Together We are Giant

Baseball season has begun and what particular foods come to mind?  How about peanuts, a good 'ol hot dog with the fixings, and if we are lucky, some frozen yogurt with sprinkles.  This would be out treat out when we would travel to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers play.  Last night I took a trip up to the city with a few friends and obviously we did not visit the Ravine, but rather AT&T Park to watch the Giants take on the San Diego Padres.

With today's updated ball parks you can't go wrong.  There are so many choices even the pickiest health nut might be able to find a meal.  

Here we are getting onto the favored public transport of Northern California...Cal Train.  Not the cleanest, but very convenient for baseball games. 

Fans taking advantage of Safeway's deals before entering the overpriced stadium. 

AT&T Park 

The Giants do a quality job of including all sorts of flavors - hot dogs (Hebrew National for the win!), pizza, bread bowls (with that classic sourdough), Mexican, and more!

Hmmm, that looks neat! Kid's meal? Maybe that's the one for me!

Ghiradelli favorites offering a $9.50 sundae or look out for the hot chocolate later on!

A look over the well-groomed field and out towards the San Francisco bay

Sean and Hallie ready for their first Giant's game (also Hallie's first-ever MLB game!)

The only thing I haven't been able to find is a well-priced meal.  After years of experiencing the outrageous prices that we were being charged for a meager hot dog, we have started packing our own meals.  This isn't exactly what managers want for the stadium, but what are they going to do about it?  Actually, the Safeway outside the Cal Train station and down the street from the stadium is overflowing with people before the games, picking up any last minute drinks or snacks to pack in. 

 

My homemade selection consisted of pasta salad (pasta with an Italian dressing, cucumber, baby tomatoes, chicken, asparagus, and some BBQ sauce to top it off), a bag of grapes, and 1/2 cup of pistachios.  Nuts with shells always make eating them a more exciting experience.  Or at least it takes longer. 

Because I didn't splurge on dinner, I made sure to snatch up the popular Ghiradelli hot chocolate when I saw it.  I am an expert with this, having attended a number of Giant's games.  First of all, do not buy anything that doesn't not come from the Ghiradelli man.  Second of all, it must come from a silver canister that is on the server's back, not the individual cups in the trays.  These cups have been sitting there for who knows how long and could very well be cold.  Might as well have a sign selling "chocolate milk" for $5.75

Notice the man actually dispensing the warm chocolately liquid from the pack on his back?  Then, per your request finishes off the top with whipped cream. 

Poor picture quality but this was when they featured one of the older ushers dancing to "I'm Sexy and I Know It," by LMFAO.  Absolutely adorable and hilarious.  Made my night to say the least. 

We did end up with a sundae towards the end of the game.  I tested a bite and even though the fudge had settled towards the bottom, it was as delicious as ever.  

No peanuts and no cracker jacks, but hopefully this left you with a little more inspiration and desire to watch America's favorite past-time. 

LET'S PLAY BALL!

National Grilled Cheese Month

Who knew there was a specific month dedicated to one of the tastiest combinations?  Well, that's just what the Counter is celebrating this April.  Each week, they introduce a new special combination to the menu and while I missed out on the ultimate mix (see the first week, "The Western"), I had been dreaming about having a grilled cheese all day. 

I almost went for the kid's cheddar grilled cheese, but gave the "Red, White, and Blue" a chance.  Blue Cheese, Swiss, Spinach, Roasted Red Pepper, and Basil Pesto.  Honestly, the blue cheese was a bit overwhelming.  I have just taken a liking to it, but would prefer it in a salad.  I also skipped out on the pesto and traded it in for a BBQ sauce and ketchup mix.  

Every day is a prime day for a grilled cheese, but if you feel you missed out, here are some of the upcoming national food holidays featured in May.  I think every food item has its own special day throughout the year.  

Asparagus Month

Barbecue Month

Chocolate Custard Month (really? never heard of it)

Egg Month

Gazpacho Aficionado

Hamburger Month (looks like I'l be making a trip to the Counter or grilling on my own!)

Mediterranean Diet Month

Salad & Salsa Month

Strawberry Month (my personal favorite...there will be lots of fun strawberry recipes coming up!)

Just to make it this much better...my birthday is considered "International No Diet Day"

Classic Cookies with a Twist

The other day I was browsing one of my favorite blogs, Cupcakes & Cashmere, and Emily had experimented or tested out a cookie she claims is the "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Ever."  Well, it looked simple enough so I went out to find the remaining ingredients.  Yes, this is a big step for me and it was well worth it! These turned out to be the fluffiest homemade cookies I have ever had. 

I absolutely adore the way Emily lays out her page and blog posts.  She seems to have a fantastic way of laying out the ingredients and it might help to invest in a different camera.  The entire process does take a bit of time because the dough apparently tastes better if it sits for 24-36 hours.  This ended up working out well in between my crazy class, work, meeting, and intramural schedule.

Ingredients

2 cups minus 2 Tbsp. (8 ½ oz.) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 ½ oz.) bread flour
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. coarse salt, such as kosher
2 ½ sticks (1 ¼ cups; 10 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (10 oz.) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (8 oz.) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks, preferably about 60% cacao content, such as Ghirardelli
Sea salt or kosher salt for garnishing

Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk well; then set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. 

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. 

Yep, keep on mixing! Look at that creamy texture.

Slow down the mixer and begin to integrate the dry ingredients.  This can become a tad bit messy so make sure to incorporate it in small batches.  Sometimes holding a dish towel around the top of the bowl can also act as a solution.  

Add the chocolate chips, and mix briefly to incorporate. Press plastic wrap against the dough, and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. The dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the bowl of dough from the refrigerator, and allow it to soften slightly. 

I used a standard-size ice cream scoop, which created massive size cookies.  If you prefer smaller cookies, then divvy them up by hand or two spoons as my grandmothers still do.  Sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and bake until golden brown but still soft, 15 to 20 minutes. 

Now, the original recipe suggested that I place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking sheets, but I felt this made it much more difficult to remove the cookies after they had been taken out of the oven. 

Go ahead and indulge.  I'm sure you will be drooling by the time you take the cookies out, so enjoy. 

 Here's the Original Cookie Inspiration and some of the tips I picked up from my cookie research:

1 - Change up the flour mix with cake flour & bread flour 

2 - Chilling the dough for 24-36 hours allows it to soak up all the flavors

3 - Room Temperature Ingredients

4 - Variety of Chocolate - there is always the Toll House option, but I followed a suggestion to tes out Ghiradelli 60% Cacao chips and brought it to a new level

5 - Seasalt perfection...sprinkling a little salt on top gives the cookies a nice sweet and salty combination

6 - Better to take the cookies out a tad bit early rather than late, just to make sure they aren't overdone (and they might taste even better if chilled :)

Mexican Food and Mystery Meat

Do you ever find yourself passing by restaurants or hear people rave about their favorite dishes, and as a result, start adding these names to an ongoing imaginary list in your head?  Well, I certainly have lists in all sorts of places (probably a number of them duplicates, but that's besides the point) - from my iPhone notes, written pieces of paper, blogs, computer documents, and even my calendars and school notebooks.  Of course I don't "check-out" during class to think of new adventures, but when they do happen to run through  my mind, I take that opportunity to write my random thoughts down.   

I'm lucky enough that a few of my friends also share the desire to find new eateries or simply just go on an adventure.  We created a list of local restaurants and have been slowly working this quarter to check them off.  Unfortunately, a number of them are on the pricier side, so we will leave those to special occasions or when parents come to visit and have the urge to take us all out to eat.  You know that term, starving students?  We could make that believable for a few days if need be. :)

So to preface this blog post, please refer back to the title of my blog.  Did you read it again? Eating OUTSIDE the box.  Ok, just making sure because this adventure was definitely a little bit outside the norm.

When I am at home, I can always count on my family to provide a few nights of Mexican or Tex-Mex related foods: tacos, Taco Joe's, taco salad, enchiladas, etc.  But as I am forced to feed myself and don't have the capacity to keep leftovers, I find it difficult to create a single serving of enchiladas for myself, unless it comes from a frozen Trader Joe's aisle.  I picked up some suggestions of cheaper places in the area and was left with La Vic's or La Victoria's Taqueria.  

The business started as a hole in the wall taqueria about one block from the San Jose State University in '98.  It has quickly evolved into a popular (and relatively inexpensive) destination for people from all over the South Bay.  They offer everything from breakfast burritos (7-11am) to tacos, enchiladas, and of course burritos.  They have two types of tacos and burritos - regular and super.  The "super" simply means that it comes with the addition of guacamole or avocado, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and tomato.  

Most people tend to rave about their orange sauce, which if you too find yourself in love with the creamy condiment, you can take a bottle home with you for only $6.  It is a secret family recipe, but I'd have to say, it has the perfect combination of chipotle that adds a nice kick to the meal. 

La Vic's also has a wide range of meats offered for each of the menu selections.  This is where it gets interesting. 

I apologize for the blurry quality of the photo, so I will list the options of meat out as well.  

Meat: Carne Asada (steak), Carnitas (braised pork), pollo (chicken breast), Pollo Asado (grilled chicken), Buche (pork), Chile Verde (pork in tomatillo sauce), Lengua (beef tongue), Chorizo (Mexican red sausage), Al Pastor (marinated pork)

Did you catch something interesting up there? If your eyes caught the part about tongue, I am dead serious, that was what they served.  Jose, one of the guys who came with us, is from the area and semi-knowledgable about the meat.  He and Eddie ordered tacos with lengua (tongue) for use to sample.  Liz had a more difficult time with the meat, and had to block out any sort of images.  Eddie wasn't helping with that as he kept teasing her.  I was up for the challenge, partly because it resembled nothing like its name and I told myself it would be just another piece of meat.  The verdict?  I'd have to say it was much better and certainly juicer and a more tender selection of meat than my carne asada.  You may be grossed out at this point, but I'd have to recommend it to anyone up for the challenge.

Our roles as food experimenters were switched from when we when abroad and Liz was able to consume the seafood paella our house mom created and I refused to touch anything that was staring back at me, probably a majority of the dish. 

It is a super speedy process (as long as there isn't too long of a line...it can get pretty crowded) where you walk up, order your selection and wait about 5-10 minutes for them to call your number.  They offered a number of authentic Mexican sodas (Jarritos brand) as well as agua fresca (fresh fruit juices) and horchata.  I sampled the horchata, which was more along the lines of the drink we encountered in Valencia, Spain, a lighter flavor of of milk.  I preferred it because it didn't have as overwhelming of a flavor as the horchata I had from Mondo Burrito a few weeks ago.  Not nearly as sweet or infused with cinnamon - both positive attributes to La Vic's creation. 

I ordered my dinner before we tested out the new meat, so I had ordered a tostada with carne asada.  Usually I have good luck with steak.  It is often the most flavorful of the selections offered at restaurants, but today was not the case.  It was on the dry and flavorless side, so note to self: stay away from the steak next time. 

Tostada: crispy corn tortilla with refried beans, choice of meat, lettuce, avocado, sour cream, tomato, and lettuce

If I were to ever return to La Vic's I think the Chorizo, Chile Verde (pork in tomatillo sauce), and Al Pastor (marinated pork) are on my go-to-sample items.

Both Liz and Eddie ordered enchiladas, cheese  and chicken respectively, and came with a massive layer of cheese solidified on top, alongside beans and rice.  I sample the cheese and loved it, but agreed there was too high of a ratio of cheese to enchilada.  Liz mentioned the lack of sauce on the enchiladas, making it not very flavorful.  She was able to make it work by adding the orange and tomatillo sauce, but wasn't enamored by her selection.  Eddie fared a little better by including chicken in the enchiladas, which did add a tad more flavor. 

Overall, not too bad and we didn't break the bank, which I think we were all happy about.  Parking can be sort of an issue, so take that into consideration when you make the trip.  Also check out further reviews on Yelp - La Vic's to determine what your favorite meal might be.  I've found browsing through past customer's suggestions helps me with my decision and reduces potential disappointment. 

Any other suggestions for good Mexican food eateries?

Late Night Treat at Fenton's

My friend, Liz, has told me for the past three years how delicious this place called Fenton's is.  Apparently they are well-known for their homemade ice cream.  People come from near and far for the experience and their creamy treats.  In addition, if you recall in the Pixar/Walt Disney movie, "Up", Carl and Russell are seated outside a creamery, named Fenton's, eating an ice cream cone together.  A coincidence? I think not.  The movie wasn't exactly based in Northern California, but director Pete Docter and producer Jonas Rivera, both live in Oakland and take their children and families to Fenton's.

So I asked her in the morning, when could we make a trip up to the oh-so-popular shop and she responded with, "why not tonight?" It made for a wonderful spur-of-the-moment adventure.

Located in Oakland, California, we originally planned to arrive for dinner, but time seemed to slip away and after about a forty minute drive, we actually didn't arrive at the creamery until 10:30, where there was STILL a wait.  Can you believe that?  Of course, on a Friday night, it would be a popular venture, but I was amazed how many people were packed into the historic diner and soda shop.  They claim to be the original birthplace of rocky road ice cream (chocolate ice cream, marshmallows, and nuts).  Some of the best inventions happen by mistake.  Fentons candy marker, George Farren, made a rocky road candy bar and decided to blend it into an ice cream flavor.  His friends, William Dryer and Joseph Edy started making their own version, but substituting almonds for walnuts.  

The creamery was first created in 1894 and has been serving its wonderful creations ever since.  It was sadly destroyed in 2001 and was rebuilt to include a grill, more tables, and a larger menu.  

Inside the creamery - Tables and kitchen in the background with the to-go ice cream line in the front

Look at all those flavors!

I particularly enjoyed the uniforms and get-ups the waiters and servers had to wear.  This guy wore a Fenton's apron and fun little hat as he handed us our samples and scooped up people's late-night orders. 

When we first arrived, I was so excited to sample the flavors, and not to mention starving, so I eyed my options and tasted the following: Coffee Cookie Dream and Cherry Vanilla (seasonal flavor).  My first sample was delicious.  I recently picked up a liking for coffee ice cream and the cookies (basically Oreos, but homemade) were not too soggy.  This might have been an option for dinner or dessert, but consuming coffee at 10:45 probably wouldn't be the smartest idea.  As for my second option, I was slightly disappointed, which I thought would be made with the really fresh Bing cherries, but instead they appeared and tasted like maraschino. 

Here's DOUG from the movie "Up." The stuffed, lovable dog, sits among the various shirts and souvenirs as he watches over his customers. Squirrel?

Recognize this scene?  They have a picture of the scene framed in the restaurant.  Such an adorable film, I can't wait to watch it again.

Fenton's Creations, ready to be served, or ordered to go. A sugar overload indeed, but certainly makes your mouth water.

Liz and Eddie both ordered chili cheese dogs, which came with a side of fries.  The fries weren't anything to write home about, but it went well with the chili and would have been great with the ice cream.  A little salty/sweet combination.

I decided to go with the ever popular grilled cheese with cheddar and monterey jack, of course topped with some ketchup and mustard. It usually is served with potato chips, but I had shared some of the fries, so I asked for them to leave the chips out.  Plus, ice cream was in my future, so I had to make some choices.  Normally I'm not a huge fan of bread, but this buttered and grilled sourdough combination was absolute heaven.  

For dessert (the main reason we made the trip) we all agreed to split the sundae of the day.  Fenton's has a long list of classic sundae combinations as well as the option to individualize your own.  This particular treat fit our list of picky eaters - those who don't like much chocolate (notice the caramel and vanilla selections) and those who do not enjoy berries (that counts flavors like the seasonal strawberry out) 

If it is tough to read the fine print, our wonderful sundae consisted of a special "Tin Roof" Sundae flavor - Salted Spanish Peanuts in a Vanilla ice cream with a fudge swirl topped with fudge (but wait...there's more) alongside Vanilla ice cream with a Caramel swirl and topped with homemade caramel corn and hot caramel.  

Quite a long list of ingredients, but boy, between the five of us, it was WELL worth it. In fact, it was even a better price breakdown (~$2/each versus $5+ individual sundaes, and we were all completely satisfied!)

This is definitely a destination I would happily travel to again.  It would even be neat to for for a future birthday where alongside your special treat, they get the entire restaurant to serenade you.  Now that's a celebration.

So many combinations and flavors to sample, make some time to try out your sweet tooth.

Fenton's Creamery

4226 Piedmont Ave

Oakland, CA 94611