408232 Mon Jun 04 20:53:31 -0700 2007 6 3 California 0 2630142 Sunday a little after 5pm, I cruised down the local taco truck row on East Market Street to pay a visit to the Catering 3 Maria (sic) cart, spotted earlier. On my way here I passed by the one outside Walgreens on North Sanborn Road, so this is indeed a different cart from the same outfit. Diana, the bubbly employee on duty, confirmed this and explained that a mother and her two daughters own the business. The Sanborn Road cart is year-round, whereas this one on the sidewalk in front of 711 East Market Street takes the winter off. A lonchera, the third rig in this trinity, works a route in the fields during the day. Image of Catering 3 Maria tamale cart and canopy - http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1261/530035196_816eb3fd75.jpg?v=0 The offerings have expanded in the last two years. In addition to tamales, champurrado and elotes, one can purchase gelatinas or the puffy flour-based “chicharrones” tostada-style topped with cueritos. An elote sounded good to me, and even better when Diana asked if I wanted it on the cob or in a cup. A few years ago I’d run into elote with the kernels cut from the cob and served in a cup in Santa Rosa, and then never saw it on the street again. So last night, I took the lazy man’s way out and ordered a cup. Available in small, medium, and large ($2, $3, and $4, respectively), the medium was a full 16 ounces in volume. Diana showed me the fixings available for dressing the elote. I said “no” to Parkay, and asked for mayonesa, a little lemon juice (bottled), grated cotija, and hot sauce. She even had a selection of chili sauces, including the ubiquitous Tapatio, another bottled brand, a shaker of chili powder, and a hot sauce they make themselves that she described as “like salsa de polvron but hotter”. Image of cup of elote - http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1055/530035210_5cb033063e.jpg?v=0 She put a little bit of the condiments in the bottom of the cup, filled it with corn and then topped it off as shown. I’m glad I tried the homemade hot sauce, as it had a full flavor and smoky overtones. The yellow corn was more mature than the elote I had from Julio Valdez and more starchy. But overall, this one had more flavor punch. Diana also offered me a taste of the champurrado. Still not enough chocolate for me, but it was silky smooth on the palate. Catering 3 Marias post, 8/2005 - http://www.chowhound.com/topics/87847 Google Map of Salinas Street Food – http://www.chowhound.com/topics/407568 Mon Jun 04 20:53:31 -0700 2007 10039 Melanie Wong 1 2630397 I've only had the elote in the cup once at a market in San Pablo, La Loma #11. The cup had corn mixed with mayo and some chile powder for a slight kick. Cheese and bottles of hot sauce were on the side. You bring up a good point in another topic that sometimes the only place to get some items is from a street vendor. I had a chicharrones” tostada-style topped with cueritos only once from a street vendor. Trying to find a place with hot churros is impossible with the only source in my area from a street vendor. The fresh garbanzo season started and the garbanzo vendor is back in his spot selling huge bushy bunches. It is kind of cool to me. I never took advantage of the street vendors when I worked in Mexico because I was concerned about the water used for cleaning veggies and in the drinks. It gives me a chance to learn more about that type of food in my backyard. Also I get to know the people and learn a little about another ethnicity ... and practice my bad Spanish. Tue Jun 05 00:15:30 -0700 2007 2630142 10264 rworange 1 2631189 When I was in Oaxaca they called corn on the cob "elote" and corn in the cup "esquite." I don't know what the translation is, do you? Tue Jun 05 09:01:23 -0700 2007 2630142 11204 srr 2 2631220 Thank you, now I know the right term. Looking around the web a little, it's also spelled eskite, and seems to referred to the cooked corn kernels. Tue Jun 05 09:15:18 -0700 2007 2631189 10039 Melanie Wong 1 2728659 Recently I returned here to try the tamale de elote (aka uchepo). I wanted to eat it on the spot and had the young woman unwrap it for me. She served it up on a hot dog style of paper doily. http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1261/746936909_d5336e5c5c.jpg?v=0 The masa was very firm and dense and kind of crusty around the edges. This had less corn kernels than Sr. Valdez's tamales, plus they were more mashed up without the release of sweet juicy when you bite into them. Basically, this was stiff and stale and not that tasty. I won't order it again. Chicken Gordita @ Catering 3 Maria - http://www.chowhound.com/topics/418904 Sun Jul 08 00:27:59 -0700 2007 2630142 10039 Melanie Wong 2 2738146 Wow, that tamale looks SO wrong. I mean, it looks delicious until I read what it was supposed to be. It almost looks deep-fried. Tue Jul 10 20:33:08 -0700 2007 2728659 10264 rworange 3 2750806 I think this tamale had been reheated and warmed over too many times. But it's only a buck. Sat Jul 14 23:00:01 -0700 2007 2738146 10039 Melanie Wong