Dining Out: Get Sum Dim Sum

I have been curious about a new place that opened up at 45th & Lamar some months back, Get Sum Dim Sum, where the idea is that you can order dim sum a la carte any time of day. Sounds like a great idea to me! So here's the report.

I ordered (clockwise from bottom): "Woo Gok" (fried taro dumplings with mushroom and bamboo), veggie dumplings, tofu dumplings, and Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce. The chili sauce in the center is I believe a specialty of the chef's. It's good, but I think it has meat bits.

Closeup on the taro dumplings

Taro dumpling innards

The menu: sort of like ordering sushi

Instructions for ordering; you can either get semi-predetermined combo meals or order piece by piece exactly what you want

I enjoyed everything I ate, and my total was about $14 which is not too bad considering I took enough home to make a smallish lunch tomorrow. They have several hot teas and some interesting bottled beverage choices, as well as the standard desserts.

I was especially happy that the dumplings had a bit more flavor than some that I've had--a greater variety of vegetables, and not too salty as is sometimes the case. I'll be back to try some of the other items on the menu.

Favorite Food Movies

In anticipation of Julie & Julia, I've been remembering some of my favorite "food movies." Funny thing is, most movies that feature food prominently use it symbolically rather than being actually about food. Examples that come to mind are La Grande Bouffe (1973), The Cook The Thief His Wife and Her Lover (1989), and Spirited Away (2001).

These next films, however, show a real enjoyment of food as food. I hope J & J does the same...

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) - In this opening scene, I don't even know what half the things he's preparing are, but it still makes me drool! Directed by Ang Lee, two thumbs up.

Big Night (1996) - This is the final scene from the film, the "morning after" a big cooking blowout (featuring a timpano, among others). I've always loved the simplicity of this ending scene; sometimes all you need is scrambled eggs.

Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers (1980) - One of Les Blank's famed food movies, this one features Alice Waters and Chez Panisse, as well as other restaurants, home cooks, and even musicians, all extolling the virtues of garlic.

What are your favorite food movies?

Happy Bastille Day (week)!

Tricolor crepes with blackberries, yogurt, and raspberries

Food, Inc.

Made the trek to see FOOD, INC. this past weekend, and was pleasantly surprised to find the theater about half full on a Sunday afternoon. Granted, it was 105 outside, making the cool of the theater even that much more appealing. But given the comments, boos, and applause over the course of the film, it's safe to say the audience was an enthusiastic one.

Having been an early and avid reader of both Fast Food Nation and The Omnivore's Dilemma, I wasn't too surprised at a lot of the information in the film. And despite what reviewers have been saying, the graphic footage from the CAFOs and kill floors isn't nearly as bad is it could have been. Overall the tone was only gently alarmist; everyone who spoke onscreen seemed credible, and even the mother of the 2 year old who died from E-coli poisoning managed to seem like she had a sense of humor. Stylistically, it was reminiscent of Super Size Me, with very slick graphics (the opening title sequence is especially nice).

Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser are onscreen a lot, but they share time with the farmer Pollan profiles in TOD, Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in Virginia. It's Salatin who provides the most philosophical contributions to the conversation, pointing out that a culture that treats its animals so inhumanely most likely has the same approach to its own citizens, and peoples from other countries.

At the end of the film, there is a text-only sequence listing actions that we as consumers can take to make change to the system, and overall the message seems to be one of power to the consumer. Since it's a Participant Productions film, the website is full of info as well and activism is fully integrated into the release strategy. I sat through the credit sequence and as the lights came on, the group of four young women (about my age) were still sitting in my row, debating whether or not it's really possible to eat healthily on a minimum wage. I hope the film sparks many such debates. Who knows what can come of it?

Tofu with Lemongrass

Lemongrass is such a wonderful flavor--not really lemony or grassy, but fresh, tart and fragrant. It has been a favorite of mine since I first had stir fried tofu and lemongrass at the neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant many years ago.

Lemongrass stalks, with long, luxurious tops

I never tried to make the dish until a couple of years ago, but was fortunate to find a recipe that is reasonably easy, and also quite healthy, with onions, garlic, and turmeric. Chop everything up, marinate the tofu for about an hour, then throw it all in the pan to stir fry. Peanuts go on as a garnish and provide a satisfying crunch.

FYI, the Asian market in North Austin has much prettier lemongrass than the sad, dried out specimens at Central Market.

Fish Tacos, Home "Assembled"

I'm not going to be doing much cooking this summer, with a less-than-frosty AC and 103 degree days... But these tacos didn't require too much heat in the kitchen. Mostly assembly--I used frozen fish fillets, which could be heated in the toaster oven. Store bought tortillas and chips (not that I ever make those).

Not bad, but the next time I'll have some kind

of creamy sauce on them as well.

Taco!

I was especially proud of the cabbage slaw, having never made anything with cabbage before. This was green cabbage, cilantro, onion, lime, and salt. I think I put a little honey in with the lime juice too. It was really good when first made. Next time I'll ask for a quarter cabbage instead of a half though--a little goes a long way!

Coconut Water Taste Test

So, it's that time of year when pretty much all I want to eat is cold/frozen things. High on the list of rehydrating yet natural and tasty beverages is coconut water, which only recently started being sold in natural food stores but has been around for a while in the "ethnic groceries," from what I can tell.

Fun fact: Coconut water can be used as an intravenous liquid.

But I prefer to drink it.

Faced with an overwhelming number of options for different brands of coconut water, I decided to have friends help me with a taste test, to scientifically determine which brand deserved our continued patronage.

Of course it's worth mentioning that the best coconut water is straight from the coconut, but they're still working on a pop-top coconut.

A few observations from our taste test session:

* All the waters came from either Brazil or Thailand. The way to tell the difference is by the can: metal cans are from Thailand, laminated paper ones are from Brazil.

* Some waters have chunks of coconut, others do not. Chunks add variety and interest to the taste experience.

* There is a major difference in the sweetness levels of the "natural" brands (#2, 4, 6, 7, 8) versus the others, which have sugar added. The ones with sugar added are more like a dessert beverage, whereas those that are just straight-up coconut water could be considered a sports drink.

* Overall, the water is probably best over ice, not just chilled. Straight from the can it can have a "fermented" smell (that's a quote). Sometimes the smell can be quite funky ("locker room") but we speculated that quality may depend on the batch.

* Winners of the taste test were #1 (Goya-Sugar Added) and #8 (Amy & Brian-Natural)