This post was originally posted on Naked with: Cooking 2/1/2010. Am I being a tad lazy by reposting it here? You bet. But I kind of liked this post…

My kitchen kind of looks like this right now – only not really….
I’m moving into a new house soon and I find myself dreading one thing more than any other – packing my kitchen. Every time I move find myself putting it off until the last minute. I keep convincing myself that if I pack something too early – my world will collapse. I just know that in the next two weeks, in spite of my packing, errand running and collapsing on the sofa with a beer and fast food because I’m just too damn tired to cook – I will absolutely, definitely, with no doubt whatsoever need the ceramic-bladed truffle slicer that I haven’t used in the two years since I bought it. Never mind that I don’t have any truffles.

I used to think I must have some kind of disorder, but this seems to be a rather common problem. I’m thinking that it must have something to do with the kitchen defining a particular place as your home. There are plenty of places you can sleep at home – in the bedroom, on the sofa, in the backyard. When we travel, we sleep on planes, trains and in cars. We rent hotel rooms to sleep in – but we never think of them as home. (Sleep is an unconscious activity – as long as you feel safe, you can pretty much sleep anywhere.) But when it comes to our food – where we keep it, clean it, prepare it, even create with it – our kitchen and the things in it seem much more personal. The kitchen is usually our first destination after waking and the last before sleeping (I’m trying to keep the bathroom out of this – that’s for another blog). It’s where (as people with food problems) we have some great successes and disappointing failures, where we often take bigger risks than we will elsewhere in our lives. It can be the most public place in the house and the most private. I think I just need to accept that this place will no longer be home – time to pack. [image: Rick McGinnis | via BlogTO]

No, there’s no Sichuan food at Sweet Auburn (that would be awesome though…), but I just want to mention that we have some really cool things going on over at Atlanta Culinary Tours.

Most importantly, a portion of the ticket price of all tickets sold will be donated to the Red Cross to help the recent victims of tornadoes that jacked up the South. Our tours are a lot of fun (and a  lot of food) and now you can feel even better about coming along, knowing that you’re also helping out those in need!

Sweet Auburn Curb Market

Our tour of Sweet Auburn Curb Market is coming up on Saturday 5/14. It starts right after the Urban Picnic, so you can check out the street vendors before taking our guided tour of the market.

We’ll tell you how the market came to be, introduce you some of the amazingly friendly vendors throughout the market, give you some behind the scenes info on Southern & soul food cooking, and we’ll feed you to no end (much like this sentence…). Seriously, you’ll beg us to stop feeding you. We’re relentless – we’ll even feed you dirt (seriously). And you’ll be so happy on this tour that you’ll eat that dirt – and you’ll enjoy it (YMMV).

Your can read more about our tour of Sweet Auburn Curb Market here and here. Tickets to Sweet Auburn Curb Market Tour are available here.

Sichuan: Beyond Málà

Speaking of relentless, check out Sichuan: Beyond Málà. Another brutal culinary tour-de-force where we pass 11 dishes that run the gamut of Sichuan cuisine – from cooling vegetarian dishes like xiao bai tsai w/xiangu (baby bok choy with fragrant mushrooms) to blazing chao shui yu (mouth-watering jumping fish). You’ll also get to hear me yammer incessantly about the ingredients, cooking techniques and history that go into this important (and delicious) cuisine. We wrap this dinner up with a tour of Chinatown, including the gift shop, Dinho Supermarket and dessert & tea at the World Journal Bookstore.

The World Journal had nice things to say about us here. Trust me. Tickets to Sichuan: Beyond Málà are available here.

So you want to know how lazy I’ve become? I visited Heirloom Market BBQ for the first time a couple of weeks ago and took my time writing about it. Then one Tuesday morning I decided that I’ve become too lazy and I set about working on this post.

Not 10 minutes later, Gene over at the AJC posted on their Korean barbecue pork sandwich and I decided “eh”. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not Gene’s fault – it’s just when your enveloped in a shroud of ennui, it can get the better of you.

That being said, I can now get over myself. So – HX and I ventured out one evening and with only one misstep found our way to Heirloom Market. I won’t get into their backstory. Their website paints the picture. We decided to share the unfortunately monikered Texas Trinity – brisket, ribs and sausage (…you ain’t got no horns…). I’m not much of a brisket fan, but I’ll admit – this stuff could convert me. I’m not sure how they go about cooking it, but it seemed to me a combination of a braise and smoke. Don’t know, but it was moist and tender – very different than what I’ve had before.

Ribs were tasty, if a little dry – but I’m not blasting them on this. I’ve mentioned many a time before how hard it is to hold ribs at serving temp without them dying out. I’ll have a better idea after another visit (yes, I’m going back).

Sausage… HX wanted to try the Texas smoked sausage, and all I can say is that it struck me as an overcooked, oversized, too-smokey hot dog. Pick a different one…

This place is tiny – one communal table in the middle and some narrow ledges along the windows. It’s also a bit hard to find (look for the Akers Mill Food Store sign) - but do look for it. A fine addition to the local barbecue scene (don’t doubt me…).

Heirloom Market BBQ
2243 Akers Mill Rd.
Atlanta, GA 30339

Pork Adobo – vinegary & fork-tender

I’ve always been a bit puzzled by the lack of Filipino restaurants in Atlanta. There is a Filipino community here, and the food, while unfamiliar to most Americans, is a delicious amalgam of Hispanic, Malaysian, Chinese and who knows what else.

With the arrival of Fil-Am Star Cafe & Bakery, Atlanta now has (unless I’m mistaken) exactly 1 (one) Filipino restaurant. And I’m glad to say (especially after my experience with the last short-lived attempt at the Hong Kong Supermarket food court) – this is a good one.

Sinigang – Sour tamarind broth

Our meal started with sinigang,  a sour broth flavored with tamarind. I’ve never liked this soup before – it’s always been too sour, even lemony (a shortcut maybe?). Fil-am’s version was dead on and addictive. I’m not much of a soup eater and I kept going back to the bowl.

The pork adobo was my real barometer. Far too often you’ll end up with overcooked, stringy meat and a pasty sauce with the texture of bad rendang. Our pork was fork-tender and moist with just a hint of vinegar – I would have preferred a bit more.

Fried chicken – adobo marinated chicken, deep fried

Fried chicken is a simple preparation – the chick is marinated in vinegar and garlic and fried. No breading. This can result in the chicken getting a little dry, but the sweet garlic dipping sauce makes up for any loss of moisture.

Guisado Monggo – mung bean stew with pork

This is comfort food for many – a simple stew of mung beans (monggo), meat (pork in this case), garlic, vegetables – whatever you may have on hand. Rich, thick and surprisingly tasty, just not my cup of tea. If you’re into lentils, you’ll really dig this.

Fil-Am Star Cafe & Bakery is located in the space formerly occupied by Saigon Cafe in Asian Square. They have a website, but they update their Facebook page regularly with specials, etc.

Fil-Am Star Cafe & Bakery
5150 Buford Highway NE
Suite A-170
Doraville, GA 30340

Atlanta Culinary Tours has announced a new event – Sichuan: Beyond MáLà. This is a multi-course Sichuan dinner provided by Chong Qing Hot Pot, with a discussion about some of the ingredients that make Sichuan cuisine unique. It will also include dessert and tea at the new tea room at World Journal Bookstore. There will also be time to shop and explore Chinatown.

Seats are limited (and are only $28!). Sign up now!

I’ve rambled on about my love for Vietnamese food for years now (more than 3 years on this blog). I’m drawn to the contrast in the way meats are treated – either raw meat, sliced thin and quickly cooked in flavorful broth or marinated with intense ingredients (dark soy, fish sauce – nước mắm, lemongrass, garlic, rice vinegar…) and grilled,  seared or even served raw (bo tai chanh – raw beef salad).

It really wasn’t until recently that I began cooking Viet at home. It’s just too easy (and cheap) to get good Vietnamese food in Atlanta, and living within couple of miles of Buford Highway has made dining out my go-to option. But I’m starting to learn that it’s pretty easy (and cheap) to prepare at home as well.

I’ve played around with suon nuong xa (grilled pork skewers with lemongrass) and do chua (Vietnamese pickles) with great success. Other attempts, like the fish disaster that reeked-out the entire neighborhood, have not fared so well…

Suon Nuong Xa (skewered pork belly with lemongrass)

So, to the point. Thit bo luc lac (shaking beef). I love this dish. Almost everyone loves this dish. This is one of those dishes where very familiar ingredients (garlic, oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy, rice vinegar) come together in a way that is unexpected.

Thit bo luc lac is painfully simple to make and there are a plethora of recipes on the web, almost all close enough to be identical. The best I’ve found are:

RasaMalaysia (this is a guest post by Ravenous Couple. Both are favorite destinations for all sorts of Asian recipes)

Viet World Kitchen (my go-to source for Vietnamese recipes)

Just don’t be afraid to get your wok “Petey Wheatstraw” hot…

Wok

Petey Wheatstraw, the Devil’s Son-in-Law

Beef, lamb and sausage chuanr

I only know a few characters of Hanzi, and this is one of them 串 (chuàn). It has several meanings, but the one that’s important to me is “skewer”. As in, food on a stick.

Chuanr is so appealing to me that I even hunted down and bought a chuanr grill last summer. So I was pretty excited to learn about a new spot specializing in just that.

Even the floor is in Chinese…

The seasoning on the meats is distinctly Northern Chinese/Dongbei, with cumin and chili (they will adjust the level of spice to your taste). I’ve not had a chance to fully explore the menu, but what I’ve tried is good – and cheap. Skewers range between $0.50 & $1.00, with a few hitting $2.00. They also have a few cold dishes and entrees ranging from $2.00 to $6.50 (steamed pork buns, lamb & tripe soup, hot spicy beef tripe, etc.). I’m am, however, thinking of offering to help them with some of their translations (“string” = stick, “Napu” = nappa, “Chicken Jane” = ?, “Mixed Flower Food” = ??, “Rot Bamboo Mixed Decay” = ???).

Shrimp ball, woodear, shiitake

Edamame

Open kitchen

Te Wei Chinese Kabobs
5090 Buford Highway
Suite 103
Doraville, GA 30040
770.455.8388

Gai Yang (BBQ Chicken with sticky rice)

You may well know that I’m a PITA about Thai food. I’ve pretty much given up on thinking that there is anything even passable as Thai in Atlanta. Years ago, a Thai friend pointed out that Thaicoon had a special Sunday “brunch” menu of actual Thai street food. Skeptical (go figure), I checked it out and found the food I had been missing.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I ventured back and discovered that they still offer the Sunday menu – a pretty large selection of “street food” and “authentic” Thai dishes that you just won’t find anywhere else. I’m still shocked that they don’t offer this type of food all the time. Even the waitress got excited when describing the dishes. All I can say is give Thaicoon a try on Sundays (special menu is here). Ask for the pandan tea as well.

Moo Krawp (Crispy pork belly with basil leaves)

Thai dumplings (หอยจ๊อ – translates as “Shell Jordan”?)

“Three Friends” – fish (smelt?), squid and crispy pork skin salad

Melon with tapioca pearls

Thaicoon & Sushi Bar
1799 Briarcliff Rd. Atlanta, GA 30306
(404) 817-9805

If you head roughly East from Atlanta, you’ll eventually end up in Africa. If the winds take you the right way, you might end up in Eritrea. If you keep going, you might end up in Vietnam. And you’d probably be hungry. Long before you get there, though, you’d probably end up in Clarkston.

Yeah, Clarkston.

So now that the snow has kept you pent  up in the house for a week, you can choose to cut a hole in the drywall and choke out the neighbor that’s been blasting Journey and Boston for 5 days, or you can go to Clarkston for a change. Mike R., a compatriot from a former life in broadcasting, has been booking live music in ethnic eateries in Clarkston for a while now and he let me know about two upcoming shows:

Sunday, January 16

Jennifer Teeter is opening for Jenny and the Holzers

Mike describes Jennifer Teeter as a “local singer/songwriter who accompanies herself on ukulele while singing songs about weight control via tapeworms and how much girls love dik dik (tiny antelope)… Jenny and the Holzers are a girl fronted, nuggety punkish combo from NY.

Show starts at 8PM and is 18+
Lamb Soup is on the menu!

Shewitt Eritrean Restaurant and Hookah Bar

926 Montreal Road. Ste. #6
Clarkston, GA 30021
Tel: 404.294.8899

Thursday, January 20

Slim Chance and the Convicts

The founding fathers of Atlanta’s Redneck Underground music scene.

Pho Truc
926 Montreal Rd # 11
Clarkston, GA 30021
Tel: 404.294.0404

Head East.

The following is a guest post by my friend Beth Robinette. She writes for Examiner.com as the Atlanta Ethnic Food Examiner, contributes a vast majority of the content to Naked with: Cooking and is an experienced world traveler. I haven’t had a chance to chime in about it too much yet, but she and I have just launched Atlanta Culinary Tours. We’ve got a lot of exciting plans and hope you’ll join us for a tour soon!

Atlanta isn’t known as a walking city. But that just proves that sometimes what is believed is often just plain wrong. There are plenty of neighborhoods that are completely “walkable.” And what’s more, many of these communities within and around the Atlanta Metro area are filled with history, local artists, interesting architecture, and wonderful restaurants and markets. That’s why my partner and I hit upon the idea of Atlanta Culinary Tours.

Our very first tour will focus on Inman Park and the Old Fourth Ward areas rich in history. Inman Park was the first planned suburb in Atlanta, a garden community with curvilinear streets and an electric trolley to take homeowners to downtown Atlanta. Before that it was the site of the Civil war Battle of Atlanta. Before that, it was home to Cherokee and Creek Indians. The Old Fourth Ward, on the other hand, is known as the birthplace of the Civil Right movement and the home of home of Martin Luther King, Jr. This area is also on the new Beltline Project and the proposed Historic Fourth Ward Park. In the midst of all this history is a vibrant culinary scene as well.

This is your opportunity to experience the community while sampling from some of Atlanta’s finest restaurants and markets. It’s an easy stroll, mostly on sidewalks, about a mile and a half. The first two Saturday afternoons to schedule a tour are November 20ith and December 11. We will take only 12 on each tour, so don’t delay if you want to be part of this fun event. Eat your way across Inman Park, learn this history along with insider food finds, all for just $39!

As an Examiner reader, you get 40% off! Use discount code ACT2010 at checkout.

Here are some of the businesses featured on the tour, though we will likely pick 5-6 of them for any given week.

* Savi Market
* The Park’s Edge
* Parish
* P’Cheen
* Across the Street
* Sno-Flake

And more businesses are showing an interest. Sign up now. More neighborhoods are planned!