This market has lots of other products, and they sell meat, as well. I picked up a package of the huge Hmong sausages that you see at the New Year's celebrations, too. They are pork sausages with a lot of cilantro and lemongrass. They're great.
Then, we went to A&A Market on Stockton. This part got left out of the story. I believe A&A is Vietnamese. I had never been into this particular market. It has a really nice, clean-smelling meat and fish section. This is Sami and Sheng picking out bitter melons. Last night I woke up at 3:30am craving the ground pork with bitter melon that they made at our feast.
At B&S, I picked up this papaya shredding tool for five bucks. That huge platter is just two green mangoes. You really only need to buy one to serve 2-4 people. Hmong food is very healthful and economical.
Here's Sheng filleting a striped bass for larb. She made this look easy, and when smiller and I did it at home, it was excruciatingly hard. Sheng had a tip to just buy cheap knives at Asian stores (like three bucks) and throw them away when they get dull.
Speaking of knives, these are handmade Hmong knives. The biggest ones are for like butchering pigs and stuff.
Here's Sami, wearing an apron that has a nice example of Hmong embroidery.
I already posted this photo, but I'll post it again because I really like it. The toenails on the chickens kill me.
Here's Sheng chopping the chicken. I would like to get one of those stump chopping blocks. The one at Cheung Hing is awe-inspiring. And totally sanitary, I'm sure.
Here's Sheng's husband, Leo, sqeezing the lime on the fish larb. This guy is awesome. He's super funny, and so relaxed for a guy with six kids! Maybe that's why he's relaxed.
This is box elder, from the Yang's backyard. It's in the larb recipe. I'm still not sure if you can buy it in stores. I need to keep looking.
This is Sheng's daughter, Francis, with her baby cousin.
Chopped herbs and bitter melon.
Here's the nab vam, which I mention in the article. This dessert was addictive. I ate so much of it at home that I finally had to pour it out because I was making myself sick. I tend to do that with coconut desserts.
Sami and Sheng, cooking together.
Right after this the SNR photog, Shoka, arrrived, so I didn't take many more pictures. The food picture in the article is really nice and pro. This was my picture of the whole feast.
You can buy the cookbook at the Avid Reader, and the ladies are going to be on Insight with Jeffrey Callison on June 12th! I'll remind you to listen. I tried to sweet talk my way on the show but it didn't work.
Then we saw Nessie!
This dude cruised by and jammed for a little while.
The Best Present That Biz Has Ever Received
I decided not to keep my picture off the site anymore, so there I am on the left. Identity revealed.
Did you know that you can be fined a thousand bucks for an open container? That's something I learnd this weekend.
OK, so I had a minute to re-read your suggestions about the taco truck issue. Here's a link to the NY Times article. Here's a link to the website for the L.A.-based organization. In L.A. the taco truck owners have formed an organization and have also brought legal challenges against the ordinance. Here is a passage from a newspaper article last September:On Friday, September 19,2008, Judge Dennis Aichroth of the Los Angeles Superior Court, in Division One of the East Los Angeles Courthouse heard arguments from both side in the so called “TACO VENDOR ORDINANCE CASE.”
Previously, on August 27, 2008 Judge Aichroth had declared Los Angeles County Code Section 7.62.070 “unconstitutional” on various grounds, including ambiguous language, restraint of trade, not for the “public safety,” etc. The arguments on September 19th related to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office seeking to have the Judge reverse his decision. The motion made by the DA was for “Reconsideration” of the decision.
After granting the District Attorney the right to file certain “Declarations” by Deputies of the Sheriff’s Department, along with “Exhibits,” the Judge announced that he was NOT CHANGING HIS ORIGINAL ORDER of August 27th, holding Section 7.62.070 of the Los Angeles County Code UNCONSTITUTIONAL. The TACO VENDORS were represented by Attorney Philip C. Greenwald. The DA was represented by Deputy DA Steven L. Gates.
According to the website, the county decided not to appeal (Stupid blogger and your stupid autoformatting of fonts!). I liked Snufkin's idea about contacting the La Galeria Posada board, but I don't really know anything about that organization, and their website doesn't have any info, besides basic contact stuff. Does anyone want to draft a preliminary letter? Can you think of other organizations we could contact? It seems like there has to be some legal involvement, and I have no idea how we would get money for that. Maybe some taco-loving attorney would take the case pro-bono? That sounds like a great TV movie idea.
Here's a letter from that website:
Thank you for responding to our concerns regarding your recent ordinance affecting taco trucks in Los Angeles County. As residents of Northeast Los Angeles, we wholeheartedly support a thriving business community that includes “brick and mortar” restaurants. While we understand there are many conflicting interests involved, we are concerned the measures passed by the board of supervisors do not best promote the health and welfare of our community. Forcing hard working men and women, who we object to being classified as “peddlers,” to move too frequently to earn a sustainable income is not an effective means of addressing the health needs of the community. If the aim of this ordinance is the health of the community, you might consider stepping up inspections and more diligent enforcement of existing health codes. If the aim is to improve the welfare of the community, find a compromise that allows more established businesses to reasonably coexist with nascent restaurateurs and other local business owners. Criminalizing these vendors, for what previously was essentially a parking violation, fails to acknowledge the reality that these vendors are an established institution of Los Angeles County and provide an affordable option for families unable to afford sit-down restaurants. Additionally, the culture and community created by taco trucks is enormously beneficial to a neighborhood’s welfare, as it brings people out on otherwise abandoned streets.
If you truly feel that the honest and hardworking families who work in these taco trucks are detrimental to the community under current regulations, we would urge you to find a compromise that better serves your constituents as well as your business interests. A healthy compromise, that allows restaurants to compete without eliminating taco trucks from the landscape, could include preventing the trucks from parking within a specific distance of an open restaurant. Please consider how this ordinance will affect all of your constituents before removing something so loved in our neighborhoods.
So, does everyone who cares know about The Constants playing at Luigi's tonight before the Lost finale? This is the best! I'm really excited.
Dixon May Fair! Taxidermy competition. How did this person get an otter? Is that legal?
I call this picture: snuggle wuggle time
This pig was trying to eat his own award ribbon.
bunny face or bunny butt? you decide
BBQ beef sandwich
cat desecrating the flag
This cat has a super funny expression and the name of the painting is "cat concentraiting"
I zoomed in for this, and you can actually see Cheap Trick better than I could. They were good, but it was funny how lazy Rick Nielsen is about jumps, and he would get on top of his amp but it was clear he had a step stool behind it to get up and down.
I like this art project.
And I knew there would be Twilight-themed art. This one was titled "Robert Pattinson", although I don't know why he would be reading Twilight. I guess it's supposed to be the actor preparing for the role, and not the vampire character.
Cheap Trick tonight at the Dixon May Fair! We have an extra ticket for 30 bucks, does anyone wanna go? Check out that poll I have going on the right.
This picture is a clue to my rather tiring and exciting weekend. Unfortunately, it led to me missing the Knock Knock and Four Eyes show. I'm sure it was the best. 
The best tourist thing we did was go to the catacombs, on mattyrob's recommendation. We waiting in line for an hour but it was worth it. Also, there is a crepe truck nearby that we kept going back to during the hour. You're not supposed to take flash pictures but I was a jerk and took a couple
It's so creepy and fun!
Cheese porn. That's camembert au calvados on the left, and mont d'or on the right.
We went to the Clignancourt flea market, which is every saturday, sunday and monday. It has a big Denios part, and then a big antique part. Stuff online will make it seem like it's rough, which is a joke. Not like I'm some big badass, quite the opposite, but it's about as rough seeming as Denios.
My favorite thing to do was sit on the Seine and drink. There was a good wine shop across the street from us, with a dude who spoke English (he had even been to Sac before), and this was one of his recommendations.
So pretty! We were really lucky with the weather.
A little known fact is that in contained within the zoo at the (Al) Jardin du plantes is the only known ewok in captivity.
More flowers I forgot to post yesterday.
On the left is brebis. That wedge was like 8 euro, I kind of tripped when I saw the price. On the right there is livarot, which smells like manure! It's good.
There's a really excellent French craft beer store right by the Pompidou called La Cave A Bulles. He has a ton of French brew that you will absolutely will not be able to get anywhere else. That's the owner, Simon, on the left. He is a super sweet dude and speaks fluent English in a charming accent. Both times we were there he opened beers and gave us tastes. We wished we could have had longer to hang out with him.
Also, the beer is super cheap!
Here's some pictures of the bands from the wedding. Rantouls!
Unnamed project! Or did they have a name?
Rantouls from the rear!
Some of my favorite pennants from the wall.
This is my absolute favorite. Why did it take so long for these two great things to come together?
