29
Foodie Friday: A Q&A with Jason Quinn of The Lime Truck
My favorite green machine
Gone are the days of the “roach coach” stigma when it comes to food trucks. From LA to NY, the gourmet food truck craze is in full swing and, from the look of things, they’re here to stay.
The popular food trucks driving around Southern California are serving up fresh, healthy, and down-right delicious gourmet fare. One of my favorite food trucks is Orange County’s The Lime Truck…and I’m apparently not the only one. With stellar reviews on yelp, a loyal fan-base, and a recent award for Best Food Truck in OC, The Lime Truck has quickly become an OC foodie favorite.
Jason Quinn and Daniel Shemtob are the co-founders and owners of the Lime Truck. Executive Chef Jason recently chatted with me about about life in the food truck and, as our Q&A can attest, the food truck biz is both fun and very challenging.
Aimee: How many cooks are in the Lime Truck kitchen and who comes up with the recipes?
Jason: In all honesty, we all help out. The Lime Truck team consists of me, Daniel, and Alex. Daniel helps to prep when necessary and so does Alex. When we are actually mid-service Alex works the grill and I expedite and assemble. As far as the recipes, id say they’re about 95% me.
A: Who (or what) inspires you the most when it comes to the type of food you cook?
J: I like to think that my food is very ingredient driven, when we find something really cool to work with we like to let it shine on its own.
A: What is the one ingredient you can’t live without?
J: BACON!!! (continues…)
26
Fattism and the Marie Claire Article
I checked Twitter this morning and saw a few comments from fellow bloggers about a Marie Claire blog post. Clicking onto the link, the title alone made me sick:
Should Fatties Get a Room? (Even on TV?)
Yes, the article is as bad as you might expect. Maybe worse.
In response to a new TV show called “Mike & Molly,” which is about an obese couple that meets at an Over-Eaters Anonymous meeting and falls in love, author Maura Kelly complains that she is sickened by the thought of watching fat people make-out. In her words:
“I think I’d be grossed out if I had to watch two characters with rolls and rolls of fat kissing each other … because I’d be grossed out if I had to watch them doing anything. To be brutally honest, even in real life, I find it aesthetically displeasing to watch a very, very fat person simply walk across a room”
What is wrong with the author of this blog post? Or the folks over at Marie Claire who not only apparently prompted the content of the article but decided that it was OK to publish it as well?
It’s not OK. (continues…)
26
Announcing the Winners of the Whole Foods gift cards!
By way of random.org, the winners of the $10 Whole Foods gift cards are:
comment #10 – Betsy & comment #13 – Diana
And the grand-prize winner of a $75 gift card is:
comment #15 – Marie
Congrats to the 3 winners!!!
Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest. If you live in Orange County, make sure to swing by the new Whole Foods in Huntington Beach!
21
Ruckus Media Group iPhone/iPad Apps for Children – Review and Giveaway!
If you’re a regular reader of AYMB, then you already know how much I appreciate kid-friendly iPhone apps for my toddler. The use of educational yet entertaining iPhone applications for children can be such a fantastic teaching tool and I strongly believe in their value. It goes without saying that I’m always on the lookout for great new apps, which is why I was very excited when Ruckus Media Group contacted me about reviewing a few of their new story apps for children.
Ruckus Media Group, a global mobile family entertainment company, has just released it’s first animated children’s story applications for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. These classic stories include:
Tom Thumb and the Knights of the Round Table, told by John Cleese, illustrated by Tim Gabor, music by Elvis Costello
The Velveteen Rabbit, told by Meryl Streep, illustrated by Dave Jorgenson, music by George Winston
The Velveteen Rabbit (image courtesy of Ruckus Media Group)
Johnny Appleseed, told by Garrison Keillor, illustrated by Stan Olson, music by Mark O’Connor
Pecos Bill, told by Robin Williams, illustrated by Tim Raglin, music by Ry Cooder
John Henry, told by Denzel Washington, illustrated by Barry Jackson, music by B.B. King
Pecos Bill (image courtesy of Ruckus Media Group)
I was given the opportunity to sample The Velveteen Rabbit, as told by Meryl Streep, and Pecos Bill, as told by Robin Williams. With all five story apps, you have the option to watch the video narrated by the actors, read the story yourself, or even read and record the story.
The Velveteen Rabbit
Meryl Streep is one of my favorite actresses and to hear her dramatization of The Velveteen Rabbit story was an absolute pleasure. In a lilting British accent, Ms. Streep brings a wonderful tone to this classic story. The images, drawn by Dave Jorgensen, were visually stunning and rich and the music by George Winston was soothingly gorgeous. The story is the perfect way to end a day and calm a child for sleep. It’s also the perfect story app to have in time for the upcoming holiday season. (continues…)
15
Foodie Friday: The New OC Whole Foods Preview and Gift Card Giveaway!
(A note to my readers – this is a review of an Orange County, CA based Whole Foods and the give-away included is only open to residents of Southern California, Hawaii, Arizona, and Nevada. My apologies in advance if you are not eligible for this give-away.)
I’ve been a fan of Whole Foods grocery stores for many years so, needless to say, I was thrilled when I was invited to preview the 300th Whole Foods store that just opened in Huntington Beach, CA. Two days before the grand opening on Wednesday, October 13th, I joined up with other bloggers and media outlets for a fun tour that showcased everything the new Whole Foods has to offer its new community.
In addition to many of the natural and organic items that you find in Whole Foods stores across the country, the new Huntington Beach location will offer unique regional products and cuisine from more than 50 local vendors, including Gringo Bandito Hot Sauce, Mary’s Free Range Organic Chickens, Honey Pacifica, Carlsbad Aquafarm, Yasutomi Farms, California Baby, and Xan Chocolates, to name a few. Many of the local vendors were at the preview and I happily sampled their goods. I was introduced to quite a few products I’ve never tried before and saw even more that I know and love. I’ve been a fan of Mary’s Chickens for years (my delicious Thanksgiving turkey last year was from Mary’s farm!), and it was a pleasure to actually meet her in person. It was also a treat to discover other local vendors. I especially loved the Xan chocolates, the sage and eucalyptus honey from Honey Pacifica, the shrimp from Carlsbad Aquafarm, and the hot sauce from Gringo Bandito (a Tapatio loyalist for years, I have to admit that this incredible hot sauce won me over). (continues…)