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Tag Archives: Tacos

A Few Favorite Tacos from Taqueando, and where to find them

6 / 18 / 196 / 18 / 19

I mostly avoid food festivals these days (long lines, hungry people, ugh) but a festival called Taqueando? Of course I was there. The all-you-can-eat taco festival featuring chefs and taqueros mostly from Southern California and Mexico is Bill Esparza’s reincarnation of Tacolandia, the former LA Weekly-sponsored festival (now independently funded because LA Weekly is owned by conservative a-holes). Despite my food festival kvetching, this festival illustrated perfectly why these types of events can be so important to cities. Especially in LA, where it’s a challenge to get from one end of town to the other, Taqueando was an opportunity to taste food from all over the city. Eaters got to try tacos they may have been lusting after in their IG feeds, and they got to try tacos from places they probably haven’t heard of. And while I think folks were excited to sample from places just over the border like La Guerrerense, Corazon de Tierra, and Tras Horizonte, I’d bet it was also an educational experience for people who haven’t traveled south yet. The vendors seemed genuinely happy to be there too.

Also, the festival was nicely managed, with the lines not too long and lots of aguas and mineral water to wash down the masa and meat. Not to be like “I’m an event producer so I know things,” but I am an event producer and I noticed that clearly the tickets were capped out of consideration for the guests and the vendors— they could have sold way more tickets. Don’t miss it next year if you like tacos (and if not, why are the heck are you here?)

A few of my favorite bites from stands in the area that you might not know about:

Poncho’s Tlayudas

A classic Oaxacan snack, tlayudas are thin and crispy tortillas that typically host asiento (lard) beans, cheese, lettuce, tomato and meat on top like a pizza, or folded and crisped up on a grill or comal. Not all tlayudas are created equally though, sometimes they are too dry, or overly loaded with one ingredient (like so cheesy you can’t untangle your mouth from the quesillo). I’ve been meaning to get to Poncho’s stand on Friday nights where they offer homemade moronga (blood sausage) and heirloom corn tlayudas from Oaxaca. It did not disappoint, with a healthy amount of juicy cabbage and salsa to balance the smokey masa and richness of the moronga served on the side. Next to the stand, Odilia, Poncho’s partner hosted a booth for Frente Indígena de Organizaciones Binacionales, a community-based org and coalition of indigenous organizations, communities, and individuals settled in Oaxaca and California. She gave me a cookbook by indigenous Oaxacan women living in LA, so I walked away extra juiced from these two stands.

Dos Tierras

I was delighted to see this crew from San Diego, who I had the pleasure of collaborating with for my event Mexico in a Bottle in Barrio Logan. There’s a lot that’s cool about them. Their dope logo is a start, but also they serve vegan, vegetarian and meat tacos. Often I find with vegan food that the positioning is anti-meat versus pro-veggie— and you can taste it in the boring soyrizo tacos. I’d always rather have an original like their enoki adovation: enoki mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli marinated in pineapple vinegar and guajillo chiles. BBQ flavors mingled with a layer of beans, topped with tangy curtido and a pleasant habanero beat salsa, plus cotija and fried onions for a little crunch. Their slightly thicker handmade tortillas are great too. Check them out at pop-ups in southern california.

La Huesuda Tacos

Slow braised pork ribs in grilled guajillo and BBQ sauce with chile de arbol pepper aioli and pineapple won me over here. Apparently I’m diggin interesting takes on BBQ flavors these days. Check them out as they pop-up around town.

Some of my other favorites from places that have more fama:

La Embajada

I know cauliflower has long been the new kale, but it was struttin yesterday with a number from Guerrilla Tacos and a fish taco riff from this restaurant in Monterrey, Mx. The battered and golden cauliflower was crispy and airy, cut by a burnt salsa macha with pickled onions.

Corazon De Tierra

Chef Diego Hernández represented his beautiful restaurant in Valle de Guadalupe with a striped bass taco from Todos Santos.

Breddos

I didn’t spot too many insects at the festival, but this London-based restaurant made up for it with a fat and crunchy chicatana on top of a cured rockfish and nectarine tostada.

Broken Spanish

Pork prensado with hibiscus pickled onions— as vibrant as it looked.

Sonoratown (pictured at top)

I had about 15 tacos by this point, but who can turn down a freshly made flour tortilla, the smell of mesquite, or a luscious guacamole splat? Not I.

Chichen Itza

Yucatan represented by none other than the poc chuc taco with two types of habanero salsa to sample. I have been missing Yucatan but a trip here might help with that.

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Five Places to Eat and Drink in San Diego

1 / 24 / 188 / 22 / 19


The first time I went to San Diego I got stuck in traffic for hours. Like, way more hours than we thought. So long that I didn’t even chuckle at my first glance of the nuclear tits (power plant domes that resemble a bosom on the I-5). We had some mediocre fish tacos when we got there. My bestie was pregnant so she couldn’t even order a stiff drink. It was a bummer.

Since then I have been back mostly for family visits, but recently went to do some eating and drinking reconnaissance for an upcoming event I’m helping to produce. I was armed with recommendations and optimism, and they did not fail me. The drive was smooth, the tacos memorable in the right way, and the hot dogs came out of a lowrider. Read on for details.

Galaxy Taco

I first tried a Galaxy Taco at Tacolandia, and I remember the savory carnitas and blue corn tortilla like it was yesterday. This time the grilled avocado was seared in my memory (see what I did there?) A half of an avocado covered in elotes (corn, chipotle, cotija, and garlic), over black bean puree in a soft, freshly made blue tortilla.

Come thirsty too, there’s a corn beer made just for Galaxy by Benchmark Brewing with non-GMO corn and a tamarind michelada. We also sampled a delightfully balanced mezcal cocktail with Ancho Reyes Verde, a housemade pineapple syrup and poblano chile. The space is dynamic with a partial patio housed under papel picado and bright green walls, a purple and red corn mural on one wall, and scribbles from guests all over the far wall.

Barrio Dogg

In a celebration of the lowrider culture in Southern California, Cruizin Lowrider Galeria hosts a dope collection of photographs, multimedia and a tire-made sink in Barrio Logan. Right outside, Barrio Dogg’s cleverly designed cherry red lowrider hot dog stand offers an array of gourmet dogs and salsas that are not playin around.

My favorite was the Samurai: an angus dog, drizzled with hoisen BBQ, topped with pickled jicama, cucumber, and carrot, plus siracha with jalapeño, cilantro, crunchy garlic and wasabi sesame seeds. Add some of the guayaba salsa or carrot habanero for an extra kick. Don’t let the enamoring name or the beet-purple color fool you: purple rain will light your tongue up with the number of chiles in it. Keeping with the theme of chicano comfort food, you can also get a bowl of sopa de fideo, a creamy tomato based noodle soup I can never resist. Outside seating only, dogs range from $5 to $8.

Barrio Logan is a historically Mexican-American and Chicano neighborhood with a history of activism and fighting gentrification. On this block you’ll find a number of awesome businesses and galleries (a few more listed here) owned by longtime residents that cater to the community and just down the road you can explore Chicano Park, which was recently named a National Historic Landmark.

Por Vida

Just like patches or enamel pins on a backpack, the stickers on a register can say a lot about who’s behind it. I already liked the decorated tin lanterns and the soundtrack, but when I saw the Michelle 2020 and pink concha sticker on the register, I was wishing there was a neighborhood cafe like this in my LA and Oakland neighborhoods. Part gallery and store, the cafe hosts events and has a sweet selection of branded mugs, growlers, shirts and more. Coffee is locally roasted and a blend of organic beans from Latin America. With white walls, a bar facing the street-side open windows, and picnic tables the space at Por Vida is airy and welcoming. Come here for the canela & brown sugar latte and regular events and gallery openings.

Border x Brewing

Wash the doggs down with a beer at the neighborhood brewery with craft beers inspired by Mexican flavors. There’s a big patio, live music, tacos and a killer horchata golden stout.

Cantina Mayahuel

For all things agave in San Diego, Cantina Mayahuel is the spot. With hundreds of tequilas and mezcals, no doubt you’ll be content sipping on something. The cocktail here is the margarita, made with orange nectar, orange liqueur and lime. The vibe here reminds me of a small mezcal bar in a lake town in Michoacan, Mexico— dark and unpretentious with carved wood mermans watching me from the wall. There’s a food menu here with daily specials, but I was taco-ed out so I had a ceasar salad which was a bit overdressed for me, but otherwise good flavors. The one thing that I noticed traveling outside of the Bay Area is that when you order a salad you don’t have to split three beets and a leaf of frisee between two people, you actually get some value— even a full meal if you’re like me and love vegetables. Happy hour is 12-6 pm, Tuesday- Friday with $5 drink specials.

Side note: a few of these businesses will be at Mexico in a Bottle, which I’m helping to produce, on March 11th in San Diego!

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Hi! I'm Ferron Salniker. Storyteller, consultant, and tour guide.

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This date last year was the first day of our @mezc This date last year was the first day of our @mezcalistas Michoacán tour with a bunch of friends in the industry from across the country.  We drank snake mezcal and ate carnitas and followed the light up the hills for inaquidens agaves. How things have changed for all of us. Putting tour dates on the calendar for the end of 2021 makes me feel hopeful (stay tuned!) In the meantime, sipping my copita pretending like it’s from the still and scrolling through the memories captured by @renecervantes. 
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#michoacan #travelgram #instatravel #traveldeeper #travelmexico #pasionxmexico #tasteintravel #livecolorfully #instacolor #igtravel #whereitravel #mezcal #mezcaltour #mezcalovers
Taiwanese breakfast today is daikon cakes, dan bin Taiwanese breakfast today is daikon cakes, dan bing, fan tuan with purple sticky rice, red bean mochi with osmanthus, Taiwanese breakfast sandwich, and dou hua with ginger syrup. Remember to support your local restaurants & makers if you can this weekend and always❤️
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#picnicbreakfast #brunch #picnic  #feedyoursoul #tasteintravel #foodphotography #foodwriter #instafood #taiwanesefood #shopsmall
🌊Family day🌊 🌊Family day🌊
Doin so much social media consulting these days I Doin so much social media consulting these days I get exhausted by the screen and don’t really get on my own gram. Plus this quarantine is an emotional roller coaster and I’m setting hella boundaries on and off the screen so I can stay grounded and grateful. But then I miss seeing all my friends’ work and all the art & activism & community that everyone is making happen. So hi friends, keep at it, also here is one of my favorite quarantine creations - an agave bandanna from @tuyo_nyc 🖤🤍⚡️
When missing breakfast in Istanbul🌹 . . . . . # When missing breakfast in Istanbul🌹
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#turkishbreakfast #brunch #picnic  #feedyoursoul #tasteintravel #foodphotography #foodwriter #instafood
New article up on Life & Thyme as part of a series New article up on Life & Thyme as part of a series on institutional racism and agriculture, link in bio • repost @lifeandthyme "Most of the country’s 2.5 million farmworkers are of Mexican descent, and at least half are undocumented. Wages are generally low; in 2019 farmworkers earned less than what workers with the lowest levels of education in the U.S. labor market earned. They typically endure long hours, face occupational health and safety hazards, lack health coverage, reside in crowded housing, and many of them live below the federal poverty guidelines. At least six percent of farmworkers identify as Indigenous, and for those without English or Spanish fluency, accessing medical care or information can be even more difficult. And while immigrant farmworkers are some of the most vulnerable to Covid-19 due to these circumstances, they have been deemed essential workers. ⠀
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This inequity of including people in an economy for their labor and skills and yet excluding their humanity in narrative and policies is part of maintaining racial and economic power structures—and the nation’s food system was built on it." -- L&T Contributor @ferronlandia⠀
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Today on Life & Thyme, Ferron Salniker explores how a history of immigration, trade and discriminatory economic policies have made U.S. farms dependent on exploitable labor mostly by Latinx immigrants. Read, "How Immigration and Trade Policy Have Shaped U.S. Agriculture" at the link in our bio.⠀
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#lifeandthyme
Been resisting social media, submitting to water a Been resisting social media, submitting to water and California. Plumas County to Topanga Beach this week 🐬🌊
New piece up on the women behind the Black Chef Mo New piece up on the women behind the Black Chef Movement, who are fueling protesters in NY. Repost from @lifeandthyme: 

“McCallum and Davis are responding to a singular moment in history, facing the combined hardships of an economic crisis, increased hunger, the Covid-19 pandemic, and swelling protests across the country demanding transformation of our political and economic systems. Black Chef Movement is meeting the needs of this moment in its own way, continuing a tradition of Black activists showing up to nourish communities while organizing for liberation.” — L&T Correspondent @ferronlandia
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Honoring a historic tradition, New York chefs Kayla Davis and Rasheeda McCallum founded the @blackchefmovement to feed and fuel a movement. Read the full story at the link in our profile.
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Photos by L&T Photographer @jonvachon
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#lifeandthyme #blacklivesmatter #nyc #ny
Tres Colibrí is a cooperative owned by eight fam Tres Colibrí is a cooperative owned by eight families who make mezcal with agaves endemic to the two regions they are located in, Chontal and Sola de Vega, Oax. The pandemic has been messing with them hard- while permanently moving out of her bodega in Oaxaca, the founder maestra @sosimaoliveraaguilar’s truck was stolen! I love this project, their sustainability practices and their brand of mezcal, @fanekantsini. I wrote more about them on @mezcalistas (link in bio),
if you want to support you can buy some mezcal in advance to pick up later in Mexico (info in the article). 
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#mezcal #mezcallover #agave #agavelover #mezcalartesanal #oaxaca #oaxacamexico #cooperative #mezcalera
‪Hey friends, the origin of this social media ch ‪Hey friends, the origin of this social media challenge comes from Turkish women standing in solidarity with women lost to femicide, whose photos are often shown on Turkish outlets in B&W.‬

‪Femicide has long been a problem in Turkey, and has increased in the past years, with the pandemic adding an additional outburst of violence. ‬

‪Posting in solidarity with our Turkish sisters, please swipe to learn more and see how you can support women in Turkey. For my friends here, whether you post a pic or not, I see you and I love you for being in the daily fight against white supremacy and the patriarchy. Info slides from @auturkishculturalclub, please share their posts, not mine. 

‪#kadınaşiddetehayır‬
‪#istanbulsözleşmesiyaşatır‬
‪#challengeaccepted‬
‪#womensupportingwomen‬
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