340758 Tue Nov 07 20:41:34 -0800 2006 1 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 2004061 Tonight I’ll post a Chorizo Crawl recap with rankings of the 18 markets & 23 Mexican chorizos (8 dry, 15 fresh), 1 upscale fresh chorizo (probably Spanish), 2 Salvadoran chorizos, 3 longanizas & 3 carne secas. This is the last market report. The La Loma markets are proof that while Mexican markets may have one or more locations, the butcher shops inside usually have independent owners. The chorizo at the two La Loma markets are very different. La Loma #11 seems to be the local mothership making the tortillas, salsas and a few other items sold at market #5. La Loma # 11 is one of my favorite local Mexican markets. It has a little restaurant in the back, a good pan dulce case, one of the most diverse Latino beer selections and a larger selection of groceries & produce than most markets. Two additional foods I tried here: Birria de res – Meltingly tender, almost fat-free in a rich, lightly salty stew. I asked if it was soup because the big cup was almost entirely huge chunks of meat. It comes with a baggie of chopped onion and cilantro and is wonderful with La Loma’s smoky tortillas (which need to be purchased separately). Finally snagged the empanadas de arroz con leche y rompope which are located next to the register and not in the regular panaderia case. Compared to the other 25 & 50 cent pan dulce, they are a pricy $1.39 ... but worth every penny. The delicate cinnamon crust is filled with rice pudding flavored with rompope, a Mexican eggnog. Pretty darn fine. Given all the delicious foods I’ve had at La Loma #11, the fresh chorizo was pretty average. However, the have a FANTASTIC meat/fish counter with whole marinated roasts and unusual whole fish. Very nice butchers who kind of know me by now and I get greeted with a smile when walking in to door though I've only bought the chorizo. They've been very nice about answering questions. They only have fresh chorizo – no dry. Fresh chorizo: - A mild medium-grind deep coral-colored chorizo that didn’t release excessive fat. Meaty with no unidentified gristle and the porky taste wasn’t assertive. Only a whisper of chile ... too low a whisper and no cinnamon or vingar. Not a complex chorizo. La Loma #5 This market is just messy. When they have chicahrrones on the weekend, the market is perfumed with a not particularily pleasant eau de pork. Fresh chorizo – Raw, it had the soft consistency of liverwurst with a pumpkin colored sausage. It had the most porcine flavor with a touch of bitterness. The spice didn’t add any flavor, only mouth burn. Trying to place the familiar flavor, the raw soft raw texture came to mind ... aha! ... liver ... this had a liverwurst flavor to it. Not awful, but not a flavor I want in chorizo. Juicy, not overly oily, it released some pretty chile colored juices. Dry chorizo: - Almost identical to the fresh version. The porky/liver taste was subdued, the other flavors intensified a bit, including the bitterness. There’s just enough oil to fry an egg. Carne seca – deep beefy flavor, not lime marinade like La Raza. A little thicker, drier and chewier. Brittle, shard-like Here’s a previous report about the markets La Loma # 11 San Pablo - La Loma #11 – tacos w/tortillas pressed to order, nuts & dried fruit with chili, different beer, hot sauce, canned butter etc. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/327646 San Pablo - Duro con cueritos hombre (pickled pig skin guy) - tastes like calamari http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/327114 La Loma #5 San Pablo – La Loma’s smoky house-made tortillas http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/310776 La Loma #11 1313 Road 20 San Pablo, CA 94806-3401 Phone: (510) 235-6783 La Loma No 5 1992 23RD St San Pablo, CA 94806-3634 (510) 235-5685 Tue Nov 07 20:41:34 -0800 2006 10264 rworange 1 4262277 I forgot to mention that at La Loma #11 there is a lady who sells Central American tamales on weekends in the late morning. They have that lighter masa than Mexican tamales. There were nice pieces of chicken in it, but no olive. She is to the right of the outdoor veggies and in warmer weather wears a pretty frilly apron. Sat Dec 20 13:01:37 -0800 2008 2004061 10264 rworange