My food experiences
Tea time has never looked so scientific.
There’s a new coffeehouse in our neighborhood that serves an outstanding white peach jasmine tea. My wife and I love the modern, hip space and we really enjoy how the tea is served. It feels so scientific: steep for four minutes, then turn the valve to release the heavenly drink into the small pitcher.
Best of all, the wi-fi signal was strong and steady, which allowed me to watch FC Barcelona shut out Real Madrid.
Not a bad way to start my Saturday.
Green Tea Pocky
Thanks to my stepdaughter, I tried Green Tea Pocky for the first time. I also had a Green Tea Kit Kat, but I preferred the Pocky.
According to this website, “For those who are interested in experiencing the soul of Japan, please try the Wagokoro Series!” which includes the Green Tea Pocky (Kyoto Uji Matcha).
I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad flavor of Pocky and the green tea was tasty. I’m not sure if I experienced the soul of Japan by eating a snack, but I’d do it again in heartbeat.
Persimmon Bread.
Thanks to family and friends, my wife and I were able to make our first batch of persimmon bread this weekend. We made two loaves and they were delicious.
My sister-in-law and one of my wife’s friends gave us the persimmons, then I got my friend’s mom’s recipe for the bread. With the holidays coming up, it felt like we got a great start on the good times with our friends and family.
Tomato Basil Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Another cold-weather craving has been satisfied. My wife whipped up a batch of her genius-level tomato basil soup in the slow cooker tonight. I had a big ol’ bowl of it, along with two grilled cheese sandwiches.
I never ate tomato soup when I was a kid, but this tastes like comfort food to me. And dunking the grilled cheese sandwich in it just feels right.
Latte with foam art.
When the weather turns cold as it has lately, simple things make me happy. On the top of this list is a fresh cup of coffee.
Or, as pictured above, a latte with foam art while I’m working.
Rancho De Philo Winery
We went to the Rancho De Philo Winery today for the opening day of their annual sale. Rancho De Philo makes one wine, an award-winning sherry. It’s a delicious dessert wine, something to be sipped and savored on special occasions.
The winery is on a beautiful property in Rancho Cucamonga and the family still lives there, so it’s only open to the public for about one week each year. Although I’m not much of a wine drinker, I always look forward to our yearly visit. It’s also my yearly wish to play Donkey Kong at the winery.
We all scream for ice cream.
It was another cold night and this time my craving for ice cream was at an all-time high. Besides a hot steaming bowl of pho, the thing I enjoy most on a chilly evening is a scoop of ice cream.
Tonight it was caramel pretzel crunch that satisfied my craving.
Tonight was the first cold night we’ve had in a while, so that meant my soup craving kicked into high gear. The local pho spot had a line out the door, so my wife and I tried a new place. It wasn’t quite as good, but it was still delicious and the filet mignon pho satisfied my craving.
Shaun of the Dead
A few years ago my wife and I experienced our first Street Food Cinema in Hollywood. It’s a terrific event of live music, food trucks, and a classic movie shown outdoors in different parts of Los Angeles. I love the picnic atmosphere; it’s family friendly with a laid-back vibe.
For Halloween last night, my wife scored tickets to the final event of the season at Exposition Park for one of my favorite movies: Shaun of the Dead. Since we’d already dressed as zombies this year, we decided to do a DC/Marvel crossover with my wife going as Spidergirl and myself as Clark Kent-changing-into-Superman (an easy costume for me since I already have the eyeglasses).
We arrived in time for the last song of the band, found a spot near the front to lay down our picnic blanket and beach chairs, then did a quick scan of the food trucks before deciding on our dinner: shish kebabs for my wife and a shrimp po boy and chicken/sausage/corn bisque for me. The food was delicious and we cracked open a bottle of a wonderful wine for the movie.
I was surprised that more people weren’t dressed as zombies or the characters from the movie, but there were some terrific costumes. I particularly liked the McDonald’s Hamburglar I was in line with for dinner.
The crowd seemed to enjoy the film as much as I always do. Shaun of the Dead is such a smart, funny movie, brilliantly versed in its zombie cliches as it pokes fun of itself and the genre. The weather was perfect last night and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend Halloween.
The Habit’s Charburger, Santa Barbara Style (double charburger served on toasted sourdough with avocado).
When I was a student at UC Santa Barbara, In-N-Out had yet to invade the area. Thankfully, The Habit was around to take care of my hamburger cravings. So was Cal Taco, another fast-food joint that served a charburger that tasted like The Habit’s signature burger. I’m not sure which came first, but The Habit was the restaurant that went on to expand locally and then nationally.
The original Habit was located a few miles from UCSB and students and locals love eating there. The charburgers were consistently delicious and made for a filling lunch or dinner. Rumor has it that the original restaurant still serves its delicious chili as an off-menu item. I used to devour their chili cheese fries on a regular basis. Not surprisingly, I weighed more back then.
While I don’t think The Habit has taken the throne of best fast-food burger from In-N-Out, they’re up there. I definitely prefer them over Six Guys and other contenders for In-N-Out’s best burger crown.
It’s nice having more Habits pop up around Southern California, though, since I can now enjoy a taste of Santa Barbara closer to home.
