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Friday, June 20, 2014
CHEF SAMBRANO: BACK TO THE LOCAL GRINEZ 2
CHEF SAMBRANO: BACK TO THE LOCAL GRINEZ 2: Locals and food go hand in hand, or should I say hand to mouth. Go to any a local's party at their house, and you'll bound to see a...
BACK TO THE LOCAL GRINEZ 2
Locals and food go hand in hand, or should I say hand to mouth. Go to any a local's party at their house, and you'll bound to see a mega spread of different foods. Especially when the family has intermarriages of different nationalities. For instance, please see the following at your own discretion.
A family that is made up of 95% Japanese will more than likely have Japanese influenced foods such as, beef teriyaki, nishime (Nee she may) a braise of chicken with veggies and a sweet soy based sauce. Udon noodles, tonkatsu (breaded pork), somen salad, and pickled radish.
If the family is 95% Hawaiian, you'll get kalua pork, pikikaula (smoked beef), squid luau (octopus braise) with taro leaves. Pork and Beef Lau Lau, fried Akule (mackerel), steamed Uhu (parrot fish), grilled or raw opihi (shell creatures), poke, and for dessert haupia or kulolo.
For the 95% Filipino families you'll get such a wide spread because the Filipinos are influenced by the Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and some European countries. For instance, you'll get a braised dish with pork, bay leaves, herbs and spices or (adobo), there will be pork and peas (pork guisante), hog blood stew or Dinuguan made with pork innards, bellies, shoulder and real hog's blood that makes the dish brown. Some call Dinuguan Chocolate Meat. Lots of fried dishes like fish with a fish sauce, stews of beef and chicken. The desserts are plentiful in a Filipino home, you'll get a wide variety of sweets generally made from a coconut based concoction. Bud Bud, Bibinka, Halohalo.
Chinese families will have pork charsiu, beef broccoli, lemon chicken, steamed fish with black bean sauce, kung pao chicken, mushu pork, sesame chicken, oyster chicken, lo mein noodles, chow mein, and desserts with sweet red beens in a mochi rice dough. And of course the finger foods like pot stickers, you won't go wrong if you are invited to a Chinese home. And there's more food than I just written down.
Korean families have sweet, salty, or spicy foods which I love to the max. Salads with tofu and veggies with a spicy with heat dressing, cold soups or hot soups. The staples like meat jun (a battered steak) almost like a teriyaki, kalbi barbecue short rib of beef, kimchi, kimchi pork, porridge, and many more items. Chap chae is a popular noodle dish with beef or different meats, some cooks make it really spicy, some salty but if invited take a journey into their food spread.
And of course, there is all the other races of people that makes Hawaii special. So just think, an Italian family that moves to Hawaii will have their home cooking to share, fresh pasta, pomodoro, tiramisu, mini zeppoles, zabaglione with berries.
Just imagine if you have a Japanese person, that marries a Hawaiian person, that food spread will take four five feet tables to display all that food…you get the picture right? Okay then. Take it easy.
A family that is made up of 95% Japanese will more than likely have Japanese influenced foods such as, beef teriyaki, nishime (Nee she may) a braise of chicken with veggies and a sweet soy based sauce. Udon noodles, tonkatsu (breaded pork), somen salad, and pickled radish.
If the family is 95% Hawaiian, you'll get kalua pork, pikikaula (smoked beef), squid luau (octopus braise) with taro leaves. Pork and Beef Lau Lau, fried Akule (mackerel), steamed Uhu (parrot fish), grilled or raw opihi (shell creatures), poke, and for dessert haupia or kulolo.
For the 95% Filipino families you'll get such a wide spread because the Filipinos are influenced by the Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and some European countries. For instance, you'll get a braised dish with pork, bay leaves, herbs and spices or (adobo), there will be pork and peas (pork guisante), hog blood stew or Dinuguan made with pork innards, bellies, shoulder and real hog's blood that makes the dish brown. Some call Dinuguan Chocolate Meat. Lots of fried dishes like fish with a fish sauce, stews of beef and chicken. The desserts are plentiful in a Filipino home, you'll get a wide variety of sweets generally made from a coconut based concoction. Bud Bud, Bibinka, Halohalo.
Chinese families will have pork charsiu, beef broccoli, lemon chicken, steamed fish with black bean sauce, kung pao chicken, mushu pork, sesame chicken, oyster chicken, lo mein noodles, chow mein, and desserts with sweet red beens in a mochi rice dough. And of course the finger foods like pot stickers, you won't go wrong if you are invited to a Chinese home. And there's more food than I just written down.
Korean families have sweet, salty, or spicy foods which I love to the max. Salads with tofu and veggies with a spicy with heat dressing, cold soups or hot soups. The staples like meat jun (a battered steak) almost like a teriyaki, kalbi barbecue short rib of beef, kimchi, kimchi pork, porridge, and many more items. Chap chae is a popular noodle dish with beef or different meats, some cooks make it really spicy, some salty but if invited take a journey into their food spread.
And of course, there is all the other races of people that makes Hawaii special. So just think, an Italian family that moves to Hawaii will have their home cooking to share, fresh pasta, pomodoro, tiramisu, mini zeppoles, zabaglione with berries.
Just imagine if you have a Japanese person, that marries a Hawaiian person, that food spread will take four five feet tables to display all that food…you get the picture right? Okay then. Take it easy.
© 2014
BACK TO THE LOCAL GRINDEZ 1
Welcome to the blog, the food blog. And for the rest of this summer of 2014, I'll be blogging about food from the islands. So for those of you visiting, we need to get our lingo going, or our lingo on. So before we delve into recipes or local digs that has the best loco moco, we have to get this foodie language down. Here we go.
ono (oh no): delicious, amazing, right on, tastes great!
"Man that mahi plate was huge, and so ono!"
grine (gah rine): to eat, to pig out.
"I'm so hungry, let's go to Zippys and grine!"
broke da mouth (broke the mouth): this is a phrase when something is so delicious it is like an orgasm.
"That meatloaf was broke da mouth!"
mop or mopping: as to grine, to eat, to pig out, to feed your face.
"What you guys doing? Wo mopping some kalua pork eh?"
no shame grine: don't be embarrassed just feed your face and take some food home.
"Eh bring your friends, mom cooked some ono grines, no shame grine!"
what can?: a phrase stating, I'm in your kitchen and I am observing this guava cake you just baked, can I have a slice?
"Pam…ah… you baked this pie? What can?"
cooking the shits: Simply means whoever is cooking awesome food is cooking the shits.
"Uncle's in the back yard grilling steaks and fish, he's cooking the shits!"
There you have it, some local lingo to go with your food.
ono (oh no): delicious, amazing, right on, tastes great!
"Man that mahi plate was huge, and so ono!"
grine (gah rine): to eat, to pig out.
"I'm so hungry, let's go to Zippys and grine!"
broke da mouth (broke the mouth): this is a phrase when something is so delicious it is like an orgasm.
"That meatloaf was broke da mouth!"
mop or mopping: as to grine, to eat, to pig out, to feed your face.
"What you guys doing? Wo mopping some kalua pork eh?"
no shame grine: don't be embarrassed just feed your face and take some food home.
"Eh bring your friends, mom cooked some ono grines, no shame grine!"
what can?: a phrase stating, I'm in your kitchen and I am observing this guava cake you just baked, can I have a slice?
"Pam…ah… you baked this pie? What can?"
cooking the shits: Simply means whoever is cooking awesome food is cooking the shits.
"Uncle's in the back yard grilling steaks and fish, he's cooking the shits!"
There you have it, some local lingo to go with your food.
© 2014
Thursday, June 19, 2014
L&L CHEESEBURGER & FRIES
The platter was huge, when he returned from picking up the food, the weight of the foam box was somewhat heavy and I could tell that this platter was going to be way too filling. And it was. When I opened the box, it was filled with wavy fries, crispy ones, the kind I like. No salt, watching the health. But brother man had filled two ramekins with ketchup and mustard mixed together, perfect!
I mean I was just nibbling on the fries and was getting full. Then I tackled the cheeseburger, must have been 5 oz. of beef, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, and sweet round onions. Again perfect. I ate half of it, before removing the top bun, the buns are really hefty, I mean you can get full just eating that thing open face. It was delicious, ono, oishi, epic.
So that's what I had yesterday for lunch, L&L does rock the cheeseburger for a local chain Asian dig…not a Teddy's or In N Out, but it is good for what it is.
Until next time.
© 2014
Saturday, June 14, 2014
I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT WINE PAIRINGS
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| ME WITH LONGER HAIR (NOT NOW) |
But, as far as being a wine guy I am not him. I want to serve the right wine for the persons I'm cooking for but I'm not a wine guy. I could really give a Rat's ass about wine. You may say.."Ron how dare you, you are in the food or food media business why are you saying that, you'll hurt your own business." Nope I won't hurt anyone's business in fact I'll make sure wine peeps be making bank. Wine is great with food, in fact I love wine, but could give a Rat's ass about pairing it…for myself anyway, just for myself.
Me and someone at a nice dinner.
Waiter: The chef is making an awesome seared ahi with a garlic wasabe aioli, roasted yams with fennel, and to start off a shrimp curry salad.
My Guest: Oh sounds wonderful I'll have that.
Me: You got prime rib? Like the 24 oz. cut?
Waiter: Yes. and for the chef's special I suggest the 2008 Chard from Gino's Vineyards, it is wonderful with this dish. And for the prime rib, may I suggest a 2010 Merlot from Gino's Cousin's Vineyards?
My Guest: Yes please.
Me: Give me a Coke with lots of ice bro.
There you have it, me at a restaurant, I'm a simple guy. haha.
© 2014
Thursday, May 29, 2014
HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL HOME COOK
"Honey they didn't like my casserole!" your wife says after the relatives leaves the house on a warm Sunday evening in the summer time.
"Oh babe, it tasted great, I ate all mine, and junior polished his plate, and the potatoes were perfect."
"You're just saying that."
"No worries…it was perfect!"
Well you married peeps out there let's face it, sometimes your wife's cooking doesn't hit a home run, but she does get on base, and does make it to second, and possibly third, and she may have an RBI or two. But c'mon…that's successful…you aren't gonna hit home runs all the time. I mean let's face it, I've heard of foodies eating in 3 star Michelin restaurants and weren't totally impressed by the chef's creations… so if a so-called 3 star Michelin chef doesn't hit a homer with well traveled foodie aficionados, don't worry if aunt Mabel critiques your Swedish Meatballs with a Tabasco Béarnaise or whatever.
The best way to be a successful home cook is to keep on cooking and practicing, take a cooking class or something, and feed someone. If that someone eats his or her plate, guess what? You're a success eh? Yes you are. So here I am telling you "You can do it! You are a champion, don't give up or let others take you down. And remember you are the hostess, you invited them over, if they don't like it? Hey they can go to Burger King…"
TIP FOR TODAY!
Pan Frying. Here's a big mistake many people make when pan frying, the proteins they are cooking are too thick. The best way to get good pan frying results is to slice meats like beef, about 1/4" maybe 1/2" thick, same with chicken, or pork, and don't over cook it. Once you see the juices oozing out, it's cooking! Flip it and go for a couple of minutes, use a good quality pan, stainless steel, or nonstick…whatever you are comfortable with and it's all good.
In fact, if I pan fry, I use a carbon steel flat bottom wok, the heat sears thin cuts of meat perfectly and quickly, try learning to cook with a carbon steel wok.
Okay guys, keep on cooking, and be good to yourself, don't beat yourself up because some foodie snob didn't like the cat dish you served up. Hahah just kidding, in fact some Asian countries do eat kitty for dinner, now if you are inviting me over for some kitty cat stir fry… I'll politely decline.
-Ron Sambrano
"Oh babe, it tasted great, I ate all mine, and junior polished his plate, and the potatoes were perfect."
"You're just saying that."
"No worries…it was perfect!"
Well you married peeps out there let's face it, sometimes your wife's cooking doesn't hit a home run, but she does get on base, and does make it to second, and possibly third, and she may have an RBI or two. But c'mon…that's successful…you aren't gonna hit home runs all the time. I mean let's face it, I've heard of foodies eating in 3 star Michelin restaurants and weren't totally impressed by the chef's creations… so if a so-called 3 star Michelin chef doesn't hit a homer with well traveled foodie aficionados, don't worry if aunt Mabel critiques your Swedish Meatballs with a Tabasco Béarnaise or whatever.
The best way to be a successful home cook is to keep on cooking and practicing, take a cooking class or something, and feed someone. If that someone eats his or her plate, guess what? You're a success eh? Yes you are. So here I am telling you "You can do it! You are a champion, don't give up or let others take you down. And remember you are the hostess, you invited them over, if they don't like it? Hey they can go to Burger King…"
TIP FOR TODAY!
Pan Frying. Here's a big mistake many people make when pan frying, the proteins they are cooking are too thick. The best way to get good pan frying results is to slice meats like beef, about 1/4" maybe 1/2" thick, same with chicken, or pork, and don't over cook it. Once you see the juices oozing out, it's cooking! Flip it and go for a couple of minutes, use a good quality pan, stainless steel, or nonstick…whatever you are comfortable with and it's all good.
In fact, if I pan fry, I use a carbon steel flat bottom wok, the heat sears thin cuts of meat perfectly and quickly, try learning to cook with a carbon steel wok.
Okay guys, keep on cooking, and be good to yourself, don't beat yourself up because some foodie snob didn't like the cat dish you served up. Hahah just kidding, in fact some Asian countries do eat kitty for dinner, now if you are inviting me over for some kitty cat stir fry… I'll politely decline.
-Ron Sambrano
© 2014
Monday, May 19, 2014
DINUGUAN VIDEO
Do you like pork? Do you love peppers? Do you love being different? Well us Filipinos can help you and if you are a die hard foodie that's looking for new and exotic stuff to eat, try this nationally popular dish called Dinuguan (Dee noo goo won). It is made of pork, and some trippy stuff, and pig's blood. Enjoy the video.
© 2014
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