto traveled back to the Old World with the Spanish Conquistadors and found a place in India and other South Asian countries, with climates that allow the plant to thrive.
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