Category Archives: Food

Just Add a Touch of Tajín

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Mini Tajín bottles ready to drop in my purse at a moments notice!

Have you ever wondered what the orange colored flakes are on your Mexican fruit cup?  It’s called Tajín and it’s a seasoning that combines two of Mexico’s most popular flavors – chili and lime.  I’ve loved this seasoning for many years now but didn’t know much about it until I recently did a little research to discover its origin. 

Empresas Tajín is a Mexican company founded by Horacio Fernandez in 1985 and located in Jalisco, Mexico.  Fernandez’s grandmother originally created this seasoning as a sauce but Fernandez wanted to mass produce it worldwide so he set out to recreate it in powder form.  This involved a process to dehydrate chilis and limes which he perfected.   After Fernandez visited the pre-Colombian archeological site, El Tajín, in Veracruz, Mexico, he learned the word “aji” means chile in the Uto-Aztecan language of Nahuatl.  This is when he decided to name his chile and lime powder, Tajín. 

The Michelada I had in Torreon Mexico in March 2020 – yum!!!

Tajín seasoning entered the US market in 1993 and it is now the number one chili lime seasoning in the US.  It is often added to fruits like watermelon, mango, oranges, papaya and cucumbers.  But it can also be added to foods like popcorn for a little kick, meats for a little marinade, and fruit juice for some zip.  I love the way popcorn tastes when using tajín – instead of adding salt, add a dash of tajín when the popcorn is hot and it’s fabulous!  Adding it to cocktails is also fun.  In fact, you may have had it on the rim of a glass and didn’t realize it, much like you add salt to a margarita.  It is also used as an ingredient in micheladas, a Mexican beer cocktail.  I had one in Mexico in March and WOW…it was delish!

Some people might look at this orangish-red seasoning and think it’s quite spicy, but it’s more of a flavoring with a little kick so no need to be afraid to try it for fear of setting your mouth on fire. Personally, I love using it on grilled corn (elote) and adding a dash to guacamole when I make it at home.  There is also a low sodium version available and I bought it to try and quite frankly, I didn’t see a difference between the classic and this one. 

Tajín is showing up everywhere these days.  I recently found these mango fruit pops at the grocery store and I literally stopped in my tracks!  I brought a box home and, boy oh boy…I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing flavor of mango with this seasoning.  Cool with a touch of heat…

Outshine Mango popsicles with Tajíin
These things are delish!!!
My spice cabinet featuring Tajín classic and low sodium

Can you tell I’m a fan?  Tajín is so popular these days that it can be found at almost all grocery stores.  I’ve even found it at Walgreens!  Give it a try, and if you use this seasoning with something that I haven’t mentioned here and love the flavor, let me know!  I would love to hear what you think of this delish seasoning!

Around the World in 80 Years! – Mom Turns 80 – Part 1

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Barbara Anne Zuniga – on her 80th birthday

This is a two part post about my mother’s 80th birthday party last year on June 8, 2018.  Tomorrow she turns 81 and I’ve been reliving the party, photos and memories from the preparations to the actual event.  

My mother has never had a surprise party.  She turned 80 years old last June and I thought it was way past time.  So armed with a great theme – Around the World in 80 Years – I got started surprise party planning!

Months earlier, I’d been talking about how mom had a milestone birthday coming up with my youngest sister, Kanista, and she said wanted to be in Alabama for that.  She lives in North Carolina.  That got the ball rolling and we thought – what if we could get all of “the sisters” together, along with their husbands and kids??!!  I think the last time we were all together – me, my sisters and mom – was when my nephew Adam got married in 2015.  So this became a bit of a mission with that realization!  I contacted my sister Helena who lives in Texas and she was on board, as was my sister Laurie who lives in Illinois.  Helena and Laurie put the word out to their adult kids too.  My mother’s friend, Jenine, visits each year from Colorado so I contacted her to make sure she could make her arrangements for the party.  We set the party date for Saturday, June 8 to make it easier for everyone to travel.  Mom’s actual birthday is June 6.

As the guest list started to grow, I began looking for a cozy venue to host the party.  That was probably the biggest headache.  I couldn’t get the invitations ready until I had a place, right?  And I really didn’t want a restaurant for the party because it didn’t feel cozy enough.  I remember calling one place and the lady who answered got a little snarky with me and said “well, you know it’s wedding season…”  Which translated to, “good luck finding what you want, lady!”  That’s when I decided to just have the party at my house.  Done!  On to the invitation…

Mom’s party invitation – the photo is one I found at her house in a box. She was five years old in this picture.

I’d been working at my mother’s house for several weeks helping her clean out when I found a box of old photos.  Honestly, I don’t even know if mom knew they were there.  So I secretly put the box in my car so I could go through and copy them.  That’s where I found the photo I used for the invitation.  Such a sweet picture of mother when she was five years old.  It was perfect!  I debated on getting the invitations professionally printed and then decided to do them myself at home.  In the invitation, I also requested that people send cards with a special memory about mom to me to compile.  My plan was to have a box of memories on index cards that she could pull and read throughout her 80th year.

With the venue and invitations out of the way, I needed to find a caterer.  Again…wedding season…but then I remembered a friend who had started a food delivery business and had just opened a storefront.  I gave her a call and she put me in touch with her chef – Wendy Bowman.  So, this is probably a good time to talk about the theme I chose – Around the World in 80 Years.  This was a nod to mom’s travels over her lifetime.  Born in Oneonta, Alabama, she moved around a lot growing up and eventually ended up in Cincinnati, Ohio where her parents finally settled for two years so she could complete high school.  After that, they traveled to Cambodia for my grandfather’s work and that’s where she met my dad and eventually they got married.  Throw in living in Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Maryland, Chicago and finally Alabama, you can see why the theme fit so well.  When I explained this all to Chef Wendy, she created a wonderful menu incorporating all mom’s travels.  It was wonderful!

Menu cards – my sister, Kanista, wrote these out on the chalkboards for the table
Chef Wendy Bowman of Bham Eats provided the catering
Fruit!
Poached shrimp with lemongrass and cilantro
Charcuterie and assorted cheeses
Brie in puff pastry
Caprese salad with balsamic reduction
Cheese board
Mini spanakopita
Spinach, parmesan and artichoke dip
Lettuce cups with Thai beef salad
Sweet and spicy noodles! This was my favorite!

When it came to ordering a cake, I knew it had to be special and I knew it had to come from Louise’s Cakes & Supply in Hoover, AL.  Over the years, this little shop has created some beautiful cakes for my family.  The theme was firming up with maps, suitcases, globes and flags. so I asked about getting a suitcase cake made with decals all over it showing places where mom has lived.  I did find a few examples on Pinterest and we worked together to come up with the perfect design.

Mom’s 80th birthday cake made by Louises Cakes in Hoover, AL

I mentioned all the places my mother has lived and I wanted to find a way to showcase those places.  That’s when the idea of a directional sign came up like the one they had on MASH – the tv show!  I found arrows in the Target bargain area for weddings and decided to spray paint them tan and brown and then write the locations in red.  My husband made the stand and then we used a nail gun to attach the arrows.  It was the perfect touch and we placed it in our foyer next to an old suitcase that collected all the cards and well-wishes for mom.  I also added string flags around the foyer, hallway, dining room, family room and kitchen that I had left over from a previous event.

Found these in the Target bargain section to use on the directional stand
Chose two colors to spray paint the arrows
My husband made the directional stand for the party decor
Lining up the directional arrows and writing the places mom has lived…
Finished product! It stood next to the antique suitcase where we collected birthday cards for mom!

My friend, Sherree, who is a whiz with plants and florals, created four distinct arrangements for the party.  The orchid was for my parent’s wedding photo and was used on the dining room table with the food.  There was also a bright floral arrangement for the living room where guests could share memories for mom.  The one I really loved was a desert scene with cactus next to a globe to represent the Southwest and New Mexico.  She really outdid herself!

An orchid decorated the dining room table along with my parent’s wedding photo
Closer look at the wedding photo centerpiece
Centerpiece in the family room with my parents wedding album and a globe. I mentioned I had globes to decorate!
Living room centerpiece along with cards for people to write a memory if they wished to share.
Some of the memories family and friends shared that were put into a special memory box for mom.
This centerpiece was put on the kitchen table and was a desert scene with cactus and the large globe in the center.

The final pieces of the party plan?  I wanted music across the decades that meant something to my mother.  My sisters were wonderful working on this and sent so many suggestions from our time as children living in Puerto Rico.  I created a playlist on Pandora called “Mom’s 80th Bday” and we kept adding to it.  We had songs from Andy Williams, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and others.  We also included music from musicals like South Pacific and The King & I.  But the most important song to include – Where or When – was my parents song.  When they were dating in Cambodia and would go out to a particular nightclub to enjoy the band, the band leader would see them walk in and immediately start playing that song for them.  It reminds me of a scene out of a Doris Day movie….  We ended up with several hundred songs on that playlist.  I still love listening to it.

Part Two of Around the World in 80 Years shares how I got my mother to the party after the surprise was almost revealed and her reaction to everything.  

 

 

 

Perry’s Pinot and Pork

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Everybody who knows me knows how much I love wine. When I first started trying wines I was a huge Merlot fan and slowly moved to Cabernet Sauvignons and finally Pinot Noir. I’m more of a white wine and rose wine enthusiast these days but the pendulum is starting to swing back to reds for me. That’s why I was excited to get an invitation to try the Perry’s Steakhouse April special – Pinot and Pork!

Let me first say how much I love Perry’s wines! I went to a tasting when they launched their new Private Reserve Cabernet and Chardonnay in 2017 and got to hear how they were created from Perry’s Corporate Sommelier, Susi Zivanovic. I found myself wanted to “be” Susi…I mean, could you think of a more perfect job than bringing fabulous tasting wines to people?! She is a wealth of information and I found myself hanging on her every word, that is, between sips of the wine samples!

Last Sunday, my husband and I arrived for and early supper at Perry’s. The April special is a three course meal consisting of your choice of salad, their legendary slow-roasted, caramelizad pork chop and finally, their decadent dessert trio. Let me just say this…make sure you go hungry!!! This combination is out of this world!

Our server, Todd, was so comfortable to talk to and provided lots of tidbits about the food and wine. He raved about the pork chop and even offered suggestions on how to prepare the leftovers, because there would definitely be leftovers with the size of the pork chop they were about to serve! I suggested that maybe Perry’s should post a left-over pork chop recipe flyer for their guests! At this point I couldn’t wait to try the main course. On a side note, I’ve only had the pork chop one other time and it was thanks to my brother-in-law when he was in town a year ago. So having it hot out of the kitchen and watching it being carved at the table was a treat!

We started with salads, Eddie ordered the wedge salad while I had the warm spinach and bacon salad. We had just finished these when the pork chops were brought out on sizzling platters. The young man carving them explained what he was doing…first slicing the ribs, followed by what Perry’s calls the eyelash – a small portion of dark meat and then the loin along with a side of applesauce. He also suggested sampling everything in that order. Wow! That first warm bite was incredible! The caramel flavor along with spices and garlic butter was so rich I just wanted to savor it for a bit.

After that first bite I reached for the Perry’s Reserve Pinot Noir to complete the pairing and it was heavenly! The Pinot Noir is out of Monterey County California and you can definitely get hints of berries and cherry aromas with a very smooth finish. It was created especially to pair with the pork chop and I can see why! I found myself alternating between bites and sips throughout the rest of my meal!

We were so stuffed we barely made it to the loin! I took a few bites and our server Todd returned and asked if I had given up. I said yes and to box the rest up because we still had the dessert trio to go! Luckily for us, the trio is small bite style so we enjoyed bites of cheesecake, creme brûlée and a tasty crunchy chocolate that was like a Nestle crunch bar!

Perry’s is great about offering specials and the month of April is no exception. You can get a glass of the new Pinot Noir for five dollars off the usual $14 during dinner service if you order the pork chop. Or you can get $20 off a bottle of the Pinot which is usually $56. Get the bottle!!! Trust me on this! On Sundays you can opt to get the three course meal that Eddie and I enjoyed for $34.95 and the wine price applies. Sunday supper is from 4-9 p.m. Head over for a delicious time, especially this month (April) and maybe I’ll see you there!

Oh! Forgot to mention that we ordered a side of the steak truffle fries to go with dinner too because well…truffles!

Joseph and The Pita Hut

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The Pita Hut, located in Chelsea Corners is the home of some fabulous Mediterranean food in Shelby County!

I got a text from my friend Lisa Pruitt last month saying we needed to try out a restaurant in Chelsea called The Pita Hut.  Well, I’m always up for a night out with Lisa and her husband Johnny so of course I said yes!  But I also wondered why she wanted to drive all the way to Chelsea from Hoover on a Friday night for dinner.  I was curious, to say the least!

Turns out, Lisa has a friend who is close friends with The Pita Hut owner, Joseph Matta , and she wanted us to go try the food!  Joseph has been in the restaurant business for some time now and has been at his Chelsea location since early 2014.  I wasn’t sure what to expect to be honest.  I mean, based on the restaurant name, I really thought we would be having pita sandwiches and soft drinks.  Boy was I ever wrong!

The Pita Hut is located in the Chelsea Corners strip mall  right off of Highway 280.  Coming from Hoover, it was a bit of a trip and when we arrived we weren’t sure where the restaurant was situated.  We quickly found it nestled in the corner of the strip mall.  When we walked in, there were several couples having dinner and it felt quite intimate.  There is a beautiful mural on the back wall of the restaurant so when the hostess asked us where we wanted to sit, I pointed to the tables right in front of the mural.  It was picture perfect!

Beautiful mural in The Pita Hut! This is where we sat that Friday night.

Soon we were ordering wine and carefully studying the menu.  We quickly discovered the options were endless!  While they do a sandwich type business during the day, the evening is reserved for a more white tablecloth offering.  We decided to order the sample appetizer platter while we were mulling over our dinner options.  The sampler included baked pita chips, fresh pita, hummus, baba gannouj, taziki, salsa, falafel, spinach fatayer, beef fatayer and olives and cheeses.  That was a feast in itself!!!  Plus, they brought out fresh homemade hummus and pita chips right before the platter arrived!  We decided we needed to pace ourselves!!!

The sampler platter was a meal in itself!

Next thing we knew, Joseph the owner was at our table to welcome us and see how things were going.  Lisa told him of their mutual friend and we asked him about his business.  As he spoke it was clear that Joseph considers himself a chef and an artist.  He relishes in creating foods that leave his customers coming back for more, not only because the food is delicious but also because of the beautiful presentation.  He mentioned his catering business and from the sound of it, the catering side of his business is quite strong!  So after our appetizer sampler and a little tabouli salad, Joseph asked us what we wanted our entrees to be.  I was really interested in the shrimp adobado plate and curious as to why a Mediterranean restaurant would have something with Mexican adobo sauce on the menu.  As it turns our, Joseph once lived in Texas and worked/managed a Mexican restaurant!

After much discussion and back and forth about what to order, Joseph said to us – “let me go back to the kitchen and prepare some especially food for you.”  He had listened to us talk about our preferences and I could almost see his artist/chef mind working.  We all excitedly agreed!  Well…what Joseph ended up bringing to our table was a feast!  We got the shrimp adobado along with the Special Chicken Rolls, which Eddie was wanting to try.  The shrimp was stuffed with mild peppers and wrapped in bacon and grilled, while the chicken rolls were stuffed with spinach and cheese with wine reduction sauce.  He also brought out a platter of Kibbi, Kefta and grape leaves.  This is the more traditional food and it was all fabulous!  The kefta is made with fresh ground sirloin and has onions, parsley and very unique spices.  The kibbi is also made from ground meat – generally beef or lamb and topped with taziki sauce.  You can never go wrong with taziki sauce!  Last but not least…grape leaves.  This mixture of rice, dill, mint and meat rolled in a grape leaf reminds me of a tiny tamale only in this case you “can” eat the grape leaf. (NOTE:  You definitely don’t want to eat a Mexican tamale corn husk!)

Homemade hummus and pitas…Joseph sent us all home with some that night!
Fatayer – fried dough stuffed with spinach and beef along with onions,, pine nuts and seasoning.
Tabouli salad!
Shrimp adobado
Chicken rolls
Kibbi, kefta and grape leaves

After we had a chance to fill our plates and sample everything, Joseph came out to check on us and we were collectively oohing and aahing.  The flavors were all so incredible and complementary.  I asked Joseph about one of the flavors in particular.  I was getting a hint of cinnamon in the kefta and he said “That’s right!  We cook with 7 different seasonings and that is one.”  It was an unexpected one!  I mean, I wouldn’t think of a cinnamon flavor in a meat dish but it definitely worked!

We stuffed ourselves so much that the idea of dessert should have been out of the question.  But we still wanted to sample so we got the baklava to go.  Joseph surprised us with containers of his homemade hummus and chips too.  Lisa and I also couldn’t leave without a photo of Joseph in front of his beautiful restaurant mural.  He was more than happy to oblige as we thanked him for a wonderful dining experience!

My friend, Lisa Pruitt and I with The Pita Hut owner, Joseph Matta in front of the lovely restaurant mural. We were stuffed at this point!

There are a few takeaways from this night that I still think about.  First, you know the old saying about not judging a book by its cover?  Well, there’s definitely a whole lot more to The Pita Hut than I expected!  The dining experience was top-notch and I want to really emphasize how wonderful it was!  I know it’s off the beaten path for me personally since I live in Hoover but I loved the fact that a friend who lives in the Chelsea area commented on a photo I posted and how much she loves the place!  Secondly, it’s great to see unique restaurants all over the Birmingham region popping up these days.  Granted, The Pita Hut has been here for several years but that just goes to show you can always discover something new in places you don’t necessarily frequent!  Which leads me to my third takeaway…spreading the good news by word of mouth, or in my case…through a blog post!  The Shelby County area has definitely seen a surge in population over the past ten years or so and so I suspect more and more places will be popping up.  But Joseph’s Pita Hut is well established and I highly recommend you give them a try!  As for me…I’m ready for a return visit and I already have a few new items I want to try…like the Mediterranean pita quesadillas!

 

 

It’s National Concha Day!

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Conchas from Mi Pueblo Supermarket!

…well, almost…

I was scrolling through Instagram last week when I spotted a post from Raggedy Tiff about a gathering on December 8th for National Concha Day.  This was right after I found out I was hosting my annual cookie exchange party ON National Cookie Day so I was interested in finding out more about National Concha Day!  (Oh…and I know there’s a list of these national food days somewhere too and I plan to find it soon!)

What I found out in my research was that Jessica Resendiz of Raggedy Tiff, Alicia Becerra of Alicia’s Delicias and Karina Jimenez of Viva Los Cupcakes – all in California – had created a Change.org petition back in July to establish a National Concha Day on December 8th!  After gathering 5,000 signatures, the petition would then be sent to Governor Jerry Brown and 8 senators to request this special date become reality.

But wait a minute…maybe I should explain what a concha is and why this is important before going any further!  Also called pan dulce, a concha is Mexican sweet bread.  It is recognizable by its large shell-like shape.  In fact, concha means “shell,” and the top of the bread has a sugar shell pattern on it.  This bread has a “light” sweetness to it…much different than a donut or other pastry.  Buying a bag full of these conchas from Mi Pueblo Supermarket’s extensive bakery in Homewood is always a treat because they look so beautiful in the bag!  I generally select every color they have too.  Grab a cafecito and you have a delish breakfast or late brunch on a Saturday or Sunday, although traditionally a concha is eaten with a cup of hot chocolate!

Of course, having a National Concha Day would not be just about the bread…it’s more about a recognition of Mexican culture and traditions.  I’ve seen artists online who use the concha as an art form, creating earrings, necklaces and bracelets with this iconic bread on them.  I’ve also seen my share of t-shirts with funny slogans on them like “Let your conchas be your guide” and “don’t be self conchas!”  I may need to order one of those!  The concha is just such a mainstay in the Mexican culture and was influenced by the French, even the French occupation ended with the Battle of Puebla, better known as Cinco de Mayo.

As the petition states…”The creation of a National Concha Day would be a fun and exciting way to honor the Mexican pastry and its culture. Such a day would not only bring smiles to people’s faces, but also create cultural awareness of our customs and traditions.”  Plus…they are delicious!!!

I signed the petition today and they are so close to getting those 5,000 signatures!  If you’ve enjoyed a concha and love them and feel so inclined, hop on over to change.org (click here) and add your name to the petition.  Maybe this time next year it will be official and we’ll be saying a la Oprah…”you get a concha, you get a concha…everybody gets a concha!”  Meanwhile, tomorrow I’ll be having coffee and a concha and celebrating!

The pretty pink concha set against my Mexican Christmas tree this evening!

Feta, Corn and Black Bean Salsa – Always A Crowd Favorite!

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Ingredients for my feta, corn and black bean salsa! Super easy!

Every year for my annual cookie exchange extravaganza, I serve up margaritas and a little Mexican food for my guests.  A few years ago though, I wanted to add a little something extra for everyone to nibble on.  I went through recipes I had collected over the years and found a recipe card I had picked up somewhere for a feta, corn and black bean salsa.  Of course, the “salsa” part got my attention with the Mexican food theme I had going on but what really got me was “feta!”  I LOVE me some feta cheese!!!

The first time I served it, I don’t think I had much left over to enjoy for myself later!  I took that as a good sign.  So the next year I doubled the recipe and was still lucky to have some left over!  It has become a crowd favorite, for sure…just like my mother’s homemade salsa always is each year.  She brought two large jars of that salsa over last night and it was ALL gone by the time we finished exchanging cookies last night!  (Click here to read about her salsa and get the recipe!)

The best part of this feta, corn and black bean salsa recipe is how easy it is to put together.  You just mix it all together, chill for 4 hours, and you’ve ready to serve!

Ingredients include:

  • 2 cans low sodium black beans (rinse and drain)
  • 2 cans of sweet corn (rinse and drain)
  • 1 cup (8 oz) of Feta Cheese
  • 1/4 cup of green onions, chopped (or you can use purple onion)
  • 1/2 cup of sugar (or you can use a substitute like Truvia which equals about 1/3 cup)
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Rinse the black beans
Rinse the corn too
Mix corn and black beans together
Add the feta cheese – I always add a little more than the recipe calls for because I love feta cheese so much!
Apple cider vinegar, sugar and ollive oil all measured out.
A little bi of garlic powder
Chop up some green onions for added flavor
Begin adding the rest of the ingredients – the chopped onions
Pour in the olive oil
Pour in and mix the apple cider vinager
Lastly, mix in the sugar and toss well
Voila! Feta, corn and black bean salsa!

Each time I finish making this salsa, I fill up a small bowl and just savor the flavors.  After it has refrigerated for a few hours though, the flavors really get absorbed into the corn, black beans and feta.  It goes great with those scoop corn chips!  This is the perfect easy recipe to take and share with friends!  I promise your crowd will like it as much as my crowd!  Buen provecho!

Feta, corn and black ben salsa!

 

 

Adventures in Dim Sum

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Amazing dim sum spread from The Black Pearl Asian Cuisine Restaurant in Homewood, AL.

My first memory of Dim Sum was from the 1988 movie Working Girl with Melanie Griffith and Sigourney Weaver.  Tess McGill, Melanie’s character in the movie impresses her boss, played by Sigourney, with a suggestion to serve this trendy food at a business reception.  Next scene, Tess is pushing a dim sum cart around the reception and serving dumplings to the guests while her 80s frizzed hair is falling from the steam!

Food bloggers ready to feast on dim sum!

I didn’t really know what dim sum was then and had never taken the opportunity to search for it and try it.  Then a few weeks ago I got an email from my friend Cassandra King, better known as Comedienne Joy, of Dining Out with Comedienne Joy, inviting me to a food blogger event she had arranged at The Black Pearl Asian Cuisine Restaurant in Homewood, AL.  I jumped at the chance along with Russell and Amber Hooks of Happenin’s in the ‘Ham, Julia Sayers, Editorin-Chief at Birmingham Magazine, Chad Scroggins with Yelp and Shauna Stuart with AL.com.  I don’t think any of us were expecting the feast that was awaiting us that evening!

As we all waited for the dim sum cart to appear, Cassandra ordered up some crab rangoon to try.  I think I was the only one at the table who had never sampled these tasty appetizers!  I wasn’t expecting it to be so creamy and I’m glad we were all sharing cause I could have devoured that entire plate!  But…I needed to save room for the main course…or should I say courses!

Crab Rangoon!

Next thing we knew, a cart was wheeled out piled high with bamboo steamers to our table.  I was desperately trying to take notes on my phone as the items were placed on the table.  I thought I had a pretty good system in place – take a photo, write a description – but before I knew it there were so many different types of dim sum in front of us I just gave up!  What helped was everyone pretty much sampling the same things together.  We compared notes on the flavors of each dish, what we liked the best and what surprised us.

The Black Pearl owne, Michelle Mei, rolls out the dim sum cart.
Michelle Mei introduces us to Chef He who has spent 30 years working at Ceasars Palace in Vegas!

My favorites included the Lotus leaf wrapped chicken and rice.  Cassandra described it as being like a casserole and she was right.  This one took me the longest to eat because the flavors were so rich and it was so huge.  It reminded me of a Mexican tamale with the way it was wrapped and I love a good tamale.  Other favorites included the steamed shrimp dumplings – the dumpling part was almost translucent and so pretty, and the Sui Mai which were stuffed pork and shrimp.  The Sui Mai were probably the prettiest to me with the orange topping said to be crab roe however I’m not sure if that was the case with these.  (I need a return visit to investigate further!)

Lotus leaf dim sum with chicken and rice
Deliciousness inside the lotus leaf!
Sui Mai dim sum – pork and shrimp

I also loved the steamed BBQ pork buns.  I wasn’t really sure how these would taste because they looked rather doughy.  Make sure to peel the paper off the bottom before eating!  The taste of the dough was actually a little sweet which was a nice contrast to the BBQ.  The steam egg custard bun was more like a dessert and looked like a boiled egg when pulled apart with the yellow custard inside.  This dish was very light and not overly sweet which I really liked!

Steamed BBQ Pork Bun
Steamed BBQ Pork Bun
Steam egg custard bun
Inside of the steam egg custard bun
This was so delicious! Could have eaten this whole steamer full!

Now on to the more exotic dishes…the tripe was interesting.  My dad always liked tripe but I never had any interest in trying it especially when I found out it was the intestine of an animal!  But I was here to try everything so I put a little on my plate and gave it a whirl.  It was actually more flavorful than I had expected but after one bite I was ready to go on to the next exotic item…the chicken feet!  Yikes!  They are actual chicken feet and this is quite a common dish in China we were told.  Restaurant owner Michelle Mei mentioned that Americans are typically afraid to try this dish and generally asked us why we thought that was the case.  I said I think we just can’t get over the fact that these are feet!  Funny…we don’t seem to have a problem with the chicken leg, do we?

Tripe…one of the more exotic dishes of dim sum.
Chicken feet!
Yep…looks like a real chicken foot!
Cassandra and I get ready to try the chicken feet!
Comedienne Joy was trying the chicken feet on Facebook live…
First bite on Facebook live!

While I was preparing to try the chicken feet, my friend Cassandra was doing a Facebook live post of herself about to try the chicken feet herself.  I was sitting right next to her so in her live post you can see my reaction to all this.  It definitely made the experience fun and memorable!  After she bit into her chicken foot, I did the same and surprise, surprise…it tasted like chicken!  Ha!

Coconut red bean jelly pudding with jasmine tea for dessert – I can’t believe we had room for this at the end!
Always have to get a selfie with this fun lady!

After all this food, I couldn’t believe there would be more but then out came dessert in the form of coconut red bean jelly pudding and jasmine tea.  Very light sweetness to this pudding and while you would think the coconut and red bean flavor would be overwhelming, those flavors were faint and pleasant.

The Black Pearl Asian cuisine restaurant in Homewood, AL
Steamed bean curd roll
Pork Ribs
Steamed bun

Owner Mei wants people in Birmingham to know more about dim sum, what she calls “real” Chinese food versus American Chinese food.  Dishes like sesame chicken and chop suey would fall into the American category but you won’t find these in China!  Black Pearl specializes in Sichuan style dim sum which tends to be spicy.  The restaurant’s Chef, Huanqun He, has been cooking up these delicious dishes for over 30 years and she was working at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas prior to moving to Birmingham.  Now the dim sum cart is rolled out at the Black Pearl on weekends to the delight of those who love these authentic Chinese foods.  During the week, diners can order individual baskets off of the vast menu.  It amazes me that we tried so many types of dim sum that evening and yet there are so many more left to go!  I’m thinking a weekend visit back to the Black Pearl is in order to check off the rest of the menu!

A Little Miami Fusion in the Heart of Birmingham!

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Luis Delgado, owner and operator of Miami Fusion Café in Downtown Birmingham, stands by the door that he refurbished for his new restaurant.

I lived in Puerto Rico from the ages 7-12, and while the island itself held many great memories growing up, the food always bring back so many vivid ones.  I remember going to our church fair and looking forward to getting bacalaitos – cod-fish fritters.  I recently had one in Birmingham and it took me directly back to the church fair when I was 9 years old.  Amazing how food can do that to you.

When I met Luis Delgado, he had his business – Miami Café – operating out of gas station in Alabaster.  I remember going to visit him with my friend, Luis Fernandez to talk to him about participating in Fiesta – Alabama’s largest Hispanic cultural event, as a food vendor.  We enjoyed an amazing lunch that day and I was completely sold on his food from that moment on.

The Miami Fusion Café sign went up in March. A nice addition to the city of Birmingham backdrop!

Fast forward to this past week…Luis has been hard at work since last October, converting the old Cameo Café in downtown Birmingham into his new Miami Fusion Café location!  I’ve been following his short Facebook videos on the progress and challenges of opening a restaurant.  He’s always so honest, and puts it all out there for you to see.  I love that about him.  Many people have been anxiously awaiting the grand opening and that will finally happen on Monday, May 22nd to the delight of many – me included!  I work within walking distance of Luis’ new location and I cannot wait to try everything on his menu!

I was fortunate to be able to attend the soft opening this past Friday.  When I arrived a little after 11 a.m., there were just a few people sitting in the restaurant enjoying their food.  I was taking photos as I entered the Café so that naturally drew a little attention.  I went to the counter and Roxie was ready to take my order and make recommendations.  I thought about going for the Roasted Port  as she suggested, but I remembered seeing a photo of a sushi roll on Facebook and I thought…now THAT’S something you don’t typically see in a Caribbean style restaurant!  So I ordered the Cuban CariMaki Roll and Roxie seemed pleased with my choice!

The yellow and red colors really pop with the art deco design reminiscent of Miami night life!

While I waited for my food, I walked around the restaurant taking photos and spent some time speaking with Luis’ mother – Maria Teresa.  She took me around and showed me some of the artwork displayed in the restaurant and told me there is more to come.  We talked about the art deco style design of the restaurant and also the colors selected.  I love the gold tones of the walls and the red accents in the booth seats.  It gives the store front a tropical vibe.  Later, when Luis was out from the kitchen, he told me and a few other patrons about how he built the bars and added the art deco embellishments by hand.  He also created the new door for the store, after which he commented…”that’s why this took so long!  I did all of this by hand!”  I told him the love and care he put into this place is so evident!  Luis also talked about how he wants to make the bar I was sitting at an active one where maybe one month he is making Cuban sandwiches so people can see how it’s done and then another month serving up ice cream with tropical flavors like tamarindo and mango.  He completely had me at tamarindo…another great memory of Puerto Rico for me!

Cuban CariMaki Roll – first time I’ve had the pleasure of trying this and it was incredible! The sweet plantain on the top was an unexpected surprise flavor!

My food arrived and all I can say is – OMG!!!!  The Cuban CariMaki roll is made with Cuban palomilla steak, tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and grilled onions.   It is topped with sweet plantains which is that surprise flavor you are not expecting when you pop one of these into your mouth!  As I was eating, people were coming into the store and trying to decide what to order and many saw my plate and walked over to have a look.  I know the roasted pork plate was popular on Friday but I do believe my oohing and aahing sold quite a few CariMaki rolls too!

In addition to the main courses, like Masitas, Mofongo and Cuban sandwiches, there are a number of sides you have to try as well.  Several people ordered the tostones, which are green plantains that have been flattened and double fried until they are golden brown with a side of mojo sauce.  Fried Yuca sticks were another favorite – also described as a Caribbean style French fry.  And don’t forget the empanadas – fried pies with your choice of chicken or beef!  I could make a meal out of empanadas alone!

Tostones!
Yuka sticks

Finally…if you have a bit of a sweet tooth there are some great options to try.  First, the Jesus Cake – also known as Tres Leches (Three Milks) cake and Guava pastry.  You can’t go wrong with either…which is why I got both!  I watched someone say they were just going to take a few bites of the Jesus cake and before you knew it that cake was gone!  If you like creamy desserts, this is the one for you!  The guava pastry is one of those foods that takes me back to Puerto Rico.  Very flaky crust with just a hint of sweetness.  Great with Cuban coffee!

Jesus Cake aka Tres Leches cake
Guava pastry

I always love the tidbits of information you get at events like this too.  Luis talked about searching for a man named Fernando who makes the Cuban bread for him.  Fernando was doing other work but when he came to the restaurant it was clear he missed making bread and came on board.  Bread is a huge factor in making Cuban sandwiches!  My next meal at Miami Fusion Café will be a Cuban sandwich…I already know it!  Luis also has big plans for the upstairs of the restaurant with catering and events.  His mind is always twirling with ideas!

After taking a few more photos of the foods leaving the kitchen and talking to a few more patrons, it was time for me to go.  I talked again to Roxie,  who brought me a large bag so I could take my Jesus Cake and guava dessert home.  She said she looked forward to seeing me for lunch on Monday with my husband.  I told her I couldn’t wait to come back often!  We joked how I had camped out at the bar area while I was there.  I told her I didn’t want to leave and that I needed a plaque with my name claiming that spot as my own!   She replied, “well, you’re family when you come in…we want you to stay!”

Roxie poses with the Jesus Cake!
Luis Delgado and his beautifful mother – Maria Teresa

This was the perfect way for me to leave Miami Fusion Café on Friday.  I felt like family the minute I walked into the restaurant.  I know you will too, so please do yourself a favor and go by if you are in Birmingham.  Luis and his staff are anxious to serve you!

P.S.  On Saturday morning, Luis and his wife, Samantha, added to their lovely family with the birth of a daughter!  Quite a big week for the Delgado family…the restaurant opening and now a new baby!  Congratulations to Luis and Samantha and best wishes for great success with Miami Fusion Café!

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HICA’s Annual Tamale Sale is BACK!

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HICA Tamales go on sale Thanksgiving Day!

HICA Tamales go on sale Thanksgiving Day!

I know it’s Thanksgiving Day and you are all probably up to your eyeballs in turkey and dressing…BUT…give some thought to Mexican food too because today is the beginning of the 13th Annual HICA Tamale Sale!!!!!

If you live in the Birmingham area and love tamales, you don’t want to miss out on this fundraiser benefiting the programs of the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama  – HICA.  The sale runs through December 11th and orders are taken online with pick up date on December 16th at the HICA offices.  If you work with a Tamale Captain, you may be able to get them delivered to you.  All this information is on the HICA website so be sure to check it out today and place your order.  Flavors include chicken with green sauce, pork with red sauce and MY favorite, cheese and pepper tamales.

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Tamales have become a tradition for many non-Hispanic people in Birmingham over the years of our sale.  It’s definitely a tradition with Mexican families, mine included!  Friends and family get together to have a tamalada (where you make the tamales) and then after they are all made – dozens and dozens – you eat them together!  Tamales are fairly labor intensive to make so they aren’t necessarily made on a regular basis.  Christmas is one of those special times when they are made and we’ve shared this information with the people who return every year to buy tamales from HICA.  They come back and share their stories of eating Christmas tamales with their own families along with salsa and other fixings!  It’s so fun to hear the stories every year during pick up day.  We may try to record a few this year!

Me and Isabel Rubio after filming our tamale sale video this year in he kitchen.

Me and Isabel Rubio after filming our tamale sale video this year in he kitchen.

This year, HICA’s Executive Director, Isabel Rubio and I made an English video that will run beginning Thanksgiving day.  HICA Staff members, Monica Black and Cindy Garcia were on hand to make a Spanish video to run as well.  We gathered in Isabel’s kitchen to made the videos a few weeks ago with Latino News.  And the best part?  We got to eat the tamales afterward!  YUM!!!

Cindy Garcia, Isabel Rubio, me and Monica Black after the tamale videos wrapped up - thanks to Latino News for filming!

Cindy Garcia, Isabel Rubio, me and Monica Black after the tamale videos wrapped up – thanks to Latino News for filming!

Being a part of the HICA Tamale Sale is one of my favorite things to do each year as a board member!  If you’ve never tried our tamales before, I encourage you to give them a try this year.  They are simply the best and hopefully this will be the beginning of a new holiday tradition for you and your family!

Fiesta 2016 – Some of my Favorite Photos

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Drummer for Los Canarios on the Fiesta Coca Cola Main Stage

We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day!  The sky was blue and the temperature reached the low 80s and the sun made itself known throughout the day.  After the constant drizzle of the previous year, this was so welcomed to the Fiesta board, volunteers and especially the patrons!

Approximately 14,000 people made their way to Linn Park in downtown Birmingham for the 14th annual Fiesta event on Saturday, September 24.  My favorite things to do every single year is to walk the park, visiting all the booths and meeting and greeting all the nonprofits, businesses and vendors who come to be a part of this incredible event.  I take their photos, welcome the new folks and catch up with old friends along the way.

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A little girl wearing a traditional Mexican dress gets her nails painted in the Family Village.

One of the highlights of this years event was the competition between countries in the Cultural Village – the heart of Fiesta.  A group of judges went through – anonymously – and voted on the best country booth based on presentation and creativity.   This year the Mexico won the competition and took home $500!  Next year, the stakes will be even higher as the best country booth will walk away with $1,000!

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A collage of photos from past Fiestas adorned the Mexico booth in the Cultural Village. The Mexico booth won the first ever competition of Cultural Village country booths!

By the way…next year will be Fiesta’s 15th year anniversary – our quinceanera…and we have big things planned for this milestone!  Mark your calendars for Saturday, September 30, 2017, for Fiesta 2017 and stay tuned for an event packed year leading up to this great event!

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Mark your calendar for Fiesta 2017!!!!!

Meanwhile…please enjoy some of my favorite photos from this year’s Fiesta!

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