402441 Thu May 17 09:24:24 -0700 2007 16 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 2577766 The first time I had menudo it was amazing. The tripe almost as soft and succulent as bone marrow. The second bowl of menudo ... well, I swear the cow was still attached and mooing ... ick. So, in a review of a local restaurant, I learn there's two types of tripe ... http://www.eastbayexpress.com/2007-05-16/dining/a-tripe-triumph/full "Diana Kennedy writes that smooth tripe, the kind Mexican cooks call callo, or toalla in the Yucatan ("towel" tripe, on account of its relative smoothness), is best. Samiljan calls it leaf tripe, the lining from one of a cow's four stomachs that's smaller than the large organ where the honeycomb stuff comes from, meaning there's less of it to go around." So, how would I ask in Spanish about the type of tripe they are using. I would want to ask if they are serving leaf tripe ... followed by ... "It's not honeycomb tripe, verdad?" I've pretty much stopped sampling menudo because it is such a game of tripe roulette. This might help me increase my chances of getting the good stuff. Thu May 17 09:24:24 -0700 2007 10264 rworange 1 2578126 There are four types of Panza..... Cuajo (Honeycomb) Libro (Ruffled... book like) Callo Pancita Pancita is the most tender & mild tasting... it comes from the smalles of the cow's four stomachs. And callo is what Diana Kennedy described. Cuajo & Libro is what you want to avoid. So your question could be: Que tipo de panza usa? Cuajo o Libro? I find most places use a combination... and there is usually so much there that I can pick the pieces that I want and leave the rest. BTW, in my opion... just as good as Callo is the hoolves. Thu May 17 10:52:40 -0700 2007 2577766 42572 Eat_Nopal 2 3152257 My parents were visiting for Thanksgiving... so I decided to "interview" them about all typical foods they had growing up in the Jalisco highlands.... and they made a stunning revelation..... The enzymes used to make the various dairy products that were part of their daily food prep routines (Queso Fresco, Requeson etc.,) are derived from the Cuajo (Honeycomb) hence its name (the verb Cuajar means to thicken or set) which apparently contains a high amount of the enzyme Rennet (news to me). Sat Nov 24 22:05:30 -0800 2007 2578126 42572 Eat_Nopal 3 3152623 "which apparently contains a high amount of the enzyme Rennet (news to me)" Yup, that's why there can be "issues" for non-meat eaters and kosher-keepers with cheese. (There is such a thing as "vegetarian rennet", I have no idea what exactly it is.) There's also a higher concentration of the stuff in young animals' stomachs, no great surprise when you look at humans and our tendency to become lactose less-tolerant as we age... Sun Nov 25 07:29:43 -0800 2007 3152257 11980 MikeG 1 2578300 Leaf trip and book tripe refer to the same part. I think that reference is wrong. Thu May 17 11:33:42 -0700 2007 2577766 10039 Melanie Wong 2 2579105 i had pig feet menudo on mothers day. very good! Thu May 17 14:45:34 -0700 2007 2578300 72668 phant0omx 1 2579115 In Colombia, smooth callo (tripe) is "toalla" and honeycombed is just that, "de la colmena". You could ask, "Uds se sirven el menudo con el callo tipa toalla y no de la colmena, verdad?" Or simply, "Que clase del callo viene con su menudo, la toalla y/o la de la colmena? Si sea posible, prefiero sola la toalla". Thu May 17 14:48:08 -0700 2007 2577766 36661 Sam Fujisaka 2 2586268 To each his own, I suppose. I prefer the honeycomb tripe in my menudo with the pata. But that's just me. Sun May 20 12:28:14 -0700 2007 2579115 99017 Pakkai 3 2606165 In the menudo stew, I also prefer theHoneycomb tripe with beef pata. The Filipino style Menudo I like just the regular flat tripe. Sun May 27 12:06:15 -0700 2007 2586268 97593 Cinnabon 1 2606186 The tripe could've been prepared wrong the second time. It's a pretty finicky process cooking tripe. In my experience Honeycomb is tenderest and the best. Sun May 27 12:19:07 -0700 2007 2577766 20664 therealbigtasty 1 2610367 The only tripe I've had that I didn't like was in my first bowl of pho, and I wasn't prepared for the rubbery chewiness...and now that I've had a whole lot more pho, I understand that the tripe in my introductory bowl was simply undercooked. Asians do like their tripe a little chewy, though, which I've gotten used to. The stewed tripe at our favorite dim sum place is only a little chewy, and insanely good. I personally love honeycomb tripe in menudo; I think if I made some (or Philadelphia pepper pot, another big favorite) I'd try to use all the kinds (usually three) that my nearby Latino markets carry. Tue May 29 10:37:32 -0700 2007 2577766 11478 Will Owen 1 2610480 One more thing I should add... Menudo actually means assortment. Places that sell the same soup broth but with only one ingredient don't call it Menudo (unless you are in California where the immigrants don't necessarily stick to the traditional naming conventions). For example in Mexico City you would come see places that advertise Sopa de Pancita (usually just callo), or Sopa de Pata (hoolves) etc., that might me one way to indentify the finer versions. Tue May 29 11:09:57 -0700 2007 2577766 42572 Eat_Nopal 2 2611112 There's tripe in sopa de pata? I though it was just gummy tendon bits. Tue May 29 14:08:22 -0700 2007 2610480 10264 rworange 3 2611667 No... what I meant is Pata can & regularly does show up in Menudo (remember Menudo just means assortment).... but if it says Sopa de Pata... you are only getting the gummy parts above the hoolf even if it is a very similar broth. Tue May 29 16:57:12 -0700 2007 2611112 42572 Eat_Nopal 1 3155803 I've had both smooth tripe and honeycomb tripe. I've had them both prepared well where they were delicious and succulent, and have had them prepared where they had the texture of rubber bands. I've also had the smooth tripe prepared so that it was still crunchy. I think the preparation is more essential than what type of tripe you're eating. My preference is for the honeycomb. Mon Nov 26 12:00:16 -0800 2007 2577766 10763 Miss Needle 2 3546042 Needle is correct. Although honeycomb is a bit more tender, all tripe needs long, slow cooking. (Although I use a small quantity of finely diced callo simmered for only ten minutes in my laab). Mon Mar 31 11:08:39 -0700 2008 3155803 36661 Sam Fujisaka 1 3543728 Here some pictures of librillo tripe aka book which seems to be the go-to for Vietnamese pho. Sun Mar 30 15:55:48 -0700 2008 2577766 14086 kare_raisu