A Taste of Tequila & Tamales by The Bay

The first significant experience I had with a tamal was in a small town outside of Merida, Yucatan in the sweltering heat, sitting next to a chicken, a tub of habanero chiles too near for comfort, watching banana leaf packages emerge from an underground fire pit. It was the weekend before Hanal Pixan, meaning Day of the Dead in gringo and "soul food" in Mayan, and my host family wanted me to see the traditional mucbil chicken tamales (called pibs for short) emerge from "mother earth's womb." I had feasted on and made tamales before, but the ceremony behind this, from the careful unwrapping of each one to the tiny corner alter of a picture of la virgin, two coke bottles and two pibs is one of my favorite food related memories.

Fast forward to Sunday, April 17th for the 2011 Taste of Tequila & Tamales by the Bay, where top tequila producers boast their spirits and local tamale makers compete for the People's Choice award. There's no sacred ceremony here, and no chickens, but the event was a tribute to one of Mexico's oldest and greatest culinary gifts, wrapped in golden corn husks and ready for opening. The runners up (according to Ferronlandia), followed by the winner (according to the voters):

Tina Tamale. The minute I walked up to the stand of La Boriqueña Mex-icatessen, Tina's energy reminded me of the love, community and labor that goes into making tamales. 

Chatty, warm, and charming, Tina had already made friends with my parents who came by the booth earlier and I wouldn't be suprised to find her at their dining room table with a tamale assembly line by this weekend. Tina reps tamales as hard as she reps Oakland- Started by her grandmother, La Boriqueña has been in the Old Oakland neighborhood since the 1940's. Her website, filled with articles and links dedicated to Old Oakland, is testament to her community connection that runs three generations deep. She also makes a good green chile and cheese tamal. 
Chef Steve. Fast-talking Chef Steve is made for TV. Which makes sense because he specializes in coooking demonstrations. 

I was taken away by his wild gestures and enthusiastic demeanor and then softly released into my own thoughts of discovery as he smiled while I savored his filipino tamales. Covered with banana leaf and made with coconut, rice, and pork filling. 
El Huarache Loco. I believe that at their weekly Alemany Farmers Market stand, Veronica Salazar's Mexico City influenced menu is presented a little nicer than my messy plate. That half tamal was turned inside out. 

However, in Ferronlandia flavor rules, and the untidiness on my plate was due to an unusual ratio of spicy, chocolaty, nutty, delicious mole to tamal, which made me wonder if anyone in the polished SF Design Center Galleria would notice an otherwise well-mannered girl licking a corn husk and paper plate dry. El Huarache Loco is a La Cocina business.

And the winner is... The Whole Tortilla. Because doing things differently pays off. Ricardo and Vanessa make a no-husk tamal with New Mexican red and green chile incorporated into their pork, chicken and veggie fillings. Their philosohpy centers around using the whole fruit, vegetable, and chile pepper to incorporate full flavors and nutritional value. The result was the moistest tamale I've ever tasted. Find them at the Jack London Square Farmers Market. 

Got the travel bug?
http://www.tamalesbythebay.org/
La Boriqueña Mex-icatessen
Chef Steve
El Huarache Loco
The Whole Tortilla

A Full Belly and Happy Heart at Gourmex

The word "gala" has always evoked a sound from me that resembles something like "eeewwh". Eeewwh for the amount of work that goes into throwing a gala (been there, done that). Eeewwh for the awkward programs and conversations you have to sit through as you just want to eat your overcooked salmon and dry slice of sourdough (eeewwh for consuming of that plate of food).

But in reference to Gourmex 2010, the word gala was preceded by "gourmet" and followed by fragments like "appreciation of Mexico's gastronomy" and "original recipes crafted for this event" and "one-of-a-kind culinary celebration." 

Oooohhh.

Last night I witnessed, tasted, and marveled over a feast prepared by some of the most recognized Mexican chefs from the Bay Area and Mexico.  It was a feast put on by the Consulate of Mexico, designed to celebrate Mexico's Bicentennial and featuring a range of Mexican culinary products. There were multiple forms of carnitas, there was a mezcal lounge, there were chicharones and chapulines, there was aged Don Julio, Hennessy hoochies, maestras de mole, black bean towers, charming wineries, and a whole lot of overdressed hungry people. 

I will attempt to share with you some of my favorites, but I encourage you to check out this list of restaurants and keep it in your back pocket for a quick reference in the case of a enchilada/mole/bean emergency.

Pierde Almas is a small batch mezcal distillery that uses wild agave to create a devastatingly delicious shot of mezcal. So smokey you won't need a cigarette. It may have been the high alcohol content shooting to my brain, but I swear I could taste that this was a truly special drink- read more about their socially, culturally, and environmentally responsible production process. By the way, isn't the sales rep cute? And his name is Geronimo!

Michaelangelo did the David, Rodin the Age of Bronze, Aroma Buena Catering the Blossoming Watermelon. They also did some amazing tamales.

 

 Chilango holdin it down with oranges in the tacos, whoa!

A mezcal tasting platter from San Miguelito in Morelia, Michoacan. One of the owners handed me a charm with a cross and a saint and instructed me to put it around my neck- "if you pray it will bring you a good boyfriend," he said.  Why didn't anyone tell me sooner about the real power of religion?

Can't remember who they are, but aren't tomatillos pretty?

Benedicta Alejo, a mole master in the flesh. I can't believe that I would've walked by the Purhepecha Saint of 1,000 Spices had a friend not alerted me of her humble presence in the back of the room. There are youtube videos of this woman showing culinary students how to make tortillas. Forget Cancun, I'm talking Spring Break Uruapan 2011. Find her at Calle Hidalgo #88, Uruapan Michocan, Mexico. Tel. 01 452 452 12 29. And I'm not being condescending, I actually have been to Uruapan and it was probably during my spring break.

 La Hacienda de Los Morales in Mexico City. Major bean tower activities going on at this booth. I was told that they prepare meals with Huitlacoche (an exotic mexican corn fungi). That's just crazy.

 CET culinary Arts of San Jose, check them out- this is food with a cause! "The mission of CET, an economic and community development corporation is to promote human development and education by providing people with marketable skills training and supportive services that contribute to self-sufficiency." Not only are they creating skills, jobs, livelhood, etc., they are producing some  meals with big flavors on little spoons. This is a pineapple tamal inside a jamaica flower.

As the saying goes, "barriga llena, corazon contenta" (full tummy, happy heart). I left Gourmex one very happy and full woman, and I can't wait till next year.

PS-Geronimo, if you're reading this my step-dad would like me to propose to you and marry into the distillery. I'm not entirely opposed.

Got the travel bug?
List of participants here: http://www.gourmexsf.com/
Hey, how did you get in on this?! My mommy was also a vendor: http://mexicobyhand.com/

Ode to La Taqueria

It's 10 a.m. and I'm running to deposit a grant check at the bank before my morning staff meeting (ugh). As I hustle past the taco truck on Sansome St, I overhear a man in a business suit come up to the window and ask for a burrito. The truck isn't even open yet. Homie in the back is still cleaning and none of the food is out. I'm not even awake enough to register that I'm not in my bed and this fool is ready for lunch?? Not only is he three hours ahead of me (and looking all sharp and professional) he's probably hungover too. Or maybe he went for a really exhausting morning run. Why else would you crave a burrito that early? Normally I would find someone who doesn't respect opening hours annoying, but through our common bond of love for some quick Mexican food, I had to sympathize.

You see, last weekend I was working in the mission with my photographer friend Laila and we ate at my favorite taqueria, La Taqueria. Talk about it and my boys Danny and Raul will get all jealous as if they didn't just go last week. The chicken is always tender. The flour quesadilla is greasy and fried (that's a good thing). The line moves fast. The tacos (ask for guacamole) are the perfect size- that happy medium between tiny taco truck and oversized American. The point is, one stop at La Taqueria will make you smile at anyone else having inappropriate, public cravings for Mexican food, kinda like how you feel about PDA when you're also in love...Lard is in the air?


Got the travel bug?
La Taqueria: 2889 Mission (and 25th)