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The smell of orchards burning brush along the canals, the first buds breaking out of their winter entrapments, yeah, we finally may be breaking out of this past winter's grasp.
As the weather continues to improve, I find myself yearning for the open road, almost like a little gremlin is sitting on my shoulder egging me on to pull out some maps and start planning a road trip!
Though we live in one of the great regions in the country, there is something about hitting the road, some great driving CDs in the truck, (I prefer long, live jams for my country roadies, Allman Brothers Live at The Fillmore, some classic live Grateful Dead concerts from the '70s, off course, some live Bruce), a full tank of gas, and reason for turning off the cell phone.
As I get into stranger culinary mindsets, I now also want to do some research and see just what great local eateries there are out there; sometimes you can find out about some on such sites as “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” “RoadFood,” etc., sometimes just talk to the local folks, and sometimes, you just luck out.
One of the best feelings I get is when I set off on a roadie and cross the first mountain range on my way to wherever! Windows down, wind whipping through an increasingly thinner hairline, I can almost feel the stress flowing out of my body, the mountain pass air smelling “cleaner” as the miles roll on.
I almost get excited wondering what I will find down the road — will it be a small mom and pop custard stand which makes the best milkshakes? Some rundown looking place that has a chicken fried steak to die for? A beer and pool joint that just has the best dipped roast beef sandwiches? America is such a great place.
There are a few places where I want to go this spring, summer and fall — Montana and Glacier National Park, Hatch, N.M., and a return to Northern California, this time going to upper Sonoma County, Mendocino and the lost coast! Exploration my boy, Exploration! If you have any favorite eatin' places in any of these places, let me know and I may just check them out.
Now pull out your maps, where do you want to go to?
Roque's Carnitas
(from Roadfoods.com)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
“Carnitas” usually means little pieces of fried pork or beef. At the edge of the Plaza in the heart of Santa Fe, N.M., it means a delicious lunch. Roque's Carnitas Wagon parks here between Easter and Halloween and dishes out a hefty sandwich of grilled beef in a tortilla. It tastes best if you can cook the beef on a tight-knit grate over an open fire, but a hot skillet will do fine. Make the salsa in advance, as you want to eat this sandwich good and hot. Note also that the meat needs at least an overnight marinade before being cooked.
Salsa:
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-6 jalapeЦo peppers, finely chopped, to taste
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Carnitas:
2 tablespoons oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup salad oil
1/4 cup beer
1-1/2 pounds top round or sirloin sliced into 1/4-inch strips against the grain
1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
5 fresh green chile peppers, sliced in circles, with seeds 4 broad flour tortillas, warmed
Directions:
1. Make the salsa by combining all its ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.
2. Combine oregano, garlic, soy sauce, oil, and beer. Marinate the beef a minimum of 12 hours, preferably 24. Drain beef and discard marinade.
3. On a screen over an open fire, or in a hot, greased skillet, cook the meat, onion, and peppers about 5-6 minutes, tossing almost constantly, until meat is well-browned.
4. Use a tongs to lift a heap of the meat mixture from the grate or skillet, allowing any excess juice to drip away, and place one quarter of the mixture into a warm flour tortilla. Top with salsa (recipe follows), fold the tortilla around the ingredients, and serve.
Lee is the founder and owner of Decadence Gourmet Cheesecakes and Catering. Reach him at decadencecheesecakes@mindspring.com, via the Web site at www.decadencecheesecakes.com, or by calling 256-4688. Follow the adventures of Decadence on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Decadence-Gourmet-Cheesecakes/171538834903 and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/decadenceGJ).
As the weather continues to improve, I find myself yearning for the open road, almost like a little gremlin is sitting on my shoulder egging me on to pull out some maps and start planning a road trip!
Though we live in one of the great regions in the country, there is something about hitting the road, some great driving CDs in the truck, (I prefer long, live jams for my country roadies, Allman Brothers Live at The Fillmore, some classic live Grateful Dead concerts from the '70s, off course, some live Bruce), a full tank of gas, and reason for turning off the cell phone.
As I get into stranger culinary mindsets, I now also want to do some research and see just what great local eateries there are out there; sometimes you can find out about some on such sites as “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,” “RoadFood,” etc., sometimes just talk to the local folks, and sometimes, you just luck out.
One of the best feelings I get is when I set off on a roadie and cross the first mountain range on my way to wherever! Windows down, wind whipping through an increasingly thinner hairline, I can almost feel the stress flowing out of my body, the mountain pass air smelling “cleaner” as the miles roll on.
I almost get excited wondering what I will find down the road — will it be a small mom and pop custard stand which makes the best milkshakes? Some rundown looking place that has a chicken fried steak to die for? A beer and pool joint that just has the best dipped roast beef sandwiches? America is such a great place.
There are a few places where I want to go this spring, summer and fall — Montana and Glacier National Park, Hatch, N.M., and a return to Northern California, this time going to upper Sonoma County, Mendocino and the lost coast! Exploration my boy, Exploration! If you have any favorite eatin' places in any of these places, let me know and I may just check them out.
Now pull out your maps, where do you want to go to?
Roque's Carnitas
(from Roadfoods.com)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4
“Carnitas” usually means little pieces of fried pork or beef. At the edge of the Plaza in the heart of Santa Fe, N.M., it means a delicious lunch. Roque's Carnitas Wagon parks here between Easter and Halloween and dishes out a hefty sandwich of grilled beef in a tortilla. It tastes best if you can cook the beef on a tight-knit grate over an open fire, but a hot skillet will do fine. Make the salsa in advance, as you want to eat this sandwich good and hot. Note also that the meat needs at least an overnight marinade before being cooked.
Salsa:
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-6 jalapeЦo peppers, finely chopped, to taste
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Carnitas:
2 tablespoons oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup salad oil
1/4 cup beer
1-1/2 pounds top round or sirloin sliced into 1/4-inch strips against the grain
1 large yellow onion, sliced thin
5 fresh green chile peppers, sliced in circles, with seeds 4 broad flour tortillas, warmed
Directions:
1. Make the salsa by combining all its ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.
2. Combine oregano, garlic, soy sauce, oil, and beer. Marinate the beef a minimum of 12 hours, preferably 24. Drain beef and discard marinade.
3. On a screen over an open fire, or in a hot, greased skillet, cook the meat, onion, and peppers about 5-6 minutes, tossing almost constantly, until meat is well-browned.
4. Use a tongs to lift a heap of the meat mixture from the grate or skillet, allowing any excess juice to drip away, and place one quarter of the mixture into a warm flour tortilla. Top with salsa (recipe follows), fold the tortilla around the ingredients, and serve.
Lee is the founder and owner of Decadence Gourmet Cheesecakes and Catering. Reach him at decadencecheesecakes@mindspring.com, via the Web site at www.decadencecheesecakes.com, or by calling 256-4688. Follow the adventures of Decadence on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Decadence-Gourmet-Cheesecakes/171538834903 and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/decadenceGJ).
