Strawberry-Mint Agua Fresca Recipe

Strawberry-Mint Agua Fresca

 It's hot here in LA this week. If you want the perfect afternoon refreshment, make a Strawberry Mint Agua Fresca. It's quick, easy and will make you feel a lot better about the heat.

STRAWBERRY-MINT AGUA FRESCA RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Basket Strawberries
• 1 Handful Mint Leaves
• 2-4 TBSP Brown Sugar (optional)
• Pinch of Salt 
• 10-12 Cups Water



METHOD:

1. Wash and stem strawberries. Wash a small bunch of mint and pick leaves off until you have a handful of mint leaves.

2. Add Strawberries and 2 Cups water to blender. Blend for about 2 minutes until smooth.

3. Add mint leaves, salt and brown sugar. Blend for about another 30 seconds. NOTE: Brown sugar is optional. Only if your berries are a bit tart or if you like things on the sweeter side. You of course can also substitute sweeteners like regular sugar, honey or agave nectar.

4. Pour mixture into a large pitcher. Stir in 8-10 cups of water.  NOTE: You can add more water if you like it on the lighter side. You can also strain the mixture before you pour it into the pitcher. I prefer to have all the bits and pieces.

5. Serve cold over ice with mint garnish. It's also good with a squeeze of lime. It's even better with some tequila or vodka!

PROVECHO!

National Cheeseburger Day at Haché LA

Habanero Burger at Haché LA, Silver Lake

 It's amazing how much your neighborhood can change in three months. As I spent the summer in Mexico City, my barrio of Silver Lake was busy making some changes of it's own. New shops and restaurants popping up as others shutter down. One of them to close it's doors was Tarascos on Sunset Blvd. I won't lie, I won't miss it. It was replaced by a burger joint. Haché to be exact.

I was happy to hear that we have a burger place in the neighborhood. But I was also fearful it was going to be a fifteen-dollar-hipster burger. On this glorious American holiday known as National Cheeseburger Day, I found out that I was wrong.

Haché is a welcome addition to the restaurants in Silver Lake. In fact, it's just what we needed. A non-pretentious environment with affordable food (and craft beer too). Burgers come in around the $6-$7 dollar range starting with their Karma Burger. It's a burger with all the standards with a patty that's not so standard. The patties that fill the burgers at Haché are made in-house daily from ground Angus sirloin and seasoned on the outside like you would your sirloin steak.

One of the lovely workers rockin' one of my banana stickers on her hat.

They offer a few other varieties of burgers like the "Swiss Onion" with Gruyere cheese and carmelized onion. There's also the "Habanero" with a four-chile mix, garlic mayo and queso fresco. I had the Habanero and it was quite good. However it was pretty mild and I didn't really get any of that fruity habanero flavor, it was more of a jalapeño burger.

Of course there's also french fries, strawberry basil lemonade and a very friendly staff. So grab a burger and brew at Haché sit outside on the patio and enjoy friends and music.

I'm Going Bananas for My New Business Cards

Business Cards designed by Xhico

As you may know, I'm not only a foodie, but I'm also a artist, graphic designer, brand consultant and certified weirdo. While I was in Mexico City, I took some of my free time to design myself some new business cards. I started with drawing my banana illustrations at the coffee shop one day. I found out the neighborhood where to get printing done. With my thumb drive in hand I stepped out of the Chabacano Metro station into a neighborhood that is a graphic designer's delight. The smell of ink wafting out of print shops that lined the streets as I passed by looking at all of my options to choose a printer. They were everywhere. Blocks and blocks of off-set, digital, silkscreen, stamp-makers, paper cutters, swag marketing, sign making lined the streets. I remember walking by three woman hand assembling fancy marketing brochures and they were all having such a wonderful time at their jobs. I finally decided on a small booth to do my printing. They would only take a few days, I could get my satin finish and it would cost a mere $140 Mexican pesos.

Let me know what you think about my banana designs. Original banana drawings and soft-sculptures by me are now available online. Please check out my shop and buy a banana!

Roly Poly Potato Recipe

Roly Poly Potato with Cream and Sarayo Sauce

Potatoes are my favorite carb so I'm always looking of new ways to prepare them. I thought I had the fabulous idea of making one similar to an "awesome blossom" aka bloomin' onion. I later learned on Facebook that my idea wasn't so original and these potatoes are actually called Hasselback Potatoes. I don't care, I call them "Roly Poly Potatoes" because they look like the little roly poly bugs I used to play with in the garden as a kid. So, I find it great that these potatoes look like giant bugs or crustaceans.

This potato recipe gives you a tender inside and a crispy texture on the outside. It's a great side dish with meat and perfect substitute for a baked potato. It's very easy to prepare and good to make for just one person.


ROLY POLY POTATO RECIPE (Hasselback Potato Recipe)

INGREDIENTS:
1 Potato (I used Purple Potatoes because they look pretty on the inside)
1 Clove of Garlic
Olive Oil
Butter
Sea Salt

Cut slices evenly and place garlic between each slice

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 425º F (215º C)
2. Starting at one end of the potato, cut the potato cross-ways downward in direction. The slice should be about 1/8" thick. Don't cut all the way thru leave about 1/8" connected at bottom of potato. Continue to cut slices down the entire length of the potato.
3. Slice thinly one clove of garlic.
4. Place one slice of garlic in each slot that you have cut into the potato
5. Coat bottom of baking dish with olive oil. Put potato in dish.
6. Generously drizzle potato with olive oil.
7. Sprinkle with sea salt (make sure salt and olive oil gets into the slots)
8. Bake uncovered for 40-60 minutes. Depending on size of potato and your preference of the doneness of center and crispiness of the outside.

• Melt 2tbsp of butter and drizzle over top. If you want it extra garlicky, then add sliced garlic to your butter as you are melting it. I also enjoy it with crema (Mexican table cream) or Sarayo Sauce.

Provecho!