22 Saturday Jun 2013
Posted in allium, American, autochthonous, BBQ, celebrations, education, foraging, herbs and spices, insects, lactose free, meat, Mexican, Queens, snacks, spicy
Chapulines are a variety of grasshopper commonly eaten in some parts of Mexico. They are typically fried on a comal with garlic, lime juice, and salt flavored with agave worm extract. This tangy, aromatic snack can occasionally be found at delis and groceries in Corona, Queens.
I was able to sample some excellent chapulines this week when a student brought them in to share with the class. I expected them to be crispy but they were definitely of the juicy side, especially the plump abdomens.
02 Sunday Jun 2013
Posted in American, Asian, bucket list, fish, Hawaiian, herbs and spices, Japanese, Mexican, New York, Queens, seafood, snacks, spicy, Williamsburg
My best friend is in Honolulu right now and she sent me a picture of Gyotaku’s nattochos (a portmanteau of “natto” and “nachos”). I immediately went to Family Market in Astoria and bought wonton wraps, tuna, natto (fermented soy beans), yamaimo (wild yam), green onions, radish sprouts, and nori.
We found that our poke mix was a little bland so some yuzu kosho, yuzu chili paste, really helped make the nattochos a success! Please like Chinook Olive’s Facebook page!
Gyotaku
1824 South King St
Honolulu HI 96826
808-949-4584
Family Market
2915 Broadway
Astoria NY 11106
718-956-7925
25 Friday Jan 2013
Camotes de Santa Clara are hand made sweet potato candies from Puebla, Mexico. Sweet potato paste is mixed with fruits, such as strawberries and coconut, and rolled into a little 5 inch log. They are sold wrapped in wax paper for $1.50 per piece at various bodegas throughout Corona and Elmhurst in Queens.
12 Monday Nov 2012
Posted in herbs and spices, Mexican, New York, Queens
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The Associated in Sunnyside now sells cilantro macho. I’m having trouble finding information about what it’s used for. The flavor kind of reminds me of pápalo. Maybe it goes on cemitas?
31 Wednesday Oct 2012
Posted in Brooklyn, bucket list, celebrations, Mexican, Queens, snacks, spicy, sweets
These tamarind-filled candy tubes are covered in spicy, salty, tangy powder (salsa en polvo). I bought this pack of Skwinkles at an Associated in Sunnyside, Queens but MexGrocer.com is offering free shipping on orders for the next two days if you use the code “FREESHIP12” at check out.
25 Wednesday Jul 2012
21 Saturday Jul 2012
Shrimp tacos with mango and cucumber at Nixtamal in Corona, Queens ($3/taco)
Chongos zamoranos is a sweet curd dessert from Zamora in Michoacán, Mexico.
Nixtamal provides tortillas to many restaurants in New York such as La Esquina, Choza Taquería, and even Nobu. The owners, Shauna Page and Fernando Ruiz, make their own corn masa using a method called nixtamalization. The corn is soaked in mineral lime, which increases its nutritional value, allows it to be more easily ground, kills fungus, and improves flavor. In front of Nixtamal there are a few stalks of corn growing in a planter.
17 Tuesday Jul 2012
Posted in bucket list, Mexican, New York, Queens
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A few months ago MexGrocer.com had a huge blow out sale and so I bought a real lava rock molcajete. It was kind of hard to find a real one even in New York. Many of the ones I found in Jackson Heights and Corona were decorative serving dishes made out of cement, not lava rock. It took me at least three months to season the one I bought online! I read on The Mija Chronicles that you should do a few turns of dry beans, then dry corn, dry rice, wet rice, and finally the spices. The many rounds help get rid of gritty pieces that might get mixed into your food. Today I finally got to the spices round!
I ground some garlic, dried epazote, ancho chiles, and salt. The resulting paste was very fragrant and tasty!
10 Sunday Jun 2012
Here’s a cure for colds that I just learned about: garlic tea.
It sounds so delicious I might drink it even when I’m not feeling under the weather!
4 cups of water
6 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Cut the garlic cloves in half and put them in a pot with the water. Bring it to a boil and then remove from heat. Stir in honey and lemon juice.
I am going to make some right now with the madroño honey I have.
08 Friday Jun 2012
Chinook Olive 