March 2, 2006
burning with deliciousness, Mexican food, and other randomness
"Just ooooone more slice."
[5 minutes intermission]
"...Okay, just one...more."
[another intermission]
"Okay. I. Just. The. Tasty wheat."
I bought a round, crusty golden loaf of sourdough bread at the Union Square market this afternoon. It diminished to less than half of its size over the rest of the day. Behold, the magical disappearing loaf of bread! It's allll magic! Plus this chef's knife! And this pesto! And this knife to spread the pesto! And this girl who can't stop slicing the bread, slathering it with pesto, and popping it like coke! (If coke isn't popped, ignore my naivete.) MAGIC.
Dammit. Well. I can't say that's any different than what usually happens to bread in my presence. My kitchen is a killing ground for bread. "Welcome! By the way, you shall die soon."
My period started today. Why am I saying this? Hey, why are you reading this? Stop asking questions. (I talk about food and the effects of food, such as health, or lack thereof; you can skip this part if you desire.) I suppose I should write this down to keep track of things. [grabs a random post it stuck to my shelf] ...Erm, this post-it descriptively says:
"India & Apple
dessert in glass"
Huh? This is my handwriting, yes. [squints] If anyone has any idea what that means, please let me know. [scibbles down 3/1/06]
Oh, yeah. So the last time I had my period was February 7th, making my period 22 days long, which is rather short for a period. It's annoying, but I know there are worse things. For most of my period-cursed life (10 years going strong for possible another 30 years; oh jesus), I've been cramp-less. I honestly don't think having cramps is healthy (even if it may be average...actually, I guess the average person isn't healthy, if that proves my point) to have cramps. However, while I'm not very healthy I am cramp-less, and I'm sure there are relatively healthy people out there who are cramp-full. What does this mean? HUMAN BODY = SO CONFUSING. I HATE YOUUUU. I want my money back.
That previous paragraph isn't an invitation for everyone to tell me that I'm wrong. Trust me, I've learned conventional health information (I still remember those pamphlets I got in 5th grade, sponsored by Always©, so ye know it's right!) along with alternative information, in between probably retaining a lot of misinformation and maybe some truths. Or maybe I learned nothing at all. [scratches head]
I don't get mood swings. I rarely get cravings (because as you can tell, I regularly eat stuff I'd crave anyway; the hot chocolate wasn't really a craving for chocolate as much as something warm, believe it or not). However, I was especially tired today...and yesterday...and lately in general, due to getting 5-7 hours of sleep each night (probably close to 5). Nope, partying doesn't keep this girl up at night, just intense paranoia! I was annoyed to get my period today more so than usual because I really wasn't expecting it all. Many times I wonder if I have a hormonal imbalance, not just because of things like this...
And that ends this month's "Not Well Thought Out Thoughts About Things That, I Guess, Prove I Have Two X Chromosomes."
- Jacques Torres saves the day
- wicked hot chocolate
I strolled over to Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven yesterday before my food science and technology class to 1) get cookies and chocolate for a friend, 2) get a cookie for myself, and 3) test the hot chocolate as a service to my NYC-based readers and because it's freakin' cold.
- drink menu
The selections are numerous, decadent, and inexpensive for the quality you get. I tried the wicked, which is well described as having just a hint of peppers, but I fully intend to sear my throat with white mint, caramel, and peanut butter in the months. Or weeks. Or seconds...no, way, back up; or days. Okay, that's still ridiculously short, but a little more reasonable.
I walked back to campus as fast as I could (only a 10-15 minute walk, but still!) while wearing a backpack, carrying a shopping back and trying not to spill a steaming cup of hot chocolate. My overeagerness got the best of me when while walking up Varick Street I sucked in a thick mouthful of hot chocolate.
"Aaahcck ACK IT BURNS OHHH THE TEAR DUCTS FLOW IN RESPONSE TO THE BURNIN."
I didn't actually say that, but I thought it. And then I thought, "Holy crap, so tasty," while ignoring the fact that I just killed some delicate skin cells/tissue at the back of my tongue and upper throat. Hm. So worth it.
- chocolate trail
As you can see, this stuff is thick. It might be a little less thick and frothy than City Bakery's hot chocolate, but that's not saying much, eh? It totally made up for whatever I was given at Le Pain Quotidien that morning in addition to being insultingly cheaper. Ohhh man. Le Pain, you make me cry. Even if Le Pain's hot chocolate wasn't that bad before, it sure sucked now. Thin, body-less, flat hot chocolate compared to a liquid that coats the mouth with smooth, soft, burning deliciousness...full of processed cacao beans and fat and sugar and all the other things that taste good. Oh yes, a hint of peppers. It's pretty faint, but does the trick. (Keep in mind I accidentally burned myself, so I probably couldn't taste it that well.)
Jacques Torres' hot chocolate gets many ginormous thumbs up. I'd have no problem drinking this every day, but distance makes the heart grow fonder. Or. Too much hot chocolate makes the blogger really fat. One of those is a popular saying...
- Pio Maya
Earlier that day I went to Pio Maya on 8th Street (between 5th/6th Aves) for a little lunchie snack of the non-sweet variety. Rarely having eaten Mexican food my opinion may not mean much, but I enjoyed it and would like to go back.
- tamale
I got a tamale mainly because I had never eaten one before. "I dunno what the hell this is; let's eat it!" Yeah! That's me living life on the edge...of a pillow. I told the nice guy behind the counter that I was a tamale virgin (not in those terms) so he suggested I get the chicken tamale (which had a Spanish name that I've forgotten because I don't know Spanish). While waiting for my tamale, I noticed rows of rotating chickens behind the guy...roasting...in their own fat drippings. Lordy, that stuff's gotta be good.
- unwrapped
- innnards
The tamale wasn't very foreign to me as it closely resembles a zongzi (or vice versa). As I love zongzi in all their fat-laden glutinous rice heart attack goodness, there was no way I wouldn't like a less-heart-attack-inducing (well, it was smaller and not stuffed with fatty pork) corn flour tamale. The chicken was a little drier than I was expecting, but it was still flavorful and...I dunno, what else could I ask for from chicken? Actually, I'd say the tamale was drier than what I was used to, having grown up eating zongzi, but this issue of moisture was solved by the accompanying mole sauce.
I USED IT ALL. I didn't lick the container clean (that would've looked a little odd) but I dunked every bite into the sauce. So. Good. I'm not sure I've ever had good mole sauce before, and even if I had mediocre mole sauce, it would've only been a handful of times in my life. I can't compare it to anything else; kinda spicy, kinda sweet, kinda "something else I can't come up with", not heavy, not thin, just...good stuff. It tasted brown, which doesn't help you all...but it did! IT TASTED OF BROWN.
God, that description was awful. I guess I just need to eat more sauce.
- counter
- corner
- hat
That's the interior. I was going to explain it until I realized that, hey, I'm showing you three photos; you can describe them yourself. If you want some hints, here they are:
- Yellow
- Clean
- Hat
Good job!
Okay, I'm done. Ineed to write these entries earlier in the day so they sound less stupid.
Posted by roboppy at 12:49 AM
Comments (16)
OMG, that hot chocolate looks AMAZING. And I never crave chocolate. But now I do. Darn it! Drink the caramel one next! So I can live vicariously through your tastebuds! And cause caramel is tasty!
I love tamales are in my 'eh' food grouping. They don't even compare to the glutinous delishiousness that is zongzi, but I think it's that moisture factor you talked about. Now enchiladas are a different story.
Stay warm! You're getting all the cold weather we're supposed to be getting upstate.
Hi! I've been lurking here for a couple days so I figured I should probably say Hi! I love reading about your food adventures, especially your hot chocolate adventures. Now my canister of powdered hot chocolate mix just doesn't taste as good. But that's ok! One of these days I'll try some real hot chocolate :)
Gah! That hot chocolate looks decadent. And the chocolate orange... I have to get back to NYC while it's still cold because that will not taste as good in the spring.
And by the way, mole tends to be chocolate based:
http://www.ramekins.com/mole/recipesmole.html
Which is probably why you enjoyed it so much ;-)
lol. You is too funny.
Peanut butter hot chocolate? omg. I neeeed it. The orange one sounds yummo too.
And I never got around to trying tamales. Doh! It sounds good though. I love starch!
Posted by: AugustusGloop at March 2, 2006 6:44 PM [#]
Thanks for the tip on Pio Maya. I'm always on the hunt for passable Mexican in NY, and this is within walking of my office. Why have I never noticed it? I must have walked past it a million times.
Marvo: I'm glad you like it; THERE WILL BE MORE!!!
Lai-Yee: Caramel is awesome, yes! But the white chocolate minty one! But. BUH! Want! Both!
I'd also rather have zongzi, but I guess that's a cultural thing. ;D It's a moisture thing, yup. But zongzi doesn't come with mole sauce! Ahh! I'm not sure if I've ever had an enchilada; shall have to try one out.
Cathy: Bwahaha, you have UNLURKED! :) Thanks for saying hi! For some easy hot chocolate, get a chocolate bar, chop it up, and melt it with milk...okay, that's not as easy as powder, but at least chocolate bars have more uses than hot chocolate mix. :D Damn, now I want some. (I refrained from drinking hot chocolate today, whoaa.)
Liz: IT WILL TASTE GOOD IN THE SPRING! ...But it's definitely more comforting right now. And that does explain the mole, hehe...even though it doesn't have a chocolate taste (that I could tell), it's just nice. It's. Um. Subliminal chocolate!
Ani: I don't name my period, so perhaps I am less original. :D Hope you like Sullivan Street Bakery!
santos: SPICY FROM SPICES! Oh my god, that sounds like something I would say. [horror!] Just kiddin. I need more mole!
William: Maybe you can semi-recreate the magic with their hot chocolate mix!...which I never thought of buying since I figure I can just buy a fresh cup from there, but they sell sacks of em for a reason. SACKS.
Start a chocolate revolution in Ohio!
AugustusGloop: PB! Mm! I'm less intrigued by the orange, but I wouldn't mind trying it. I should go with someone else so that we can split different flavors, heheheheeee.
Ohh yes, who doesn't love starch?
Bryan: I tend to not notice what's on 8th Street for whatever reason, but I had Pio Maya in mind. ;) I hope you like it; you'd definitely know better than I would if it's good or not. Or passable! Mmmm.
Someone on metafilter asked if there are any good Mexican restaurants in NYC. I've been told that it's all crap, but certainly there's at least one place that isn't bad. Or better yet...is good. Maybe.
Hey! Im going NY tomorrow!! WIll go try some places you posted up hehe. Cant Wait!!!!
Posted by: Denise Hartono at March 3, 2006 1:48 AM [#]
I have "spring break" in about week, you should take me with you to all these hot chocolate places!
Posted by: Amy at March 3, 2006 11:18 AM [#]
Mole is very interesting- it really does taste "brown" as you described, and yet I keep eating it! (It's full of over 20 or 30 ingredients at minimum, thus it is hard to describe)
I wanted to say hello- I love reading about your quirky and interesting culinary escapades- it makes me miss going to school in the city:}
Keep on noshing:}
Posted by: April at March 5, 2006 1:12 AM [#]
Lori: Aww, I'm sure you can find something else similar in California? Then again, maybe hot chocolate drinks aren't as needed in a place with...higher temperatures, hehe. :)
April: Mmm, double digit ingredients! And I love the taste of brown.
Thanks for reading my blog! I shall go on more culinary escapades...and hopefully live to talk about em.
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Hey! You've been having a lot of hot chocolate pr0n recently. Me likey. ;-)
Posted by: Marvo at March 2, 2006 1:23 AM [#]