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Tip: The Differences Between Spanish & Mexican Chorizos

If you have a paella recipe that you’re just dying to try out, and it calls for chorizo, don’t make the mistake of buying the chorizo that’s commonly found in most California grocery stores. These sausages are not the same thing. While both are very tasty meats similarities stop with the spelling. They’re even pronouced differently. Mexicans pronounce their z like an English letter ’s’. Spaniards pronounce it like a soft ‘th’ , as in bath.

Mexican chorizo is quite spicy and generally made of pork, but can also contain beef, goat or havalina. It’s cooked outside the casing and has a very similar consistency to ground beef. I like to get it at my favorite Mexican grocery stores although it’s available in the meat section of most super markets. You can also make it yourself. It’s delicious cooked into beans or eggs.

Spanish chorizo is similar to linguica. This salt-cured sausage made of pork, is seasoned with paprika, garlic and other spices. It can be eaten as is or cooked into paellas and many other Spanish recipes. Spanish chorizo comes in a variety of styles and levels of spiciness. I usually buy several packages and keep it in my freezer. It will keep in the freezer almost indefinitely

There are als other varieties of chorizos that come from Argentina, Uruguay and the Phillipines (longaniza), each quite distinct from eachother.

Keep watching this blog and I’ll be sure to post recipes containing both.

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A new trend in San Francisco dining seems to be catching on, and surprisingly, it has nothing to do with food. Eateries all over town have started applying health care surcharges to the bill. Some are adding on 2%-5% of the bill, while others tack on $1-$3 per diner. And diners seem to have very mixed reactions. What’s this all about?

Effective in 2008, San Francisco businesses with more than twenty employees must provide health care to all staff members who work over ten hours a week. How much health care they are required to offer depends on the size of the business. The mandate comes from the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO) which most of us voted for. But did voters think they’d be seeing it on their restaurant bills?

The first time I encountered the health care surcharge was late this winter, when I had drinks at the new Water Bar. The menu stated very clearly that the there would be a 4% charge and why. I was actually glad to see it. Too many of my friends & family members are without health care.

I didn’t really think about it again until I read Michael Bauer’s blog post in the Chronicle about how outraged diners at the Epic Roasthouse have been. Epic is next door to Water Bar and they opened on the same day. But I wouldn’t go to either expecting an inexpensive meal—so what’s another 4% that’s earmarked for something so vital as health care?

The next time I encountered a surcharge was this week at the Buckhorn Grill, a fast food version of the Buckhorn Road House. This time, I was not aware of the charge before I ordered but it was only 2% and when added to a $7 salad to go, the extra $0.14 didn’t seem like any imposition.

But plenty of Yelpers are unhappy . A frequent arguement is that health care is an operational cost. Businesses should raise their prices accordingly rather than add a gimmicky “surcharge” to the bill. Another yelper in this thread said if we have to pay a surcharge for someone else’s health care, it should at least be tax deductable. I thought that was an interesting point. Others commented that if they had to pay the surcharge, they’d be inclined to tip less—effectively making the restaurant staff pay out of pocket.

My take on this is that the Health Care Ordinance clearly effects margins of restaurants and rather just raising the prices, they are providing some explanation to their patrons. I voted for and support the HCSO and I also understand that Health Care costs money. I would not be surprised to start seeing retail businesses follow suit with surcharges. Besides, as other supporters have commented, eating out is a luxury and if I cannot afford the extra 4% then I’ll eat at home. I have a choice.

What do you think?

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With salmon being virtually unavailable this year, and the list of over-farmed seafood growing, I feel like the fish choices keep getting slimmer all the time. Luckily, tilapia is still a great choice*.

I really like this fish. It’s available at any decent fish market or Asian grocery store, usually live or very fresh. It’s also much less expensive than other seafood choices, usually about $3/lb. And unless gutting fish is your thing, ask the guy at the meat counter to clean it for you before you bring it home.

Here’s one of my favorite ways to prepare tilapia. Herb Stuffed Tilapia makes a great summer main dish that’s low fat and full of delicious flavor.

For more tilapia recipes, Tessa Evans has a blog devoted to them. You can also find a list of tilapia recipes presented by the American Tilapia Association.

Herb Stuffed Tilapia

Prep time: about 20 min. Cook time: about 30 min. Skill Level: medium to easy.

1 large whole tilapia, cleaned
1 lemon sliced into thin wedges
1 lemon sliced into rounds
2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 green onions, finely chopped
3 or 4 green onions, sliced vertically
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 stick butter
1 cup white wine
1 tbsp peppercorns
salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, mix dill, thyme, rosemary, chopped onion and garlic. Place fish into 9″x13″ baking pan. If the tail sticks out, just trim it with a pair of scissors. Next, lay 4 or 5 slices of butter into the body cavity of the fish, spread out. Stuff the fish with most of the herbs mixture leaving out about 1/4 cup. Pour 3/4 cup of wine into the fish. Now seal the opening off with the lemon wedges (see picture). Pour the remaining wine over the top of the fish and salt. Sprinkle the rest of the herb mixture over the top. Lay the sliced lemons over the top. Arrange the other onions on the bottom of the pan.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until fish is done and tender. It should just fall apart with a fork.

* Just be sure that you’re getting tilapia farmed in the US or Central America as the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch warns against the fish if it’s farmed in China.

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Buying Locally Offers Better Prices & Selection

I avoid Safeway as much as possible. I used to think I didn’t have much of a choice for buying groceries. Now I’m learning that there are plenty of options that beat chain grocery stores for both price & selection.

Growing up in a nuclear family, I always thought that big grocery stores were necessary to supply my house with staples. Mom made the weekly trip to Stater Brothers or Alpha Beta and collected Blue Chip Stamps to save up for free appliances, long before the days of club cards. It seemed like back then, there were more major grocery stores as well as plenty of small markets you could choose from.

Nowadays, in San Francisco, you’re pretty much limited to Safeway and the Vons that’s out on Sloat. Calla Foods closed up a couple years ago. So are we stuck buying groceries from huge national chains that truck in supplies lord-knows-where and set prices however they please? Hell No!

San Francisco has plenty of small mom-pop markets with much better selection of produce, meats, and seafood than the Mega Marts. You just have to be willing to look for them.

While Safeway charges fifty cents per lime, my corner market sells them ten for a dollar. El Chico markets have wonderful produce and a fantastic meat counter too. I frequent the one on Mission in the Excelsior but they have locations all over town. Chain grocery stores also tend to have a very limited seafood selection. Try J.R. Seafood on BayView or Mission Meat & Poultry Market at 22nd & Mission for unbeatable quality, price and selection. In fact, Mission Poultry only sells sushi-grade fish. Your neighborhood Asian market is also going to be a great place to pick up fresh seafood. My favorite butcher, also at 22nd & Mission is Mission Meat Department. The staff is always so friendly and ready to offer recipe suggestions. They carry a variety of delicious hand-made sausages, too.

The best part about avoiding Safeway is that I am supporting local businesses and directly affecting the local economy. I may have to make a few more stops, but in my opinion, I get a much richer shopping experience and the access to greater variety of foods that chain stores just don’t carry.

I’ve listed a few of my favorite stores. I’d love to hear where you shop, whether or not you’re in San Francisco.

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I whipped up some super yummy salad dressing tonight. Try it over a mixed green salad with bell peppers and red leaf lettuce.

1 bunch cilantro
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup olive oil
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 drops mega hot sauce like Dave’s Insanity

Put cilantro & apple cider vinegar in food processor and finely chop cilantro. Pour into bowl and add other ingredients. Whisk vigorously until oil no longer separates. Serve immediately or if you store it, whisk again right before serving. Can be saved in fridge or freezer.

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Just a little something to make you hungry…

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Because Cat asked me not to forget vegetarians, here’s what I cook when I really want to impress herbivores. I have a meat variation of this, too, but both get big smiles. The big secret is that I use feta cheese rather than ricotta.

1 onion
olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 portobello mushroom chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
6-8 large crimini mushrooms sliced
6-8 large white mushrooms sliced
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano
salt
pepper
1/4 chopped basil
1 small can tomato paste
1 heirloom tomato chopped up
3 8-oz cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup red wine
4 or 5 small zucchinis (or equiv) –sliced into long 1/8″ ovals (slice round at an angle)
1 lb lasagna noodles - boiled and drained
1 lb fresh spinach
12 oz crumbled feta cheese
1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
dash dry oregano

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Toss in the onions and then the garlic and sautée over medium for a couple minutes and then add in mushrooms, oregano, salt & pepper. Sautée over medium until the mushrooms begin to soften –but don’t cook them too much. Stir in basil, heirloom tomato, tomato paste, tomato sauce and red wine. Slowly bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer over med-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a 9×13 baking pan, lay 3 lasagna noodles across the bottom. Scoop on a nice thick layer of suace. Add a layer of spinach leaves & then a layer of lasagna slices. Then sprinkle on a layer of feta. Repeat this until you fill the pan. Cover with a last layer of noodles and then sauce. Then generously pile on the mozzarella. Finally, sprinkle on a little dry oregano.

Bake for 20-30 min or until the cheese is melted and crispy all the way through. Cool just a little bit and dig in!

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M&D Ring of Fire Hot Sauce

I’m so excited! My package from Mike & Diane’s Ring of Fire Hot Sauce just arrived in the mail. Steve and I were visiting San Diego this winter and happened to pick up a bottle of their Garden Fresh Chile Sauce at a touristy hot sauce shop in Seaport Village. Wow! It really knocked my socks off. It wasn’t all vinegary like most bottled sauces. It tasted fresh, like I made it in my own kitchen. So I simply had to order more.

I got a bottle of their Tomatillo Roasted Garlic Sauce which is quite tasty! I can’t wait to try it over some breakfast potatoes. I also bought a bottle of the Original Habañero Hot Sauce. You can really taste the serrano peppers in there. This one is a little more vinegary but still delicious! I can tell I’ll be cooking up spicy food this week!

The sauces are a little pricey at $8.75 bottle, but they’re 12.5 oz bottles and the quality of the ingredients really stands out when you taste these products. The box came with a hand written thank you card—nice touch—and some freebies: M&D Ring of Fire Jerky, a magnet, and a “travel bottle”. Cute.

I am going to make one tiny little nit. My hot sauce was shipped in a ton of old fashioned pink foam peanuts. Not only are those messy to unpack, more importantly, they’re environmentally awful. I’d like to see them use more responsible packing materials.

All in all, I’m still pretty impressed with these delicious sauces. The quality and care put into making them really stands out. Now go out and grab a bottle of two!

http://www.mikeanddianes.com/

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I recently dined at Zuppa, 2007 winner of the San Francisco Boss of the Sauce competition where I was introduced to the best thing since bacon: speck. I was so excited after dinner that I got on the phone and called all my bacon fanatic friends to tell them I’d met bacon’s match.

Also called Speck dell’Alto Adige, it is a delightful thinly sliced Italian meat that has characteristics of both bacon and prosciutto. The wikipedia entry on speck says that this meat has been around since the fourteenth century. It’s both salt-cured and wood smoked and comes from the hind-leg of the pig.

We tried it by itself as an appetizer and for an entrée I had roasted quail wrapped in speck. My toes curled! I’d never even heard of this fabulous treat, but it was definitely love at first bite.

Since then, I’ve been on the look-out for a pound of speck. I hear that they sell it at Lucca. I’ll keep you updated once I get my hands on some. I’ll certainly blog my kitchen experiments with it!

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Today, I got the Yelp Review of the Day for my review of the San Francisco restaurant, Spruce. How exciting! I really love posting on Yelp but lately I’ve been wanting a place to post thoughts on home cooking, recipes, and wine, too. So, I got the idea to start my own foodie blog.

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