[Sca-cooks] Huitlacoche, was Cafe Glace: Food at the OLYMPICS

[Lilinah]

Dragon wrote:
>>  The only thing I find to be weird about corn is that huitlacoche is
>>  treated in the U.S. as a disease instead of the incredibly delicious
>>  delicacy it is.
>>
>>  (Sorry, I know I am changing the subject, but... I am serious on that).

And Selene responded:
>  It may be a delicacy, but if it's not what you were intending to grow,
>  it's just another weed.  If your contract is for corn to make masa,
>  you can't feed the children if the huitlacoche gets into the ears.
>
>  I need to try it some day, any recommendations for the SoCal area?
>  Goodness knows, if it's anywhere in the US, it's here someplace.

There's a restaurant up here in Oakland CA, El Huarache Azteca, in 
the Fruitvale district, that specializes in cuisine of the region of 
Mexico City, especially "huaraches", a large oval of masa with a 
slight rim, filled with "stuff". Some of the dishes include 
huitlacoche. That's what i ordered the first time i went there. They 
also serve lamb dishes, something i haven't seen on the menus of 
other Mexican restaurants.

I was sooooo excited to finally get to eat huitlacoche! I had been 
cooking regional Mexican dishes from Diana Kennedy's cookbooks since 
they first one was published in the 70s, and she had recipes for it, 
but i'd never seen any outside her photographs.

I had heard about this restaurant on a local PBS TV show, "Check 
Please! Bay Area", on which 3 "ordinary" people each recommend their 
favorite restaurant, and all three go to all three restaurants and 
then discuss them. It can sometimes get very heated, but it's always 
civilized. The restaurants are almost anywhere within the Bay Area, 
which covers quite a large area, and the moderator is a wine 
specialist.

The second time i was there, huitlacoche wasn't on the menu. I have 
to go back - I think the difference was between a weekend (with 
huitlacoche) and a weekday (without).

Plus there's a little place there near the Fruitvale BART (rapid 
transit) station where the owner makes hand-made ice milks from fresh 
ingredients, often in unusual flavors, such are corn.

Anyway, I didn't know huitlacoche was also available canned. I'll 
have to see if i can find some.

-- 
someone who is sometimes called Urtatim

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