Taco Tuesday: La Michoacana

How many times have you passed a Michoacana and wondered exactly what’s inside? You’ve seen the signs -- I know you have -- so here’s a brief explanation for anyone curious.


La Michoacana has quietly dominated Houston’s Hispanic grocery scene since 1986 and now boasts 50+ locations around town. The layout of each location is roughly the same: A small market full of Hispanic produce and brands, a large and insanely well stocked meat counter in the back, and a small in-store taqueria up front.


When you go, browse through shelf upon shelf of salsas, spices, and chilies, then take a minute to gawk at the serious abundance of cow and pig parts hanging in the rear. Welcome to Meatopia -- What’s your dream? When you’ve had enough, make your way back to the front for some grub. You’ll need to pay for your tacos before ordering; do this at the cash register, where they’ll likely have to ask around for a translator if you don’t have a basic knowledge of Spanish.

The steam table has winners and losers for sure. The lengua at every location I’ve been to is packed with flavor -- soft pillows of meaty goodness topped with diced onion and cilantro -- yet the barbacoa is often stringy, tough, and bland. Similarly, the chicharrones are soft and marvelously delicate, yet the chicken lacks any discernable flavor.


La Michoacana is a fun, Houston-centric experience that’s dirt cheap and will [likely] take you out of your comfort zone. And even if your tacos aren’t the bestest ever, a few of the lightly sweet, fantastically awesome pineapple empanadas can make up for anything. Enjoy!

Wanna piece of this?

Though I haven't lived in Petaluma, CA for almost ten years, I still like to keep up with events like the Ugliest Dog Show, a regular feature of their annual June Sonoma/Marin Fair. Usually the Chinese Crested Hairless dogs are a shoo-in, with their impossibly long tongues, strange naked skin and bizarre Mohawk hairdos. But this year's contest was an upset, with a humble rescue boxer mix named Pabst taking the starring role. Baleful blue eyes, those fearsome lower fangs, that pugnacious expression…How'd you like to meet HIM in a dark alley?

Tidbit Time

Let me see if I can come up with some tidbits. For starters let me tell you that our weather here in the valley of the sun is reaching 110 degrees. We had a nice break in our weather the first three weeks of June but we are paying it now. And yet last Saturday I washed the car and drove it topless to one of our car club functions. My motto is adjust and overcome, contrary to popular belief, life doesn't stop because it gets a little hot. Our swimming pool is seeing a lot of action and doing an excellent job at keeping us cool, particularly the kids, they live for swimming.

As my sister in law stated in a comment to a post I had on Facebook. "Whatever it takes". This came up when mi chica asked me if I could drive her to her hair stylist on Sunday. "Sure, I can" was my reply when she asked on Saturday afternoon. So, Sunday morning at 6:45am mi chica wakes me up, "Come on baby, it's time to go", huh! what? where? "My hair appointment, remember I asked you" my appointment is at 7:00am. Seven in the morning on a Sunday? What women will do in the name of beauty. Well, she is worth it so off we went.

Looking forward to the three day weekend. R&R and laying by the swimming pool is a major part of the agenda, I am sure babysitting the grand kids will be included in the deal but that's OK. I avoid crowds and specially on 110 degree days so going out to catch any fireworks is totally out. No, no, no, that is just not for me. I am sure the kids are all going out although I haven't heard if Avondale or Goodyear cancelled the fireworks show like many cities are doing to save money, after all their budgets are pretty tight.

Arrrg!, I just realized that like a dummy I left my lunch at home. Green chicken enchiladas with Spanish rice. What a fool. Now I'll be thinking about food and actually I am already hungry. Now the tug of war of what to eat begins, of all the fast food places around my work nothing sounds appetizing. What to eat, what to eat? I am open to suggestions, anybody wants to express me a meal you may do so, specially if it's home cooked.


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Plan B, with a LOT of help from our friends

Like most of our plans written in sand at low tide, our Westy Rescue underwent major revisions last week, when our good friend Earl decided to help us out. "I just want to go somewhere," he said in his endearing Texas twang.

We've got a towbar, he's got a big diesel truck. Put them together and voila! We can tow the ailing VW home instead of trying to fix it in Mazatlan. We'd been thinking of driving down, limping the VW to an RV park, setting up a tent and trying to repair it there. If it didn't rain or blow 40 knots. If we could stand the elevated heat and humidity (reports said it feels like 122 degrees right now). If the problem is head gaskets. If it's something else, or if the gasket replacement doesn't solve the whole problem, there was no backup plan. So towing it is a much better option.

This morning Capt and Earl loaded the stuff that our friend Nancy had stored for us in her guestroom back into the van. By now they're on their way back home to San Carlos with the Westy behind them. They might even be home before dark, since Earl's big truck makes very good time on the road.

Good friends...definitely at the top of my Gratitude List today.

2nd Annual BBQ Smackdown

Yippee-aye-kay-yay, yesterday was the 2nd annual Houston Chowhound BBQ Smackdown, a hard-nosed, meat-a-rific, head-to-head blind tasting to crown a new Houston-area ‘Q King.

This year’s line-up was intense, people. We pitted the top three finishers from last year’s hard-fought battle (Burns, Pierson & Co, and Luling City Market) against three new entries: Vincek’s, Thelma’s, and Virgie’s. Lest you forget, three of these contestants -- Burns, Virgie’s, and Vincek’s -- hold distinguished spots on Texas Monthly’s 2008 list of the top 50 BBQ joints in Texas, and all are local favorites. No gimmes, no obvious duds. Just pure, unadulterated meaty love.


Diners tasted brisket and ribs from all six venues, rating each on a 1-5 scale in categories like smoke, tenderness, flavor, moistness, and seasoning. Faces around the crowded room scrunched up in thought as voters wrestled with meat hierarchies, flavor ranks, and the dreaded full stomach demon. Many *burps* later, votes were tallied, and the winners announced...


Brisket:
1. Pierson & Co.
2. Virgie’s
3. Vincek’s

Ribs:
1. Virgie’s
2. Pierson & Co
3. Vincek’s

My personal fave in both categories was Pierson’s. The ribs had a distinctly charred outside protecting a moist and juicy, well smoked interior. The tender brisket was lean, beautifully spiced, and absolutely delicious. Luling City Market and Burns, both in last year’s top three, did not place this year. And Thelma’s, recently resurrected after a bad fire, took dead last in each category.


This is a fun and hilarious event, a jovial gathering of meat loving folks joined in a common goal: to find the BBQ best -- and smackdown the rest. While drinking beer. Be sure to get involved in next year’s event -- but you gotta join the Houston Chowhounds first!

The CMC Ice Cream Social

The temperature was well over 100 degrees and my car was a total mess, so after thinking about it for a while I grabbed my towels, and my bucket and I headed outside to wash it. Of course I invited two helpers to come out to give me a hand. I thought I was crazy being out there when it was that hot but my two little helpers didn't seem to think so. After all when it's hot but you are constantly being wet it rather feels nice.


The goal was to get the car ready for the ice cream social, it needed cleaning both in the inside and outside if I wanted it to look semi decent. The heat did take the best of me and after an hour or so of being outside I just had to come into the air conditioned house and get under the cold shower. I found out later that the temperature reached about 110 degrees. No wonder I was about to melt.

In the end the car looked pretty decent considering. Being a daily driver and taking approximately 50 miles per day the car is starting to show it's age, but every time I wash it the car still looks good. Why of course it is after all a Mustang.




At around 4:30pm we left for the meeting place. In contrast to our Pancake Breakfast where we pretty much knew everybody, this time around it was like visiting a new club, we didn't know anybody and it felt completely different. The club has gone from mostly vintage Mustangs to the very high value Shelbys, Rouchs, and Cobras, etc, etc, etc. So much has changed since I joined ten years ago. And to think that the founder of the club is still and active member that attends the meetings and activities. This year the club is celebrating it's 30th Anniversary.



Here are some of the cars attending today:

This one was one classy classic. The paint and body were perfect.

This baby is ready to race.

My humble Mustang next to a pretty awesome late model. Love the model in front of the two.

Pretty classy too, ain't it?

I really like this front end. The headlights are pretty unique.

A really nice Fox Body.

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Blobmobile

Imagine a car so covered with padding you never had to worry about collisions. Here's what it might look like. All it's missing is padding on the roof, in case of a roll. Now picture it in Nude Pink! Gracias to my son Jay who went to a wacky car show in Northern California recently and shared his photos.

Time Flies

The distant past feels like yesterday, the distant future is too far away. The older I get the faster the days, week, months, and years pass. I am starting to feel them swoosh over my head.

The weekend is here again, I think it's awesome to look forward to the two days off but I just think Fridays come way too fast, so fast that I am left thinking where did my week go? It also makes me wonder what it's doing to may age process. It certainly feels like I'm getting old too fast. Could it be that I am conscious about my age because I am going to be 50 in a couple of months. No I don't think so, I for one appreciate the getting old process and am thankful for each day I wake up. Still the weekends just get here way too fast.

But, since the weekend is here let me do everything in my power to have an awesome weekend. Normally my weekends are reserved for sleeping late and catching up with my chores,(yes, I do have some of those). These days are also reserved for swimming and just plain laying in the pool in my not so trusty plastic floater (the kids already saw to it to puncture it). I know some good food and probably movie watching will be involved and some heavy duty car washing too.

My car is a total mess, it has not been washed for a while and tomorrow is our annual car club ice cream social. This year it will include an impromptu car show and so I will be busy trying to bring my car up to par.

It should be a good one. It's always nice to go and see so many Mustangs in one place. No doubt our club is one of the best in the country with over 300 registered members and activities for all to last through the year. Come and visit our website just to take a peak. Copperstate Mustang Club.

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A piña colada morning

The world is a very pleasant place before dawn, at least once I get my eyes propped open. My two little furry alarm clocks have been very punctual in rousing me early, usually around 5, but today they decided to push the envelope and go for 4:30. I slipped on a light shift and stepped outside, sniffing the air like I was just another one of the dogs. A gentle breeze brought a subtle briny scent from the bay and the first bird of the morning was warming up for his solo on the balcony of the Texans' guest house next door.

I've been letting the girls run free in the morning, since we live at the end of a quiet road and they have an open field to explore. They don't usually go far and almost always come right back when I whistle. But this time, though Sofia ambled back as soon as she saw me, Chica had disappeared. I whistled a couple of times and then saw her darting ahead in the darkness about a hundred yards away. And out of the corner of my eye I saw what I first took for a cat, but no, cats don't carry their tails quite like that. A microsecond later, an all-too-familiar acrid odor filled the air. Chica came rushing home looking sheepish. Before allowing her inside, I bent down and gave her the sniff test. Caramba! She must have gotten a shot right in the face. This is the fourth time she's been skunk-bombed, and I'm starting to rethink the "free run in the morning" routine.

I'm just grateful it doesn't take gallons of tomato juice to remove skunk odor from a dog. Her usual piña colada-scented shampoo did the job, gracias a Díos. Around here, tomato juice comes in little cans, for Bloody Marys, not in gallon jugs for stink removal. At the Purely for Pets blog, I found a recipe for another solution using hydrogen peroxide, just in case the shampoo didn't work. Caution must be taken not to get it into the eyes, though.


I also looked up "skunk" in the diccionario and found two Spanish words for it: mofeta (f) and zorillo (m). Maybe a female skunk is a mofeta, and a male is a zorillo. One sure thing: I'm not about to investigate which this one was!

Fu Fu Café

I used to be one of those people whose eyes glazed over when someone mentioned Beltway 8. I mean, pfffft -- Isn’t that in another time zone? Across the International Date Line? Just to the west of Mars? And guess what: Calling it the Sam Houston Tollway doesn’t make things any better. Geez.

Happily, I’m no longer in that category. Recent trips outside the loop (OTL) for hot pot, dim sum, and crawfish have opened my eyes to the grab bag of goodness out yonder. Additionally, these trips have taught me that “out yonder” isn’t actually that far. Heh.

My latest trip was to Fu Fu Café, a small spot on Bellaire in Houston’s Chinatown. The Houston Chowhounds have been abuzz with love for this place, so my friend Dorothy and I went in with a laundry list of possibilities -- And thank goodness, since the menu is a jabillion pages long. Yikes! Here’s where we ended up...

The beef noodle soup arrived steamy hot with generous portions of tender meat and bok choy. The broth, itself, is excellent, and the interior spaghetti-like noodles are thick and hearty. Try and try again, I couldn’t tear myself away from this dish and its simple appeal.


Green onion pancakes were tasty, though uninspiring, but the myriad dumplings are something special. The long, thin pan-fried wigglers are crispy on one side and chewy on the other, a nice paradox of textures to crown the flavor. And the soup dumplings (which masquerade as “steamed pork buns” on the menu) are even more impressive: soft, warm pockets filled with spicy pork and steaming, salty broth. Both versions are beautifully delicious.


Fu Fu Café has some of the best Chinese food around in terms of authenticity and value. Portions are generous and service is OK.

Yes, Virginia, there is life outside the loop. Hizzah!

Fu Fu Café - 9889 Bellaire Blvd (near Beltway 8)

Father's Day

Thanks to the girls in our lives for making Father's Day always such a fun, food, love, family, filled event every year. If we rock it's all because of you.

This is my nephew Chris, soon to be a daddy again.

This is my son in law Loyiel.

Me, and sons in law Loyiel and Junior.

Me and my awesome son.

He who has the most hands on his shirt wins.

All of the above images were stolen from the awesome blog "My World Through My Eyes". Please make sure to visit her for a different take on this wonderful day.

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Taco Tuesday: Fiesta Loma Linda

Let’s test your Houston heritage... Do you remember the Loma Lindas? According to Jay Francis, the Loma Linda chain was a Houston institution in the 60’s and 70’s. The oil bust of the 1980’s sent the family-run business into a tailspin, forcing it to close. Soon after, a friend of the original owner took it upon himself to preserve the tradition, reopening the Fiesta Loma Linda on Telephone Road, which still serves up tacos, enchiladas, and nostalgia today.


A visit to this homey little place is a trip back through time. Servers in traditional Mexican attire provide excellent service in a quiet, uncluttered locale. Remember when you were a kid and you used to get those old-fashioned puffy tortillas covered with chile con queso? That’s precisely what you get with a Loma Linda taco: Handmade tortillas brushed lightly with oil and “puffed up” in the skillet, then topped with tender meats, fresh lettuce, and juicy tomato. Add the spicy homemade salsa, and dig in. I prefer the fresh picked chicken over the ground beef (your only two options with the puffy tacos), though both are moist and meaty.


Loma Linda is straight Tex-Mex. And while I prefer my tacos in the Mexican steam-table style of meat, onion, and cilantro only, this is certainly a fun place to try and has much to offer in terms of food, service, and legacy. They do serve some of the best breakfast tacos in town, and the lunch and dinner menus are quite extensive as well.

Fiesta Loma Linda - 2111 Telephone Road (near I-45)

Llorame Un Rio

Here's Eugenia León, famous Mexican cantante first brought to my attention by fellow blogger Alejandra, or maybe it was Nancy... Here, Eugenia sings one of my favorite old Julie London songs, in Spanish!

About last night...

All I can say is, partying with Mexicans is not for sissies. Especially Mexican musicians.

The reunion at Hotel El Sol in Guaymas started around 8:30 and was still going strong when we slipped away at 2:30am. Almost everyone in the room was a singer and/or musician and most of them performed at one point or another. The main event was two young brothers who had so much talent and energy (who knew "La Bamba" had so many verses?) that nobody minded them taking up the stage for most of the evening. I was finally called up to sing at 2am, and the less said about that the better. I was an amateur in a roomful of professionals and I did my best.

At midnight everyone sang "Las Mañanitas," which is traditionally sung to honor people on their birthdays, and such special days as Father's Day. Nobody knew but me that it was also the Capt's birthday.

So this morning, with about four hours' sleep, we two semi-zombies are doing some birthday celebrating. I'm off in search of a cheesecake, his favorite. Later, maybe a nap…

Wild again, beguiled again

This house has been somewhat silent, music-wise, for the past couple of weeks. The daily detritus (derived from the Latin deterer, meaning "wear away") has been distracting. But now I've been beguiled again and I ask myself how I let it slip away.

Some challenges are involved. The Capt rashly volunteered us to play a July 4th party, and we've been pawing through our best songs, trying to put together a set. Began practicing some of our favorites, driven by a deadline. And our landlord called us, inviting us to a reunion of the group of musicians and singers he used to perform and tour with, 30 years ago. Suddenly, life is filling up with music again, at least for a couple of weeks.

My horoscope today:
…it's more important to stay in the present moment and handle each situation as it arises, rather than thinking about what you might have to do tomorrow.

We joined our landlord's group last night for a rehearsal, and some of my favorite people showed up at his house. Juan, an operatic tenor with hundreds, if not thousands, of Spanish songs filed in his head. Blanca, who has a sweet alto and the warmest smile I ever saw. Lolita, my Spanish tutor and singing coach, who sings duets with me. Julia, who loves politics and belting out boleros with all the dramatic flourishes. Last night we sat at the big round table in my landlord's kitchen and sang, swapped jokes (not many of which I was able to understand) and caught up with each others' lives.

I've gotten somewhat better at expressing myself with my limited Spanish volcabulary, but comprehension is still my weak point. After a couple of hours my head was aching with the effort of translating, but the warmth and humor of this group came through the language barrier and made me feel welcome.

Tonight, I'll take my camera to the reunion and make myself useful. Sing a few songs with Lolita. And maybe take along some aspirin for the headache.

Invation Of The Water Snatchers

Woke up typically late, after all it's Saturday and it's my day to sleep late, but wait besides my three live-in grand kids didn't two more slept here? Yep, my grandson "Ducky" and adopted grandson Noe also spent the night, that means that if I'm smart I should stay in my room and hide or...

Let me go out to the peace and tranquility of my back yard. It's a little hot though. Wow, Mike is really doing a great job at keeping up with my back yard, no wonder last Saturday he took over three hours trimming here and there. Oh but look at that pool, it's a little hot and that water is saying "Jump in, jump in, and I will keep you fresh and cool".

Oh yeah, let me go and get my floaters in, I shall escape the kids and relax in the cool pool water, floaty here I come.


Some people buy these very expensive floaters but for me this little $3.00 plastic unit is more than enough. Only thing is, will the bright orange color clash with my not tanned body?

Oh, hell yes it clashes, darn I'm white and I'm not white if you know what I mean. No wonder mi chica thought I was Puero Rican and not Mexican when she met me.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey... who invited you to my shindig, who let you crashed my partei, wait... who in the heck are you?

Well, so much for peace and tranquility in the coolness and freshness of the pool water.

No, no, no, no, how in the heck are you little things multiplying? Who are you invaders? This is a nightmare, the attack of the water snatchers, get out of my sweet dream and let me re-claim my pool, my little oasis in the desert, my piece of paradise.

What, that I must be crazy, and you won't leave my domain, and you even dare throw me the "I am all powerful" sign by raising your fist to the air. Well, that's not fair, I'm only one lowly grandpa and you are seven monsters in training.

Well you know what they say, if you can't beat them, then join them, and that's exactly what I did. After what seemed hours in the pool they all came out begging for food, and the girls from the inside, the ones that unleashed those monsters into grandpa's swamp of fun hooked us up with the best tasting sandwiches and some little packets of punch. It all made for a fun time in the sun, a grandpa and seven of his grand kids. There were two more inside but since they are of the toddler kind they had to say inside.

Yes, my grand kids invaded my desert oasis, and my paradise but truth be told I enjoyed every single minute of it and bowed that we will do this again soon.

Kids, what a blessing... in disguise.

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Operation Vanagon Rescue

Phase Two of Operation Vanagon Rescue has been completed.

Phase One was towing the disabled VW Westie 100 mile$$$ north to our blogger friend Nancy's house in Mazatlan and offloading some of its cargo in her garage, after which the Capt. returned home to San Carlos on the bus. Thanks so much, Nancy and Paul, for the stowage space, your hospitality and use of Paul's suitcase for the bus!

Phase Two was driving NOB (north of the border) to pick up the parts needed to fix the blown head gasket, and post an entire bin of snailmail. This trip may have been the fastest turnaround we've made yet: up and back, 400 miles, in two days. We stayed at a friend's mother's house in Tucson so she and I did a quick hunting and gathering expedition to Trader Joe's, Sunflower market, and the GrantStone Asian market. And for Phase Three, the Capt bought a 9x13-foot tent with sewn-in floor.

Phase Three is a return to Mazatlan to get the Vanagon, which is marginally driveable, take it to an RV park on the beach, and put up the tent next to it. Then the Capt will (he hopes) get it running sufficiently to drive it home, with me following along behind in my car, just in case. Some of its cargo will go in my car to lighten the weight in the van. This will take place as soon as we've recovered from Phase Two.

And so it goes. Wish us luck!

The Grill

It may be old looking but boy is it still cooking.


We had "carne asada" get together a couple of weeks ago during Memorial Day Weekend and basically had a great time, swimming and eating. My son, my two daughters, their spouses and all my seven grand kids were here with us and that made it for a fantastic time.

However, I hear my trusty free barbecue grill (I think my sister in law brought it to us)is not too fantastic looking any more. "Baby, we were looking at the pictures in your post and and your barbecue grill looks pretty sad" is what mi chica told me.

But the truth is that it still serves it's purpose, and the meat cooked over the charcoal is delicious. So, even if pretty soon (yes, we are looking) I get me a nicer newer gas burning model I won't be discontinuing this one yet, pack rat in me won't let me do it. Just call it my vintage barbecue grill.

So, if you guys have been following for a long time then you'll remember that my very first blog was about how the girls in my life were throwing a huge Hawaiian Luau for us fathers (Remember about it here). Well they are going to do it again and this Sunday they will throw another Hawaiian Luau for us dads again. Since it's a pool party and carne asada will be the menu I know it's going to be another fantastic time. I'll tell you all about it on Sunday or Monday but in the meantime read about those two posts from a couple of year ago.

Also CLICK HERE for the recap of said event.







Also yesterday was my blog's three year anniversary. After 631 posts and 50965 hits I am still around and enjoying bringing my boring stories, and tidbits, and bunch of etceteras to you my few loyal readers, OK I thought I had two readers but I have double that amount. Life if good and blogging still flows freely through my veins. So you are stuck with me for hopefully another year at least.





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Sandwiches at Carter & Cooley

Can you believe I had never been to Carter & Cooley before @SheEats met me for lunch there last week? For shame! This endearing little deli has been a Houston spectacular for twenty years.

Why? The outgoing staff claims that they craft every sandwich “as though it were the only sandwich we were going to make,” and methinks it shows. Sandwiches are large, packed with fresh-sliced meat and accoutrements, and served on thick slices of soft bread. They may be a little pricey (~$7.95), but each comes with a mound of gorgeous potato salad… Soups, too, are delicious and made in house daily. And on top of the good eats, ya get good seats, in the loveliest of historic buildings on 19th Street in the Heights. Dreamy.

Carter & Cooley – 375 W. 19th (at Ashland)