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What REALLY is Mexican Lasagna?

LaHermosaLaurasMexicanLasagna

The short answer is… WHO KNOWS?

I think nearly everyone has tried something called “Mexican Lasagna” or at least heard of it. However, like some of the other dishes I have written about… Beef Stroganoff and Chicken Tetrazinni for example… often the name is the only thing that any of the recipes have in common. Sometimes the recipes become so blurred as in the case of the Stroganoff and the Tetrazinni that the only difference is that one has beef and the other has chicken… this is just wrong.

In any event, researching something called “Mexican Lasagna” was particularly challenging. This would indicate to me that the recipe is a ‘fusion.’ That is… it is a concept that came from two different cultural identities. The word ‘Lasagna’ — for example — can be traced back to the Roman and then back to the original Greek meaning ‘ cooking pot.’ This should sound familiar… we use the name ‘casserole’ to describe almost anything that is cooked in a dish.

So what is “Mexican Lasagna?”

The way most of us today think of Lasagna is as food served in layers. In the case of Italian Lasagna, we have basic layers of noodles and cheese. Many Mexican Lasagnas have layers of cheese slipped between deep fried corn tortilla strips… although this isn’t always the case. Adding to the confusion, there are several dishes that resemble ‘Mexican Lasagna’ under the names of ‘Chicken Mexicali’ or ‘Mexican Cheese Bake’ and the like.

On Saturday, we will be fixing “Mexican Lasagna” and in the true spirit of ‘fusion’ cooking… it will take the best — I believe– of all worlds!

Roger Freberg

the best wine for the occasion? I would suggest something hearty … but beer (Tres Equis if you can find it) is wonderful!

NOTE: to those who have emailed me… I will post our recipe late Saturday, thanks!

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Firefox vs. Internet Explorer?

karlas mascot battles intenet explorer vs. firefox
My daughter (Karla) likes Foxes. It is who she is… she tells me. I think that when FireFox first appeared those many years ago, Karla had to have it for her browser. Since then, we have all received emails and other sales pieces from Karla to try to get us to ‘switch.’

She emailed me these last two links:

Browser Showdown!
7 Reasons

Karla asked me to post this… and since she is our treasured web site artist… here it is!

Roger Freberg

PS. I still like Internet Explorer, sorry Karla

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Ted Turner’s “Ted-istan” is one Big Little Country!

If I could be KingOkay, our friend Ted I-wanna-own-the-world Turner just locked up 2,000,000 acres. Now, I don’t know about you… but I suspected he always wanted to own his own little country… and now he has it. For the easy conversion, his holdings translate into approximately 3125 square miles ( or a block roughly 55 miles by 55 miles)!

Ted-istan is about 60% the size of Puerto Rico or about 2.5 times the size of Rhode Island.

There are a whole bunch of countries that could fit into his living room.

Lets make a list: the Italian land locked country of San Marino is a mere 24 sq. miles, Andorra (between Spain and France) is 180 sq. miles with 180,000 people, and Liechtenstein is a paltry 62 sq. miles (but they produce beautiful stamps). The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is less than half the size of Ted-istan … The list goes on and on .
I wasn’t going to mention it… but what does he REALLY want with all that land and should we be concerned?

Roger Freberg

Like many Americans, I do admire someone who can build so much from so little… but most Americans do worry about so much power in any one person’s hands.

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A Great Chef has many Sources & Cookbooks!

one of the secrets that makes a great chef

One of the little secrets I learned a long long time ago was the mark of a great chef… finding the best sources of their ingredients! The other little secret…. if you can’t invent a great idea…. borrow one!

Obviously, in every chef’s secret library are hundreds of cookbooks and with the internet …. the ability to review interesting ideas , recipes and cultural offerings is virtually limitless. Here are three interesting cookbooks from an age gone by that offer some timeless ideas to enhance any modern table.

Helen Corbitt’s Cookbook

“Creative recipes that can be prepared quickly from a few ingredients, from first woman to win food service industry’s Golden Plate Award, and then Director of Restaurants at Neiman-Marcus.”

Her philosophy could be summed up with her often quoted statement that “every woman can cook.”

St. Francis hotel Cookbook ( 1910 or 1919)

“Hirtzler originally published The Hotel St. Francis Cook Book in 1910. Organized as a year’s worth of Breakfast, Luncheon, and Dinner menus with recipes displayed next to each menu, the cookbook served as a scrapbook of St. Francis occasions, as well as a recipe collection”

the Epicurean

“The Epicurean, a Complete Treatise of Analytical and Practical Studies 1894 3,500 recipes from master chef Charles Ranhofer of Delmonico’s, turn-of-the-century America’s best restaurant. Also many techniques known only to professional chefs. Includes 800 illustrations.”

Just as a suggestion, you can find these cookbooks and others at ABEBOOKS.com.

Now cook!

Roger Freberg

NOTE: Quotes from various sources at Abebooks.com

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Football Rivalries & USC Trojans!

Here I am sittnig with the Trojan Knights Protecting Tommy!Some football rivalries are worthy of Klingon Song!

It’s hard to talk about any rivalry without mentioning the fact that the Southern California Trojans and the UCLA Bruins compete in just about everything they do for the title of the city crown and bragging rights for an entire year.

Laura and I traveled down to Los Angeles and had the good fortune to stay right next to campus at the Radisson Hotel. This was wonderful in not having to hassle the normal traffic when 100,000 folks decide to all leave at the same time!

The night before the big USC-UCLA football game we atended the NCAA Regional Women’s Volleyball match at the Galen Center. We’ve been here before and it is a singularly impressive facility.

Before the match we walked around campus and Laura took a picture of me sitting with some of the ‘Trojan Knights’ guarding the statue of Tommy Trojan from Bruins who like to throw Blue and Gold on him. In fact, they held a big party all night long with fun booths and food called “Save Tommy Night.”

Laura posted some of the pictures the two of us took of the weekend . Fun Times!

Roger Freberg

My ol’ college roommate was a good sport sitting with us in the Trojan Section… it only hurt for a little while!