food truck love

Show of hands. Who has ever driven past a food truck on the side of the road and stopped? Eric and I have been driving by a particular food truck for more than a year and I frequently say, "...can we eat there someday?" Recently, that someday happened. I probably need to thank David Chang's Ugly Delicious "Tacos" episode for Eric's willingness to finally agree to go to Taqueria Sanchez El Sabrosito. We aren't food truck pros, so we stopped by an ATM for some cash. Have cash on hand. We learned Taqueria Sanchez only accepts dollar, dollar, bills ya'll so we were covered! 

Taqueria Sanchez (Photo Menu for Gringos!)

We picked a sunny, crisp, evening to try Taqueria Sanchez on Florida Boulevard in Baton Rouge, LA. If you know where Brian Harris Chevrolet is located then you should be able to spot Taqueria Sanchez. It's about a mile from the dealership. The flashy bright lights, from the the parking lot where it is usually parked, pretty much makes it a can't miss.   

Tacos al Pastor (ie. Pork Tacos)

A little apprehensive we began to read the menu. David Chang made this look easy! We both took Spanish, but this wasn't a Taco Bell menu (¿donde esta la biblioteca?). This was a Salvadorian Taqueria food truck. Real deal here people. The giant picture menu on the side of the truck made ordering a bit easier. We ordered a few tacos, a cheese quesadilla (literally the best cheese quesadilla  ever) and pupusas stuffed with cheese and beans. The curtido it was served with was delish and added to the flavor. 

¡La horchata es muy grande!

The food truck also offered a large selection of Mexican sodas and two agua frescas: Horchata and Tamarindo. We went Horchata. It's a deliciously sweet drink made of rice, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. It’s like drinking a flavorful watered down vanilla milkshake. Eric thinks it's a light Cinnamon Toast Crunch milk. He's a real gastronomic aficionado. Tamarindo is supposedly a tart but sweet drink. We didn't have it, so...sure. Maybe next visit. 

My photo doesn't do this justice. This is the best Cheese Quesadilla I've ever had!

If you're ever driving by Taqueria Sanchez then please stop (or any food truck for that matter)! Step outside your comfort zone. You just might discover the best *something* you've ever had!      

take us out to the ballgame

Take us out to the ballgame...to be photo-bombed.

Although it always inspires debate, especially amongst football fans, it is said that baseball is America's game. As a girl my uncle would occasionally take my little brother and me to the LSU baseball games on Friday nights. I wouldn't say I ever really enjoyed the game. However, I enjoyed the snacks, the t-shirts, souvenirs and the people watching. I don't believe I ever really got into the game of baseball until 2004. It was then that my gut told me that the Red Sox were going to win the World Series and the Curse of the Bambino would be broken. The 2004 American League Championship made me a Red Sox fan and a baseball fan for life.

I was living in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania at the time. I was an assistant aquatic director. Basically that means you work a lot of hours and you wear many hats. One of the hats I wore was swim coach. I had no idea swim team parents could be like those crazy soccer parents until I moved to Pennsylvania. The stories I could tell. I coached with three male coaches and one other female coach. Two of the guys were pretty hardcore into baseball. We had a die hard Phillies fan, an Orioles fan, and (I save the best for last) a die hard Cubs fan. I fell into baseball, essentially, so the pool desk conversations consisted of something other than swimming.

Eric,on the other hand, grew up loving baseball. He played every summer as a kid, collected the cards and afternoon Cubs games (before there were lights at Wrigley Field) were always on after school. 

Cool Cats

This is all a backdrop to our recent trip out Alex Box Stadium to watch the LSU Tigers take on the Nicholls State Colonals. To say it was perfect conditions for baseball would be a less than accurate statement. Rain was on the way, but we would not be deterred. Also, our seats were under the grandstand. We weren't exactly going to actually get wet. 

Cloudy conditions loom over Championship Plaza.

The weather was clear when we first arrived. People congregated outside the stadium snapping photos with the Mike the Tiger statue and taking in LSU baseball history at Championship Plaza.

The Swamp Sausage Dog

Once inside, we hit up the concession stand. We usually don't eat before or after a game. We enjoy eating at the ballpark. It's part of the experience for us. I got the Swamp Sausage Dog. Basically a sausage link on a bun that's covered in red peppers grilled onions. I added jalapeno peppers, because hot makes everything better. Eric stuck with a plain sausage poboy. Booorrriiinnnggg!

First pitch!

As the game played on, the weather rolled in. Specifically in the fifth inning. The rain hit hard and the tarp was rolled out. The rain cleared out after about a 45 minute delay and the Tigers were back on the field and in control. Some of the crowd cleared out, so those who were caught in the rain moved under the grandstand and were obvious. They were the wet ones. The new crowd included the Nicholls State softball team. They played Southern University earlier in the day and were grouped together routing on their Colonel brothers. It was cool to see students routing for their peers...as long as LSU won. Then a weather alert came on my phone. Another band of rain was on its way. We love LSU baseball, but...we still had work in the morning. Did we really want to be here all night? Answer: we cut out in the seventh inning. We all won that night. LSU secured a 10-1 victory and we made it home dry.

Aaaaand...here comes the tarp.

It is becoming a popular opinion that baseball's position as America's game is over. Football is taking its place. I will admit that watching a baseball game on television doesn't seem as exciting as watching football on television. Even though they both essentially last about three hours on average. Baseball has its challenges with capturing the attention of young fans. It's our opinion that baseball is best experienced at the ballpark. Get out to a ballpark soon. You'll have a great time! 

cure my marfa burrito craving

One recent Saturday morning I was downtown at our local Red Stick Farmers Market with my dad. Hunger was setting in, but I couldn't find something for breakfast (even with all of the options). "You know what I really want? Marfa Burrito!" However, a thirteen hour drive was too far to make this request a reality.  The lines at familiar haunts were more than full so we went looking for any place with shorter lines.  

Breakfast to cure my Marfa Burrito craving.

My dad suggested La Morenita. I was in need of Topo Chico. ¡Vamanos! The food was delicious. They didn't have breakfast burritos, but my Marfa Burrito craving was fixed! I told Eric about this and his interest was peaked.  

La Morenita

Eric and I went back a couple of weeks later. This time for lunch. Eric tried several different tacos. He also broke out his Spanish and ordered like a (semi-) pro. I went with a different approach. Mostly pointing. When in doubt point. It's a skill that's gotten me through my life as a Third Culture Kid.

Eric's Tasty Tacos

Bellies full, we walked around the market. The produce is great. The ripe avocados are ready to be added to salads, sandwiches, or made into guacamole. The meat market looks good. I only sampled what was offered at the restaurant, so I can't wait to go back and bring a few things home. 

¡Sí, por favor!

The store is full of other goodies like pastries, canned goods, mixes and hot sauces. All are from Latin American cultures. Not everyone spoke fluent English, but everyone was friendly and helpful, so don't let that stop you from visiting. This was Eric's first time in a place were English wasn't spoken around him and he enjoyed it. It gave him a chance to break out those Spanish skills at the taqueria counter. 

Taqueria Area 

It wasn't Marfa Burrito, but what else is? Hint: nothing. However, it was delicious and it cured the hankering for delicious home cooked Mexican food. La Morenita, we'll be back!        

bbq or thin fried catfish?

Downtown Hammond, LA
BBQ Fest Competitors Trailers in the Background

March 23, 2018. Downtown Hammond, Louisiana. The Hammond BBQ Festival. We arrived an hour early. We couldn't wait. The anticipation was palpable. We walked amongst the competitor's BBQ trailers to bathe in the delicious smokey clouds, except...no smoke. No smell. No bathing in barbecue. We came hungry. We did our part. Something wasn't right here. Were my senses deceiving me or was it low blood sugar? Why is no one BBQ-ing at this BBQ fest?! Tasty BBQ dreams were dashed that day my friends. 

Notice Anything?  No Competitor and No Yummy BBQ Smokey Smell.

Turns out, the BBQ judging occurs on Saturday, so that's when all the BBQ-ing goes on. Seriously? Your website promised me BBQ on Friday and Saturday. I came to get the meat sweats! So, not-so-pro-tip: If you ever show up to a BBQ Fest then expect to get the good BBQ eats on festival day two. Teetering on the verge of hanger, we needed a Plan B.

Winner Winner Thin Catfish Fried Dinner

You know you're back in the game when your Plan B is Middendorf's.  Only about 20 minutes in Manchac, Louisiana, it may have saved one of our lives. At this point, I'm pretty sure Eric was seeing a big cartoon-ish T-bone steak when he looked at me. Middendorf's is famous for thin fried catfish.  After watching an Andrew Zimmern show one day I'd learned Eric had never been to Middendorf's. I didn't know it was possible for anyone in South Louisiana to have never been. It's one of my Aunt Cindy's favorite places to stop when she's coming to visit. If she flies into the airport in New Orleans (MSY) she is going to stop and eat lunch at Middendorf's either on the way to Baton Rouge or on the way back to the airport. My Pop's (grandfather) 85th birthday was at Middendorf's. Seems thin fried catfish is what most of my family is all about. However, then there's me. I'm more of a shrimp girl. I guess that's an understatement. I don't care for fish. Eric doesn't care for the fact that I don't care for fish. 

Eric's Food Bucket List- The Thin Catfish

It was a BBQ fail, but we checked off something on Eric's food bucket list. If you're ever in the area, heck even if you're not, head to Middendorf's for the thin fried catfish! If it's a nice day then sit outside and over-look Lake Pontchartrain while you feast on the catfish.
   

Views from the Dock at Middendorf's

No longer hangry! Happy with a belly full of thin fried catfish.