Cactus Omelettes

Christian posted a review of Lucia's Tacos y Mulitas, a mexican joint in Huntington Beach, CA, and he snapped a photo of their menu board, showing "Cactus Omelette"...


I did some growing up in San Diego between 1971-1978, and I had mexican friends across the street. Their mom frequently used cactus in her cooking. I was suprised at the time to see cactus being used, but later on in life I came to understand it was quite common in Mexican cuisine. They called them "Nopales", or "Nopalitos" for the softer baby leaves.

They kept a rabbit pen and a chicken coop, and on Sundays, would pull out a rabbit or chicken, kill it, clean it, and tossed it on this large brick grill they had in their backyard. Their mom would make the corn tortillas and salsa, and she'd pull out a jar of nopalitos, to garnish the tacos. Then we'd sit underneath this old pepper tree (or willow tree) and have rabbit tacos.

And quite good they were. The nopalitos added some "texture" to the tacos, and a bit of taste.

Cactus wasn't bad, but not necessarily what I'd call "good". It's something you'd have to grow up eating to enjoy.

I'll have to stop by at this Lucia's Tacos y Mulitas the next time I'm in that area, and try the omelette.

I also mentioned, "Cactus flavored chewing gum", awhile back on Strange New Products.

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Del Taco Doubles the Chicken in its Burrito

The Del Taco chain of fast food restaurants issued an announcement today promising that when you order their Spicy Chicken Burrito they'll put more chicken into it.

Better yet, the $1.99 price will remain as is.

The doubling of chicken meat in Del Taco's products have been met with approval of its client base, following the success of its relaunched Chicken Soft Taco.

To market their chicked-up Spicy Chicken Burrito, Del Taco is running a new ad depicting a mall-Santa feeding his hunger with a Spicy Chicken Burrito as he flirts with his attractive helper.

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El Monterey Tornado – Firecracker Chicken

Ruiz Foods is introducing a new flavor to their line of El Monterey Tornados. Called Firecracker Chicken, it's a "hot wing style medley of tender chicken and Monterey Jack cheese in a crispy seasoned tortilla."

The choices are:

• Regular size El Monterey Tornado / 3 ounces & 6” long
• XXL Tornado / 4.25 ounces & 9" long (40% larger)
  

Prices range from $.99 to $2.29. They can be found hot and ready on the roller grill or hot case at convenience stores and to go locations starting July 1st.

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Taco Bell Offers Lifetime Tacos for Playstation 3

Taco Bell announced today that it will give someone free tacos for life if they agree to trade in their Sony Playstation 3.

The fast food chain will donate the game machine to the Stanton Teen Center of the Boys & Girls Club.

The lifetime of Taco Bell food is actually the equivalent of $12,500 in Taco Bell Bucks. It's not actually a lifetime of food, though, if you ate that much Taco Bell food, you just might die before you consume it all.

To participate in this, a Playstation 3 owner must contact Taco Bell via e-mail at: tacobellnews@tacobell.com

The first person to respond, based on the time the email is received, and then sends their PlayStation 3, will be awarded the Taco Bell Bucks. Offer expires December 1, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. PST.

Read the press release.

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Taco Bell Goes Trans Fat Free

Taco Bell announced today that it's switching more than 4,200 of its restaurants to a trans fat free canola oil...

Development efforts began more than two years ago with extensive consumer taste tests to preserve Taco Bell's signature flavors, and the transition to zero grams trans fat canola oil is already complete in more than 100 restaurants. All Taco Bell restaurants are expected to be transitioned to zero grams trans fat frying oil by April 2007, nationwide.

Many of Taco Bell's menu items are already trans fat free, but by April 2007, everything on the menu will be as well.

Last month we reported that Kentucky Fried Chicken announced a similar move. Both Taco Bell and Kentucky Fried Chicken are owned by the same parent company, Yum Brands Inc. Yum Brands also owns the Pizza Hut, A&W, and Long John Silver's chains.

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