koko's corner

Discovered another Kitchenware shop

The last time I visited Lake Havasu AZ I finally made it to the kitchen shop Desperate Kitchens.

Lets go see what's inside.

Phở Superbowl again

We had to go back to Phở Superbowl yesterday. This time I had a Vermicelli noodle bowl. Actually it's more of a salad than anything. It's a bowl of cold vermicelli noodles with different toppings available. I had the charbroiled shrimp, egg rolls and pork. This was placed on top of bean sprouts, lettuce and carrots. It comes with a mild fish sauce dressing and a sprinkling of peanuts.

This is the perfect summer food. It is light and refreshing. The pork is tender and juicy, perfectly spiced and thinly sliced. The egg rolls add the perfect crunch factor along with the peanuts that are sprinkled on top. Once I dove into this salad I didn't come up for air.

































Stan wasn't very adventurous and had the same thing he had the last time, the Garlic Beef. It's delicious so I don't blame him for ordering it again, I mean, how can you go wrong with filet mignon.

















We were served a nice little bowl of a coconut, lemon grass dessert like last time. A nice little treat to end the meal.

They have the best iced tea I've ever had. I forgot, again, to ask them what brand they use. I'll find out next time we go. If I remember ;-)

Phở SuperBowl
8342 Parkway Drive
La Mesa Ca 91942
10:30 a.m to 10: p.m.
619-469-8984

Pinnacle Peak Restaurant

Sat. we were talking about how long it's been since we've been to Pinnacle Peak Restaurant in Santee.
It's been too many years to remember. I do remember that if you wear a tie, it better not be your good one because it's coming off. The waitress/er walks up to your table clanging a cow bell announcing to the diners that you wore a tie. Then everyone clamors for her/him to cut it off.

































Check out the food

60 year member of Ironworkers Local 229

Stan is a member of the Ironworker's Union Local 229.
He's been a member for 60 years and yesterday his 60 year pin was bestowed upon him. 
















He was awarded his pin along with Frankie, in the middle, the man he was inducted with 60 yrs ago.
















At that time they made the union 133 members strong. Now it is about 2,000 members strong.
The oldest member is a 99 yr old 65 yr pin recipient. 
















Lets go to Santee Lakes and the picnic.

Gator By The Bay

If you are into Zydeco and Cajun this was the place for you. My friend Shelly and I went to the Zydeco and Blues Festival called Gator By The Bay today. What a great time we had. Stan wasn't interested in going so he made the Costco run for me, what a guy.

We were fortunate enough to get parking on Harbor Island not far from the Festival. Our walk took us right along the bay with a view of our beautiful city.

Let's eat some crawfish and shake a leg ;-)

Phở SuperBowl

Yesterday I was reading in Chowhound about a new Phở restaurant that has opened in La Mesa. I was very happy that someone would be courageous enough to open a Phở restaurant in the East County and I couldn't wait to try it out. My culinarily challenged husband had no idea what he was in for when he said it was up to me where we had lunch today.

Check it out. Oh, yeah and they have wi-fi 

Hmmm, what to do with left over trout

I had some trout left over from my trout feast. As I was picking through it getting out those danged pesky little bones. I was thinking I would like it in some kind of sauce, maybe a white sauce, then I thought a take off of lobster thermador might be good. GIMF (Google is my friend) and I found some lobster thermador recipes. Never having made it before, I checked out several recipes.

The recipes were almost identical in ingredients and method. It starts with a basic white sauce made with white wine, milk,tarragon, shallots, Dijon mustard and Parmesan cheese. I decided to eliminate the shallots, because I don't have any, and the Parmesan cheese because it just doesn't sound good to me with trout, and I thought it would be overpowering anyway.

So, after I got the pesky %$# bones out of the trout I assembled the sauce ingredients.

Dont' worry, I'm not going to bore you with a step by step white sauce. Come see what I did.

Trout fresh from the lake

I am the beneficiary of my neighbor's fishing skills. He came by a few days ago with 5 lbs of trout, just hours from the lake. I saw him out cleaning it, but never thought I'd be fortunate enough to have some within minutes.

Doesn't get any fresher than this. C'mon, lets see what to do with it.

Doro Wot, Spicy Ethiopian Chicken Stew

This is the chicken dish I made with the Ethiopian spice blend berbere. It is to live for delicious.

First I gathered together all the goodies I'd need. Chicken, berbere, garlic, ginger, onion and eggs.

Let's bring Ethiopia into our kitchens.

Ethiopian Spice Mix Berbere

The last issue of Saveur Magazine, the best-est ever food magazine, and the only one I subscribe to, has an article on Ethiopian food. In the article is this recipe for the spice blend Berbere, a staple in Ethiopia.

I gathered all the spices together

so let's get busy.