BLOCHO'S TACOS

Upon hearing that I have a blog devoted to tasting tacos from around the country (and globe), people ask me where to find the best tacos -- what is my favorite?  I tend to give a complicated answer.   "It depends what you're looking for." In New York, if you want upscale Mexican with delicious tacos and kick-ass margaritas: Empellon Taqueria in the West Village. If you're looking for super standard street-style no-frills tacos,  Tehuitzingo Deli. The spot for delicious tacos but where the all-star menu item is   not  tacos: El Centro . The list and descriptors goes on. Well, when venturing to Los Angeles, it seems that everyone agrees upon one favorite: Guisado's .  Guisado's on Sunset (original is in Boyle Heights) Now I understand why.  These tacos are easily in the top 5 of all tacos I've tasted.  They win big with the tortillas.  Stone ground corn masa is turned into delectable, hearty, fresh-made torti...

Recently, I've been thinking about my digital brand and online presence.  I am Blocho's Tacos. And more. This online log of tacos and other foods and places has become an element of my identity and a go-to place to personally and publicly explore my "musings".  My identity stretches far beyond tacos.  So, is it inauthentic to use this as a forum for non-taco related things?  Do I need multiple digital outlets for my different interests? I'm still not sure. All I know is that as challenging as it is to admit, there is life beyond tacos that I've started exploring. But there will always be tacos.

Tacos. I love them. Cleanses. I love them. (Yep, I do.) Yoga. I love it. After leaving one of the best yoga classes I've taken at Om Factory - Fashion District, I checked my phone and had a message waiting from my sister.  No words.  Just a link. This link. http://greatideas.people.com/2016/01/06/taco-cleanse-yoga-poses/ I knew this would be epic.  Taco cleanse yoga poses?  There was nothing in the URL that I didn't like.  A taco cleanse may seem like the opposite of the ever popular juice cleanse, but isn't there something to be said for changing up our routines? Salivating over the idea of eating tacos post-yoga, I quickly learned about the book The Taco Cleanse  (I will be starting my cleanse on Cinco de Mayo, of course) and the hilarious Taco Yoga Poses below. From The Taco Cleanse  and http://greatideas.people.com/2016/01/06/taco-cleanse-yoga-poses/ The brilliant minds behind this cleanse and detoxifying yogic culinar...

Picture this: One man. Three tacos. Chips and guac. Coffee. ACTION! That is exactly what you'll get in this made-for-virtual-reality short film .  Danny Trejo has a taco shop in LA and you can watch him eat his eponymous tacos for three minutes.  It's fascinating. My favorite part is his amusement at the lettuce-"shelled" taco. This video made me really hungry. *This doesn't deserve an Oscar, but I still love it.

Tired of boring bagels and cream cheese for the office breakfast? What about BREAKFAST TACOS? In November, I learned about Farm 2 Tacos and am bewildered that it has taken me so long to blog about this brilliant concept.  Delivery breakfast tacos! The variety of flavors and combinations is quite astonishing -- from fillings to tortilla types -- you can really make this a crowd pleaser. I'm looking forward to: Maple Bacon Indian Eggs (what is that?) Chunky Guacamole Pure Brisket Kale Spicy Potatoes Corn tortilla. Always.  (But if you want flour, spelt, whole wheat etc, you can have that too.) 30 tacos for approximately $150 does seem a bit more expensive than the bagel and CC route, but well worth it.  Think of all the protein and veggie goodness! Hopefully I will order these soon and will review them more promptly.

Despite my inability to eat the fortune cookies that come with an order of Chinese food, I love cracking them open and reading the hilarious fortunes bestowed upon me. Every once in a while I receive a fortune that really seems to fit.  I slip that little slice of paper into my wallet and occasionally stumble upon it and am reminded of its relevance. In an effort to Marie Kondo  my life and throw out all joyless items, I was reaching for my insurance card and decided to clean out my wallet.  Why keep these pieces of paper when I can digitize  them?  So, I did. Executive Ability is prominent in your makeup. Sweet.  Fortune 500, here I come! Don't wait for your ship to come in; swim out to it. Yes. Seize life. Grab onto it. Carpe diem. Brief philosophical diatribe on fortune cookies.  Have you ever ordered one entree, one appetizer, and one side for yourself knowing that you'll have leftovers and receive 18 fortune cookies?  ...

Today is National Margarita Day*.  It's also Tuesday ergo Taco Tuesday.  What a delightful combination. I feel like I have not been OUT for tacos in ages.  So I started scoping the interwebs for the latest and greatest NYC tacos.   The Infatuation sent me to Zagat's list  of 38 delicious NY tacos (helpful tool #1) and after perusing their page, I clicked through to helpful tool #2. Best NYC Tacos By Type BY TYPE.  Brilliant.  Sometimes you're really craving that chicken taco and beef or pork won't cut it.  Alas, your problems are solved.  Have a nice life. I also like this because most taco places offer multiple types of tacos and how can you really compare a veggie taco to a fish taco?  You're right, you cannot. So, keep things consistent and launch an adventure to eat all chorizo tacos next time you plan a taco tour. Buen provecho. *Where do people come up with these?  Who makes them "official"?  Why am I so obs...

Granola is not "good for you".  I remember the pangs of disappointment and loss I felt when I learned that my high school go-to-breakfast of bowls filled with granola (a.k.a. Nature Valley Oats 'n Honey bars broken into pieces) was not the breakfast of champions.  Store bought granola is packed with sugar, not to mention all the processed grains, dried fruits etc. Being gluten-free, I have a burning desire to try everything labeled as such and so have had my fair share of unhealthy granolas -- gluten free is not a euphemism for health -- pass through my kitchen (and into my mouth). The options have increased tremendously -- Udi's, Purely Elizabeth, Bare Naked, KIND -- and if you want to find gluten free granola, there is a spectrum of choices and health qualities you can choose from. In an effort to minimize my grocery store spending and maximize the health benefits of my food but still enjoy the sweet delicious crunchy goodness of granola, I set out to make my ow...

As a kid I never ate seafood.  The smell and look of salmon, lobster, swordfish, or whatever ocean / river / fish tank dweller my mom brought home disgusted me.  I used to get bribes to taste the fish -- $1 for a bite of salmon, $5 for a lobster claw -- but nothing seemed to work.  Except mayonnaise, carrots, and celery.  I loved Bumble Bee Tuna out of a can and mixed up into the most delicious tuna salad in the world -- my mom's. With years came maturity and adventurousness and I started eating seafood.  I took the $5 bribe and realized I liked lobster claws, but not the tails.  A tuna avocado roll doused in soy sauce (now gluten-free tamari) and loaded up with pickled ginger was quite delicious. Two sticky situations led me to try shrimp and salmon* and my expected reactions -- immediate hurling -- was dwarfed by the pure enjoyment. Tuna salad will always hold a dear place in my heart at my fish-eating gateway drug.  Combining tuna salad ...

In a world of digital, the newest / latest / greatest app is always of interest to me.  When Snapchat came out a few years ago, I had a lot of questions.  Was it just for sending illicit photos? I used it primarily for sending my sister and close friends the ugliest selfies I could come up with.  I found it hilarious. I got bored and deleted the app (although my account remained active). In December, over lunch at Bluestone Lane Cafe (GO THERE IF YOU HAVE YET TO!) I whipped out my phone for the #basic #brunch #avotoast #foodporn Instagram.  I commented to my friend, Lisa, that she had not posted to Instagram in many months.  "I know...now I do everything on Snapchat." Excuse me?! Tell me more. Lisa explained to me the ins and outs of Snapchat.  I learned about stories and things disappearing in 24 hours and the chat function and filters.  This could be fun. So, I re-downloaded Snapchat and began. I'm hooked. Why do I like Snapchat...

BREAKFAST.....tacos. You don't have to tell me twice.  I believe the breakfast taco originated in Austin, Texas, and has been making moves across the U.S. for year.  The beauty of the breakfast taco is you can make it your own -- a blank corn-tortilla palette.  Like bacon? Prefer chorizo?  Pick your poison. Add it to your taco.  ENJOY. Saveur offered a recipe for a pretty standard "bacon, egg, and cheese" + avocado + potatoes.  What more do you want in a warm breakfast "sandwich"? http://www.saveur.com/breakfast-taco-recipe Go forth and breakfast taco!

"Hey Gram -- want to have dinner tomorrow night?" "Sure.  There's also a lecture on Frank Gehry's architecture at 6:30pm.  Can we go to that too?" http://www.ateliercourbet.com/frank-gehry/ Because why only have dinner when you can take each moment to learn something cool!

Bar Menu Today is Snowmaggedon / Snowpocalypse / Blizzard Jonas.  The wind is whipping, the snow is falling, and if you're not running through the drifts acting like a maniac, you're probably home cozied up with the latest Netflix series or a big bottle of red wine....probably both. I love going out at times likes these to see what others are doing.  Who is braving the storm? Who is riding the subway? How many cartons of eggs are left in the bodega? If I had to venture out for food today, choosing a place for delicious tacos would be a no-brainer.  And a cozy atmosphere? I'm surprised I'm not there already. Looking into the kitchen La Superior in Williamsburg is just that.  Open late, their mini tacos are the perfect snack and can easily be compiled into a delicious meal.  I ventured to La Superior minutes before the 2 a.m. kitchen closing and was delighted by their taco and guacamole offering.  The tinga de pollo tacos packed a punch...

For West Coast/Bay Area aficionados, the place to get delicious (and inexpensive) Mexican food is The Mission. When I said I wanted tacos (and a burrito for my non-gluten free companions), everyone suggested El Farolito.  Arriving to a line that snaked out of the small NY pizza-joint styled eatery confirmed that this was the place to eat. Standing outside in the unseasonably cold San Francisco winter weather (low 40s!), we deliberated the offerings and drooled over the menu.  Watching the guys expertly craft the steak quesadillas on the griddle was almost enough to sway my from my true calling. I opted for an al pastor and carne asada tacos.  Expertly places on double corn tortillas with onions and cilantro, these tacos were good.  Really good.  The meat was juicy and plentiful and although I went a bit overboard on the super spicy salsa (red pico de gallo looking salsa), I balance the intensity with the cooling green tomatillo/avocado (??) option....