The Marrow Spoon

The Marrow Spoon garden came back all by itself. I'm not sure I can even call it "my garden" any more. Sure I added some supplemental organic fertilizer and a few filler plants, but this plot clearly belongs to the tomatoes that grew up from last year's fallen seeds all by themselves with no encouragement. I was even a little annoyed at first, because I planned to pull them out to turn the soil, but they were too hardy and asserted themselves, flashing prolific promises of early fruit and just daring me to try to keep them back.

The tomatoes' valiant will to live is awe inspiring, and I am sure to have fruit by mid June.


Take a look at the guy above, my Ragu rebel, who insists on making the world his plot.

A fresh loquat is something you can't buy in stores. At least, not that I have been able to find in this country. However, it grows all over the place, since it looks rather like a magnolia tree and requires little care, it is a popular apartment tree.

So you'll see these trees just heavy with bright yellow, fig-looking fruits and dark, shiny leaves with a characteristic broad shape. Sadly, most of the fruit seems to go overlooked and gets mashed into various parking lots and sidewalks. It's strange, because the public persimmon trees are raided, as you would expect, as soon as they bear fruit. But the loquat trees remain largely unplucked, maybe because most people don't recognize the fruit and are afraid to try it. Well, don't be afraid! Pick them and take them home! I can only eat so many and they don't keep well. Also, I feel funny being the only one scavenging in my neighboring apartment courtyard as people peek at me between blinds. Seriously, it is good, free food! You should have no trouble finding a ripe tree in your neighborhood.

They have a tart-sweet flavor that is hard to compare with other fruits, but isn't the slightest bit exotic or "acquired." I don't usually eat the skin.

(The picture is from Wikipedia.)

It seems that lately I am doing a poor job living up to my name. That is to say, I am not being much of an evangelist, am I? Tres, tres fou of me.

Anyway, as I am sure you can imagine, there is so much to catch up on. So, let's begin!

You probably think all I do is eat panchan, and that I should have called this site The Kim Chee Tong, or something, but I have good news from the Secret Garden Restaurant. Observe.

As you can see, lovely generous pan chan, which we have grown to expect from all of the Korean restaurants dot El Camino Real in Santa Clara. Also, to your left, note the spicy and sour fried shrimp with fresh peas and mushrooms. They were plump and tender, and so fresh from the fryer that they stayed hot for about 25 minutes. To the right we have black noodles, I think more appropriately called cha jiang myun or something, but you can call them black sauce noodles and no one will be confused. The noodles are actually white, kind of udon texture in a thick black bean sauce. At Secret Garden, the sauce also has tiny cubes of tender yam and comes topped with fresh cucumber. Often this dish can be too salty or heavy, but Secret Garden gets it right. The server kidded me a little when I ordered it, "This is child's meal in Korea," which is understandable, because it has to be the only Korean dish I have tried that is not spicy or vinegary. It is mild, slightly sweet and 100% addictive.

To compare the very best black noodles in the South Bay, also try Tsing Tao in Campbell, a Chinese restaurant that is either owned by Korean people, or owned by Chinese people who like Korean food.

Secret Garden
3430 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95051

I was in New York last week, on a budget, so there is no visit to Per Se or Nobu to report.

There is something about those hot dogs, though. I'd love to know how many kajilion hot dogs are sold in NYC every day from carts. Through that vast quantity, I have to say that they have come to perfect the hot dog. I usually don't even eat forcemeat, but the cart dogs in NY are truly something else. They carts also continue to sell coffee for $1. It was interesting to me to consider how Starbucks might be doing in NY. I mean, sure there was a small line at each Starbucks I went into (many, my traveling companions insist on visiting Starbucks at least twice a day.) But the line was for the bathroom. Seven Eleven coffee might be a dollar here, and still not much of a threat to Starbucks dominance, but there is already a hot dog/bagel/nut/coffee cart on EVERY corner of Manhattan. It is right there, and cheap, and not altogether bad.

Finally, Trump Tower, in all its oddity. The place is completely consistent with Donald Trump's image. Everything is nice and demonstrates wealth, but in a little tacky "Atlantic City" way, and totally accessible (not snobby).

Despite the bling, it's very very nice. For example, they sell Trump branded neck ties, in 100% silk in the lobby for practically nothing, and the posh salon is Avon. But it really is a lovely salon, with sparkling pitchers of ice water and sliced strawberries just sitting there for whoever wanders in off the street. You get the feeling you're in the foyer of his house, which I guess technically you sort of are. Donald Trump is a pretty awesome host.

Anyway, the important food news from Trump Tower is the ice cream parlor in the basement where they serve donut ice cream. You may remember the competition on the Apprentice a few years ago where teams had to create an ice cream flavor and sell it on the streets of NY. Well, both flavors from the show are available there, but only the donut is worth eating. (The red velvet flavor is gross and artificial.) The donut ice cream is surprisingly spectacular, and I conclude that they should make more ice cream flavors based on fried stuff.

Well, koulfi, actually. At Real Ice Cream they serve Indian food and ice cream made fresh onsite without eggs. I'm not sure if the eggs are omitted in order to honor a vegetarian code, or if it is just a traditional style, but you won't miss them. The koulfi is thick, creamy and intensely flavorful. And what flavors! Mon dieu, you have to look hard for this place, because it isn't easily visible from the street, but it is worth the hunt my friends. When you find it, it looks like a sparse cafeteria, but inside there is a world-class culinary experience to be had. I'll admit, I get so charmed by the idea of ice cream flavors that I have never tried before, like rose and saffron, but even the more traditional, mid-western American flavors are just amazing.

Take rum raisin, for example. At Real Ice cream it seems to be made with real dark rum, no artificial flavors. Somehow they manage to make it without any heat from the liquor, but with a strong, true rum flavor. In addition, it is dotted with soft, chewy golden raisins.

They make ice cream for many local restaurants and markets, and they also sell in pint and gallon sizes, so stock up!

Real Ice Cream
3077 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95051