TrippyFood.com

"The Gastro and Petrol Report"

Writing and enjoying a Gateway of India beer...

Archive for October, 2009

It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing

Oct 30

Posted by val in Trippy Trips (On the road and overseas, things to see along the way), USA | No Comments

Hebron, Nebraska
World’s Largest Porch Swing

I throw the largest swing off-balance by sitting at one endI throw the largest swing off-balance by sitting at one end

Hebron 4th of July Committee chairman Tim O’Callaghan had seen a 4-person swing in Kansas and had the brilliant idea to create one four times larger in Hebron. His intent was to have the swing ready for the 1985 Fourth of July celebration and so he asked Reinke Irrigation Company to design a 16-seater.  The swing was made from metal irrigation equipment parts, and at a cost of about $250 and with the assistance of about 50 people, the swing was erected in time for Independence Day. The swing holds 16 adults comfortably and allegedly up to 32 small children (or elves). In 1991 it was moved from its original location to the current one in Roosevelt Park. Apparently the record is a point of contention around Hebron – Guinness no longer has a category for the largest porch swing, but the point is moot since technically the swing no longer resides on a porch. When I arrived at the park there wasn’t another soul in sight, and I had to imagine 15 other people on the swing with me.

Easy to follow directions to the pride of HebronEasy to follow directions to the pride of Hebron

As long as I was in town, I decided to drive around a bit and check out the environs. At around 1 PM on a Saturday, there were only about 3 cars parked on Lincoln Avenue, the town’s main street. The street itself is fascinating – Lincoln Avenue and several of the cross streets are paved in red brick, once popular late in the 1800s and early in the 1900s. The brick makes for a slicker driving surface but eliminated the problem of sloshing through mud, neither one an issue on the beautiful sunny day. Only two buildings had some semblance of being historic, both across the street from each other on the corners of 4th Street and Lincoln Ave. Only one (the Brand X Saloon) appeared to be open, and there was little activity anywhere in town. The town center was once lined with historic buildings but a 1953 tornado devastated the town, destroying much of the older structures. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , ,

They’re So Light and Fluffy White, We’ll Make a Fortune Overnight…

Oct 28

Posted by val in Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna), USA | 5 Comments

Solvang, Callifornia

Danish Pancakes (Paula’s Pancake House)

Danish PancakesThe lowly pancake, elevated to breakfast of the gods

I know, never heard of Danish pancakes, right? Well up until recently you were in good company, as neither did I. On Mission Drive in Solvang, California, Paula’s Pancake House (no, not House of Pancakes) is a restaurant that appears to be devoted to the shy and seldom seen Danish pancake. A look at the their menu tells you that they’ve jumped on the American fare bandwagon – I’d be embarrassed to be caught publicly ordering a Spanish omelet is Solvang, but if that’s your cup of tea, you can do so at Paula’s. Those of you who know me (and that number is probably a high 6 or 7) know that I can’t go into an eatery and order something normal humans eat – I have a predisposition to find the most unusual thing on the menu. We had a party of 8, and most of our party ordered burgers, sandwiches and soup, but I had to find out what the hoopla was about Danish pancakes. These can be ordered in a variety ways, mostly layered with a variety of fruit. My eyes lit up when I saw that the special was the pancakes “stuffed” with Danish sausage, and I knew that I must have them.

Although I had no preconceived idea of what form this delight would take, I have to admit it was not at all what I expected. The plate arrived with two pancakes, both the size of the large plate. They were thinner than the warm, cozy monsters you get at a traditional pancake house, but not as thin as crepes.

Danish PancakesPaulas Pancake House, from Denmark with love

Lifting it’s skirt with a fork, I found diced Danish sausage liberally spread across the area between the two, and the same tossed about the landscape on top. What surprised me the most was that there was a light dusting of powdered sugar on top. The pancakes were light and every bit as tasty as they looked, and each bite was perfectly complemented by the mild taste of the pork sausage. I have to admit, the powdered sugar threw my taste buds off kilter – it added a devious sweet undertone to the dish that I think could would have been delicious without. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: , , , , , ,

Have Yourself a Ball

Oct 26

Posted by val in Trippy Trips (On the road and overseas, things to see along the way), USA | 2 Comments

Cawker City, Kansas

World’s Largest Ball of Twine

Does Cawker City really need a sign announcing the World's Largest Ball of Twine?Is there some other reason to visit Cawker City?

One man’s punch line is another man’s Holy Grail (Jesus’ wine cup, not the Monty Python film). The World’s Largest Ball of Twine has long been a comical movie reference, as in National Lampoon’s Vacation (“Perhaps you don’t want to see the second largest ball of twine on the face of the earth, which is only four short hours away?”) and Michael (“I’ll get to see the world’s largest ball of twine.”), but as art often imitates life, such a behemoth actually exists. My pilgrimage took me to Cawker City, Kansas, and I call it a pilgrimage because it’s not easy to get to – you have to really want to see the largest ball of twine in the world. Since I planned to see all the other superlative sites in America’s heartland, I flew into Omaha, Nebraska and rented a car for the drive, ironically four short hours away.

Beautiful downtown Cawker CityBeautiful downtown Cawker City

Once you get out of Lincoln, Nebraska, you’re greeted with a relatively flat landscape comprised mostly of farms (corn and sunflowers being the most popular crops). Unlike The Thing on Interstate 10 in Arizona, you aren’t greeted with dozens of billboards leading up to it – you need directions, and they had better be accurate. Prior to my trip, I had called the city offices of Cawker City to get the details (What are the viewing hours? Is there an admission charge? Can I add twine to the ball? Do I need professional help?) and was told that the ball is in an open gazebo in the center of town, viewable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. As far as whether adding twine was permitted, they gave me the phone number of Linda Clover (the ball’s caretaker) and suggested I contact her. I called and left a message, but didn’t receive a call back, and so I planned to stand in its majesty instead.

The world's largest ball of twine, dressed up for HalloweenThe world's largest ball of twine, dressed up for Halloween

As US 24 turns into Wisconsin Street in Cawker City, the excitement starts. The downtown area is about a solid block long, and most of the buildings appeared to be unoccupied. Just past Lake Drive at the end of the block on the left stands a red metal gazebo that I drove past before realizing that this was my destination, the reason for my journey. I banged a yooey (as they say in Boston) and turned onto Lake Drive to park the car. As I parked and took out my camera and tripod, two women approached slowly in a sedan and gradually stopped beside my car. I was preparing for a Midwestern drive-by when the driver leaned out the window and asked, “Would you like to add twine to the ball?”

Dali's "The Persistence of Memory" aka "The Persistence of Twine" (in red circle)Dali's "The Persistence of Memory" aka "The Persistence of Twine" (in red circle)

In any other city in America, this would result in me hopping in the car and speeding away as quickly as possible, but to me it sounded like, “Would you like to add a brick to the Great Wall of China” or “Would you like to help paint the Taj Majal?” It turns out that the driver was Linda Clover herself, and as I fell to the ground and started speaking in tongues, she asked if I was the person that left a message on the phone. She introduced herself as “The Belle of The Ball” and handed me a pre-measured spool of sisal twine, careful to note exactly how much was added. She gave me the details of the ball’s dimensions, but I knew that if everyone who comes to see it “winds twine”, the dimensions are a moving target – just know that it is over 40 feet around and close to 9 tons; unraveled, the twine would reach to Boston.

Note the stark realism of the historic card game determining Cawker City's nameNote the stark realism of the historic card game determining Cawker City's name

The ball was started by local farmer Frank Stoeber in 1953, and later donated to the town, which has been overseeing the upkeep and growth of the ball ever since. Linda let me know that the small store across the street sold souvenirs, and so I walked over cautiously, taking care not to be hit by the non-existent traffic. A sign on the door said to ring the upstairs bell if the shop was closed, but the proprietor was behind the counter. She explained to me that in addition to the antiques, she designed and created all the souvenirs (which ranged from “Twine Winder” T-shirts to salt and pepper shakers made to look like the ball). She suggested as long as I was in town I should see the Masterpiece Twine Walk (which consisted of recreations of famous paintings in the largely empty shop windows on both sides of the main block, featuring a twine ball somewhere in the picture). At the end, an empty store front had a diorama set up using bearded female mannequins depicting the legendary card game in which E. H. Cawker and three friends played a game of poker with the winner earning the right to name the town.

I can’t suggest you drop everything and book a trip to Cawker City, Kansas, but if you find yourself in the region it is worth the trip, if for no other reason to be able to say (the next time someone jokes about the world’s largest ball of twine), “Yeah, that’s in Cawker City, Kansas. Been there. Done that. What’s next?”

World’s Largest Ball of Twine
Wisconsin St.
Cawker City, Kansas 67430
GPS coordinates: 39°30′32.85″N 98°26′06.76″W

VIDEO: Watch Val wind twine on the world’s largest ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas:

GPS coordinates: 39°30′32.85″N 98°26′06.76″W

Tags: , , , , ,

Don’t Fear the Pin Xe Lua

Oct 25

Posted by val in Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna), USA | 5 Comments

Westminster, California

Bull Penis Soup (Pho Nguyen Hue)

Pho Nguyen HueThere is nothing like the smell of bull penis soup the first thing in the morning.

On those brisk fall days when you think to yourself, “A nice bowl of bull penis soup would be good right about now,” you need look no further than Westminster, California. Since the calf-making part of the ox (as I’ve learned is the proper name for the animal we call “cow”, regardless of sex) was one of the few I had not tried, I decided to find out for myself what I was missing.

Unless you decide you want to risk grandma walking in and having a heart attack while you concoct this brew on the stove, start entry level at a Vietnamese restaurant. The section of Westminster called “Little Saigon” seemed like the logical place to start, but which restaurant? Most food adventurers and local reviews pointed to a single place – Pho Nguyen Hue. The restaurant itself is in an unassuming storefront with plain round tables and metal chairs, with not much in the way of decoration, more closely resembling a VFW hall than a restaurant. The first thing I notice is that I’m the only Caucasian in the place, walking in like the Delta seniors into the roadhouse on “Animal House”. Generally, I view this as a good sign.

Pho Nguyen Hue in Westminster CAPho Nguyen Hue in Westminster CA

I was told to sit anywhere I liked and was presented with a menu. The recommended dish is Pho Pin Xe Lua (which I had written on a piece of paper), but I couldn’t find it on the menu. I showed the waiter the paper and asked if he had Pin Xe Lua and was told he would give me an embellished “number 12″ (possibly another good sign when ordering bull penis soup). The #12 phở normally comes with beef tendon, rare flank steak and beef tripe, but my special order included the bull’s personality. He asked if I wanted anything else, but my imagination can’t envision what would go with that.

A short while later the waiter returned with a hot, steaming bowl of bull parts and noodles. A bad pho can ruin a virgin food experience, but the broth smelled wonderful, the meat was cooked to perfection and the noodles weren’t under or over cooked. I worked my way into it, trying some noodles, the other cuts of beef and thought that the number 12 would be good on its own. But business is business and it was time to address the bull penis (“Hello, Mr. Bull Penis!”). The first thing I noticed was that the various pieces had varying textures (you didn’t think they were going to bring a bowl of soup with a Tower of Pisa sticking out of it, did you?) Some bits were crunchy and chewy, much like the white cartilage you find between joints on a chicken leg; other pieces were fatty and dissolved with very little effort. Neither had much flavor on their own, but seemed to borrow it from the other ingredients in the bowl.

Was it good? Well, I finished the bowl. Would I go out of my way to have it again? Let’s just say I’m not warming up the car any time in the foreseeable future. Would I have it again if I find myself in the appropriate situation? You bet. As Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser sang (with the bull’s cow bell ringing in his ear), “Don’t fear the Pin Xe Lua…”

Pho Nguyen Hue
10487 Bolsa Ave
Westminster, CA 92683
GPS coordinates: 33°44’44.02″N 117°56’48.43″W

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Got Silk?

Oct 24

Posted by val in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

San Diego, California
Beondegi (Silkworms)

Silkworm pupae (beondegi) in the frying panSilkworm pupae (beondegi) in the frying pan

I was discussing insects as food online one day with friend and fellow foodie Dale, who asked if I had ever tried silkworms. Since the answer was “No” (I would have remembered that), he told me that he had enjoyed them at Min Sok Chon, a Korean restaurant in San Diego. On my next trip to San Diego I decided to follow his suggestion and have Korean food for lunch. Imagine my dismay when I pulled up to the restaurant to find it not only closed, but CLOSED. Since I foolishly assumed that all Korean restaurants must feature this taste treat, I walked into the Korea House next door and asked the hostess if they served silkworms. She seemed unfamiliar with the word, and when I started describing it as an insect or a worm, her eyes lit up in recognition. She drew a picture on a scrap of paper that looked like a fat maggot and asked if that’s what I was looking for; since I had never seen a silkworm, I nodded to confirm. I figured that even if I was wrong, I was looking at sampling some kind of worm-like creature. Sadly, she said that they didn’t serve them there, but suggested the Korean grocery across the street and told me to ask for beondegi. I was having some difficulty with the pronunciation, so she wrote the name in Korean on the piece of paper.

Enjoying beondegi and kimchi

I drove across the street to the First Korean Market and made a bee-line to the meat counter, showing the butcher the piece of paper. He walked me up one of the aisles to a stack of small cans that he identified as the silkworms I had been looking for. He must have seen the doubt in my eyes, since the sign below the stack of cans identified it as “fish food.” He assured me that this was the Holy Grail I sought, and that they were delicious heated up in a frying pan. At about $1.50 a can, I bought two; since the minimum purchase was $10 I also picked up some kimchi and mixed rice crackers with whole dried anchovies. My confusion was in no way lessened when I looked at the receipt that listed the silkworms as “bird feed.”

As I later found out, beondegi are not silkworms. Silkworms are the larvae stage of a moth in a form we normally refer to as a caterpillar. Before turning into a moth, the silkworm wraps itself into a silk cocoon and changes form again, this time as a pupa; this is what is eaten as beondegi. The practice comes from the collection of the silk – the cocoon is boiled in water, then unraveled and spooled. In factories where this was done, the cooked pupa provided a quick snack with no break required. I was a bit taken aback when I opened the can, as the pupa looked like puffy, flat cockroach abdomens, but I had an emotional investment in seeing this meal through to completion. I dumped them in a frying pan with some olive oil and stir-fried them until they darkened up. Served with the kimchi, they were surprisingly tasty – meaty, chewy and rich adding a nice texture to the meal. A word of caution – if you decide to stir fry them, keep in mind that they are packed in water, and even after draining them, when the water hits the oil they jump out of the pan like popcorn.

Eating beondegi au naturel - heat and eat

I brought the second can into the office, since no unusual food substance should go unshared with the unsuspecting public, and was told by several Korean co-workers that I had prepared them incorrectly. I quickly blamed the butcher’s instructions, but apparently it wasn’t too heinous a crime; a quick heating in the microwave (in a bowl, of course) was all that is required to enjoy them Korean-style. I tried the first spoonful and had to admit that the taste was vastly different than the pan fried variety. Since these critters stuff themselves stupid with leaves (normally from the mulberry tree) before hibernating for their moth debut, that is exactly what they taste like – a little meat sac filled with leaves. The taste isn’t disgusting, but there are only a certain amount of leathery wet leaves you can chew on before it gets old – folks who chew tobacco may have a different opinion. After letting whoever wanted to sample them try a spoonful, I decided that whether or not it’s traditional, the only way I’m eating these again is fried.

First Korean Market
4625 Convoy Street
San Diego, California 92111
GPS coordinates: 32°49’27.17″N 117° 9’15.95″W

Tags: , , , , , , ,