21139 Thu Aug 29 00:07:11 -0700 2002 19 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 75099 Hi all, I am a Mexican food fan like the rest of you. But a nagging question keeps getting to me, especially when I read great reports on great eats. Even my long eating experience and girth does not really explain where beef (?) cheeks come from, especially when the Hispanic word is cabeza (head). Is this meat around the snout, from the head, all the above, or what? And is it beef, and is the taste really so different from the rest of the critter? I have never ordered it, but want to try it. Sure would like to know what it is, to set my tastebuds up first. I am not squeamish, as tripe works for me in menudo (tripe soup) and pho (Vietnamese soup). I also know legua (?) is tongue, but haven't had that since my Jewish childhood in New Jersey, and probably will keep it that way............. Seso is brains, but I draw the line there too. Have had birria a few times, which I always thought was goat. But recently a website seemed to indicate it could be lamb or beef also. So even though I'm pretty sure of the goat definition, the item left a doubt in my piddly little mind. A few of the taco truck/stands/drinks reviews a few months ago in the Fruitvale/Oakland area left me wishing for definitions of items I never heard of. I.E. hot and cold drinks, things other than the normal. Other than huraches (open faced sandal shaped corn dough filled with toppings. There were items at the seafood (mariscos)trucks that I never heard of. Like some messy eating thing to never eat in a car at "Taco Loco" (?) on E.14th, with counter stools only, near Bonanza store in Fruitvale area that I never heard of. So how about it crew? How bout helping out all of us with some definitions of your favorite dishes or ingredients now to take some of the mystery out of the mystery meat or other items? And possibly posting a definition with your review or tip when you post it in the future. Let's get this thread rolling.......... My stomach and other chowpuppies would appreciate the edge-oo-mik-ation. Regards to all and happy ethnic eating............Yum. Thu Aug 29 00:07:11 -0700 2002 0 Glenn 1 75104 I think the "head" is not exactly the head itself. There is a Cantonase stew made from the same cut of meat. I have purchase at in a Asian market and the label called it beef lips it requires a lot of work to clean. If you see it and have not eaten it before you may want to pass on it. I did not want to buy it let alone clean. But I had eaten it at the inlaws so we did try it. It is call with black beans and dired soy bean sheets. Thu Aug 29 01:09:33 -0700 2002 75099 0 Yimster 2 75113 Cabeza used for tacos is almost always the beef cheeks. It has a bit smoother texture and richer flavor than other cuts. It's definitely not beef lips. If ordering it in a taco is too scary, try the braised, then breaded and pan-fried version of beef cheeks at Bizou. Delicious! Thu Aug 29 01:41:23 -0700 2002 75104 0 Melanie Wong 1 75105 Here's a glossary to help you with some terms. Also, the following site has some good definitions if you scroll to the end. http://www.mexicofile.com/food.htm Birria's a stew of BBQ'd or roasted meat that can have any meat ... goat, beef, pork, lamb, and sometimes, offal. Birria originated in Jalisco where it is BBQ goat. Other states have other styles for birria In Jalisco, usually whole goat is seasoned with a paste of ground spices and chiles and cooked in a pit barbecue. The meat is added to a stew-like sauce. The stew is served with limes to squeeze into the broth along with chopped fresh cilantro and onions. It usually comes with a radish to sweeten your breath. When the Spainish brought goats to Mexico, the goats reproduced rapidly and devastated the natural vegetation causing famine. Goat problem + famine = birrea. Birrea meant horrible. The goat meat was tough and it was slowly baked in sealed underground ovens until it was tender. Herbs and spices were used to tenderize the meat and cover up the gamey taste. Goat is cabra in Spanish. With so many posters, it's difficult to get everyone to explain terms. Just do a follow up post and ask what they are talking about if you see something unfamiliar and need to know more. Link: http://members.lycos.nl/mexicancomida/diccionario2/diccionario2.html#t Thu Aug 29 01:21:08 -0700 2002 75099 0 Stanley Stephan 2 75108 And, birria de chivo is made from kid (baby goat). Thu Aug 29 01:36:15 -0700 2002 75105 0 Melanie Wong 2 75129 Thanks, SS! On the recent Fruitvale taco crawl I noticed one place spefically stated "Birria estilo Jalisco" (Jalisco-style). Now I have a better idea what that means. Just in the last year it seems there are many more places offering Birria in Oakland's Fruitvale district. I wonder if my perception is accurate, and if so, why? Thu Aug 29 12:04:10 -0700 2002 75105 0 Ruth Lafler 3 75134 You know, you are right about that. I am seeing Birria more these days. I'm going to have to start trying this more often to check out different preparations. Of course, I'm hoping the reason isn't businesses trying to make a little more profits because this is a dish that can cover up the taste of "horrible" tastes of cheaper cuts of meat. Thu Aug 29 13:01:10 -0700 2002 75129 0 Stanley Stephan 1 75109 I forgot, cabeza ... mmmmm Link: http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/americas/mexican/barbacoa-de-cabeza1.html Thu Aug 29 01:36:21 -0700 2002 75099 0 Stanley Stephan 2 75111 Yes, that may be how to cook a whole cabeza (sans eyes, etc.), but the cabeza used to make tacos is almost always, in my experience, limited to the cheek meat. Thu Aug 29 01:39:06 -0700 2002 75109 0 Melanie Wong 3 75136 I never knew that. I always thought it was the same idea as headcheese or pigs feet. The meat was what fell off that part of the animal after boiling it for a while. I always thought cabaza was sans brains, although somewere in the back of my mind I am thinking there are some preparations that include the brains. Not being a cook I've never tried this at home. Living in the city in a condo it might not be wise. It might cause some alarm if anyone found a cow's head in the trash. I know when Polish people (not me) make headcheese, they have the butcher chop up the pig's head so you don't need to deal with the gruesome factor as much. Thu Aug 29 13:10:01 -0700 2002 75111 0 Stanley Stephan 4 75307 Basically, once you remove the brains, lips, snout, tongue, ears and eyes, there's not much meat left on the cow'shead but the cheeks. Maybe a little bit around the jowls, but that is fatty. When you look at an open face taco suave made from cabeza, the appearance and texture of the meat is obviously cheeks. Fri Aug 30 23:53:16 -0700 2002 75136 0 Melanie Wong 1 75128 Beef cheeks are what they sound like. They're definitely "meat", so there's not much to prepare your tastebuds for. They're much less "exotic" than tripe or brains or other organ meats. They're less unusual than tongue, too, which I do recommend you try again now that you're all growed up, this time in tacos from a taqueria or taco truck you already like. It's one of my favorite fillings. Brain is about the only place I personally draw the line when it comes to the cow. I've had it a couple of times, but didn't care for it. Now with prion diseases more of an issue than they used to be, it's an easy thing to give up. Thu Aug 29 11:35:40 -0700 2002 75099 0 s.m. koppelman 1 75151 One thing to keep in mind, when pondering how "cabeza" can mean "cheeks", is to remember that a lot of mexican street food has colloquial or regionally variant names, like "huarache" (a masa cake that is shaped like the sandal from which it is named) and "taco" (literally, a little piece of something). Another thing to keep separate is the meat vs the preparation...kind of like varietals vs blends in wine. Birria is a stew, made with/for various meats...as is Mole, as is Adobo. You wanna get really confused, try to figure out which chiles are which. Many of them are regionally named, in Mexico as well as in the States, and I just found out last weekend that the reason I can't find dried ancho chiles anywhere around here is because they are called pasilla in California (and ancho in Washington, my former home). (In King County, Washington, a ribeye steak is called a Spencer steak. No idea why.) And wackily named tortas, don't even get me started (no need, there's another thread going about it) I have only tried lengua tacos once. They were served as an appetizer at Dona Tomas. Niman Ranch tongue! I have yet to acquire a "taste" for the texture, but the flavor was astoundingly good - buttery and rich. Check a little bit down on the board for Chibi's quest for tacos de tripitas. The messy thing at La Torta Loca, just north of 35th on International, is a pambazo. Search the board for more discussion on those wonderous sandwiches but more importantly, go get one! they're fantastic. Stuffed with Good Ol' Chorizo and Potatoes. --patrick Thu Aug 29 14:20:56 -0700 2002 75099 0 patrick 2 75155 Actually, anchos chiles are dried poblanos, and pasilla chiles (aka chile negro) are dried chilacas. They're very similar in size, texture and heat level, but they're different chiles. Thu Aug 29 14:44:37 -0700 2002 75151 0 Eric Eto 3 75167 Further confusing matters is the fact that (fresh) poblano chiles are often called 'pasilla' in California--a truly gross misnomer. Thu Aug 29 16:10:36 -0700 2002 75155 0 Tom Hilton 3 75188 that explains a lot. the chilaca was the missing link -- I knew that poblanos were not pasillas, but if you call a poblano pasilla, and a dried poblano ancho, then what's a pasilla? (Never mind. Now I know.) do you have a local source for chiles anchos? Thu Aug 29 19:29:27 -0700 2002 75155 0 patrick 4 75276 La Palma Mexicatessen is a great source for Ancho chiles. Across the street and down a few doors you can also try Casa Lucas. La Palma is more of a deli (hence the name Mexicatessen) and Casa Lucas is a small supermarket. Both are located on 24 St. in SF. La Palma Mexicatessen 2884 24th Street (415) 647-1500 Casa Lucas 2934 24th St. (415) 826-4334 Fri Aug 30 18:57:35 -0700 2002 75188 0 Janet Calvin 5 75289 thanks!! Fri Aug 30 20:07:51 -0700 2002 75276 0 patrick 1 75191 Meant to post on this a while back. I was talking with a Spanish-speaking friend about cabeza and how I had heard that it was beef cheeks and not actually cow head. She was skeptical, saying that there is a different word for "cheeks". So the next time we went to El Farolito in the Mission I asked her to ask one of the folks working there what "cabeza" was. "Head meat" was the reply. I asked her to ask them if it wasn't beef cheeks. "No, it's cow head." I haven't had cabeza at El Farolito, but the cabeza I had at El Tonayense was quite tasty. Sort of an oxtail-like texture. Thu Aug 29 20:27:27 -0700 2002 75099 0 km 1 75197 Hi all, I appreciate all your comments, limks, and discussions about these ingredients that have been a mystery to me. I will try the cheeks soon. That is, soon as I can get the image of that smilin' cow outta my mind....... I hope to see this thread continue. I have learned alot. Thanks. Happy holiday weekend. And as they say in my 'hood - Hasta Lasagna you all. Thu Aug 29 21:32:47 -0700 2002 75099 0 Glenn