Chicharrones (Recipe)

Fried, crispy, pork skin. These words may not evoke chills down everyone's spine, but they do for me. If I actually felt guilty eating anything, this would be my guilty pleasure. Of course, I don't eat them, or make them, very often. These are time consuming to make and you need some equipment, like a dehydrator and a candy thermometer. But once you take a taste of homemade, fresh chicharrones, you'll be hard pressed to buy the bagged kind ever again. Here is my recipe, which is pretty standard across the board. I will share my secret, but super easy, seasoning mix though.

Here's what you'll need:
2 lbs. pork skin (you can find this at most Asian or Latin markets)
water
lime juice (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1/8 cup salt
1 quart of canola or safflower oil


Here's what you'll do:
- Add the pig skin, either cut into large sheets or whole, into a large pot.
- Cover with water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes or until very tender (it will break apart easily when squeezed with a pair of tongs).
- Remove from pot carefully and let cool on a sheet rack or large plate.
- When cool enough, cut into 1 inch x 2 inch pieces.
- Spread out each piece without overlapping onto trays of your dehydrator.
- Set the temperature to medium and let it go overnight.
- When the pieces of pork skin are hard, then they are ready to fry.
- Before going to bed after putting the pork skin in the dehydrator, dribble the lime juice over the salt that's been spread out on a plate.
- Do not saturate the salt, otherwise it will dissolve.
- Mix with the tips of your fingers, then spread out on the plate (it should feel like moist sand).
- Leave out, uncovered, overnight to evaporate the liquid. This makes lime salt.
- The next day before you're ready to fry, mix the lime salt with the smoked paprika and set aside. Any leftover seasoning can be used next time or for other foods.
- Heat up the oil in a medium pot until it reaches about 360 Fahrenheit.
- Drop a few pieces of the dehydrated pork skin into the hot oil until it bubbles out, puffs and floats.
- Remove from oil with a spider or slotted spoon and place on a sheet tray or plate lined with a paper towel.
- Immediately sprinkle with the seasoning mix and place in your serving bowl.
- Fry pork pieces and season in batches until all done. Then enjoy!
- Also note: after the pork skin has been dehydrated, you can keep them in a container or baggie for weeks if you're not ready to fry them right away.

Blind Tiger--Oakland (Asian Fusion)

The modern, cave-like atmosphere at this bar/restaurant is a comfortable nook away from the hustle and bustle of the city streets. Located at 2600 Telegraph Avenue, there is actually a parking lot (albeit small) shared with a neighboring billiards place, available for a few happy hour early birds. The buzz-worthy cocktail menu provides a variety of high-end concoctions for the snootiest of whiskey/gin/vodka/tequila snobs, and the shareable plates leave puddles of drool on the table. After a couple visits, this is now one of my highly recommended spots.

www.blindtigeroakland.com

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


Negroni. One of my favorite cocktails, this one was served straight up and spirit-forward. Delicious.

Deviled Pickled Eggs. Tumeric garlic, black tea shoyu, and beet ginger provide an eye-popping color palette and taste sensation with every bite. An excellent mix of tangy, sweet and savory.

Yuzu Crabcake. A hockey puck that was more crab than cake. This was lump blue crab, gently breaded and seared until wonderfully crisp on the outside. Then it was nicely plated with yuzu kosho tartar sauce and radish sprouts, which complemented the crab wonderfully.

Tuna Tartare. Super fresh tuna was generously cubed, lightly tossed with a soy-based sauce, topped with fresh avocado and scallions and served with crispy fried won ton skins.

Grilled Marinated Duck Hearts. Halved, skewered, perfectly cooked and served with pickled fresno chilis and micro greens, these hearts were tender, meaty and made my mouth very happy.

Roasted Maitake Mushrooms. This was a perfect plate of savory, umami goodness. Sautéed with romano beans, cipollini onions, bacon, fresh water chestnuts, and placed in a small pool of rich, phenomenal dashi broth.

Fried Oysters. A delicious and pretty plate of fresh oysters, fried till golden and crispy, then served with a cilantro remoulade and frisee.

Lemongrass Meatballs. Beef and pork all rolled into bite-sized morsels were cooked just right and served with a sweet and savory pineapple bbq sauce. These were individual bites of meaty goodness.

Massaman Curry Fries. An interesting take on smothered fries. Golden house-cut fries were topped with a delectable scoop of braised, fall-apart tender short ribs with a coconut cream curry sauce and fried slices of garlic. This was a type of poutine gone right.

With an ever changing menu at Blind Tiger, one can almost never get bored with all their fantastically-prepared offerings of food and drink. I will happily come here again and again. I recommend the same to anyone else.

Papasan Bowls and Rolls--Fremont (Japanese/sushi)

When searching for a Japanese restaurant nearby, I stumbled upon this establishment and decided to give it a try. I was happily satisfied and would like to share my experience. Located at 3353 Walnut Avenue, this was a tiny place tucked away inside a strip mall. Parking is a bit tight, but it's well worth the hassle for fresh fish and friendly staff.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.



Potato Croquettes. These were a special of the day. They were fried till hot and golden, pillowy soft and fluffy on the inside and had a light crisp crunch from the panko bread crumbs on the outside.

Gyoza. Filled with pork and cabbage, these were fried till crisp and served with a sweet and savory dipping sauce.

Agedashi Tofu. This was a wonderful bowl of silken tofu, lightly battered, fried, coated in a sticky, sweet and savory sauce with shiitake mushrooms, minced daikon and green onions.

Ama Ebi. This item is not on the menu, but when I asked for it, they were able to whip it up for me. These shrimp heads were super crispy, fresh and made for an excellent appetizer.

Chicken Tatsutage. Deep fried, bite-sized pieces of chicken were marinated and cooked until golden and crisp on the outside. This type of fried chicken does not have a thick batter coating the chicken, so it's just hot, crisp, juicy and seasoned from the marinade. Served with a cool cabbage salad and sweet japanese mayo sprinkled with some spicy chili powder. This would pair very well with beer.

Tempura Roll. Made with shrimp tempura and avocado on the inside, crab salad on the outside, and drizzled with a sweet and savory unagi sauce. This was salad and appetizer in one roll with competing ideas. Cool and hot, crunchy and creamy.

Mini Chirashi. This is the Chef's daily selection of various fish and vegetables over a shio leaf, sushi rice, pickled ginger and wasabi. On this day it included seaweed salad, sake, hamachi, maguro, octopus, squid and jackfish. This is my idea of comfort food. A bowl of rice with delicious fresh fish and veggies.

Uni. One of my favorite sea creatures to eat for the creamy texture and heady aroma. It was super fresh on this day and the portion was very generous.

Dragon Roll. Made with shrimp tempura and avocado on the inside, eel and fresh shrimp on the outside with a drizzle of unagi sauce. Savory and delicious.

Green Tea Ice Cream. Topped with whipped cream and macha powder, this was a nice way to end a meal.

Papasan has become one of my go-to spots for a quick and delicious meal. I would suggest getting whatever the servers recommend as the fresh fish items for the day.

Parlour--Oakland (Italian influenced)

This bright spot, at 357 19th Street, has high ceilings and an open space with fresh, tasty food and craft-made beverages. It's become one of my recommended restaurants for a nice lunch. They offer dinner as well, but I've yet to have the pleasure of an evening meal.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


http://parlouroakland.com/



Mixed Lettuces Salad. With a variety of fresh lettuces and strawberries, this super fresh salad was lightly dressed in a tangy vinaigrette.

Beet Salad. Red and golden beets were cooked until just tender and plated with a slow-poached egg, cultured cream, citrus, frisee and pepitas. This was a fantastic salad. Every component was well prepared and we'll balanced.

Pea & Burrata Sandwich. Buttered and toasted levain bread encased a delicious mix of mushy peas, lemon zest, lighty dresses arugula and creamy burrata. This was a very well constructed, fresh, tasty and filling sandwich.

Sausage Pizza. A thin, house-made crust was topped with house-made red sauce, sausage, calabria chilies, capers, red onion and fresh mozzarella. This was a nice pizza that had some flavorful char on the crust and touched almost every taste from savory to tart to spicey.

Margherita Pizza. Their well-prepared thin crust dough, but this time, topped with a red sauce, basil and fresh curd. This was one of my favorite types of pizza done very well.

One of these days I will go to Parlour for dinner to try their house-made pasta and some of the amazing desserts (so I hear). In the meantime, I would encourage anyone who enjoys good food to pay them a visit.

Drake's Dealership--Oakland (Beer Garden)

One of my favorite local breweries has opened a restaurant location in uptown Oakland. Located at 2325 Broadway, they created a space that is open, casual and inviting. The outdoor beer garden is dog friendly and is sectioned out for small and large parties as well as a section for a DJ. The indoor area is the same with tables for every size group. Wood-fired pizzas, fresh ingredients and craft beer fill the menu with shareable and snackable eats and is a great pull for foodies and beeries alike.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.

 http://drinkdrakes.com/visit/dealership/

Left: Hop U Rye. A belgian rye pale ale with forward hops that tickled the palate. This beer had a full body with a crisp finish.
Right: Oyster Pirate. An imperial dark rye ale made with oysters. There is no oyster flavor, just the full flavor profile oysters give to the beer. A bit malty with a sweet finish, this was my favorite of the two.

Kolsch Pretzels. Freshly baked, steaming hot pretzels from Salt Point Pretzel Co. These were sprinkled with salt and caraway seeds and served with bacon fondue and mustard. They had a nice shell with warm, soft chewy dough on the inside.

Brew Kettle Chips. These might be my favorite chips ever. House made, these were sprinkled with a buttermilk ranch dressing type of seasoning. Cut a bit thicker than your usual chip, these were phenomenally crunchy and bursted with garlic, onion, and herbs.

Steak Bites. Marinated flank steak was nicely grilled with pickled shiitake mushrooms, sweet chile sauce and green onions. A nice balance of savory, tangy and sweet.

Poutine. Always a classic, these were topped with double duck gravy, cheese curds and green onions. The gravy was savory and the cheese curds were squeaky and delicious.

Fish & Chips. Freshly butchered white fish was coated in a Hefeweizen beer batter, fried until golden brown and delicious and served with crisp fries. The beer batter had a nice flavor without overpowering the super fresh, flaky fish.

Dodge. A sauceless pizza with mozzarella, pecorino romano, aged cheddar and vintage gouda, the cheese was the star of the show. An excellently fired pizza with a bit of flavor-enhancing char, this was salty, sweet, stretchy and very satisfying.

Cubano. This was a well-balanced pizza with mojo pork, ham, gruyere, ginger pickle and dijonaise. Every taste was represented with savory, sweet, tangy, creamy and spicy. Very tasty.

I may try a burger the next time I visit, as they sound really decadent and delicious. Of course, their no-frills San Leandro Brewery location will still be my first love, but this is a great place to keep in mind for happy hour after work or a nice dinner on the weekend.

Denver, Colorado area 2016 (various eateries)

After a very scenic eight-hour drive from Salt Lake City, Utah to Denver, Colorado, I was more than happy to plunk down on a nice soft bed. Denver was interesting to navigate through, with old and new interwoven together. It was fun to learn about the different neighborhoods and I definitely enjoyed all the food I had. All the beautiful mountain scenery was also a huge plus. This might even be a place I would consider living.

Here are some of the things I've enjoyed.


Los Carboncitos
3757 Pecos Street, Denver, CO
http://loscarboncitosdenver.com/
For a franchised mexican restaurant, I was not expecting huitlacoche (fungal corn). To my disappointment, they didn't have it the night of my visit, but everything else was fantastic. This was not the place to go for atmosphere, as it was folding tables and chairs with plastic utensils. But this was the place to go for amazing mexican fare at a decent price.


Salsa. Starting from the bright orange dish and moving clockwise, we tasted the super spicy habanero salsa, moderately spicy jalepeno salsa, mildly sweet chili salsa and a cooling avocado sauce. They must make these by the boat load because every patron in the place poured these over their food. Each one had a unique flavor and spice setting and each one tasted freshly made.

Carnitas Tacos. Served on warm, freshly made corn tortillas, these tacos were three bites of flavorful pork and fresh cilantro. Excellent on a cold night.

Chicken Burrito (wet). Tender, seasoned shredded chicken filled this burrito with meaty goodness. The melted monterey jack cheese, sour cream, lettuce and tomato added texture and freshness to each bite. A really tasty burrito.

Al Pastor Quesadilla. I was very impressed with this al pastor. The pork was so rich with spices, tender and juicy, the cheese was melted beautifully and the whole thing was crisp on the outside which gave it an excellent textural quality.

BRU Handbuilt Ales & Eats
5290 Arapahoe, Boulder, CO
http://bruboulder.com/
This was a place that took craft beer and craft food very seriously, while still being approachable, friendly and welcoming. The beer selection included many in the spectrum from light ales to dark stouts. I appreciated the fact that none of their beers were filtered and all were naturally carbonated. I had as much fun talking with the staff here as I did sampling the beers and small plates. This was a great place to just hang out on the patio and enjoy the sunshine with some good brews and food.

I ordered two flights and tasted almost all their beers. From the top row going left to right:
Periculum. A Belgian Pale that was citrusy and light with a clean finish.
Citrum. An IPA that was a bit lemony, fragrant with a medium body.
Abby. A Brown Ale that had some chocolate malts and maple syrup.
Obitus. Another Brown Ale with notes of dates and roasted sugar.
Rigley. A Red Rye IPA that had a bit more hops and grain malts with a slightly bitter finish. This one was my favorite.
Three B's. Made with Noble hops, this was light but still had flavor.
Beezel. A Belgian Strong Ale at 9.3% alcohol. This had notes of honey and orange peel.
Loch Wee Heavy. A Scotch Ale with peeted malt.
Osito. A Stout with Ozo coffee and vanilla beans.
Imperial Porter. This one had smokey and chocolaty malts. This one was my second favorite.

Pork Meatballs. Served over polenta with a spicy tomato sauce and sprinkled with Grana Padano and fresh parsley. The polenta was creamy and buttery and the meatballs were savory and succulent. This is one of my favorite food combinations and they did it very well.

Chicken and Ginger Gyoza. These fantastic flavors were encased in crisp wrappers and served with a phenomenal hot and sour broth. The complexity of the broth blew my mind. The addition of meaty oyster mushrooms and slightly bitter pea shoots tickled every taste sensation in my mouth. An excellent mix of ingredients.

Cheddar Corn Fritters. Similar to hush puppies, these were crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. The charred red pepper jelly served with it was a little spicy, a little smokey and a little sweet. An excellent complement to these golden balls of goodness.

CopperMuse Distillery
244 N. College Avenue, Fort Collins, CO
http://coppermuse.com/
Whatever or whoever is the muse of this place, does a great job. The tasting room includes a bar full of their own vodka and rum, with whiskey, bourbon and gin in the works. One can get a classic or an inspired house cocktail or two. The food pairings are chef driven and the ingredients and products come from local farms or food producers. This is the kind of business I'm more than happy to support.

Havana. A classic mojito with muddled lime, mint and sugar. This one was shaken with Silver Rum and topped with seltzer. An excellently made classic.

Warhol. Sweet, tart, herbaceous and boozy. This was a well-balanced cocktail made with lemon-infused vodka, lemon juice, muddled basil, simple syrup and seltzer.

Monroe. A very nice cocktail with grapefruit-infused vodka, fresh grapefruit juice and simple syrup.

Smoked Salmon & Crostinis. Deliciously flaky, meaty smoked salmon was served with brie cheese, lemon dill aioli, fresh cucumbers, capers, red onion, fire roasted tomatoes and toasted bread. A great accompaniment to the delicious beverages.

Pulled Pork Sliders. Three toasty and tasty little buns were stuffed with tender, bbq-sauced shredded pork and cole slaw. These were tangy, sweet and smokey.

Ophelia's Electric Soapbox
1215 20th Street, Denver, CO
http://www.opheliasdenver.com/
A gastropub in an historic building that used to house a brothel sets the tone of this establishment. With two other similarly interesting sister restaurants, (one's in an old mortuary, the other in an old filling station) the inspired names of the drinks and dishes lead one's imagination to wander down a path of tasty delights. Near the ballpark right in downtown Denver, this is a great spot for a post- or pre-game drink or two and innovative, internationally-inspired shareable plates.

Midnight Tryst. A visually striking drink, this had rum, Leopold Blackberry liquor, lime juice, mint and activated charcoal. I've never thought about putting charcoal in a beverage, but it worked in this one. Served with crushed ice, this was super cold, sweet, fruity and refreshing.

The Lustful Turk. A very pretty drink with a not-so-pretty name. This one had gin, blood orange, Campari, lemon juice, pomegranate and Aquafaba. It was light, juicy and thirst quenching.

Hard Eight. Smokey bourbon tickled the tongue along with Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon juice and Angostura Bitters. A nice, manly drink set just right with a delicate garnish of rosemary.

Smoked Scallops. Super fresh little bay scallops were delicately smoked with fruitwood, served raw and lightly dressed with grilled lemon and herbs. Served with chive creme fraiche, house hot sauce and crispy lavash crackers, these were little bites of oceanic goodness.

Kumquat Glazed Pork Belly & Crispy Pig Ears. Probably the most well-balanced and full-flavored dish I've had in a while. The combination of fried pork belly, smooth sunchoke puree, sweet and tart kumquat, snappy spring peas, crunchy smoked almonds, spicy jalapeno, tangy house-made beer vinegar and bits of crispy pig ear blew my mind. Incredibly well thought out, well presented and very delicious.

Stout Teriyaki Duck Wings. The description on the menu did not include many ingredients and I can understand why. I would absolutely rip off this recipe to make at home if I knew more of what was in the braising liquid besides just "stout" and "teriyaki". This was super tender, meaty duck with a lot of the fat rendered off but enough left to keep that chewy, fatty texture. The teriyaki, I'm sure, was house made and had hints of fermented black beans and ginger. Topped with peanuts, green onion and sesame seeds, these were so good I wanted to eat the bones.

The Joint. An excellent dessert drink that will put some hair on your chest. A potent concoction of mezcal, sherry, amaro and saline went very well with some sweets.

Butterscotch Pudding. This was not your childhood pudding. A fantastic combination of banana cream, bourbon butterscotch sauce, crunchy candied walnuts and a house-made vanilla wafer. Not too sweet, creamy, crunchy and chewy with a little boozy kick.

Smoked Salt Caramel. This made my knees weak. A perfect two bites of sticky, thick caramel with a proportioned amount of smoked salt. So good.

Hong Kong BBQ
1048 S. Federal Blvd., Denver, CO
This was a really good, inexpensive hole-in-the-wall, mom and pop Chinese joint in a somewhat sketchy part of Denver. But the affordable prices and the fantastic flavors will keep me coming back each time I visit this city. This place has no real atmosphere to speak of, other than the sound of chopping whole roasted duck and the frequent bell chime of the front door opening. In spite of this, I felt right at home when I took my first taste.

Egg Rolls. Filled with carrots, cabbage, green onion, noodles and seasonings, these were fried till golden and crunchy and were a very nice appetizer.

Fried Shrimp Won Tons. I usually opt for the soup version of won tons, but these just sounded good. After my first bite, they tasted good as well. Filled very generously with plump, snappy shrimp, these were crunchy and went very well with their sweet and tangy vinegar sauce.

Roasted Duck. This was my favorite part of the meal. The duck tasted clean, was roasted till tender, enough fat was rendered off to get a crispy skin and the juices flowing from each piece filled the bottom of the plate, which was fantastic poured over rice.

Beef Chow Fun. I love noodles and these were great. It had a slight char that indicated a quick cooking over high heat, which is expected and relished from this kind of dish. The vegetables were cooked but still crunchy, the beef was tender and the sauce penetrated each noodle wonderfully, encasing each bite with savory flavor.

Fried Pork Chops. A very simple dish with thin cuts of bone-in pork chops, lightly battered and then fried till golden. Sauteed jalapenos and green onion were then poured over each piece, giving each bite some crunch, heat and sweetness. This was no nonsense but delicious.

Sassafras American Eatery
2637 W. 26th Avenue, Denver, CO
http://www.sassafrasamericaneatery.com/
A very cozy and quaint breakfast and lunch spot with two locations in Denver. The location I visited was a house built in 1889 and was remodeled by the present owners to give it a face lift while still preserving the character, colors and interior woodwork. This place looked a bit like grandma's cottage in the woods with different types of salt & pepper shakers, knickknacks and napkins that looked like fabric from children's pajamas. I was immediately comfortable there and felt I could linger for hours if I wanted. The staff was friendly and provided service like an hospitable relative.



Oreo Cookie Milkshake. A mason jar drizzled with chocolate was filled with a thick shake and topped with whipped cream, crumbled cookies and a cherry. A wonderfully sweet way to start the meal.

Belly Up. Slow-smoked pork belly stacked on top of creamy potato salad, topped with a sunny-side-up egg, Carolina BBQ sauce and sprinkled with pork rinds. This was a wonder to look at and fantastic to eat. Breaking the yolk created an extra sauce over everything and played very nice with the sweet, tangy and smokey BBQ sauce and the fatty pork belly.

Chicken Fried Eggs & Buffalo Hash. Breaking open these eggs brought tears to my eyes. I love an egg that's crispy on the outside but still runny on the inside. The buffalo hash was clean, meaty and savory, the hollandaise was just enough to make everything saucy and the cornbread helped sop it all up.

Denver Biscuit Co.
4275 Tennyson Street, Denver, CO
http://www.denbisco.com/
What started out as Denver's first gourmet food truck, later evolved into one of Denver's hottest spots for breakfast. Located inside The Atomic Cowboy bar that also houses Fat Sully's Pizza, one could basically spend the whole day and into the night at this establishment. Enormous portions are the name of the game but size isn't the only thing that matters, the taste and quality is noteworthy and worthy of a try.


The Ellsworth. A dense but still flaky and buttery biscuit sandwiched a large, juicy buttermilk fried piece of chicken. This was loaded up with sweet and floral local honey, sharp stone-ground mustard and house-made pickles. This was a knife and fork meal.

The Franklin. The same juicy buttermilk fried chicken, but this time, served with cheddar cheese, bacon, and smothered in house-made sausage gravy. No regrets here.

As I boarded my plane to return home to the Bay Area, I reminisced on all the delicious meals I had, the mountain scenery and the relaxing vibe I experienced while in Colorado and vowed to come back as soon as I possibly could.