Pico de Gallo

So Roommate's Friend moved to the UK with her 4 yr old daughter last summer. Of course all their family is still here, so as Christmas rolled around, they made plans to hop back over the ocean. On their way to Virginia, they paused here in grand old New York and stayed with us.

My cat, Stormy was a champ. He dealt with the 4yr old's attentions admirably. He was petted and patted, hugged and cuddled, slightly suffocated and tugged on. But he didn’t yowl, meow, scratch or bite. He just looked at me with that perfect cat look of “I’m NOT happy.” I’ve never been so proud.

The adult humans of the crowd made the executive decision early on to feast on Chinese seeing as delivery is an attractive option after flying overseas with 4yr old and luggage in tow. While the place wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, it did turn our conversation. I nearly dropped my spoon into my delicious hot and sour soup when I heard there is no decent Chinese to be found in London! What?! While R’s Friend admitted the spicy beef was OK, she also informed me of no soup, and a mint sauce condiment to which I replied that the British were trying to curry their Chinese. She nodded and slurped on her own soup. Well, with a shake of my head, we turned to the abomination the British have made of Mexican food. R’s Friend said she’d tried a few different places, to no avail. They had bad salsa, as if they took old canned tomatoes and threw them in a bowl without adding peppers and onions and garlic. What decent Mexican place has bad salsa? Actually, even the bad places have good salsa ensuring that you can fill up on chips and salsa when the quesadillas or enchiladas aren’t up to snuff.

Well, this was all news to me. I mean I realize the UK isn’t known for it’s cuisine, but really, this is bad. Truly, curry is a blessing, but there are days when you just need some greasy Chinese takeout, or some filling Mexican. Luckily I know how to make a lot of Mexican dishes, mostly from a lot of experimentation. The kind of experimentation that ends in watering eyes, because inevitably after finely chopping the peppers, one somehow manages to touch an eye sending the once useful ocular apparatus into a reddened, watering hell of sorts.

But Chinese? I’ve done some experiments following recipes given to me with explicit instructions and yet I’ve failed. Again and again the flavor escapes me.

Oh I will still move to the UK, one way or another, but yes, yes, I will morn the greasy Chinese food, I will morn the take-out. But at least, at least I know how to make Pico de Gallo*.

*Pico de Gallo is NOT salsa, may look it, but is not.
picture courtesy of: www.bfeedme.com