Kitchen Chick

Taqueria La Loma

NOTE:  (20 July 2008) We've had a report that this restaurant is having quality problems.  We haven't been able to get there yet ourselves to confirm this.  In the meantime, proceed with caution. -- Joe

Once, it was nearly impossible to find good Mexican and Central American food in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area.  Now there are several great places to choose from.  Taqueria La Loma in Ypsilanti is one of our favorites.

La Loma is a hard restaurant to miss.  Painted neon yellow and orange, the building really stands out along the residential-commercial mix of buildings along Michigan Ave near Mansfield.  The inside is as cheery as the outside, with lots of red, purple, and green.  A TV mounted in one corner plays Spanish-language television shows for the benefit of the large Spanish-speaking segment of the clientele.

La Loma offers the standard taqueria repetroire -- tacos, flautas, burritos, enchiladas, etc. -- all done quite well.  We've particularly enjoyed their tacos al pastor (pork marinated in adobo and spices, usually stacked on a big rotating spit and sliced off -- explanation here).  You can get items a la carte or served with full meals (with rice and beans) or combo platters.

One atypical item: wonderful pupusas, a specialty from El Salvador.  Pupusas are only listed on the menu as a part of a full meal, but if you ask you can get them a la carte for the (as of this writing) fabulous price of $2 per pupusa.

Pupusas at La Loma

Horchata de arroz (a Mexican rice drink flavored with cinnamon and almonds) is probably our favorite Mexican beverage, but be warned (in a happy way):  the large horchata at La Loma is not only delicious but also muy grande.

Souffle Redux: Welcome visitors from cbsnews.com

What a surprise to discover that I've been quoted in an article on cbsnews.com (the Soufflé article from CBS News "The Early Show").  Wow!

A warm welcome to my new visitors.  If you're looking for the kitchenchick.com blog post that is quoted on cbsnews.com, here's what you want to see:

1) Original Kitchenchick.com Soufflé blog post

2) Two-tone soufflé that I created for the "Is My Blog Burning" #20 challenge

Of course what makes an "Is My Blog Burning" event so wonderful is all of the people around the world who share their experiences and recipes, so if you're interested in souffles you won't want to miss...

3) Savory Soufflé write-ups

4) and the Sweet Soufflé write-ups.

Finally, www.ismyblogburning.com is the home of the "Is My Blog Burning" food blogging event.  Check it out if you're curious about the history of this international food blogging event or want to join the next IMBB challenge.

Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that I avoided for most of my life.  My main memory is of largely tasteless florets in salads.  As a kid, I thought of it as defective broccoli.

Then last a year a friend wrote about how she didn't like cauliflower until she had it roasted with olive oil and salt.  I had to try it.  And I loved it.  Now I actually crave cauliflower.  Joe thinks I've gone crazy.  I've always thought it a very pretty vegetable to start with, and it has a gorgeous texture that I think makes it fun to handle.  The slices make lovely, whimsical trees.  And now, I get to enjoy eating it too.

Roasted Cauliflower
Heat oven to -- oh, say somewhere between 350 F and 400 F.  Slice cauliflower about 1/8th to 1/4 inch thick.  Uniformity in thickness is good, as that means an even cooking time.  Toss with some olive oil and sea salt and, if you like, some freshly-ground black pepper.  Roast on a cookie sheet and bake.  At some point, flip the slices.  I find on my thin metal sheet that the cauliflower browns on the bottom side, so beware; looks can be deceiving.  Roast until it reaches the desired browness.

I have no idea how long it takes to cook.  I've never timed it.  I just check after 10-15 minutes to see if it needs flipping.  The hotter your oven, the faster it will cook.  I like a mix of crispy pieces and succulent pieces.